Charles Dougherty (1801 – November 26, 1853) was an American lawyer,

jurist A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyses and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal qualification in law and often a legal practitioner. In the Uni ...

, and politician. Born in

Oglethorpe County, Georgia Oglethorpe County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,825. The county seat is Lexington. Oglethorpe County is included in the Athens-Clarke County, GA Metro ...

to Charles and Rebecca Carlton Puryear Dougherty, the younger Dougherty studied law and began its practice in

Athens, Georgia Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the sta ...

. He became a leader in the Whig party as well as a judge in the Western Circuit of the state. He married Elizabeth T. Moore on December 7, 1823, in

Clarke County, Georgia Clarke County is located in the Northeast Georgia, northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 128,671. Its county seat is Athens, Georgia, Athens, wi ...

. In 1839, Dougherty ran as the Whig candidate for

Governor of Georgia The governor of Georgia is the head of government of Georgia and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor also has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either veto or approve bills passed by the Georgia Legisl ...

but lost by 2,000 votes to the Democratic candidate Charles McDonald. Dougherty died in Athens in 1853 and was buried in the Old Athens Cemetery. (He and his wife are believed to have been re-interred in

Oconee Hill Cemetery Oconee Hill Cemetery is a cemetery in Athens, Georgia, United States. The extant cemetery opened in 1856 and is located near the University of Georgia. Oconee Hill Cemetery was purchased in 1855 by the city of Athens when further burials were pro ...

, also in Athens. See page 189, ''Oconee Hill Cemetery of Athens, Georgia, vol. I'' by Charlotte Thomas Marshall, 2009. The hyperlinked image was taken in Old Athens Cemetery.) His namesake,

Dougherty County, Georgia Dougherty County is located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 85,790. The county seat and sole incorporated city is Albany. Dougherty County is included in the Albany, GA Metr ...

, was created by the

Georgia General Assembly The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each of the General Assembly's 236 members serve two-year terms and are directly ...

on December 15, 1853.

Notes

References

''Men of Mark in Georgia'', A. B. Caldwell, 1912, pp.330-331Georgia.gov entry for Dougherty CountyNew Georgia Encyclopedia entry for Charles McDonald

External links

* 1801 births 1853 deaths People from Oglethorpe County, Georgia Politicians from Athens, Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers Georgia (U.S. state) state court judges Dougherty County, Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Whigs 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers {{GeorgiaUS-state-judge-stub