George Crawford | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 21st United States Secretary of War | |
| In office March 8, 1849 – July 23, 1850 | |
| President | Zachary Taylor Millard Fillmore |
| Preceded by | William L. Marcy |
| Succeeded by | Charles Conrad |
| 38th Governor of Georgia | |
| In office November 8, 1843 – November 3, 1847 | |
| Preceded by | Charles McDonald |
| Succeeded by | George W. Towns |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's at-large district | |
| In office January 7, 1843 – March 3, 1843 | |
| Preceded by | Richard W. Habersham |
| Succeeded by | Hugh A. Haralson |
| Attorney General of Georgia | |
| In office 1827–1831 | |
| Governor | John Forsyth George Gilmer |
| Preceded by | Thomas F. Wells |
| Succeeded by | Charles J. Jenkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | George Walker Crawford December 22, 1798 Columbia County, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | July 27, 1872 (aged 73) Augusta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Resting place | Summerville Cemetery |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse | Mary McIntosh |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) University of Georgia (MA) |
George Walker Crawford (December 22, 1798 – July 27, 1872) was a licensed attorney turned politician from Columbia County, Georgia. Crawford was appointed attorney general for the state in 1827, by Governor John Forsyth, serving in that capacity until 1831. Crawford also served five years in the General Assembly's lower house as a representative of Richmond County on a platform of states' rights.
George Crawford served in the U.S. House of Representatives, filling the seat vacated by Richard W. Habersham who died while in office. Crawford was elected Georgia's 38th governor – serving two terms from 1843 to 1847. He became the only Whig Party candidate in state history to occupy the Governor's Mansion. Crawford then served as United States Secretary of War from 1849 to 1850.[1]
Crawford's time in President Zachary Taylor's cabinet was marred by speculation regarding a probate claim he settled for George Galphin's heirs. Crawford received a gratuity of substantial remuneration for his services' – Crawford's political adversaries framed it as the Galphin Affair – marking the end of Crawford's political aspirations. When President Taylor unexpectedly died while in office, Crawford resigned his position as Secretary of War and entered political retirement.
In 1861, however, Crawford was elected a delegate from Richmond County to the state's Secession Convention which brought him out of retirement to answer the call of his constituents. By the convention's first order of business, Crawford was elected Permanent President of the Convention by which he presided over Georgia's decision to secede from the Union and join the Confederate States of America.[2]