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{{Short description|American Secretary of the Navy and senator for North Carolina (1795–1866)}}
{{Infobox Officeholder
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = George Badger
|name = George Badger
|image = GEBadger-portrait.jpg
|image = George Edmund Badger, half-length portrait, facing three-quarters to left (cropped).jpg
|jr/sr1 = United States Senator
|jr/sr1 = United States Senator
|state1 = [[North Carolina]]
|state1 = [[North Carolina]]
|term_start1 = November 25, 1846
|term_start1 = November 25, 1846
|term_end1 = March 3, 1855
|term_end1 = March 3, 1855
|predecessor1 = [[William Henry Haywood, Jr.|William Haywood]]
|predecessor1 = [[William Henry Haywood Jr.|William Haywood]]
|successor1 = [[Asa Biggs]]
|successor1 = [[Asa Biggs]]
|office2 = 12th [[United States Secretary of the Navy]]
|office2 = 12th [[United States Secretary of the Navy]]
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|death_date = {{death date and age|1866|5|11|1795|4|17}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|1866|5|11|1795|4|17}}
|death_place = [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], [[North Carolina]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|death_place = [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], [[North Carolina]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|party = [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
|party = [[Federalist Party (United States)|Federalist]] <br/> [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
|spouse = Rebecca Turner {{small|(1818–1824)}}<br>Mary Polk {{small|(1826–1834)}}<br>Delia Haywood Williams {{small|(1836–1866)}}
|spouse = Rebecca Turner (1818–1824)<br>Mary Brown Polk (1808–1835) <br>Delia Haywood Williams (1836–1866)
|education = [[Yale University]]
|education = [[Yale University]]
}}
}}

'''George Edmund Badger''' (April 17, 1795{{spaced ndash}}May 11, 1866) was a [[United States Whig Party|Whig]] [[United States Senate|U.S. senator]] from the state of [[North Carolina]].
[[File:GEBadger-portrait.jpg|thumb|260px|Portrait of George Edmund Badger, by James Bogle, c. 1853]]
'''George Edmund Badger''' (April 17, 1795{{spaced ndash}}May 11, 1866) was an American politician who served as a [[United States Whig Party|Whig]] [[United States Senate|U.S. senator]] from the state of [[North Carolina]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Badger was born on April 17, 1795 in [[New Bern, North Carolina]]. Following a partial college education at [[Yale College]], he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1814.
Badger was born on April 17, 1795, in [[New Bern, North Carolina]]. He attended [[Yale College]] (where he was a member of [[Brothers in Unity]]) and received a partial college education that was terminated due to lack of funds; afterwards, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1814.


==Career==
==Career==
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Upon taking office, President [[William Henry Harrison]] appointed Badger as his [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]], and he continued in that post for a few months (until September 1841, when he resigned to resume private practice) when [[John Tyler]] succeeded to the Presidency upon Harrison's death (April 1841). Badger's brief term as Secretary was marked by efforts to strengthen the Navy in the face of tension with Great Britain, the establishment of the U.S. [[Home Squadron]], and growing interest in steamships.
Upon taking office, President [[William Henry Harrison]] appointed Badger as his [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]], and he continued in that post for a few months (until September 1841, when he resigned to resume private practice) when [[John Tyler]] succeeded to the Presidency upon Harrison's death (April 1841). Badger's brief term as Secretary was marked by efforts to strengthen the Navy in the face of tension with Great Britain, the establishment of the U.S. [[Home Squadron]], and growing interest in steamships.


Badger resigned in September 1841, during a general cabinet shakeup. He was elected to the Senate in 1846 to fill the unexpired term of [[William Henry Haywood, Jr.]] and remained a Senator until 1855, after choosing not to run for re-election. He was nominated by President [[Millard Fillmore]] as an [[Associate Justice of the Supreme Court]] in 1853, but was not confirmed by the Senate ([[John Archibald Campbell]] got the position). He was a Unionist during the secession crisis but thereafter supported the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] war effort.
Badger resigned in September 1841, during a general cabinet shakeup. The resignation of several cabinet members, including Badger, resulted from Tyler's vetoing of two bills to create a new national bank, which the Whig party, led by [[Henry Clay]], supported. Badger was elected to the [[U.S. Senate]] in 1846 to fill the unexpired term of [[William Henry Haywood, Jr.]] and remained in office until 1855, after choosing not to run for re-election. While in the Senate, he supported the [[Compromise of 1850]].

