Abel P. Upshur

Abel P. Upshur
15th United States Secretary of State
In office July 24, 1843 – February 28, 1844 Ad interim: June 24, 1843 – July 24, 1843
President	John Tyler
Preceded by	Daniel Webster
Succeeded by	John C. Calhoun
13th United States Secretary of the Navy
In office October 11, 1841 – July 23, 1843
President	John Tyler
Preceded by	George Badger
Succeeded by	David Henshaw
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Northampton County, Virginia district
In office November 29, 1824 – 1826 Serving with William Dunton and John Stratton
Preceded by	Smith Nottingham
Succeeded by	William Dunton
In office November 30, 1812 – May 16, 1813 Serving with George T. Kendall
Preceded by	William Dunton
Succeeded by	John C. Parramore
Personal details
Born	Abel Parker Upshur (1790-06-17)June 17, 1790 Northampton County, Virginia, U.S.
Died	February 28, 1844(1844-02-28) (aged 53) Potomac River, Maryland, U.S.
Resting place	Oak Hill Cemetery Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Whig
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Dennis (Deceased 1817) Elizabeth Brown
Education	Yale University College of New Jersey (renamed Princeton)

Abel Parker Upshur (June 17, 1790 – February 28, 1844) was an American lawyer, planter, judge, and politician from the Eastern Shore of Virginia.^[1] Active in Virginia state politics for decades, with a brother and a nephew who became distinguished U.S. Navy officers, Judge Upshur left the Virginia bench to become the Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of State during the administration of President John Tyler, a fellow Virginian. He negotiated the treaty that led to the 1845 Texas annexation to the United States and helped ensure that it was admitted as a slave state. Upshur died on February 28, 1844, when a gun on the warship USS Princeton exploded during a demonstration.^[2]