United States Senator, Territorial Governor of Florida, Presidential Cabinet. John Henry Eaton was an American politician during the early 18th century. He was a close colleague to President Andrew Jackson. From 1803 to 1804, he attended the University of North Carolina, studying law, and after being admitted to the bar, he commenced to practice law in Franklin, Tennessee. He was a member of the Tennessee State House of Representatives from 1815 to 1816. In 1818, he was elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of George W. Campbell, reelected as a Jackson Republican to the Senate in 1821 and as a Jacksonian in 1826, serving until 1829. He was the youngest United States Senator ever to be elected. He was appointed Secretary of War by President Andrew Jackson, serving from 1829 to 1831. He was made in charge of enforcing the Indian Removal Act. He supported a military pension for those who honorably served in the nation's military. He resigned from his cabinet post as the result of the scandal of the "Petticoat Affair" or the "Peggy Eaton Affair," in which his wife was socially ostracized for not having met the "moral standards of a Cabinet Wife." The scandal "ruined reputations and terminated friendships, and it was all so needless." In 1832 he was a candidate for the Tennessee senate seat but was defeated. He served as the 2nd Territorial Governor of Florida from April 24, 1834 to March 16, 1836, serving during the difficult years of the Second Seminole War. At that point in 1836, he held the post of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Spain until 1840. Upon returning to the United States, he had a bitter disagreement with Jackson over supporting Martin Van Buren for the candidacy of President, thus changed his political party to the Whigs. Van Buren had been one of Jackson's cabinet members who had resigned as the result of the "Peggy Eaton Affair." He retired from public office and resumed his law practice until his death. He married twice and had no children.
United States Senator, Territorial Governor of Florida, Presidential Cabinet. John Henry Eaton was an American politician during the early 18th century. He was a close colleague to President Andrew Jackson. From 1803 to 1804, he attended the University of North Carolina, studying law, and after being admitted to the bar, he commenced to practice law in Franklin, Tennessee. He was a member of the Tennessee State House of Representatives from 1815 to 1816. In 1818, he was elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of George W. Campbell, reelected as a Jackson Republican to the Senate in 1821 and as a Jacksonian in 1826, serving until 1829. He was the youngest United States Senator ever to be elected. He was appointed Secretary of War by President Andrew Jackson, serving from 1829 to 1831. He was made in charge of enforcing the Indian Removal Act. He supported a military pension for those who honorably served in the nation's military. He resigned from his cabinet post as the result of the scandal of the "Petticoat Affair" or the "Peggy Eaton Affair," in which his wife was socially ostracized for not having met the "moral standards of a Cabinet Wife." The scandal "ruined reputations and terminated friendships, and it was all so needless." In 1832 he was a candidate for the Tennessee senate seat but was defeated. He served as the 2nd Territorial Governor of Florida from April 24, 1834 to March 16, 1836, serving during the difficult years of the Second Seminole War. At that point in 1836, he held the post of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Spain until 1840. Upon returning to the United States, he had a bitter disagreement with Jackson over supporting Martin Van Buren for the candidacy of President, thus changed his political party to the Whigs. Van Buren had been one of Jackson's cabinet members who had resigned as the result of the "Peggy Eaton Affair." He retired from public office and resumed his law practice until his death. He married twice and had no children.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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