BOOK REVIEW
Florida Founder William P. DuVal:
Frontier Bon Vivant
A Book By James M. Denham (© University of South Carolina Press, 2015)
| Reviewed by Grant Pattison
Editor’s Note: A version of this article originally appeared on FloridaVerve.org, The James
Madison Institute’s website devoted to Florida’s history and culture.
T
here’s a certain aura about our
country’s antebellum heroes that
grants them an immortal presence.
Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky, for example,
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is lionized by historians and biographers as
“The Great Compromiser” and more than a
dozen counties across the country bear his
name, from “Clay County, Minnesota” to
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“Clay County, Florida.” William P. DuVal, won the race unopposed, but by this time
on the other hand, has largely fallen into war with England was all but certain. After
obscurity, a situation that Florida Southern the formal declaration of war, DuVal was
College Professor James M. Denham seeks to appointed captain of the Eighth Regiment
correct in his latest book, “Florida Founder of Volunteers, also known as the “Yellow
William P. DuVal: Frontier Bon Vivant.”
Jackets,” leading subsequent campaigns
Over the course of two decades, throughout Indiana to push back Indian
Denham pieced together an unprecedented forces supported by the British.
account of the life of DuVal, a man who Eventually finding his way to
was aptly described in this excerpt from Washington, D.C., DuVal began his first
the Florida Journal, dated
Congressional session May
1841: “[His] appearance,
24, 1813, along with more
whether
waking
or
than 50 percent of the
“In his first
sleeping…
indicates
other first-time delegates.
[Congressional]
the cheerful, contented,
In his first session,
session,
DuVal
happy man… Few are his
DuVal used his charm to
superiors in the persuasive
network with some of the
used his charm
eloquence before a jury…
nation’s greatest leaders,
to
network
with
He is the most popular
like the “brilliant, stern,
some of the
man in the country…
taciturn, and inflexible
As a Statesman he is
South Carolinian” John
nation’s greatest
practical and shrewd – as a
C. Calhoun. The duo
leaders, like the
debater ready and strong.”
quickly made a name for
‘brilliant,
stern,
Denham notes, however,
themselves in the House,
that DuVal’s “sunny hues”
at one point opposing
taciturn, and
would be taxed throughout
President James Madison
inflexible
South
his life as he orchestrated
and his proposed embargo
Carolinian’ John
the development and
against Britain. He took
statehood of the Florida
a stand even though the
C. Calhoun.”
Territory.
measure was popular
DuVal grew up in
among
Kentuckians,
Richmond, Virginia, son of a Revolutionary including fellow native and politicalWar hero, Major William DuVal. For his heavyweight Henry Clay. DuVal and
service, Major DuVal received vast land Calhoun would lose the embargo vote, but
grants in Kentucky, land that his sons would they did gain an important victory by pushing
eventually call home and where a young much-needed draft legislation through the
William P. DuVal would make a name for House. The bill called on “80,000 men” to
himself as a brilliant lawyer. DuVal realized join the war effort, but before they could be
his political ambitions early, seizing the commissioned, the fledgling Congress was
opportunity to run for one of Kentucky’s granted a miracle.
four congressional seats in 1812. DuVal On Jan. 18, 1815, General Andrew
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Jackson defeated British forces at the Battle commissioned an Indian census, which
of New Orleans, bringing the War of 1812 counted “17 towns containing 1,395 Indians”
to a screeching halt. In its place, a wave in the peninsula. DuVal subscribed to the
of postwar nationalism seized the United Jacksonian idea of Indian “containment,”
States, leading to the period that became meaning that he would have to uproot
known colloquially as the “Era of Good and move the tribes in order to make way
Feelings.” Jackson continued to build on his for American settlement. To his character,
popularity by essentially wresting control though, DuVal often wrote empathetically
of Florida from Spain in
of the Indians, on one
the First Seminole War.
occasion lamenting, “The
In 1818, President James
Indians in Florida are in
Monroe awarded Jackson
a wretched state…” “Not
“In April 1822,
a military governorship
knowing where they would
DuVal was
of the territory. Because
eventually live,” Denham
confirmed as
formal U.S. control of
adds, “would prompt them
Florida had to await the
to neglect their crops.”
