William Cabell Rives
Born: May 4, 1793
Birthplace: Union Hill Plantation, Amherst County, Virginia
Father: Robert Rives 1764 – 1845
(Buried: Oak Ridge Plantation Cemetery, Arrington, Virginia)
Mother: Margaret Jordan “Peggy” Cabell 1770 – 1815
(Buried: Oak Ridge Plantation Cemetery, Arrington, Virginia)
Wife: Judith Page Walker 1802 – 1882
(Buried: Rives–Troubetzkoy Cemetery, Cismont, Virginia)
Children:
Francis Robert Rives 1821 – 1891
(Buried: Wappingers Rural Cemetery, Wappingers Falls, New York)
William Cabell Rives Jr. 1825 – 1889
(Buried: Christ’s Church, Brookline, Massachusetts)
Alfred Landon Rives 1830 – 1903
(Buried: Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery, Cismont, Virginia)
Amelie Louise Rives Sigourney 1832 – 1873
(Body Lost at Sea)
Ella Rives 1835 – 1892
(Buried: Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery, Cismont, Virginia)
Political Party: Democratic Party and Whig Party
Education:
1809: Graduated from College of William and Mary
Studied Law and Politics under President Thomas Jefferson
Occupation before War:
Aide briefly during the War of 1812
1814 – 1821: Attorney in Charlottesville, Virginia
1816: Delegate to Virginia State Constitutional Convention
1817 – 1820: Member of Virginia State House of Delegates
1822 – 1823: Member of Virginia State House of Delegates
1821 – 1868: Owner of Castle Hill Plantation in Albemarle Co., Virginia
1823 – 1829: United States Congressman from Virginia
1825 – 1829: Member of House Judiciary Committee
1829 – 1832: United States Minister to France
Well respected in France and Queen Amelie was godmother of his eldest daughter.
1832 – 1834: United States Senator from Virginia
1833 – 1834: Member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee
1836 – 1845: United States Senator from Virginia
1836 – 1839: Member of Senate Foreign Relations Committee
1837 – 1839: Member of Senate Public Buildings Committee
1841 – 1843: Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee
1849 – 1853: United States Minister to France
Author of History of the Life and Times of James Madison
1860: Unsuccessful Candidate for Constitutional Union Party Nomination receiving 13 votes for the nomination.
Civil War Career:
1861: Lukewarm supporter of the Secession Movement.
1861: Member of Washington, D.C. Peace Conference
1861: Won election to Provisional Congress over James A. Seddon.
1861 – 1862: Virginia Delegate Confederate Provisional Congress.
1862: Ran fourth in a contest for Confederate States Senator.
1864 – 1865: Confederate States Congressman from Virginia
1864 – 1865: Member of House Foreign Affairs Committee
1864 – 1865: Vigorous Supporter of President Jefferson Davis.
1864 – 1865: Supporter of replacement of Treasury notes.
1864 – 1865: Supporter state vessels operating in foreign commerce
1864 – 1865: Passive Peace Advocate.
1865: Resigned from Confederate Congress on March 1st
Died: April 25, 1868
Place of Death: Castle Hill Plantation, Albemarle County, Virginia
Age at time of Death: 74 years old
Burial Place: Rives–Troubetzkoy Cemetery, Cismont, Virginia
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