Thomas Urquhart (1773 - 1841)

Born 25 Jun 1773 in St Francisville, LA

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 6 Apr 1841 at age 67 in New Orleans, LA

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Biography

Thomas Urquhart is a member of Clan Urquhart.

This profile is part of the Urquhart Name Study.

URQUHART, Thomas, businessman, politician, and civic leader. Born on father's plantation near St. Francisville, La., June 25, 1773; son of George and Angelica Monsanto Urquhart. After the death of father in 1779, mother married Robert Dow, a prominent New Orleans physician, and removed the family to New Orleans. Married Caroline Trudeau, daughter of Charles Laveau Trudeau (q.v.). Children: Caroline (b. 1806), Celestine (b. 1808), Angelica (b. 1810), George Dow (b. 1814), and Charles (b. 1816). By 1804 with younger brother David engaged in mercantile business in New Orleans. Thomas held a captain's license and on occasions took ships to Europe to handle transactions for his firm. By 1806 Thomas elected to the board of directors of the Bank of Louisiana, the New Orleans Insurance Company, and the New Orleans Navigation Company. Later became president of both the Bank of Louisiana and the New Orleans Insurance Company. With establishment of territorial government, became active in politics, always the supporter of Gov. William C. C. Claiborne (q.v.). A member of the house of representatives, serving as the speaker of the house, 1807-1810. On April 18, 1810, relinquished speaker's position to take a seat on the Legislative Council, an appointment made by Governor Claiborne. In November 1811, appointed as a member of the convention which met in New Orleans to draft the Louisiana application for statehood. As a member of this committee, voted not to include the West Florida region in the boundary of the state in its application. In 1828 presidential election, served as president of a Louisiana group called the Friends of the Administration, a group organized in Baton Rouge to support the re-election bid of John Quincy Adams in his unsuccessful race against Andrew Jackson (q.v.). A warden of the port for the Territory of Orleans and a member of the Seventh Company of Infantry, Second Regiment, Territory of Louisiana. Active in public and civic affairs, served one term as president of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, a term as Grand Master of Parfait Union #21, one of the French-speaking Masonic Lodges in New Orleans; a member of the board of directors and a pewholder in Christ Episcopal Church; member of a committee organized in 1836 to raise money to help businesses in New York City defray expenses from losses following a major fire in that city. Died, New Orleans, April 6, 1841. G.I. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Sources: Urquhart Family Papers; Clarence E. Carter, ed., The Territorial Papers of the United States, vol. IX, Orleans Territory (1940). http://www.lahistory.org/site38.php