Born in Concord, North Carolina, Pickens graduated from Jefferson College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in 1802, studied law, and was admitted to the bar. Pickens was a native of North Carolina and represented the "North Carolina Faction" in early Alabama politics, like fellow North Carolina Representative William R. King, with whom he served Congress during the early 1810s. The main opposition to the "North Carolina Faction" was the "Georgia Faction", which many new settlers to the state viewed as too aristocratic and elitist. At the same time, Pickens was seen as the "spokesman for the have-nots." Pickens married Martha Lenoir in 1814, the daughter of North Carolina statesman William Lenoir (general). In both 1821 and 1823, Pickens beat Dr. Henry Chambers by a vote of 9,114 to 7,129 and 6,942 to 4,604, respectively.
After serving as governor and being succeeded by his handpicked man John Murphy, Pickens was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy left by the death of Henry H. Chambers, whom he beat twice for the governorship. He only served from February 17 to November 27, 1826, when the elected successor, John McKinley, took office.
Pickens died in Matanzas, Cuba in 1827. He was originally buried in a family graveyard, but his remains were later moved to City Cemetery, Greensboro, Alabama.[1]
