Governor's Row at Capital Park
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Samuel B. Moore was a very successful man. He served in the House of Representatives, the Senate, as President of the Senate, and as governor of Alabama.
This photo shows where Samuel B. Moore's historical marker is located. It is surrounded by other governors and is located at Capitol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
John Murphy was a very accomplished politician and served in the Constitutional Convention, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and as Governor of Alabama.
Gabriel Moore served in the United States Senate, the United States Congress, and also as Governor from 1829 to 1831.
John Gayle was very different from the other governors due to starting as a lawyer rather than going straight into the political field.
Clement Comer Clay began his career studying law and later began his political service. He served as Chief Justice in the Alabama Supreme Court, in the United States Congress, in the Alabama Constitutional Convention and as Governor of Alabama.
Arthur P. Bagby was a Virginia native who moved to Alabama before his law studies began. Bagby is known for serving in the House of Representatives or the Senate for sixteen years consecutively.
Hugh McVay served one of the shortest terms as governor, as he only was in office from July through November of 1837. He also served in the Alabama Constitutional Convention, the House of Representatives, and the United States Senate.
Benjamin Fitzpatrick began serving prior to his twentieth birthday. He is known for serving in the Alabama Supreme Court and as Governor of Alabama.
Along with Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Joshua L. Martin also started his political and legal career at a very young age. Martin served over twenty years in the state legislature, in the judicial circuit, as a US Congressman, and as governor.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The Governor’s Row monument in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is located inside Capital Park, and holds nine plaques representing previous governors of Alabama. The monument was built in 1992 by the City of Tuscaloosa and is open to the public and very accessible from the nearby street. It was made to represent and remember the past governors and their significant accomplishments by giving each of the men their own plaques. There are ten markers total, but only nine are recognized, even though one is missing. Starting with the second plaque on the left, the markers are of John Murphy, Gabriel Moore, Samuel B. Moore, John Gayle, Clement Comer Clay, Arthur P. Bagby (missing), Hugh McVay, Benjamin Fitzpatrick, and Joshua L. Martin and represent the governors from 1825-1847.
The plaques of John Murphy, Gabriel Moore, and Samuel B. Moore are the second, third, and fourth markers from the left side. Each of these men were very successful and are alike in many ways. Each of them had at least one term in the United States Senate and as Governor of Alabama. Samuel Moore and John Murphy’s careers are almost identical as they both served in the House of Representatives at the beginning. Furthermore, each of the men were natives of the states surrounding Alabama.
The next three markers represent John Gayle, Clement Comer Clay, and Arthur P. Bagby. These three men all studied law in their younger years. They also served in the House of Representatives during the first part of their political career. During their terms of service, each of these men had a conflict with the removal of the Creek Indians. Although Arthur P. Bagby was a very successful man, his plaque is currently missing from the monument.
The final three markers are for Hugh McVay, Benjamin Fitzpatrick, and Joshua L. Martin. These men had very different stories, due to each of them coming from a different lifestyle. Hugh McVay started serving in the Territorial Legislature not long after his 45th birthday, while Benjamin Fitzpatrick and Joshua L. Martin began serving very young. Although they served at different times of their lives, they are all known for being very successful.
Sources
Owen, Thomas M. Alabama Governors Joshua Lanier Martin. Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 07, 2014. Accessed October 08, 2018. https://www.archives.alabama.gov/govs_list/g_martin.html.
Alabama Governors John Murphy. Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 07, 2014. Accessed October 08, 2018. https://www.archives.alabama.gov/govs_list/g_murphy.html.
Owen, Thomas M. Alabama Governors Gabriel Moore. Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 07, 2014. Accessed October 08, 2018. https://www.archives.alabama.gov/govs_list/g_mooreg.html.
Alabama Governors John Murphy. Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 07, 2014. Accessed October 08, 2018. https://www.archives.alabama.gov/govs_list/g_murphy.html.
Alabama Governors Clement Comer Clay. Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 06, 2014. Accessed October 08, 2018. https://www.archives.alabama.gov/govs_list/g_claycc.html.
Alabama Governors Arthur Pendleton Bagby. Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 06, 2014. Accessed October 08, 2018. http://www.archives.alabama.gov/govs_list/g_bagbya.html.
Hugh McVay. Alabama Department of Archives & History. December 16, 2003. Accessed October 08, 2018. http://www.archives.state.al.us/govs_list/g_mcvayb.html.
Alabama Governors Benjamin Fitzpatrick. Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 09, 2016. Accessed October 08, 2018. http://www.archives.alabama.gov/govs_list/g_fitzpa.html.