Louisiana Governor. The son of Charles A. Wickliffe, he graduated from Centre College in 1840, studied law and became an attorney. In 1846 he moved to St. Francisville, Louisiana, and in 1851 he was a successful Democratic candidate for the State Senate. He was reelected in 1853, served as Senate President, and was acting Lieutenant Governor after the death of the incumbent. In 1855 he was elected Governor, and he served from 1856 to 1860. Louisiana's state finances were hard hit by the Panic of 1857, and Wickliffe had to dispatch the militia to prevent violence by the Know Nothing party during the elections of 1858. After his term he returned to practicing law in St. Francisville. He was a Delegate to the 1860 Democratic convention and supported Stephen A. Douglas. During the Civil War Wickliffe remained neutral and attempted to mediate between the Union and Confederacy. In 1865 he was elected to the US House of Representatives, but was not allowed to take his seat since Louisiana had not yet been readmitted to the Union. He was a Delegate to the Democratic conventions of 1876 and 1884, and an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1892. Wickliffe's first wife, Anna Dawson, was the daughter of Congressman John Bennett Dawson and niece of Governor Isaac Johnson. He was the father of Congressman Robert Charles Wickliffe.
Louisiana Governor. The son of Charles A. Wickliffe, he graduated from Centre College in 1840, studied law and became an attorney. In 1846 he moved to St. Francisville, Louisiana, and in 1851 he was a successful Democratic candidate for the State Senate. He was reelected in 1853, served as Senate President, and was acting Lieutenant Governor after the death of the incumbent. In 1855 he was elected Governor, and he served from 1856 to 1860. Louisiana's state finances were hard hit by the Panic of 1857, and Wickliffe had to dispatch the militia to prevent violence by the Know Nothing party during the elections of 1858. After his term he returned to practicing law in St. Francisville. He was a Delegate to the 1860 Democratic convention and supported Stephen A. Douglas. During the Civil War Wickliffe remained neutral and attempted to mediate between the Union and Confederacy. In 1865 he was elected to the US House of Representatives, but was not allowed to take his seat since Louisiana had not yet been readmitted to the Union. He was a Delegate to the Democratic conventions of 1876 and 1884, and an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1892. Wickliffe's first wife, Anna Dawson, was the daughter of Congressman John Bennett Dawson and niece of Governor Isaac Johnson. He was the father of Congressman Robert Charles Wickliffe.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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