Date Original
1836
Description
This collection contains memoirs written by William Franklin Switzler, describing his travels through the South in 1836, including Arkansas.
Biographical/Historical Note
William Franklin Switzler was born March 16, 1819, in Fayette County, Kentucky. He and his family moved to Howard County, Missouri, in 1826. In 1841, he became the editor of the "Columbia Patriot." In1842, he was admitted to the bar after studying law under Abiel Leonard and James S. Rollins. In 1843, he founded the "Missouri Statesman," which he ran for over forty years. Prior to the Civil War, he was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives three times as a Whig. As an outspoken opponent of secession, he was appointed by President Lincoln as Secretary of the Arkansas provisional government in 1862. He joined the Democratic Party after the war and ran twice for the United States House of Representatives, but was not elected. In 1865 and 1875, he attended the Missouri Constitutional Conventions. In 1885, he was appointed by President Grover Cleveland as Chief of the Bureau of Statistics. He wrote "History of Missouri," "History of Boone County," and finally "History of the University of Missouri," which he did not complete before his death on May 24, 1906, in Columbia, Missouri.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
Arkansas; Kentucky; Missouri
Language
English
Identifier
SMC.018.007
Resource Type
Text
Collection
William F. Switzler writings, SMC.018.007
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
William F. Switzler writings, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History