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Richard Keith Call (1791-1862) was the third and fifth territorial governor of Florida, serving from 1836 to 1839 and from 1841 to 1844. Born in Virginia, he first came to Florida in 1814 as the personal aide of General Andrew Jackson and returned with him to Pensacola in 1821 to help set up Florida's territorial government. The next year, he started a law practice there. Prior to his first term as territorial governor, Call served in various political capacities, including as Receiver of the West Florida Land Office, member of the Legislative Council of the territory, and Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.
During Call's first term as territorial governor of Florida, he was also Brigadier General of the West Florida Militia and led forces against the Seminoles in the Second and Third Battles of Wahoo Swamp during the Second Seminole War. In December 1839, President Martin Van Buren removed Call as governor following a dispute with Federal authorities over their assistance during the war. However, President William Henry Harrison appointed him territorial governor for a second term beginning in 1841. When Florida became a state in 1845, Call ran for governor, but was defeated.
Summary:
This collection consists of two letters by Richard Keith Call regarding conflicts in Florida. The first letter, sent to President Martin Van Buren in 1839, concerns the condition of Florida and its inhabitants during the Second Seminole War. The collection includes both the original letter and a typed transcript. The second letter, sent to Major General Thomas Jesup in 1840, discusses a conflict between Call and the Secretary of War, as well as what he describes as a "deliberate attempt" by the government to "disgrace" him.
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For more records relating to Richard Keith Call, see Collection M84-16, R. K. Call Correspondence, 1820-1860 (3 items); Collection N2001-3, R. K. Call Letter Regarding Andrew Jackson, 1824 (1 item); and N2013-5, Richard Keith Call Collection, 1819-1862 (electronic records - 123.87 gigabytes).
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Previously State Library of Florida Manuscripts Collection MS18.
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Subject Access Fields:
Call, R.K. 1791-1862 (Richard Keith), Jesup, Thomas Sidney, 1788-1860 Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862
Seminole War, 2nd, 1835-1842.
Letters. aat
for detailed listing.