He was nominated by President [[Millard Fillmore]] as an [[Associate justice of the Supreme Court]] on January 3, 1853, to succeed [[John McKinley]]. On February 11, 1853, the Senate voted to table a nomination, and the president withdrew it three days later.<ref>{{cite report| last=McMillion| first=Barry J.| date= January 28, 2022| title=Supreme Court Nominations, 1789 to 2020: Actions by the Senate, the Judiciary Committee, and the President| url=https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/RL33225.pdf| publisher=Congressional Research Service| location=Washington, D.C.| access-date=March 23, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=Supreme Court Nominations (1789-Present)| url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/nominations/SupremeCourtNominations1789present.htm| publisher=United States Senate| location=Washington, D.C.| access-date=March 23, 2022}}</ref>

Badger's wealth grew throughout his political career; by 1860, he was worth an estimated $145,000 (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=145000|start_year=1860}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}). He was a slave owner, enslaving twenty people.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wetherington|first=Alex|date=2020|title=GEORGE EDMUND BADGER: THE SOUL OF NORTH CAROLINA UNIONISM|url=https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/f/Wetherington_Alex_December%202020_Thesis.pdf|website=Appalachian State University Department of History}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Congress slaveowners|date=2022-01-19|url=https://github.com/washingtonpost/data-congress-slaveowners|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2022-01-23}}</ref> He was a Unionist during the secession crisis but thereafter supported the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] war effort.


==Death and legacy==
==Death and legacy==
Badger died in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]] in 1866.
Badger died in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]], in 1866.


Two Navy ships have been named in honor of Senator Badger: [[USS George E. Badger (DD-196)|USS ''George E. Badger'']] (DD-196), and [[USS Badger (FF-1071)|USS ''Badger'']] (FF-1071). A [[Liberty ship]], the ''[[SS George E. Badger]]'', also was named in his honor. Badger was a cousin of naval officers [[Oscar C. Badger]], [[Charles J. Badger]] and [[Oscar C. Badger II]].
Two Navy ships have been named in honor of Senator Badger: [[USS George E. Badger (DD-196)|USS ''George E. Badger'']] (DD-196), and [[USS Badger (FF-1071)|USS ''Badger'']] (FF-1071). A [[Liberty ship]], the ''[[SS George E. Badger]]'', also was named in his honor. Badger was a cousin of naval officers [[Oscar C. Badger]], [[Charles J. Badger]] and [[Oscar C. Badger II]].
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==External links==
==External links==
{{CongBio|B000022}}
{{CongBio|B000022}}
* {{cite BDA1906 |wstitle= Badger, George Edmund |volume= 1 |pages=179-180 |short=}}
*[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/baczkowski-baile.html#993.29.00 George Edmund Badger entry] at [[The Political Graveyard]]
*[http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/baczkowski-baile.html#993.29.00 George Edmund Badger entry] at [[The Political Graveyard]]
*{{findagrave|8091123}}
*{{find a Grave|8091123}}
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-b/g-badger.htm George E. Badger]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at [[Naval Historical Center]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20000919221653/http://history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-b/g-badger.htm George E. Badger] at [[Naval Historical Center]]


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{{s-bef|before=[[Thomas Jefferson Rusk|Thomas Rusk]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Thomas Jefferson Rusk|Thomas Rusk]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[United States Congress Joint Committee on Enrolled Bills|Joint Enrolled Bills Committee]]|years=1850–1851}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[United States Congress Joint Committee on Enrolled Bills|Joint Enrolled Bills Committee]]|years=1850–1851}}
{{s-aft|after=[[George W. Jones]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[George Wallace Jones]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}


{{Whig Party (United States)}}
{{USSecNavy}}
{{USSecNavy}}
{{USSenNC}}
{{USSenNC}}
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[[Category:1795 births]]
[[Category:1795 births]]
[[Category:1866 deaths]]
[[Category:1866 deaths]]
[[Category:Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]
[[Category:North Carolina lawyers]]
[[Category:North Carolina state court judges]]
[[Category:North Carolina Whigs]]
[[Category:19th-century American politicians]]
[[Category:Politicians from New Bern, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Politicians from New Bern, North Carolina]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:United States secretaries of the navy]]
[[Category:William Henry Harrison administration cabinet members]]
[[Category:Tyler administration cabinet members]]
[[Category:Tyler administration cabinet members]]
[[Category:United States Secretaries of the Navy]]
[[Category:Whig Party United States senators from North Carolina]]
[[Category:United States Senators from North Carolina]]
[[Category:North Carolina Whigs]]
[[Category:Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Unsuccessful nominees to the United States Supreme Court]]
[[Category:Unsuccessful nominees to the United States Supreme Court]]
[[Category:Whig Party United States Senators]]
[[Category:North Carolina state court judges]]
[[Category:William Henry Harrison administration cabinet members]]
[[Category:North Carolina lawyers]]
[[Category:Yale University alumni]]
[[Category:Yale College alumni]]
[[Category:19th-century United States senators]]
[[Category:19th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly]]

