Alabama Department of Archives and History

TAIT, Charles, a Senator from Georgia; born near the present town of Hanover, Hanover County, Va., February 1, 1768; moved to Georgia in 1783 with his parents, who settled near Petersburg; completed preparatory studies; attended Wilkes Academy, Washington, Ga., 1786-1787, and Cokesbury College, Abingdon, Md., 1788; professor of French in Cokesburg College 1789-1794; studied law while teaching and was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1795; rector and professor at Richmond Academy, Augusta, Ga., 1795-1798; commenced the practice of law in Elbert County in 1798; presiding judge of the western circuit court of Georgia 1803-1809; elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Milledge; was reelected in 1813 and served from November 27, 1809, to March 3, 1819; chairman, Committee on Naval Affairs (Fourteenth and Fifteenth Congresses); moved to Wilcox County, Ala., in 1819; appointed by President James Monroe as United States district judge for Alabama 1820-1826, when he resigned; engaged as a planter near Claiborne, Ala.; declined a mission to Great Britain in 1828; died near Claiborne, Ala., October 7, 1835; interment in Dry Forks Cemetery on his country estate, Wilcox County, Ala.