John C. Covington

***John Coulter Covington***

**John Coulter Covington** was a Founding Father, United States Representative, and Governor of South Carolina. John was an infamous pro-slavery force, and several times made great statements against anti-slavery forces. Covington also served in the Constitutional Convention and as a General during the Carolinian Schism.

## Political Career

### Constitutional Convention

In 1787 Covington, being a very influential land owner, was appointed to the Constitutional Convention. Covington was enraged by the convention, opposing many things that had been proposed, but working together with Jonathan Banks, he was able to change 2 senators to 1, and was able to enforce direct election of senators. Though infamously he proposed enshrining slavery in the Constitution, which would fail due to controversy.

### House of Representatives

In 1790 Covington was elected to the House of Representatives, and Covington would serve in the position until the 1st American Civil War in 1793. Before the secession, Covington had attempted to expel all members of the Party for Democracy after their walk-out protest of Speaker Jonathan Banks Jr., lead by William Webster, the vote narrowly failed and later Covington and Banks would organize a secession from the Union, kicking off the 1st American Civil War.

### Governorship

Governor John C. Covington had run for Governor in 1788, narrowly losing to Charles Pinckney. The loss did not deter Covington, and in 1790 Covington assumed the Governorship after winning the closest Governor election in South Carolina history. Covington upon inauguration would help to ratify the 12th Amendment, then would eliminate term limits for South Carolina Governors. in 1791 Covington would pass the Autozone Act, which created a new copyright and patent system in South Carolina, and then would create the Gay Act, which would hold a poll every year asking the citizens if they were happy with the government.

In 1793 Covington held a statewide opinion poll on seceding union, despite a majority voting against, Covington would declare secession, joining the American Civil War. A Pro-Union militia had rose up under Henry Hartwell, which would take over Charleston and kicking out one Col. Burt Hughes, in result Covington would order a fight to the last man order. In the Battle of Greenville County, the best of Covington's forces would be obliterated, and many of the following battles would result in Union victories. Covington only won a singular battle, the Battle of Red Hills in late September which held Hartwell's militia off to defend Columbia, soon after though Henry Knox would beat and kill Matthew Covington at the Battle of the Congaree, though Covington had been growing rather apathetic to the situation at the time, soon after Columbia fell, Covington was captured and deposed from his Governorship.

## End of War, Trial, and Imprisonment

### Capture and Final Stands

Covington would be captured in Columbia after an attempt to hold off Knox's army. Covington had sent out word to Col. Burt Hughes to retreat south as Columbia was falling, and to continue the fight. Hughes would receive the orders and leave his position which was east of Columbia. Near the Georgia border, on October 18, 1793 Col. Hughes was trapped between Knox's American Army and Hartwell's Pro-Union Militia, Hughes would set up a circle formation and hold out for a little over a day before his lines were breached, and himself and most of his men were killed or captured, today it's known as the Battle of Hughes' Stand. Covington would be taken before a district court, and was given a life sentence, something he did not protest.

### Post-Conviction

Covington would try to work with several former allies to get a Presidential Pardon following Washington leaving of office in 1797, but Covington would find all of his allies unwilling or not powerful. In 1794 his son, William Thomas Covington won a seat in the House of Representatives, and he would write of growing intolerance to his imprisonment. As 1796 rolled around and his chances at freedom diminished even more, John C. Covington would be murdered by his huge black cell mate with a shank named Tyrone. He intentionally picked the fight hoping it would lead to his death. Few reported on the death, and his reputation only decreased.

## Personal Life

On April 20, 1732 John Coulter Covington would be born, heir to the Covington Family. Covington would never marry, but would have two children with two different woman. In 1761 Covington would have an affair with Hannah Dockery, having a son named William Thomas Covington. Later in his life Covington would have an affair with a whore known as Nancy, the woman would give birth to Christopher Columbus Covington, who had a very light complexion, in 1793. It is suspected that Covington had a number of other children with other woman and slaves, but he never owned up to them.

* William Thomas Covington (Born: April 1, 1761)
* Christopher Columbus Covington (Born: March 1, 1793)

### Death

In 1796, at the age of 63, John C. Covington would cause his own life to end. The date was January 21, 1796. William Thomas Covington inherited the Plantation along with the slaves of his father, as he and South Carolina law did not recognize the 2 year old Christopher Columbus Covington as a valid heir to the Covington Plantation.