Latest revision as of 01:24, 11 December 2024

George Badger
United States Senator
from North Carolina
In office
November 25, 1846 – March 3, 1855
Preceded byWilliam Haywood
Succeeded byAsa Biggs
12th United States Secretary of the Navy
In office
March 6, 1841 – September 11, 1841
PresidentWilliam Henry Harrison
John Tyler
Preceded byJames Paulding
Succeeded byAbel Upshur
Personal details
Born(1795-04-17)April 17, 1795
New Bern, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedMay 11, 1866(1866-05-11) (aged 71)
Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyFederalist
Whig
Spouse(s)Rebecca Turner (1818–1824)
Mary Brown Polk (1808–1835)
Delia Haywood Williams (1836–1866)
EducationYale University
Portrait of George Edmund Badger, by James Bogle, c. 1853

George Edmund Badger (April 17, 1795 – May 11, 1866) was an American politician who served as a Whig U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina.

Early life

[edit]

Badger was born on April 17, 1795, in New Bern, North Carolina. He attended Yale College (where he was a member of Brothers in Unity) and received a partial college education that was terminated due to lack of funds; afterwards, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1814.

Career

[edit]

Badger practiced law in North Carolina, was active in state politics, and served as a state superior court judge. A supporter of Andrew Jackson from the 1820s, he separated with him in the mid-1830s, became a leader of the Whig party and helped carry the Whigs to victory in the 1840 Presidential election.

Upon taking office, President William Henry Harrison appointed Badger as his Secretary of the Navy, and he continued in that post for a few months (until September 1841, when he resigned to resume private practice) when John Tyler succeeded to the Presidency upon Harrison's death (April 1841). Badger's brief term as Secretary was marked by efforts to strengthen the Navy in the face of tension with Great Britain, the establishment of the U.S. Home Squadron, and growing interest in steamships.

Badger resigned in September 1841, during a general cabinet shakeup. The resignation of several cabinet members, including Badger, resulted from Tyler's vetoing of two bills to create a new national bank, which the Whig party, led by Henry Clay, supported. Badger was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1846 to fill the unexpired term of William Henry Haywood, Jr. and remained in office until 1855, after choosing not to run for re-election. While in the Senate, he supported the Compromise of 1850.

He was nominated by President Millard Fillmore as an Associate justice of the Supreme Court on January 3, 1853, to succeed John McKinley. On February 11, 1853, the Senate voted to table a nomination, and the president withdrew it three days later.[1][2]

Badger's wealth grew throughout his political career; by 1860, he was worth an estimated $145,000 (~$4.01 million in 2023). He was a slave owner, enslaving twenty people.[3][4] He was a Unionist during the secession crisis but thereafter supported the Confederate war effort.

Death and legacy

[edit]

Badger died in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1866.

Two Navy ships have been named in honor of Senator Badger: USS George E. Badger (DD-196), and USS Badger (FF-1071). A Liberty ship, the SS George E. Badger, also was named in his honor. Badger was a cousin of naval officers Oscar C. Badger, Charles J. Badger and Oscar C. Badger II.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ McMillion, Barry J. (January 28, 2022). Supreme Court Nominations, 1789 to 2020: Actions by the Senate, the Judiciary Committee, and the President (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  2. ^ "Supreme Court Nominations (1789-Present)". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  3. ^ Wetherington, Alex (2020). "GEORGE EDMUND BADGER: THE SOUL OF NORTH CAROLINA UNIONISM" (PDF). Appalachian State University Department of History.
  4. ^ "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, January 19, 2022, retrieved January 23, 2022
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by United States Secretary of the Navy
1841
Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. Senator (Class 1) from North Carolina
1846–1855
Served alongside: Willie Mangum, David Reid
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the Joint Enrolled Bills Committee
1850–1851
Succeeded by