From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wilson Cary Nicholas (1761–1820) was an American politician who served in the U.S. Senate from 1799 to 1804 and was the Governor of Virginia from 1814 to 1816.

Nicholas was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, January 31, 1761. He attended the College of William and Mary. Nicholas served in the Revolutionary Army and commanded George Washington’s Life Guard until it disbanded in 1783. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates 1784-1789 and a delegate to the ratifying convention of 1788 which approved the Federal Constitution.

During the deliberations, on June 6, 1788, Nicholas countered Patrick's Henry's objection that correcting defects in the new national Constitution by way of the Article V convention would be excessively difficult. Said Nicholas: "The conventions which shall be so called will have their deliberations confined to a few points; no local interest to divert their attention; nothing but the necessary alterations. They will have many advantages over the last Convention. No experiments to devise; the general and fundamental regulations being already laid down."^[1]

During the years 1794-1800, Nicholas served again in the State house of delegates. He was elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry Tazewell and served from December 5, 1799, until May 22, 1804, when he resigned to become collector of the port of Norfolk 1804-1807. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the Tenth and Eleventh Congresses and served from March 4, 1807, until his resignation November 27, 1809. Nicholas was chosen to be Governor of Virginia and served in that position 1814-1817.

He died at “Tufton,” near Charlottesville, Virginia, October 10, 1820; interment in the Jefferson burying ground at "Monticello,” near Charlottesville.

Nicholas County, West Virginia was formed in 1843 and named in honor of Governor Nicholas.

• Wilson Cary Nicholas at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

1. ^ Eliot's Debates, vol. 3, p. 102, quoted in Russell L. Caplan, Constituitonal Brinksmanship, Amending the Constitution by National Convention (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), p. 139.

• biographic sketch at U.S. Congress website

v • d • e United States Senators from Virginia

Class 1: Grayson • Walker • Monroe • S. Mason • Taylor • Venable • Giles • Moore • Brent • J. Barbour • Randolph • Tyler • Rives • Pennybacker • J. Mason • Willey • Bowden • Lewis • Withers • Mahone • Daniel • Swanson • Byrd, Sr. • Byrd, Jr. • Trible • Robb • Allen • Webb Class 2: Lee • Taylor • H. Tazewell • Nicholas • Moore • Giles • A. Mason • Eppes • Pleasants • Taylor • L. Tazewell • Rives • Leigh • Parker • Roane • Archer • Hunter • Carlile • Johnston • Riddleberger • J. S. Barbour • Hunton • Martin • Glass • Burch • Robertson • Spong • Scott • Warner

v • d • e Governors of Virginia

Henry • Jefferson • Fleming • Nelson • Harrison • Henry • E Randolph • B Randolph • H Lee • Brooke • Wood • Monroe • Page • Cabell • Tyler Sr • G Smith • Monroe • G Smith • P Randolph • Barbour • Nicholas • Preston • T Randolph • Pleasants • Tyler Jr • Giles • J Floyd • Tazewell • Robertson • Campbell • Gilmer • Patton • Rutherfoord • Gregory • McDowell • W "EB" Smith • JB Floyd • Johnson • Wise • Letcher • W "EB" Smith • Pierpont • Wells • Walker • Kemper • Holliday • Cameron • F Lee • McKinney • O'Ferrall • JH Tyler • Montague • Swanson • Mann • Stuart • Davis • Trinkle • Byrd • Pollard • Peery • Price • Darden • Tuck • Battle • Stanley • Almond • A Harrison • Godwin • Holton • Godwin • Dalton • Robb • Baliles • Wilder • Allen • Gilmore • Warner • Kaine

This article about a Virginia politician is a stub. You can help by expanding it.