John A . Quitman John Anthony Quitman ( born September 1 , 1798 , Rhinebeck , New York – July 17 , 1858 , Natchez , Mississippi ) was an American politician and soldier . He served as Governor of Mississippi from 1835 to 1836 as a Whig and again from 1850 to 1851 as a Democrat and one of the leading Fire - Eaters . Early life . John A . Quitman studied Classics at Hartwick Seminary , graduating in 1816 . After serving as an instructor at Mount Airy College , Pennsylvania , he decided to study law . Upon being admitted to the bar , he moved to Chillicothe , Ohio in 1820 , and from there to Natchez , Mississippi , in 1821 . He purchased Monmouth Plantation in 1826 , and the plantation would be in his family for around 100 years ( Monmouth ( Natchez , Mississippi ) ) . The plantation was used as an archaeological dig site for Dr . Montroville Dickeson of Pennsylvania during his 10 year study of the Natchez Indians in the Mississippi River Valley . Politics . Quitman practiced law in Natchez until 1826 , when he was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives . He became Chancellor of the state in 1828 , and served on the state ' s Constitutional Convention in 1832 . In 1835 , he was elected to the State Senate , becoming President of the Senate the following year . He also served as Acting Governor of Mississippi during that time . In 1838 , he became a judge on the High Court of Errors and Appeal . Quitman was grand master of the Mississippi Masons from 1826 to 1838 and again from 1840 to 1845 . Mexican - American War . On July 1 , 1846 , during the Mexican - American War , Quitman abandoned politics and enlisted in the military with the rank of Brigadier General of Volunteers . He commanded a brigade under Zachary Taylor in northern Mexico . After the Battle of Monterrey he was sent to join Winfield Scott ' s expedition . He led the 2nd Brigade in the Volunteer Division at the Siege of Veracruz and On April 14 , 1847 he was promoted to the rank of Major General in the Regular Army , and fought at Cerro Gordo . In the battle Robert Patterson , the division commander , was wounded and command passed to Quitman . Reinforcements arrived from Veracruz including about 300 marines and were organized into a new brigade under Colonel Watson . The Volunteer Division was divided into two new divisions with Shields ' and Watson ' s brigade being designated the 4th Division with Quitman in command . In this new capacity Quitman fought at the battles of Contreras and Churubusco . He commanded the southern assault during the battle of Chapultepec and received the surrender of the citadel within Mexico City . With the fall of Mexico City , General Scott appointed Quitman as Military Governor of Mexico City during the U . S . occupation , being the only American to rule from in the National Palace . Quitman was an original member of the Aztec Club of 1847 . He received an honorable discharge on July 20 , 1848 , and returned to Mississippi , serving as Governor of Mississippi in 1850 and 1851 . Filibustering . It was in his capacity as governor that Quitman was approached by the filibuster Narciso López to lead his filibuster expedition of 1850 to Cuba . He turned down the offer because of his desire to serve out his term as Governor , but did offer assistance to López in obtaining men and material for the expedition . López ’ s effort ended in failure and the repercussion led to Quitman ’ s being charged with violations of neutrality law and his resignation from the post of Governor so that he could defend himself . The charges were dropped after three hung juries allowed him to avoid conviction . With the encouragement of President Franklin Pierce , Quitman , with assistance from later Confederate General Mansfield Lovell , began preparations in July 1853 for a filibuster expedition of his own . The preparations were nearly complete , with several thousand men prepared to go , when in May 1854 the administration reversed course and undertook steps to stop what it had almost put into motion , presumably because it felt that in the wake of the furor over the passage of the Kansas - Nebraska Act that action to add slaveholding territory such as Cuba would cause irreparable damage to the Democratic Party in the North . Return to politics . On March 4 , 1855 , Quitman was elected to the Thirty - fourth Congress for the Democratic Party , and served in that and the ensuing Congress until his death . In Congress , he was Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs . Quitman died on his plantation , “ Monmouth , ” near Natchez , Mississippi on July 17 , 1858 , aged 58 , apparently from the effects of National Hotel Disease , which he contracted during the inauguration of President James Buchanan . He was buried in the Natchez City Cemetery in Natchez , Mississippi . Legacy . The towns of Quitman , Texas , county seat of Wood County , Texas , Quitman , Mississippi , county seat of Clarke County , Mississippi , Quitman , Georgia , of Brooks County , Georgia , Quitman , Missouri , of Nodaway County , Missouri and Quitman County , Mississippi are named after him . The west Texas military installation Fort Quitman was named in his honor .