Peter Chester (governor)

Peter Chester (1720-1799) was the last governor of the British territory of West Florida from August 1770 until 9 May 1781.[1]

Depiction of Peter Chester by Bartolomé Vázquez

Chester focused on agricultural development in the Lower Mississippi Valley.[2] Spain controlled the land west of the Mississippi River, Britain its east side, and the French held influence over the trading post of New Orleans.[3]

Chester was the area's third governor (fifth if acting governors are included).[4] He dealt with issues related to Native Americans in Florida. John Stuart was the Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the Southern District of North America. [5] George Washington wrote to him March 25, 1773.[6] Robert Ross also wrote a letter to Chester, on August 14, 1778.[7]

British artist Arthur Devis (1711 – 1787) produced an oil paiting of a hunting scene with Peter Chester, his brother Edward Chester who owned Cockenhatch estate manager Thomas Gorsuch, and a clergyman of Barkway.[8]

Britain's National Archives at Kew have some of his correspondence in their collection.[9]

See also

Referencee
  1. Rowland, Eron Opha Moore (July 25, 1925). "Peter Chester, Third Governor of the Province of British West Florida Under British Dominion, 1770-1781" – via Google Books.
  2. "Mississippi Under British Rule - British West Florida - Mississippi History Now". mshistorynow.mdah.state.ms.us.
  3. https://academic.oup.com/jah/article-abstract/22/1/17/726478?redirectedFrom=PDF
  4. Peter Chester, third governor of the province of British West Florida under British dominion, 1770-1781. July 25, 1925. OCLC 1857630.
  5. Osborn, George C. (1953). "Relations with the Indians in West Florida during the Administration of Governor Peter Chester, 1770-1781". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 31 (4): 239–272. JSTOR 30138906.
  6. "Founders Online: From George Washington to Peter Chester, 25 March 1773". founders.archives.gov.
  7. https://ir.uwf.edu/islandora/object/uwf:23793
  8. "Arthur Devis (1711-1787) , Group portrait, including Edward Chester (1712-1767), owner of Cockenhatch, his brother, Peter (1720-1799), Governor of Florida, a groom and the clergyman of the parish of Barkway, Rev. William Andrew, full-length, in a landscape with hounds beyond". www.christies.com.
  9. NORTH AMERICA: Correspondence from the province of West Florida; Governor Peter Chester. 1776.
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