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William Trevitt

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William Trevitt
6th Ohio Secretary of State
In office
June 1840 – 1841
Appointed byWilson Shannon
Preceded byCarter B. Harlan
Succeeded byJohn Sloane
10th Ohio Secretary of State
In office
January 12, 1852 – January 13, 1856
GovernorReuben Wood
William Medill
Preceded byHenry W. King
Succeeded byJames H. Baker
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the Perry County district
In office
December 5, 1836 – December 1, 1839
Preceded byJoshua Brown
Succeeded byJames J. Wilson
Personal details
Born(1809-02-07)February 7, 1809
Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, US
DiedFebruary 8, 1881(1881-02-08) (aged 72)
Columbus, Ohio, US
Resting placeGreen Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseLucinda Butler
ChildrenSix
Alma materDartmouth Medical School
Signature

William Trevitt (February 7, 1809 – February 8, 1881) was a medical doctor, politician, diplomat, and newspaper publisher in 19th century Ohio. He served two times as Ohio Secretary of State, three years in the Ohio House of Representatives, was a surgeon in the Mexican–American War, and was a diplomat in South America.

Biography

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William Trevitt was born February 7, 1809, in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, youngest son of Henry and Jane Trevitt.[1] He graduated as a doctor of medicine in the Class of 1830 from Dartmouth Medical School,[2] and moved to Baltimore, Fairfield County, Ohio, where he practiced medicine.[3]

Trevitt moved to Thornville, Perry County, Ohio,[3] where he was elected to serve 1836–1839 in the Ohio House of Representatives.[4]

Ohio Secretary of State Carter B. Harlan died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 9, 1840.[5] Governor Shannon appointed Trevitt to the position on a temporary basis until the Ohio General Assembly met early in 1841 to elect a successor.[6]

During the Mexican–American War, Trevitt was a surgeon with the Second Ohio Infantry.[2][7] In 1851, a new constitution in Ohio made the Secretary of State an elective position, and Trevitt defeated the Free Soil Party incumbent and a Whig, and was re-elected in 1853. He lost to a Republican for re-election in 1855, and served January 1852 to January 1856.

From 1857 to 1860, Trevitt was consul to Valparaíso, Chile, and 1860–1861 to Callao, Peru, by appointment of President Franklin Pierce.[2] He returned to Columbus, Ohio, where he entered the newspaper business. He established the Sunday Morning News in November 1867, and published it until selling in 1870.[8]

Trevitt died in Columbus on February 8, 1881.[1][2][7] He was interred at Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio.[9] He had married Lucinda Butler in Columbus, and had six children.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Smith, Charles James (1907). History of the Town of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. Boston: Blanchard Printing. p. Part 2, 158.
  2. ^ a b c d Bisbee, Marvin Davis (1900). General catalogue of Dartmouth College and the associated schools 1769–1900. Hanover NH: Dartmouth College. p. 333.
  3. ^ a b Wiseman, C.M.L. (1901). Pioneer Period and Pioneer People of Fairfield County. F.J. Heer Printing Co. p. 117.
  4. ^ Ohio General Assembly (1917). Manual of Legislative Practice in the General Assembly. State of Ohio. pp. 269, 272.
  5. ^ Baltimore Sun, June 12, 1840
  6. ^ Taylor, William Alexander; Taylor, Aubrey Clarence (1899). Ohio Statesmen and Annals of Progress: From the Year 1788 to the Year 1900 ... State of Ohio. p. 186.
  7. ^ a b Lee, Alfred E (1892). History of the City of Columbus, Capital of Ohio. Vol. 1. New York: Munsell and Company. p. 746.
  8. ^ Lee 1892, p. 434
  9. ^ Green Lawn Cemetery Burial Records
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State of Ohio
1840–1841
Succeeded by
Preceded by Secretary of State of Ohio
1852–1856
Succeeded by