William Aiken Jr.

William Aiken Jr.
61st Governor of South Carolina
In office
December 7, 1844 – December 8, 1846
LieutenantJohn Fulton Ervin
Preceded byJames Henry Hammond
Succeeded byDavid Johnson
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from South Carolina
In office
March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1857
Preceded byIsaac E. Holmes
Succeeded byWilliam P. Miles
Constituency6th district (1851–53)
2nd district (1853–57)
In office
February 12, 1867 – Elected but not seated
Member of the South Carolina Senate from St. Philip's and St. Michael's Parish
In office
November 28, 1842 – December 7, 1844
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from St. Philip's and St. Michael's Parish
In office
November 26, 1838 – November 28, 1842
Personal details
Born(1806-01-28)January 28, 1806
DiedSeptember 6, 1887(1887-09-06) (aged 81)
Resting placeMagnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina
PartyDemocratic
Spouse
Harriet Lowndes Aiken
(m. 1831)
RelationsBurnet R. Maybank
(great-grandson)
Andrew Burnet Rhett
(son-in-law)
ChildrenHenrietta Aiken Rhett
Thomas Lowndes Aiken
Parent(s)William Aiken
Henrietta Wyatt Aiken
EducationSouth Carolina College
(agriculture)
Occupationbusinessman · politician
Professionplanter
Signature

William Aiken Jr. (January 28, 1806 – September 6, 1887) was an American statesman, planter, and Southern Unionist who served as the 61st governor of South Carolina from 1844 to 1846. He also served in the state legislature and the United States House of Representatives, running unsuccessfully for speaker of the House in 1856 in "the longest and most contentious Speaker election in House history."