James Whitfield (Mississippi)
Encyclopedia
James Whitfield was Governor of Mississippi from November 24, 1851 to January 10, 1852. He served until United States Senator Henry S. Foote
, who had been elected governor
, could complete his service in the Senate and resign from that body. Whitfield was a Democrat. He donated 185 acre (0.7486691 km²) of land in the northern part of the state to faciliatate the creation of what is simultaneously the state's largest psychiatric facility and hospital, now known as Mississippi State Hospital. His Columbus, MS plantation was sold in 1852 to Thomas Carleton Billups and is known today as The Billups Whitfield Place. In the same year he built a house in Columbus which is known as Snowdoun and is featured annually on the local tour of homes. It was here that Jefferson Davis stayed while campaigning across the state for the U.S. Senate. He gave a speech from the balcony of this house. The home was later visited by author Julian Street as he was traveling across the Southern U.S. compiling notes for his book American Adventures in 1915.
Henry S. Foote
Henry Stuart Foote was a United States Senator from Mississippi from 1847 to 1852 and Governor of Mississippi from 1852 to 1854. His emotional leadership on the Senate floor helped secure passage of the Compromise of 1850, which for a time averted a civil war in the United States.-Biography:Henry...
, who had been elected governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, could complete his service in the Senate and resign from that body. Whitfield was a Democrat. He donated 185 acre (0.7486691 km²) of land in the northern part of the state to faciliatate the creation of what is simultaneously the state's largest psychiatric facility and hospital, now known as Mississippi State Hospital. His Columbus, MS plantation was sold in 1852 to Thomas Carleton Billups and is known today as The Billups Whitfield Place. In the same year he built a house in Columbus which is known as Snowdoun and is featured annually on the local tour of homes. It was here that Jefferson Davis stayed while campaigning across the state for the U.S. Senate. He gave a speech from the balcony of this house. The home was later visited by author Julian Street as he was traveling across the Southern U.S. compiling notes for his book American Adventures in 1915.