Florida’s first
consummation of a treaty,
Adding
to
the
non-military
Jackson did not arrive in
Indians’
desperate
Governor,
but
Pensacola to assume his
situation, settlers poured
gubernatorial duties until
into
Middle
Florida
no sooner had
July 1821. In the meantime,
looking to profit from the
he take his seat
in a chain of political events
rich cotton lands of the
in
Pensacola
that would prove fortunate
Red Hills Region. With
for DuVal, Calhoun had
violence on the rise, DuVal
than the
used the influence he had
hammered out the Treaty
growing pains
gained as President James
of Moultrie Creek, which
of the young
Monroe’s Secretary of War
systematically dispersed
to reward DuVal with a
the Seminole Indians from
territory became
newly created judgeship
their vast expanse along
apparent.”
in St. Augustine. DuVal
the Apalachicola River,
accepted the position, and
estimated to be “24 million
after returning to Kentucky
acres,” “for fewer than six”
for a short time, set out for Florida.
inland of Tampa Bay. Allowed to remain in
In April 1822, DuVal was confirmed the peninsula were a number of Indian chiefs,
as Florida’s first non-military Governor, but including Chief Neamathla, the diametric
no sooner had he taken his seat in Pensacola opposite of DuVal, a man DuVal described
than the growing pains of the young territory as “bold, violent and restless.” Eventually
became apparent. One issue in particular spurred by repeated mischief, DuVal and
stood heads above sectionalism, settlement, his interpreter confronted Neamathla.
and the unstable economy: the issue of According to DuVal, he was greeted with “300
Indian affairs. In his early days, Duval well-armed warriors. I (DuVal) immediately
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went into their square yard… and ordered
them all to meet me on the 26th of July at St.
Marks & assured them that their ruin and
distruction (sic) was cirtain (sic) unless they
obeyed my orders.” DuVal then appointed a
new surrogate chief in place of Neamathla in
hopes of preventing future revolution. Flush
with success, DuVal wasted no time making
light of his conquest. “His actions certainly
evidenced much bravery,” Denham writes,
“but the governor’s vivid storytelling ability
soon gave the act legend-like proportions.”
With the Indians out of sight for the
moment, DuVal had to face another issue
standing in the way of Florida’s settlement.
The increasing rivalry between East Florida
via St. Augustine and West Florida via
Pensacola threatened the continuity of the
territory; rumors circulated that the latter
would be annexed by Alabama. According
to Denham, “The need for a territorial
capital somewhere between St. Augustine
and Pensacola was obvious. The legislative
council… provided for DuVal to appoint
two commissioners to select a site for a
capital midway between two points… DuVal
announced that the next legislative council
would meet there.” DuVal believed that
“This step was necessary to a fair and equal
administration of the law of the Territory.”
The development of the area, he added, “will
unquestionably render Florida, at no distant
period, a rich and powerful state.”
It would take little time for DuVal’s
vision to become a reality. According to a
local paper, “the young capital of Florida
is already attracting the attention of
capitalists… Many buildings are erecting…
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in the bosom of a fertile and picturesque with the Abolitionists.” Denham claims that
country.” Another census in 1830 recorded the accusation “would be akin to charging
“nearly 35,000 people” who shared DuVal’s political opponents with being Communists
zeal, half of which are said to have inhabited in the 1950s or supporters of Islamic
Middle Florida. These first Floridians Terrorists in the post 9/11 world.” Oddly
included rich slave-owning planters from enough, DuVal would play the field on a
“Virginia, Kentucky, and the Carolinas,” number of these issues, spending time as
as well as their less fortunate counterparts, both a Whig and a Democrat, lending to his
eager to make use of fertile lands. Later that reputation as disingenuous, and a political
year, DuVal would permanently move his opportunist. After losing a number of key
family from Bardstown, Kentucky, to his legislative votes to the resurgent Whigs, the
new home just south of the Capitol building political tide began to turn against DuVal,
in Tallahassee.
