Gerard Chittocqua Brandon was an American lawyer, planter, and statesman. He is remembered for being the first native-born governor of Mississippi.
Background
Gerard Chittocqua Brandon was born on September 15, 1788 at Selma Plantation, near Natchez, when the Natchez District was under the dominion of Spain, the eldest son of Gerard Brandon and his wife, Dorothy Nugent. Gerard Brandon was a native of County Donegal, Ireland. He was a follower of Robert Emmet and escaped to America on the failure of his cause, settling in Charleston, South Carolina. He served in the War of the Revolution under Marion and in Colonel Washington's cavalry and took part in the battles of Cowpens and King's Mountain and then migrated to West Florida about 1782.
Education
Gerard C. Brandon was educated at Princeton and William and Mary and was graduated at the latter institution, dividing honors with William Cabell Rivers.
Career
Gerard Brandon began the practise of law at Washington, the capital of Mississippi Territory, in 1812, and was also a soldier in the War of 1812. He was elected to the legislature of Mississippi Territory in 1815. In 1816, after his marriage to Margaret Chambers of Bardstown, he abandoned the law for the life of a planter, living near Fort Adams in Wilkinson County, Mississippi.
He became a member of the constitutional convention in 1817 and a speaker of the House of Representatives in 1822, he was lieutenant-governor under Governors Holmes and Leake in 1825-26 and was elected governor in 1827, being the first native Mississippian to hold the office.
He served for two terms of two years each and his administrations were successful from a political, as well as from an economic, point of view. He was solicited to accept the United States senatorship on the expiration of his last term as governor, but declined the honor. Elected to the constitutional convention of 1832, he was the only member who had served in the convention of 1817.
After the adoption of an elective judiciary system, which was the first departure from the appointive system, he resigned, and returned to Wilkinson County. Thereafter he would never allow himself to be elected to public office.
He died at his Columbia Springs plantation, near Fort Adams, March 28, 1850, and was buried in a private family cemetery at his Columbian Springs Plantation in Wilkinson County, Mississippi. .
Achievements
Views
Considering his views regarding judiciary system in the state, it should be pointed out that he was opposed to the further introduction of slaves into Mississippi, and was opposed to the election of the judiciary by the people--which was the main issue in the election of delegates to the convention.
Speaking about his views on a private life, so he was a typical Southern planter, cultured, genial, and hospitable, and though he filled with credit and ability every official position that he ever occupied, and enjoyed the distinction that a life in the public service gave, he did not undervalue the blessings of private life, and in no occupation took a keener interest than in that of a planter.
Personality
Gerard Brandon's personality was noted as cultured, genial, and hospitable, which was typical for Southern planters of those days.
Connections
He was twice married. In 1816 he married Margaret Chambers of Bardstown, Kentucky, and abandoned the law for the life of a planter, living near Fort Adams in Wilkinson County, Mississippi. By his first marriage he had two children, Gerard and John C. Brandon. In 1824 he married Elizabeth Stanton of Natchez and they had six sons and two daughters.