Thomas J. Word

Thomas Jefferson Word (c. 1809 – ?)^[1] was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi.

Born in Surry County, North Carolina, Word studied law, passed his bar exam, and established a private practice. He served as member of the North Carolina House of Commons in 1832. He later moved to Mississippi and settled in Pontotoc, where he became active in state and local politics.

Word successfully contested the election of Samuel J. Gholson to the 25th Congress, and the election was set aside by the House of Representatives. Word was subsequently elected as a Whig to fill the vacancy caused by this action (May 29, 1838–March 3, 1839). He was not reelected and retired from national politics to resume his legal practice.

In 1854, he moved to Anderson County, Texas.

He was a great great granduncle of writer William Faulkner.

References

• Thomas J. Word at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Notes

1. Several biographies of his nephew, William Falkner, mention that Jeff Word was born around 1809. For example, see Joel Williamson's William Faulkner and Southern History p. 38.