Daniel C. Trewhitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel C. Trewhitt
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| Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from Hamilton County | |
| In office October 3, 1859 – October 6, 1861 |
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| Preceded by | J.W. White |
| Succeeded by | James R. Hord |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 29, 1891 Morgan County, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | January 4, 1891 (aged 67) Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| Resting place | Forest Hills Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| Political party | Whig Republican |
| Spouses | Mary Winnee (1841–1861, her death) Mary Hunter (m. 1865) |
| Children | 8 |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel (1861–1862) |
| Unit | 2nd Tennessee Volunteer Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Daniel Coffee Trewhitt (January 29, 1823 – January 4, 1891) was an important American lawyer, judge, and politician. He served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1859 to 1861. He was one of the few state leaders who spoke against secession (leaving the Union) just before the American Civil War.
Trewhitt represented Hamilton County at a meeting of people who wanted to stay with the Union. After that, he fought for the Union Army. He later became a judge, serving in different courts from 1864 until his death in 1891.
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Early Life and Political Beginnings
Daniel Trewhitt was born on January 29, 1823. This was in what is now Cumberland County, Tennessee. He was one of seventeen children. His father, Levi Trewhitt, was also a lawyer.
In 1836, Daniel moved with his family to Cleveland, Tennessee. He went to Oak Grove Academy there. From 1837 to 1840, he studied law with his father. He became a licensed lawyer in 1847.
After becoming a lawyer, Trewhitt started his own practice. He worked in Harrison, Tennessee. This town was the county seat of Hamilton County at the time. He tried to become a district attorney in 1854 but lost. He also lost a race for the Tennessee Senate in 1857.
In 1859, Trewhitt was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives. He ran as part of the "Opposition Party." This group was against states leaving the Union. He strongly opposed secession in the state government. This was during the months leading up to the Civil War.
Role in the Civil War
In early 1861, Daniel Trewhitt traveled around Hamilton County. He gave speeches against states leaving the United States. He was chosen to be a delegate for the East Tennessee Convention. This meeting was held in both Knoxville and Greeneville.
The convention wanted to create a new state in East Tennessee. This new state would stay loyal to the Union. Trewhitt was elected to the Tennessee Senate in August 1861. But because Tennessee had already left the Union, he instead went to Kentucky. There, he joined the Union Army.
During this time, the Confederate forces arrested Trewhitt's father, Levi. He was suspected of helping people who burned bridges to stop the Confederates. Levi Trewhitt died in a Confederate prison in 1862. This made many Union supporters in East Tennessee very angry.
Daniel Trewhitt joined the 2nd Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Infantry. He became a lieutenant colonel. He fought in the Cumberland Gap area in 1862. He also led his unit at the Battle of Mill Springs. This battle took place on January 19, 1862.
Later, he became ill and had to leave his military role. After he recovered, he joined General James G. Spears's staff. He served as an Assistant Adjutant General. He was with his unit at the Battle of Stones River and the Battle of Chickamauga.
Life After the War and Judgeships
In April 1864, the East Tennessee Convention met again. Trewhitt supported President Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation. This document declared many enslaved people free. Trewhitt also supported Governor William G. Brownlow's plans. Brownlow was a Radical Republican.
One of Brownlow's ideas was a "franchise bill." This law would stop former Confederates from voting. In 1866, Trewhitt and other Unionists held a meeting in Knoxville. They were upset that a stricter voting law had not passed. They again called for East Tennessee to become a separate state.
In 1864, Governor Andrew Johnson appointed Trewhitt as a judge. He became a chancellor for the state's second chancery division. This area included Chattanooga. He served as a judge until 1870. At that time, a new state constitution was passed. It gave former Confederates the right to vote again. Trewhitt lost his reelection bid to David M. Key. He then returned to working as a private lawyer in Chattanooga.
In 1878, Trewhitt ran for a judgeship again. This time, it was for the state's fourth circuit court. He won the election easily. During this period, Trewhitt strongly supported prohibition. This was the idea of banning alcoholic drinks. He believed it was a very important fight.
He ran for Congress in 1882 but was defeated. However, he was reelected to his second term as a circuit court judge in 1886. Daniel Trewhitt's health declined in 1890. He passed away at his home in Chattanooga on January 4, 1891. He is buried in Forest Hills Cemetery in Chattanooga.
Family Life
Daniel Trewhitt married Mary Melissa Winnee in 1841. They had four children together: Thomas, Mary Jane, William, and Martha. Sadly, William and Martha died when they were young.
After his first wife passed away in 1861, he married Mary Melissa Hunter. They got married on July 4, 1865. Daniel and Mary Hunter also had four children. Their names were Addison, Alonzo, Paul, and Ellen.
