Edmund Randolph (1819–1861) was an American jurist who practiced in New Orleans and San Francisco. He engaged with the filibuster of William Walker in Nicaragua.

Early life

Randolph was born in Richmond Virginia, the son of Peyton and Maria Ward Randolph. He was also the grandson of Edmund Jennings Randolph and grandnephew of another

Peyton Randolph Peyton Randolph (September 10, 1721 – October 22, 1775) was an American politician and planter who was a Founding Father of the United States. Born into Virginia's wealthiest and most powerful family, Randolph served as speaker of Virginia' ...

Education and career

Randolph attended the

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William ...

, and studied law at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

. He moved to New Orleans, studying or practicing law there until 1849. He clerked for the US Circuit of Louisiana. After arriving in California in 1849, he practiced law and was elected to the first State Assembly of California. Randolph collaborated with William Walker to seize control of

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...

in 1855 and 1856. In 1855, Randolph garnered the support of agents of the

Accessory Transit Company The Accessory Transit Company was a company set up by Cornelius Vanderbilt and others during the California Gold Rush in the 1850s, to transport would-be prospectors from the east coast of the United States to the west coast. At the time, an over ...

to give in-kind aid to the filibuster of William Walker. Walker collaborated with the Liberal faction of Nicaragua's split-government to overthrow the Conservative faction and gain control of the country. Randolph, an old friend Walker's, hatched a plan to gain the cooperation of Cornelius K. Garrison and Charles Morgan of the Accessory Transit Company to provide transportation for mercenaries and supplies to Walker in Nicaragua. In exchange, Walker agreed to invalidate the old transit charter for Accessory Transit Company and reassign those rights to Randolph. Walker agreed to re-appropriate property of the Accessory Transit Company to Garrison and Morgan, while Randolph would sell the transit charter to them.

References

External links

Randolph Oration on the California Pioneer Filibusters and Financiers: The Story of William Walker and His Associates
Lawyers from San Francisco 1819 births 1861 deaths 19th-century American lawyers {{US-law-bio-stub