American politician
Matthew Whitaker Ransom
(October 8, 1826 – October 8, 1904) was a general in the
Confederate States Army
during the
American Civil War
and a
Democratic
U.S. senator
from the state of
North Carolina
between 1872 and 1895.
[1]
Early life
[
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]
Matt Ransom was born in
Warren County, North Carolina
, to Robert and Priscilla Whitaker Ransom. He was the elder brother of General
Robert Ransom
, a cousin to fellow Confederate officer
Wharton J. Green
, who served as a U. S. Congressman after the Civil War, and a cousin to physician and aviation pioneer
William Whitney Christmas
. Matt Ransom graduated from the
University of North Carolina
in 1847, where he was a member of the
Philanthropic Society
.
Career
[
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After serving as
North Carolina Attorney General
and as a member of the
North Carolina General Assembly
, Matt W. Ransom was chosen as one of the three commissioners from North Carolina to the Confederate government at
Montgomery, Alabama
, in 1861.
American Civil War
[
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]
Ransom was commissioned
lieutenant colonel
of the
1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment
and later
colonel
of the 35th North Carolina Infantry. This regiment was part of his brother Robert's brigade, which Matt later commanded. Ransom was promoted to
brigadier general
on June 13, 1863. Ransom saw action in the battles of
Seven Pines
, the
Seven Days Battles
,
Antietam
,
Fredericksburg
,
Plymouth
, Weldon,
Suffolk
and the
siege of Petersburg
. He was wounded three times during the Civil War and finally surrendered at
Appomattox
.
Later life
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After the war, Ransom moved to
Weldon, North Carolina
, in 1866 where he was a planter and lawyer. In 1872, he was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy in the term commencing March 4, 1871. Ransom was re-elected in 1876, 1883, and 1889 and served from January 30, 1872, to March 4, 1895. Ransom served briefly as President Pro tempore of the Senate during the 53rd Congress. He was later appointed
United States Minister to Mexico
and served from 1895 to 1897.
[2]
Following his term as ambassador, Ransom retired to
Verona
, his estate, and engaged in agricultural pursuits.
[3]
Personal life
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]
On January 19, 1853, Ransom married Martha Anne "Pattie" Exum of Northampton County, North Carolina. The couple resided at
Verona
, the Exum family's plantation on the banks of the Roanoke River. Matt and Martha produced at least eight children together: Matt W., Jr., Joseph E., George E., Esther, Patrick Exum, and Robert. A slaveholder, Matt W. Ransom also sired two children with Emma Outland, one of the women of African descent Ransom enslaved; Matt W. Ransom's children with the enslaved Emma Outland were Douglas Ransom (born 1859) and Alice Ransom (wife of Edward "Ned" Rawles, one of North Carolina's first African-American state legislators).
[4]
[5]
He died near
Garysburg, North Carolina
, on his 78th birthday, October 8, 1904.
[3]
Ransom was buried on his estate, near Jackson, North Carolina. Verona was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
in 1975.
[6]
See also
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Notes
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References
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External links
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