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of "Pen Park," Albemarle County. He was educated by private
tutors and studied law under his uncle, Peachey R.
Gilmer, at Liberty, Bedford County. He was a delegate in
1825 to the Staunton Convention called to agitate for a constitutional
convention; editor of the "Virginia Advocate"
in 1828, during the Jackson presidential campaign, and member
of the House of Delegates from 1829 to 1840, serving as
speaker in 1838 and 1839, and later was appointed by Gov.
John Floyd to prosecute the Revolutionary claims of the State.
In this he was successful. He supported Jackson for the Presidency
in 1828 and 1832, but when Jackson issued his proclamation
against South Carolina Mr. Gilmer aided in the formation
of the Whig party, with hundreds of other Democrates. He
became Governor March 31, 1840, but resigned in less than
a year on March 20, 1841.

He was immediately elected to Congress and gave his support
to President Tyler, when Mr. Clay ruptured the Whig
party by insisting on a bank and protective tariff repudiated
by him in the late canvass. He was a strong advocate of the
annexation of Texas and was called to the Navy Department
by President Tyler, but came to his death by an explosion on
board the Steamship Princeton in less than two weeks after
his appointment. He married Anne E. Baker, daughter of
John Baker of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, a lawyer employed
in the defence of Aaron Burr in 1802. Gilmer County
in West Virginia was named for Mr. Gilmer.

Upon his election as Governor Mr. Gilmer made a tour
of the State to examine all public works, and defrayed all
his expenses out of private funds. His message December 1,
1840, reviewed the manufactures of the State, enumerating
among them manufactures of cotton cloth, ink, paper and
glass. He stated there were in the State 3,119 common schools,
and 26,732 poor children received instruction. Mr. Gilmer
did not serve as Governor very long, because of a complication
in the Legislature. He got into a dispute with

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Governor Seward, of New York, over certain slave stealers.
He made a demand for their surrender, and when Seward
declined to give them up, Gilmer refused to honor a requisition
made upon him for certain criminal refugees from New York.
When the Legislature refused to support him in this position,
Gilmer sent to the Legislature an able message in vindication,
and resigned the chair of State March 20, 1841.

His term was filled out by the Senior Councillors. John
Mercer Patton was Acting Governor for 11 days, John Ruther
foord for one year, John Munford Gregory from March 31,
1842, to January 5, 1843.