Sampson Willis Harris was an American politician and lawyer in the states of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to t ...

and

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

Early years and education

Harris was born on February 23, 1809, in

Elbert County, Georgia Elbert County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,637. The county seat is Elberton. The county was established on December 10, 1790, and was named for Samu ...

, to Stephen Willis Harris, a judge of the

Superior court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civ ...

, and Sarah Herndon Harris. Young Harris graduated from the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...

in 1828, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1830. Harris established his law practice in Athens.

Political career

Harris was elected to 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. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. ...

in 1833, and served one term from 1834 to 1835. After moving to

Wetumpka, Alabama Wetumpka () is a city in and the county seat of Elmore County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,220. In the early 21st century Elmore County became one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. The city is ...

in 1838, Harris was elected as the solicitor of the eighth circuit in 1841. He then served in the

Alabama Senate The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, with each district contai ...

in 1844 and 1845. Harris was then elected in 1846 to represent

Alabama's 3rd congressional district Alabama's 3rd congressional district is a United States congressional district in Alabama that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It is based in east central Alabama and encompasses portions of Montgomery an ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

during the

30th United States Congress The 30th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1847 ...

and was reelected to three additional terms ( 31st, 32nd and 33rd Congresses) in that seat from March 4, 1847, until March 3, 1855. Harris won election to

Alabama's 7th congressional district Alabama's 7th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Alabama that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. The district encompasses Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, P ...

in 1854 and served in the 34th Congress and served from March 4, 1855, until March 3, 1857.

Death and legacy

Harris did not seek reelection in 1856 and died on April 1, 1857, in Washington, D. C., less than a month after leaving congressional office. He was survived by his wife, Paulina Harris, and four of his five siblings. A small

monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...

still stands in the

Congressional Cemetery The Congressional Cemetery, officially Washington Parish Burial Ground, is a historic and active cemetery located at 1801 E Street, SE, in Washington, D.C., on the west bank of the Anacostia River. It is the only American "cemetery of national m ...

in Washington, D.C., commemorating Harris and his work for his country. He was buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens. His son, Sampson Watkins Harris, was born in Wetumpka, Alabama on March 29, 1828, but later moved to Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia. Sampson Watkins Harris practiced law, served as a colonel in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

, was Georgia

adjutant-general An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

, and was offered appointments to the Supreme Court of Georgia and the position of

Georgia Secretary of State The Secretary of State of the U.S. state of Georgia is an elected official with a wide variety of responsibilities, including supervising elections and maintaining public records. The office has had a four-year term since 1946. Before 1880, t ...

, both of which he declined.

References

External links

* *
Speech of the Hon. Sampson W. Harris, of Alabama on the Measures of Compromise: Delivered in the House or Representatives, June 10, 1850 (Classic Reprint) Hardcover – September 15, 2018
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Sampson Willis 1809 births 1857 deaths Members of the Georgia House of Representatives Democratic Party Alabama state senators University of Georgia alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama People from Elbert County, Georgia 19th-century American politicians