Appointed by James Monroe Preceded by new seat Preceded by new seat Succeeded by William Crawford | Succeeded by William Crawford Name Charles Tait Appointed by James Monroe | |
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The Story of the Kelly Gang 1906 World's 1st Feature Length Movie Charles Tait
Charles Tait (February 1, 1768 – October 7, 1835) was an American politician. A Democratic Republican, he served as a United States Senator from Georgia and later as a United States federal judge.
Contents
- The Story of the Kelly Gang 1906 Worlds 1st Feature Length Movie Charles Tait
- Early life
- Academic and Legal Career
- Political career
- References
Early life
Born near Hanover, Virginia, Charles Tait moved to Georgia in 1783 with his parents, who settled near Petersburg, where he completed preparatory studies. Tait attended Wilkes Academy, Washington, Georgia in 1786 and 1787 and Cokesbury College in Abingdon, Maryland in 1788.
Academic and Legal Career
Tait was a professor of French in Cokesbury College from 1789 to 1794, while he also read law and was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1795. He was a rector and professor at Richmond Academy, Augusta, Georgia from 1795 to 1798, when he commenced the practice of law in Elbert County. He was presiding judge of the western circuit court of Georgia from 1803 to 1809.
Political career
He was elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Milledge in 1809, winning by one vote. He was reelected in 1813, serving from November 27, 1809 to March 3, 1819. During the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Congress he was chairman on the Committee on Naval Affairs. After serving in the Senate, he moved to Wilcox County, Alabama in 1819.
On May 10, 1820, Tait was nominated by President James Monroe to a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of Alabama, created by 3 Stat. 564. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 13, 1820, and received his commission the same day. On March 10, 1824, the District was subdivided, and Tait was reassigned by operation of law to the newly created Northern District and Southern District of Alabama. Tait continued in service as the sole federal judge assigned to both districts until his resignation on February 1, 1826.
Tait then lived as a planter at what is now called the Dellet House in Claiborne, Alabama. He declined a mission to Great Britain in 1828. In 1833-34, Tait hosted Timothy Abbott Conrad, a paleontologist from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, at his home in order to encourage the young man's explorations of Alabama fossils. Conrad described dozens of species of fossil mollusks from Claiborne Bluff alone, making it a popular destination among paleontologists.
Charles Tait died near Claiborne on October 7, 1835 and was interred in Dry Forks Cemetery on his country estate in Wilcox County, Alabama.