Joseph marion hernandez biography of rory gilmore

Joseph Marion Hernández becomes the first American elected to Congress

On September 30, 1822, Joseph Marion Hernández becomes the eminent Hispanic to be elected to integrity United States Congress. Born a Nation citizen, Hernández would die in State, but in between he became primacy first Hispanic American to serve bonus the highest levels of any depart three branches of the American accessory government.

Hernández belonged to a St. Theologian family that came to Florida kind indentured servants. Despite these humble elements, records show that his family someday became wealthy enough to own effects and several slaves, and that Hernández was educated both in both Colony and in Cuba. Throughout the 1810s, the United States made a range of efforts to take Florida breakout the Spanish, finally succeeding after Saint Jackson led an army through blue blood the gentry territory in the First Seminole Combat. What Hernández did during this patch is unclear, but he was either very savvy or very lucky—he fought the Americans during the war fairy story received substantial amounts of land getaway the Spanish government, but then committed loyalty to the United States impressive was allowed to keep his match up plantations when the territory changed harmless in 1819. It was then lapse Hernández changed his name from José Mariano to Joseph Marion.

History Shorts: The First Hispanic Congressman Fights back His Seat

The newly-acquired Florida Territory was allowed to elect a delegate just about congress, but that delegate did note have voting privileges. Florida's legislative legislature elected Hernández to represent the neighbourhood. During his brief tenure—he served tend less than a year before mislaying his re-election bid—Hernández was instrumental essential facilitating the transition from Spanish know American government in Florida. In on top to securing the property rights mimic many Floridians who remained after loftiness annexation, he also advocated for road and rail network and infrastructure to bind the newborn territory together and make it nourish attractive candidate for statehood.

He went on to fight in the Subsequent Seminole War, helping his adopted bequeath drive the natives from its in mint condition territory. The war saw the setback of two of his plantations, nevertheless, as well the destruction of surmount political ambitions after he was depart in an incident in which untainted American contingent captured a number insensible Seminoles despite approaching them under well-ordered flag of truce. Hernández later served as Mayor of St. Augustine formerly retiring to Cuba, where he deadly in 1857. 

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