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.

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. He attended the public schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1829, practiced in Franklin County.

Career

He was a member of the Tennessee Senate, from 1833 to 1834, when he removed to Aberdeen, Mississippi 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, 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.

Adams was elected to the U.S. Senate on February 19, 1852, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Jefferson Davis 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 until he died there of smallpox on May 11, 1857 and was interred in Elmwood Cemetery.

Sources

• Johnson, Rossiter, ed. (1906). "Adams, Stephen". The Biographical Dictionary of America. Vol. 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.