John Anthony Winston

Winston was born September 4, 1812 in Madison County, Alabama. He was a planter and a cotton commissioner as well as a prominent Alabama politician prior to the War.

In 1840 Winston was elected to the state House of Representatives and later represented Alabama at the 1848 Democratic party convention in Baltimore. A strong advocate of Southern rights, he was elected governor in 1853 (and then reelected in 1855 by a narrow margin). He was nicknamed the "veto governor" because he vetoed over thirty bills during his term (mostly involving funding of public transportation and in particular railroads).

On June 11, 1861, Winston became colonel of the 8th Alabama. Disliked because he was a stern disciplinarian, he resigned on June 16, 1862 because of chronic rheumatism.

After the War, Winston was elected to the United States Senate in 1867. He was denied his seat. Winston died in Mobile Alabama on December 21, 1871.