Arnoldus Vanderhorst (; March 21, 1748 – January 29, 1815) was an American military officer and planter. He was a

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

of the South Carolina

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

and served as the

governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the ''ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...

from 1794 to 1796.

Early life and career

Born in Christ Church Parish, Vanderhorst took up planting at his

plantation Plantations are farms specializing in cash crops, usually mainly planting a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Plantations, centered on a plantation house, grow crops including cotton, cannabis, tob ...

on the eastern half of Kiawah Island in the

Lowcountry The Lowcountry (sometimes Low Country or just low country) is a geographic and cultural region along South Carolina's coast, including the Sea Islands. The region includes significant salt marshes and other coastal waterways, making it an impor ...

. He participated in the Revolutionary War as an officer under the command of

Francis Marion Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General Francis Marion ( 1732 – February 27, 1795), also known as the "Swamp Fox", was an American military officer, planter, and politician who served during the French and Indian War and t ...

. During the war, he also served in the

South Carolina House of Representatives The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections. Unlike many legislatures, seatin ...

from 1776 to 1780 and in the

South Carolina Senate The South Carolina State Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives. It consists of 46 senators elected from single member districts for four-year terms at ...

from 1780 to 1786. After his service in the state Senate, Vanderhorst was elected

mayor of Charleston The mayor is the highest elected official in Charleston, South Carolina. Since the city's incorporation in 1783, Charleston's chief executive officer has been elected directly by qualified voters, except for the years 1867–1868, when mayors we ...

for two terms. He was elected mayor of

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

, on September 12, 1785.

Governorship

In 1794, he was elected by the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

as a

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters call themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of deep ...

to be

Governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the ''ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...

. During his administration, Vanderhorst pressed the legislature for the revision of the criminal code because the sentences were so harsh that jurors would grant acquittal. In addition, he advocated for a prison system similar to that of the state of

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

instead of the state jails that "were of medieval barbarity." He also proposed the need for a state penitentiary. Later the state penitentiary named Central Correction Institution that was open until 1994.

Later life

After leaving the governorship in 1796, he returned to his

on Kiawah Island where slaves he owned cultivated

sea island cotton ''Gossypium barbadense'' is one of several species of cotton. It is in the mallow family. It has been cultivated since antiquity, but has been especially prized since a form with particularly long fibers was developed in the 19th century. Other ...

. Vanderhorst died on January 29, 1815, and he was buried at the St. Michael's churchyard in Charleston.

References

External links

SCIway Biography of Arnoldus VanderhorstNGA Biography of Arnoldus Vanderhorst

External links

{{commons category 1748 births 1815 deaths 18th-century American planters 18th-century mayors of places in South Carolina 19th-century American planters 19th-century American Episcopalians People from Charleston County, South Carolina American politicians of Dutch descent U.S. state legislators who owned slaves South Carolina Federalists South Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution Members of the South Carolina House of Representatives South Carolina state senators Governors of South Carolina Militia generals in the American Revolution Mayors of Charleston, South Carolina Federalist Party state governors of the United States 18th-century members of the South Carolina General Assembly

Early life and career

Governorship

Later life

Archives

See also

References

External links

External links