Preceded by Henry H. Chambers Preceded by James Holland Party Democratic Party | Name Israel Pickens Alma mater Jefferson College | |
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Education Washington & Jefferson College | ||
Previous office Senator (AL) 1826–1826 | ||
Israel Pickens (January 30, 1780 – April 24, 1827) was an American politician and lawyer, third Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama (1821–1825), member of the North Carolina Senate (1808–1810), and North Carolina Congressman in the United States House of Representatives (1811–1817).
Biography
Born in Concord, North Carolina, Pickens graduated from Jefferson College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in 1802, studied law and was admitted to the bar. Pickens was a native of North Carolina and represented the "North Carolina Faction" in early Alabama politics, like fellow North Carolina Representative, William R. King, with whom he served Congress during the early 1810s. The main opposition to the "North Carolina Faction" was the "Georgia Faction", who many new settlers to the state viewed them as too aristocratic and elitist, while Pickens was seen as the "spokesman for the have-nots." Pickens married Martha Lenoir in 1814, the daughter of North Carolina statesman William Lenoir (general). In both 1821 and 1823 Pickens beat Dr. Henry Chambers by a vote of 9,114 to 7,129 and 6,942 to 4,604 respectively.
After serving as governor, and being succeeded by his handpicked man John Murphy, Pickens was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy left by the death of Henry H. Chambers, whom he beat twice for the governorship. He only served from February 17 to November 27, 1826, when the elected successor, John McKinley, took office.
In addition to politics, Pickens participated in the American Colonization Society and was interested in scientific research. He invented a lunar dial.
Pickens died in Matanzas, Cuba in 1827. He was originally buried in a family graveyard but his remains were later moved to City Cemetery, Greensboro, Alabama.