Background
George Bibb was born on October 30, 1776, in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States, the son of Richard and Lucy (Booker) Bibb.
George Bibb was born on October 30, 1776, in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States, the son of Richard and Lucy (Booker) Bibb.
George early went to college, graduating from both Hampden-Sidney and William and Mary, and in his old age held the sentimental distinction of being the oldest living graduate from each. Not caring for the ministry, Bibb made the very natural choice of the law and soon began its study under Richard Venable.
After beginning his practise in Virginia, in 1798 Bibb took up his residence in Lexington, Kentucky. His profound and exact legal ability, together with a courtly manner, won him when only thirty-two years old an appointment to the bench of the court of appeals, the highest court in the state. The next year he was elevated to the chief justiceship, but resigned in 1810. In 1811 he was elected to the United States Senate. Here, as one of the "War Hawks, " he took a prominent part in forcing war against Great Britain and in loyally upholding President Madison in carrying it on. But his Kentucky law practise and associations had greater attractions for him than being a senator in the muddy village of Washington, so in 1814 he resigned, and took up his residence in Frankfort. For the next ten years and more he was closely associated with state politics and party maneuvers.
In 1816 Gov. George Madison died and the lieutenant-governor, Gabriel Slaughter, became governor. Immediately the question arose on the interpretation of the constitution concerning the succession: whether the lieutenant-governor should serve out the unexpired term of his predecessor or a special election should be held. The peace of the state was soon upset, and Bibb, becoming a member of the lower house of the legislature in 1817, did all within his power to unseat Slaughter and to question the validity of his acts. The movement to oust Slaughter, however, failed. In 1822 Bibb and Henry Clay were appointed commissioners to Virginia to plead before the legislature there for an agreement which would straighten out the complicated land claims which had become more confounded by certain occupying-claimant laws passed by Kentucky, which the United States Supreme Court had declared unconstitutional in the case of Green vs. Biddle.
Clay and Bibb visited Virginia and addressed the legislature but to no effect. The next year both were appointed to uphold Kentucky before the Supreme Court in a re-hearing. They argued the case in Washington but failed to win the decision. In the devastating fight between the Relief and Anti-Relief parties, Bibb stood behind the radicalism of the latter group, and when violent hands were laid on the court of appeals, resulting in setting up a new court, Bibb supported the latter and practised before it. In his attempt to compose the judicial squabble, Gov. Joseph Desha appointed Bibb chief justice in 1827. Bibb resigned the next year to become again a United States senator, serving this time the full six years. In national politics he was at first a supporter of Andrew Jackson. In 1824 he had opposed Clay on the ground that he could not be elected president, and when he reached the Senate he stood behind President Jackson in opposing the Maysville Road Bill. A few years of close association with Jackson convinced him, however, that the President was a tyrant who refused other people the right to an opinion. He especially disagreed with Jackson on the bank question.
When his term as senator had expired in 1835 he returned to Kentucky and became chancellor of the Louisville court of chancery, holding this position until 1844 when President Tyler appointed him secretary of the treasury. Bibb went out of office with Tyler on March 4, 1845. He remained in Washington and Georgetown for the rest of his life, practising before the District courts and serving as chief clerk in the attorney-general's office.
George Bibb was a successful lawyer and politician of his time. He was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1806, 1810 and again in 1817. He was appointed a judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals in 1808 and then chief justice through 1810. He also served as a United States Senator from Kentucky from 1811 to 1814 and from 1829 to 1835.
George Bibb was a member of the Democratic party.
Bibb was a typical "gentleman of the old school, " ever refusing to discard knee-breeches for pantaloons.
Twice married, Bibb was the father of seventeen children.
