Joseph Eve

Who was Joseph Eve?

Joseph Eve was an American politician and diplomat born in Culpeper County, Virginia. As a young man he moved to Knox County, Kentucky. He married Betsey Withers Ballinger in 1811. They had no children. He was a lawyer in Kentucky and was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives three times. He was a colonel in the United States Army during the War of 1812, and later served four years as a senator in the Kentucky Senate. Still later he was a circuit court judge for a period of ten years.

On April 15, 1841, Eve was appointed to post of Chargé d'Affaires for the United States mission to the Republic of Texas. He was a strong advocate of U.S. annexation of Texas. During this time, conflict between Texas and Mexico grew, and the government of Texas was moved several times. Eve moved his legation to Galveston, hoping to benefit from the climate, as his tuberculosis was getting worse. He was succeeded by William S. Murphy on April 3, 1843. He died in Galveston in June 1843, and his wife returned to Kentucky.