Thomas Lowry Bailey (January 6, 1888 – November 2, 1946) was an American

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, 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 ...

from the

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

. He was born in

Webster County, Mississippi Webster County is a county located in center of the U.S. state of Mississippi, bordered on the south by the Big Black River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,926. The county was organized in 1874 during the Reconstruction era; th ...

and graduated from

Millsaps College Millsaps College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Jackson, Mississippi. It was founded in 1890 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. History The college was founded ...

. Bailey was elected to the

Mississippi House of Representatives The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected for ...

as a Democratic candidate in 1915 and served from 1916 to 1940. During his time in the legislature, Bailey supported benefits for seniors while also co-authoring a homestead exemption law. According to one observer, Bailey “had a reputation in the legislature as supporting progressive reforms for whites.” He unsuccessfully ran for governor in 1939 but was elected in 1943. According to one study, Bailey “basically agreed with Governor Johnson's philosophy of government,” and during his tenure presided over numerous initiatives in areas such as social welfare, education, and rural life. Bailey helped in the development of roads and ways to help farmers sell their products. A four-year medical school at the

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (Epithet, byname Ole Miss) is a Public university, public research university in University, near Oxford, Mississippi, United States, with a University of Mississippi Medical Center, medical center in Jackson, Miss ...

was also initiated. Bailey was also (according to one source) “the leader of the pro-New Deal Democrats.”Publication Issues 12-14 By Mitchell Memorial Library, 1965, P.128
/ref> He died of a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

Mississippi Governor's Mansion The Mississippi Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the governor of Mississippi, who is currently Tate Reeves. It is located in downtown Jackson, Mississippi, south of the Mississippi State Capitol, at the south end of Smith Park. Co ...

in 1946 aged 58, in Jackson during his term as governor. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor

Fielding L. Wright Fielding Lewis Wright (May 16, 1895May 4, 1956) was an American politician who served as the 25th lieutenant governor and 49th and 50th governor of Mississippi. During the 1948 presidential election he served as the vice presidential nominee ...

References

External links

Thomas L. Bailey's grave
at Find-A-Grave
Profile
at

National Governors Association The National Governors Association (NGA) is an American Politics of the United States, political organization founded in 1908. The association's members are the governors of the 55 U.S. state, states, Territories of the United States, territories ...

website 1888 births 1946 deaths People from Webster County, Mississippi Methodists from Mississippi Democratic Party governors of Mississippi Speakers of the Mississippi House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the Mississippi House of Representatives People from Maben, Mississippi 20th-century members of the Mississippi Legislature {{Mississippi-politician-stub