Stephen Adams (politician)

Stephen Adams
United States Senator from Mississippi
In office March 17, 1852 – March 4, 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	October 17, 1807 Pendleton, South Carolina
Died	May 1, 1857 (aged 49) Memphis, Tennessee
Political party	Democratic

Stephen Adams (October 17, 1807 – May 1, 1857) was a United States Representative and Senator from Mississippi.

Biography

Born 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, and was a member of the Tennessee Senate in 1833-1834.

He moved to Aberdeen, Mississippi in 1834 and commenced the practice of law; he was circuit court judge from 1837 to 1845, and was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-ninth Congress, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1847. He again became 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 4, 1857; while in the Senate he was chairman of the Committee on Retrenchment (Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Congresses).

He moved to Memphis, Tennessee and resumed the practice of law; he died there in 1857, and was interred in Elmwood Cemetery.

References

• Stephen Adams at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Stephen Adams at Find a Grave