Stephen Adams (politician)

Stephen Adams
United States Senator from Mississippi
In office March 17, 1852 – March 3, 1857
Preceded by	John J. McRae
Succeeded by	Jefferson Davis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's at-large district
In office March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847
Preceded by	William H. Hammett
Succeeded by	no at-large seat
Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
In office 1850
Personal details
Born	(1807-10-17)October 17, 1807 Pendleton, South Carolina, US
Died	May 11, 1857(1857-05-11) (aged 49) Memphis, Tennessee, US
Political party	Democratic

Stephen Adams (October 17, 1807 – May 11, 1857) was a United States Representative and Senator from Mississippi, United States.

Early years[]

Adams was born to David Adams, a Baptist clergyman, in Pendleton, South Carolina, he moved with his parents to Franklin County, Tennessee in 1812.^[1] He attended the public schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1829, practiced in Franklin County.^[1]

Career[]

He was a member of the Tennessee Senate, from 1833 to 1834, when he removed to Aberdeen, Mississippi^[1] and commenced the practice of law. He was circuit court judge from 1837 to 1846, and was elected as a Democratic representative to the Twenty-ninth Congress,^[1] serving from March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1847. He again became a judge of the circuit court in 1848, was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1850 and was a delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1851.^[1]

Adams was elected to the U.S. Senate on February 19, 1852, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Jefferson Davis^[1] and served from March 17, 1852 to March 3, 1857; while in the Senate he was chairman of the Committee on Retrenchment (Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Congresses).

Last years[]

At the close of his term he removed to Memphis, Tennessee and resumed the practice of law^[1] until he died there of smallpox^[2] on May 11, 1857^[3] and was interred in Elmwood Cemetery.

References[]

Sources[]

• Johnson, Rossiter, ed. (1906). "Adams, Stephen". The Biographical Dictionary of America. 1. Boston: American Biographical Society. p. 55. Retrieved October 28, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

• United States Congress. "Stephen Adams (id: A000048)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.