Luke Pryor

Luke Pryor

Luke Pryor (born July 5, 1820 in Huntsville , Alabama , †  August 5, 1900 in Athens , Alabama) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ) who represented the state of Alabama in both chambers of Congress .

Luke Pryor's parents moved with him and his older brother John, who later became a successful trainer of racehorses in Mississippi , to Limestone County within Alabama in 1824 . Her father, also named Luke Pryor, was a slave owner ; According to a census, 39 slaves lived in his household in 1850. The younger Luke Pryor pursued his academic studies, trained as a lawyer and joined the bar in 1841, whereupon he began to practice in Athens in his new profession. At the same time he worked as a farmer. He and his wife Isabella had eight children.

Luke Pryor became politically active in 1855 when he moved into the Alabama House of Representatives , of which he was a member until 1856. After that, he initially concentrated on his legal work again. On January 7, 1880, he was finally appointed US Senator to succeed the late George S. Houston . He only exercised this mandate until November 23 of the same year, when he was replaced by James L. Pugh , who won the by-election . However, Pryor returned to Congress on March 4, 1883, where he represented the eighth constituency of Alabama in the House of Representatives until March 3, 1885 . During this time he was, among other things, chairman of the Committee on Territories . After declining to run again, he retired on his farm near Athens, where he died in August 1900.

Web links

• Luke Pryor in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Luke Pryor in the database of Find a Grave (English)