# James C. Wilkins

James Campbell Wilkins (1787–1849) was an American businessman and political figure who served as a Mississippi territorial legislator, prospered as merchant of Natchez district, and owned thousands of acres and hundreds of slaves in the lower Mississippi River valley in the first half of the 19th century.

## Biography

Wilkins was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but came to Mississippi when he was young. He was a selectman of the city of Natchez in 1812. As of 1815, he ran a cotton-commission business in Natchez, owned 4,678 acres (7.309 sq mi), and owned 277 slaves. Based on tax returns, he was one of the richest men of the Natchez District prior to the War of 1812, along with fellow merchants like Abijah Hunt, and full-time planters like Adam Bingaman and Winthrop Sargent. The cotton business was the basis of his wealth, and according to J. F. H. Claiborne, "He controlled for a long time the commerce of Mississippi, and nearly all the cotton it produced." In the 1830s he was part of a land-speculation scheme organized by future U.S. Senator from California William Gwin; the syndicate dealt in land in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas. He was at one time the president of Planter's Bank of Mississippi.
Wilkins was a key figure in the push for Mississippi statehood within its current boundaries. He is remembered for drafting a message to the U.S. Congress in December 1816 that argued that "between those sections of the Country there is no natural or a commercial connection...The Revenue derived from the Wealth and Industry of the Inhabitants of the Counties near the Mississippi would be expended in a section of the Country with which they have only a forced connection." The message was signed by 12 territorial legislators. In March 1817, the Congress passed and U.S. President James Madison signed legislation separating the Alabama Territory from the Mississippi Territory. Wilkins was also heavily involved in drafting the first Mississippi state constitution. After statehood he was one of the leaders of the so-called Natchez Junto political advocacy group, which supported Andrew Jackson's presidential candidacy. Wilkins apparently worked more effectively as a "shrewd manager" behind the scenes rather than a candidate for major office.
Following the catastrophic 1840 Natchez tornado, Wilkins presided over a community meeting to plan the recovery and reconstruction. In the 1840s the firm Wilkins, Humason & Co. ran a foundry in Natchez that produced engines for mills, gin houses, and steamboats. He reportedly lost his fortune in 1841. According to Claiborne, this was primarily as a result of guaranteeing other people's debts.
Wilkins organized a company, the Natchez Rifle Corps, during the War of 1812 and had a modest role in the Battle of New Orleans. The company confined to function as a militia and social society after the war. Wilkins was involved in a community ceremony honoring the late Thomas Hinds when he died in 1840.
Wilkins died in Louisville, Kentucky, and his remains were returned to Natchez for burial. A collection of his papers is held at the University of Texas at Austin.

## Personal life

His wife died at Bay St. Louis in 1820, possibly of yellow fever.
In 1838 his daughter Catherine Wilkins married Natchez attorney Samuel S. Boyd at Arlington house.