who reported from St. Augustine that he
As
Florida’s
felt “disposed to quit this
economy flourished, the
Territory. The hour of
“Corrupt Bargain” had
gloom & melancholy often
“In 1845, DuVal’s
swept up Washington in
deeply shadow my mind
commitment
a sea of political turmoil,
and thoughts….”
effectively
reorganizing
In 1845, DuVal’s
to the territory
the political landscape into
commitment
to
the
finally
paid
off,
what Denham classifies as
territory finally paid off,
and the state
more sectional, partisan
and the state of Florida
groups, one supporting
was admitted to the
of Florida was
Jackson, the other, John
Union. What, then, has
admitted to the
Quincy Adams and Henry
kept DuVal from historical
Union.”
Clay. With Adams/Clay in
preeminence?
Denham
the White House, DuVal
suggests that political
became more vocal in
clout would sour public
national politics, allowing his support for opinion of DuVal. In an effort to resurrect
Jackson to become apparent. The importance his political career, DuVal tried to secure
of this divide would eventually come to a seat in Washington as one of Florida’s
fruition in the rivalry between the Whigs first congressmen. An overwhelming
and the Democrats, a rivalry fueled by the defeat at the hands of the Whigs left DuVal
question of a central bank in Florida, as well disheartened. He “had hit rock bottom,” says
as other questions, including the issue of Denham. “In his mind the people of Florida
statehood, and whether Florida should be had repudiated him.”
admitted as one or two states. The rivalry By now abolition had found the
dominated the media: “The Democratic spotlight; national politics reached fever
Press began to take up the argument that pitch as Northern and Southern interests
somehow Whigs, defenders of the banks, became increasingly polarized. Devoid
and supporters of division, were in league of wealth and opportunity in Tallahassee,
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DuVal would make haste for Austin, Texas to no small feat. It took Denham 23 years –
join his son Thomas’ law firm. There, DuVal between other projects – to assemble this
would find work mediating familiar claims hallmark biography. What results is the first
between rowdy settlers and the Comanche cohesive narrative of a man whose influence
Indians. Before long, though, DuVal was spanned eight presidencies and the birth of
ushered back to Washington,
where he pursued damages
for his clients and acquainted
himself with the statesmen of
the 32nd Congress.
It
would
be
in
Washington, ever “abreast of
national affairs,” that DuVal’s
health faltered under the
strain of his efforts. He died
March 18, 1854, shortly after
his 70th birthday. Tributes
were published in newspapers
around the country, including
The Pensacola Gazette, which
reported DuVal’s death with
proper sentiment: “Thus has
View of the state capital of Florida in 1885. Courtesy of
gone one of the fastest and
Library of Congress.
most faithful men of our young
state. In all his sufferings he
maintained the same lofty spirit and the the Florida Territory.
same self-sacrificing disposition which Indeed, what Denham has achieved
distinguished his public and private life in in “Florida Founder” is a revival of DuVal’s
Florida.”
reputation. One can imagine that DuVal
Denham’s work covers the struggles would want nothing less than to tell his own
of settling Florida, the first true political story for another millennium; Denham was
betrayal in the split between Jackson happy to oblige. By piecing together a slew
and Calhoun, the ruggedness of frontier of journal entries and correspondence with
America, and the fruition of Texas’ political actors across the country (both
annexation, leading up to the divisive decade friends and rivals), Denham allows William
preceding the greatest conflict in American P. DuVal to stand at the lectern once again.
history, the Civil War. Despite the details Grant Pattison is a graduate of
about this tumultuous era, history buffs and Florida State University and former intern
casual readers alike will find themselves with The James Madison Institute.
surprised by the fluidity of the text, which,
given the amount of historical data, is
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