Background
David Rice Atchison was born on August 11, 1807 in Frogtown, Kentucky, United States. His parents, William and Catherine (Allen) Atchison, intending their son for the ministry, named him after a pioneer Presbyterian minister.
David Rice Atchison was born on August 11, 1807 in Frogtown, Kentucky, United States. His parents, William and Catherine (Allen) Atchison, intending their son for the ministry, named him after a pioneer Presbyterian minister.
Upon his graduation from Transylvania University, young Atchison entered upon the study of law in the office of Charles Humphreys, at the same time attending the law school in Lexington.
Shortly after his admission to the Kentucky bar, in 1830, he moved to Missouri and began the practise of law in Liberty County.
In 1833, along with three other Missouri lawyers, he was retained by the Mormons of Jackson County to defend them in their troubles with Gentile neighbors.
Moving to Clay County, he was elected to the lower branch of the Missouri legislature in 1834 and again in 1838, but failed of reëlection in 1840.
As senator, Atchison held the chairmanship of the important Committee on Indian Affairs, and actively promoted land-grant legislation in aid of Missouri railroads, believing that later they would form important links in a transcontinental system. But this has been shown to be without substantial foundation.
The latter's defeat for reëlection to the Senate in 1850 was due mainly to the efforts of Atchison and other leaders of the pro-slavery faction.
Later, in 1852-53, Benton declared himself a candidate to succeed Atchison in 1855, and there ensued a senatorial campaign of intense factional and personal bitterness.
In order to strengthen his hold upon the slave-owners of western Missouri in 1853, Atchison repeatedly pledged himself in speeches to work for and support a bill establishing territorial governments in the region immediately west of Missouri, and, in connection therewith, to bring about, if possible, the repeal of the Missouri Compromise.
(Excerpt from Speech of Mr. Atchison, of Missouri, on the ...)
Although a Presbyterian, he indulged in intoxicants, in profanity, and in incitements to violence against the free-state settlers in Kansas.
Atchison, owner of many slaves and a plantation, was a prominent pro-slavery activist and Border Ruffian leader, deeply involved with violence against abolitionists and other free-staters.
Atchison was of imposing presence, six feet two inches high and straight as an arrow, florid complexion, and weighing about 200 pounds.
There is no record of his own family.
