The Life of John Geddes

The person I chose to do research on is John Geddes. John Geddes was born on December 25, 1777 (Christmas day) in Charleston, SC and he died on March 4, 1828 of a stroke. He is buried at First Scots Presbyterian churchyard in Charleston, SC. His religion was known as Presbyterian and he represented the Political Party as Democratic-Republican. I chose him because of his historically background from around the Charleston area.

Geddes was the son of Scots-Irish merchant Henry Geddes. Geddes was married to a woman named Harriet Chalmers first who died in 1803. He then married Ann Chalmers in 1805, who died the following year. The marriages produced at least 3 children.  He received his education at The College of Charleston, but I also saw in research that he studied at South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina). He later studied Law and was admitted to the bar in 1797.

Death card found in the Public Library

Geddes was very active in Politics. He won the election for South Carolina’s House of Representativesand became a speaker of the house for two years in 1808. In 1816, he continued to be a member of the House of Representatives until his election to the South Carolina Senate. He was the 47th Governor of South Carolina from 1818 to 1820.

After his two-year term in 1820, he was given the position as Brigadier General of the South Carolina militia. Later in his years, he continued to remain active in politics as he also ran for mayor of Charleston in 1823 as he served from 1824-1825.

Geddes grave site at the First Scots Presbyterian church is very old and not well kept. The site now is very hard to see but it is noticeable once found.  I selected him because he was a very influential person in Charleston’s political outlooks. He made a difference in Charleston’s views of society.