Hugh Peterson (August 21, 1898 – October 3, 1961) was a

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

political figure A politician is a person who participates in policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles or duties tha ...

and lawyer from the state of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

Life

Peterson was born near

Ailey Ailey is a city in Montgomery County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 519, up from 432 in 2010. History A post office called Ailey was established in 1891. The town incorporated in 1893. Geography ...

in 1898 and attended the Brewton–Parker Institute in

Mount Vernon, Georgia Mount Vernon is a city in, and the county seat of, Montgomery County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,900 at the 2020 census, down from 2,451 in 2010. It is home to Brewton–Parker College. History Mount Vernon was founded in 1 ...

and the

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

. He studied law, gained admission to the state bar in 1921 and began the practice of law in Mount Vernon. In 1922, Peterson served as the

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

. From 1923 through 1931, Peterson served in the

Georgia House of Representatives The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republican Party (United States), Repu ...

. In 1931, he became a

state Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

and served in that position until 1932. In 1934, Peterson was elected to the

74th United States Congress The 74th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 193 ...

as a Democratic member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

representing

Georgia's 1st congressional district Georgia's 1st congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is currently represented by Republican Party (United States), Republican Budd ...

. He served five additional terms in that seat until losing his re-election campaign in 1946. After his congressional service, Peterson returned to Ailey to practice law. He died on October 3, 1961, in

Sylva, North Carolina Sylva is an incorporation (municipal government), incorporated town located in central Jackson County, North Carolina, Jackson County, in the Plott Balsams, Plott Balsam Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 United St ...

and was buried in the Peterson family plot in Ailey. Peterson was married to Patience Elizabeth Russell, daughter of

Richard Russell Sr. Richard Brevard Russell Sr. (April 27, 1861 – December 3, 1938) was an American lawyer, legislator, jurist, and candidate for political office. He is the patriarch of the Russell Family of Georgia, a notable 20th century Georgia political fami ...

and sister of

Richard Russell Jr. Richard Brevard Russell Jr. (November 2, 1897 – January 21, 1971) was an American politician. A Southern Democrat, he served as the 66th Governor of Georgia from 1931 to 1933 before serving in the United States Senate for almost 40 years, f ...

and

Robert Lee Russell Robert Lee Russell (August 19, 1900 – January 18, 1955) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and previously was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for th ...

References

* 1898 births 1961 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in Georgia (U.S. state) Democratic Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers Mayors of places in Georgia (U.S. state) Democratic Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives University of Georgia alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia (U.S. state) People from Montgomery County, Georgia People from Mount Vernon, Georgia Brewton–Parker College alumni 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 20th-century members of the Georgia General Assembly {{GeorgiaUS-mayor-stub