William Jonathan Northen (July 9, 1835 – March 25, 1913), was the
54th Governor of Georgia from 1890 to 1894, as well as a leading Baptist minister. Northen was president of the Georgia Baptist Convention from 1892 to 1910, and president of the
Southern Baptist Convention from 1899 to 1901. His political rhetoric was based on his religious outlook, and often focused on racial issues at a time when
lynching was increasing. Northen believed that advances in medicine and health would ultimately help African Americans achieve salvation. He promoted the ideology of the modernizing
New South
New South, New South Democracy or New South Creed is a slogan in the history of the American South first used after the American Civil War. Reformers used it to call for a modernization of society and attitudes, to integrate more fully with the ...
, but did not abandon the policy of
white supremacy
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White s ...
.
Early life
Born in
Jones County,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, Northen graduated from
Mercer University
Mercer University is a private research university with its main campus in Macon, Georgia. Founded in 1833 as Mercer Institute and gaining university status in 1837, it is the oldest private university in the state and enrolls more than 9,000 s ...
in 1853. He married Martha Neel in 1860 and served as a two-term member of the
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. ...
(1877–1881). He also was elected to the
Georgia Senate
The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly, in the U.S. state of Georgia.
Legal provisions
The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly, with the lower house being the Georgia Ho ...
in 1884. He was one of the biggest planters in
Hancock County, Georgia
Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,735. The county seat is Sparta. The county was created on December 17, 1793, and named for John Hancock, a Founding Father of the Amer ...
.
Religious life
Northen was president of the Georgia Baptist Convention from 1892 to 1910, and president of the
Southern Baptist Convention from 1899 to 1901.
Political life
Forced to resign from teaching, Northen began to farm. After the Civil War, farming in Georgia needed reform. Northen set his sights on the
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. ...
, where he earned the trust of fellow farmers in the same situation as he. He uplifted the spirits of his fellow Georgians, who elected him to two terms in the state House, one term in the state Senate, and president of the Georgia Agricultural Society. He was elected to his first term as governor in 1890.
Northen was a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
and a staunch foe of the
Populist
Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term develop ...
party. He promoted biracial cooperation among races and was against lynching, a common occurrence at the time. "I regret that the necessity exists for recommending the passage of more stringent laws for the protection of human life," he told state legislators in October 1892.
He was a proponent of
temperance
Temperance may refer to:
Moderation
*Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed
*Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion
Culture
*Temperance (group), Canadian danc ...
, and offered a temperance bill to the
Georgia General Assembly on July 14, 1881. The bill passed the House, but was swiftly defeated in the Senate.
Despite opposition from
Thomas E. Watson, who supported the Populist Party's candidate, Northen won a second term as governor in 1892.
Death and legacy
Northen contributed to the history of Georgia by compiling a seven-volume collection of biographical essays, published between 1907 and 1912, titled ''Men of Mark in Georgia''. In 1911, he replaced
Allen D. Candler as compiler of state records and contributed to the ongoing publication of the Colonial Records of Georgia series.
He died in 1913, in
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
. Northen is buried in
Oakland Cemetery.
See also
*
List of Southern Baptist Convention affiliated people
This list List of Southern Baptist Convention affiliated people includes notable individuals who are or were members of a church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) or who are otherwise affiliated with the SBC.
Presidents, pre ...
*
Southern Baptist Convention
*
Southern Baptist Convention Presidents
The president of the Southern Baptist Convention heads the convention and is elected at the Annual Meeting. The president's duties include presiding over the annual meeting; appointing members to SBC committees; serving as an ex officio member of ...
References
''Georgia Governor's Gravesites Field Guide (1776-2003)''
External links
*
Gov. William Jonathan Northenhistorical marker
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Northen, William J.
1835 births
1913 deaths
People from Jones County, Georgia
Mercer University alumni
Democratic Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives
Democratic Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators
Democratic Party governors of Georgia (U.S. state)
19th-century American politicians
Burials at Oakland Cemetery (Atlanta)
Southern Baptist Convention presidents
19th-century Baptists
Temperance activists from Georgia (U.S. state)