Francis Wilkinson Pickens | |
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| 69th Governor of South Carolina | |
| In office December 14, 1860 – December 17, 1862 | |
| Lieutenant | William Harllee |
| Preceded by | William Henry Gist |
| Succeeded by | Milledge Luke Bonham |
| United States Minister to Russia | |
| In office January 11, 1858 – September 9, 1860 | |
| Appointed by | James Buchanan |
| Preceded by | Thomas H. Seymour |
| Succeeded by | John Appleton |
| Member of the South Carolina Senate from Edgefield County | |
| In office November 25, 1844 – November 23, 1846 | |
| Preceded by | John Speed Jeter |
| Succeeded by | Nathan Lipscomb Griffin |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 5th district | |
| In office December 8, 1834 – March 3, 1843 | |
| Preceded by | George McDuffie |
| Succeeded by | Armistead Burt |
| Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Edgefield County | |
| In office November 26, 1832 – November 24, 1834 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 7, 1805 or April 7, 1807 Togadoo, Colleton County, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | (aged 61 or 63) Edgefield, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Resting place | Edgefield, South Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations | Nullifier |
| Spouse | Lucy Petway Holcombe |
| Alma mater | Franklin College South Carolina College |
| Profession | lawyer, politician |
| Signature |  |
Francis Wilkinson Pickens (1805/1807 – January 25, 1869) was a politician who served as governor of South Carolina when that state became the first to secede from the United States. A cousin of Senator John C. Calhoun, he was born into the Southern planter class. A member of the Democratic Party, Pickens became an ardent supporter of nullification of federal tariffs when he served in the South Carolina House of Representatives before he was elected to the United States House of Representatives.
As state governor during the Fort Sumter crisis, he sanctioned the decision to fire on a ship bringing supplies to the beleaguered United States Army garrison, and to the bombardment of the fort. After the war, Pickens introduced the motion to repeal South Carolina's Ordinance of Secession, a short speech received in silence, in notable contrast with the rejoicing that had first greeted the Ordinance.