Benjamin G. Humphreys

Benjamin Grubb Humphreys (born August 26, 1808 in Claiborne County , Mississippi , † December 20, 1882 in Jackson , Mississippi) was an American politician , brigadier general in the Confederate Army and governor of the state of Mississippi from 1865 to 1868 .

Early years and political advancement

Benjamin Humphreys attended public schools in his home country and then studied at the US Military Academy in West Point , New York . There he was in the same class with Robert E. Lee . Humphreys could not finish the academy because he and 40 other cadets were expelled from the institution for disciplinary reasons.

After returning to Mississippi, he began a political career. He joined the Democratic Party . In 1839 he was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives, and between 1840 and 1844 he was State Senator . In 1846 he settled in Sunflower County and became a planter .

Humphreys in the Civil War and as governor

When the civil war broke out , Humphreys became captain of the Confederate Army. In the course of the war he was promoted to brigadier general. He was seriously wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg in early July 1863. On October 2, 1865, he was elected governor of his state. Humphreys took office on October 16. In June 1868 he was re-elected for a second term. During the Reconstruction he was removed from office on June 15, 1868 and replaced by the Military Governor Adelbert Ames . During his two-year tenure, he supported the destitute former Confederacy soldiers and their families. In addition, laws were passed that, contrary to federal law, discriminated against African Americans .

Another résumé

After his dismissal, Humphreys withdrew from politics. He went back to his plantation. He also worked in the insurance industry in Jackson until 1877. Benjamin Humphreys died in December 1882. He was married twice and had four children, including his son Benjamin , who was a member of the US House of Representatives from 1903 until his death in 1923 . His son William, in turn, succeeded his father in Congress from 1923 to 1924 .

literature

Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 2, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Humphreys, Benjamin G.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Humphreys, Benjamin Grubb (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	August 26, 1808
PLACE OF BIRTH	Claiborne County , Mississippi
DATE OF DEATH	December 20, 1882
Place of death	Jackson , Mississippi