James Houston Thomas
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 6th district
In office
March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1851
Preceded byBarclay Martin
Succeeded byWilliam H. Polk
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 6th district
In office
March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861
Preceded byGeorge W. Jones
Succeeded bySamuel M. Arnell
Personal details
Born(1808-09-22)September 22, 1808
Iredell County, North Carolina
DiedAugust 4, 1876(1876-08-04) (aged 67)
Fayetteville, Tennessee
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMargaret Meeds Stevens Thomas
ChildrenJohn Addison Thomas
Alma materJackson College, Columbia, Tennessee
Professionlawyer politician

James Houston Thomas (September 22, 1808 – August 4, 1876) was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives for Tennessee's 6th congressional district.

Biography

Thomas was born in Iredell County, North Carolina on September 22, 1808. He attended the rural schools and graduated from Jackson College, Columbia, Tennessee in 1830. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1831, and commenced practice in Columbia, Tennessee. He owned slaves.[1] He married Margaret Meeds Stevens.

Career

From 1836 to 1842, Thomas served as Attorney General of Tennessee.[2]

Thomas was elected as a Democrat to the Thirtieth and Thirty-first Congresses. Though he was not a successful candidate for re-election in 1850 to the Thirty-second Congress, he was later elected to the Thirty-sixth Congress. He served from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1851 and from March 4, 1859 to March 3, 1861.[3] He resumed the practice of law in Columbia, Tennessee. He was a Delegate from Tennessee to the Confederate Provisional Congress from 1861 to 1862.

Death

Thomas died in Fayetteville, Tennessee in Lincoln County on August 4, 1876 (age 67 years, 317 days). He is interred at St. John's Cemetery in Ashwood in Maury County, Tennessee.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, 2022-01-13, retrieved 2022-07-04
  2. ↑ "James Houston Thomas". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  3. ↑ "James Houston Thomas". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  4. ↑ "James Houston Thomas". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 18 March 2013.


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