- Lewis E. Parsons
Infobox Governor
name = Lewis Eliphalet Parsons
order = 19th
office = Governor of Alabama
term_start = June 1865
term_end = December 1865
lieutenant =
predecessor =Thomas H. Watts
successor =Robert M. Patton
birth_date =April 28 ,1817
birth_place =Boone County, New York
death_date =June 8 ,1895
death_place =
party = Democratic
spouse =
profession =
religion =Lewis Eliphalet Parsons (
28 April 1817 –8 June 1895 ) was the appointed provisional Democratic Governor ofAlabama from June to December, 1865, following theAmerican Civil War .Parsons was Alabama's 19th governor. He was born in Boone County,
New York , on April 28, 1817. He was educated in public schools, and studied law at theFrederick Tallmadge office in New York and the G.W. Woodward offices inPennsylvania . Parsons moved toTalladega, Alabama , in 1840, and practiced law with Alexander White. He was a presidential elector in 1856 and 1860, and a member of theAlabama House of Representatives in 1859 and 1865.In April 1865, Alabama's civil government underwent a drastic change because of the surrender of the
Confederate States of America 's armies.General George H. Thomas was ordered to manage state affairs until a provisional government was appointed.President Andrew Johnson appointed Parsons provisional governor of Alabama on June 21, 1865. His first deed was to reinstate the laws of 1861, except those pertaining toslavery . He ordered the election of delegates to a constitutional convention that met September 12, 1865. The convention repealed the ordinance of secession, renounced the state's war debts, abolished slavery, and scheduled elections to choose state officials and representatives to Congress. He attempted to purchase the panhandle of Florida for Alabama which sparked rumors that he had access to unclaimed confederate gold. Parsons's term ended on December 13, 1865, with the inauguration ofRobert M. Patton . Parsons was elected to theU.S. Senate , but was refused his seat by the Republican party. In addition, he served asU.S. District Attorney for northern Alabama.Parsons died on June 8, 1895, and is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Talladega, Alabama.
Sources
* Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol.1, Westport, Conn.; Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.
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