François Denys Légitime (November 20, 1841 – July 29, 1935) was a Haitian

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

who served as

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

of Haiti from 1888 to 1889.

Biography

Légitime was born in

Jérémie Jérémie ( ht, Jeremi) is a commune and capital city of the Grand'Anse department in Haiti. It had a population of about 31,000 at the 2003 census. It is relatively isolated from the rest of the country. The Grande-Anse River flows near th ...

, Haiti, on 20 November 1841 to Denys Légitime and Tinette Lespérance."Légitime François Denis"
. Haiti-reference.com. Accessed April 20, 2010. Lespérance was a descendant of Modeste Testas, a formerly enslaved Ethiopian woman. Légitime married Rose-Marie Isaure Marion and had nine children: Cuvier, Edmond, Angèle, Antoinette, Denis Jr., Léon, Clemence, Marie, and Agnès. He served as

adjutant general An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

during the government of

Fabre Geffrard Guillaume Fabre Nicolas Geffrard (19 September 1806 – 31 December 1878) was a mulatto general in the Haitian army and President of Haiti from 1859 until his deposition in 1867. On 18 April 1852, Faustin Soulouque made him Duke of Tabara. ...

, and as aide-de-camp during the government of

Sylvain Salnave Sylvain Salnave (February 6, 1827 – January 15, 1870) was a Haitian general who served as the President of Haïti from 1867 to 1869. He was elected president after he led the overthrow of President Fabre Geffrard. During his term there were cons ...

. He was Secretary of State of the Interior and then Secretary of State of the Interior and of Agriculture during the government of

Lysius Salomon Louis Étienne Félicité Lysius Salomon (June 30, 1815 – October 19, 1888) was the President of Haiti from 1879 to 1888. Salomon is best remembered for instituting Haiti's first postal system and for his lively enthusiasm for Haiti's moderni ...

. During this administration, Légitime was accused of aspiring to the presidency, and accordingly went to Kingston, Jamaica, remaining three years.''The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge''. Encyclopedia Americana Corp. (1919), vol. 17
pp. 255-6
He then returned to Haiti at the invitation of his followers, and on October 7, 1888, was elected president of the provisional government. General Seide Thelemaque denounced the election as fraudulent and attempted to make himself President, but he was killed in the battle which ensued. Légitime was elected President of Haiti on December 16, 1888, but resigned in 1889, owing to the opposition of General

Florvil Hyppolite Louis Mondestin Florvil Hyppolite (26 May 1828 – 24 March 1896) was a Haitian general and politician who served as the President of Haiti from 17 October 1889 to 24 March 1896. Early life and career Hyppolite was born in 1827 at Cap-Haïtien ...

, and again retired to Jamaica. In 1896 President Tiresias Simon Sam granted a general amnesty, and Légitime returned to Haiti. He died on July 29, 1935Justin Chrysostome Dorsainvil. ''Manuel d'histoire d'Haïti''. University of Texas (1958), p. 351. . in Port-au-Prince.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Legitime, Francois Denys Presidents of Haiti Foreign Ministers of Haiti 1841 births 1935 deaths People from Sud (department) People from Grand'Anse (department) 1880s in Haiti 19th-century Haitian politicians 20th-century Haitian politicians Haitian people of Ethiopian descent

Biography

References

Further reading

External links