William James Samford (September 16, 1844 – June 11, 1901) was an American attorney and

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 ...

who served as the 31st Governor of Alabama and in 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 ...

Early life and education

William James Samford was born on September 16, 1844, in

Greenville, Georgia Greenville is a city in and the county seat of Meriwether County, Georgia, United States. The population was 794 at the 2020 census, down from 876 in 2010. The city is located southwest of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area ( ...

. His father was William Flewellyn Samford, and his mother was Susan Lewis Dowdell Samford. In 1846, he moved with his parents to

Chambers County, Alabama Chambers County is a County (United States), county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 34,772. Its county seat is LaFayette, Alabama, LaFayette. ...

. He was educated in the public schools of Chambers and Auburn, Alabama. He then attended the East Alabama Male College (now

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a tota ...

) before transferring to 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 ...

Career

During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, Samford served in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

as a lieutenant in the 46th Alabama Infantry Regiment that fought in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi. He was taken prisoner in the

Battle of Champion Hill The Battle of Champion Hill (aka Champion's Hill) of May 16, 1863, was the pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War (1861–1865). Union Army commander Major General Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennes ...

Hinds County, Mississippi Hinds County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. With its county seats (Raymond and the state's capital, Jackson), Hinds is the most populous county in Mississippi with a 2020 census population of 227,742 residents. Hinds Co ...

and spent eighteen months in captivity at

Johnson's Island Johnson's Island is a island in Sandusky Bay, located on the coast of Lake Erie, from the city of Sandusky, Ohio. It was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate officers captured during the American Civil War. Initially, ...

. After the Civil War, Samford began farming. In 1867, he was admitted to the

Alabama State Bar The Alabama State Bar is the integrated (mandatory) bar association of the U.S. state of Alabama. Established in 1923, the association is governed by th1975 Alabama Code, Title 34, Chapter 3 It is the "licensing and regulatory agency for attor ...

and established a law practice in

Opelika, Alabama Opelika (pronounced ) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Alabama, Lee County in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States censu ...

. He was also an ordained minister of the

Methodist Episcopal Church South The Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MEC, S; also Methodist Episcopal Church South) was the American Methodist denomination resulting from the 19th-century split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC). Disagreement ...

. Samford entered politics in 1872, serving as a city alderman and alternate elector for the

Horace Greeley Horace Greeley (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American newspaper editor and publisher who was the founder and newspaper editor, editor of the ''New-York Tribune''. Long active in politics, he served briefly as a congres ...

ticket. In 1874, he was a delegate to the state constitutional convention. In 1878, he was elected as a Democrat to the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

, where he served for one term. Though he took office as governor in December 1900, he missed the first few weeks of his gubernatorial term because he was out of the state receiving medical treatment. During this time, William D. Jelks, then President of 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 con ...

, acted as governor until December 26, 1900. After six months in office, he died on June 11, 1901, and William D. Jelks succeeded him as governor.

Personal life

Samford married Caroline Elizabeth Drake in 1865. He was a devout Methodist and a licensed preacher in the

Methodist Episcopal Church, South The Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MEC, S; also Methodist Episcopal Church South) was the American Methodist denomination resulting from the 19th-century split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC). Disagreement ...

.''The Governors of Alabama''
by John Craig Stewart, p. 147.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Samford, William James 1844 births 1901 deaths Democratic Party governors of Alabama American Civil War prisoners of war held by the Confederate States of America Auburn University alumni University of Georgia alumni Auburn High School (Alabama) alumni People from Greenville, Georgia Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama People from Opelika, Alabama Southern Methodists 19th-century Methodists 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives Confederate States Army personnel