Thomas Jenkins Semmes

Thomas Jenkins Semmes (born December 16, 1824 in Washington, DC , †  June 23, 1899 in New Orleans , Louisiana ) was an American lawyer and politician from Louisiana.

Career

Semmes studied law , was admitted to the bar, and then opened a practice in New Orleans. He later decided to pursue a political career. He was a federal attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana from 1857 to 1859 . He was also a member of the Louisiana State Legislature and Attorney General of Louisiana. Then he represented his home state in 1861 as a delegate at the Secession Convention . After the outbreak of the civil war , he served as Senator of the Confederate States of America from 1862 to 1865 . During the war, his house in occupied New Orleans was converted into a quarters for Union troops by Major General Benjamin Franklin Butler . Semmes was a strong supporter of Louisiana's forces, including the famous Louisiana Tigers , in which his brother Andrew served as regimental surgeon.

Thomas died in New Orleans in 1899 and was buried in Metairie Cemetery .

Web links

• Thomas Jenkins Semmes at The Political Graveyard