South Carolina Governors – Paul Hamilton, 1804-1806

Biographical Overview

• Born: October 16, 1762 in Willtown, SC
  
• Died: June 30, 1816 at Rhodes Plantation near Grey's Hill outside Beaufort, South Carolina
  
• Buried: near Beaufort at Rhodes Plantation
• Religion: Presbyterian
  
• Political Party: Democratic-Republican
  

Education

• Schooled only until the age of 16 due to lack of financial resources
  

Occupation

• Soldier, South Carolina Militia
• Planter

Major Events and Accomplishments, 1804–1806

• The US Congress threatened to tax imported slaves, but backed down when the South Carolina General Assembly responded by threatening to remove its ban on the importation of male slaves over 15
  
• A plan to reapportion the legislature was defeated in the South Carolina House of Representatives
  

Other Government Positions

• South Carolina House of Representatives, 1787-1789
  
• South Carolina Senate, 1794, 1798-1799
  
• South Carolina Comptroller, 1799-1804
  
• US Secretary of the Navy, 1809-1812
  

Other Accomplishments, Honors, Distinctions

• As Secretary of the Navy, Hamilton was instrumental in the creation of naval hospitals
  
• 1995 – The last ship commissioned at the Charleston Navy Base, Aegis destroyer USS PAUL HAMILTON DDG-60, was named for Paul Hamilton
  

Election Results

• On December 7, 1804, the South Carolina General Assembly elected Hamilton for governor by secret ballot.
  

Web Resources

• Biographical sketch
  
• Paul Hamilton Papers - 1802-1812 - University of South Carolina