William P. Moss

William Preston Moss (born April 26, 1897 in Jackson , Tennessee , †  December 25, 1985 there ) was an American politician . In 1935 and 1936, as President of the State Senate, he was the de facto lieutenant governor of the state of Tennessee, although this office was not formally introduced until 1951.

Career

William Moss served as a corporal in the American armed forces during World War I. He then studied law until 1921 at Vanderbilt University, among other things. He then embarked on a legal career. Between 1925 and 1943 he was the legal representative for the city of Jackson. In 1937 and 1938 he also served as an appellate judge. Politically, he joined the Democratic Party . Between 1933 and 1937 he was a member of the Tennessee Senate. Since 1935 he was its chairman.

In his capacity as President of the State Senate, he was deputy to Governor Hill McAlister . He thus actually held the office of lieutenant governor. This post was or is constitutionally anchored in most other states; in Tennessee this has only been the case since 1951. It is unclear how long he held this office. In the lists of Senate presidents, he is listed with a term of office in 1935 and 1936. The term of office should have lasted until January 1937. Whether he left office prematurely or whether this is a typographical error in the lists can no longer be clarified. Moss later practiced as a lawyer again. He was president of his state's bar association in 1960 and 1961. He died on December 25, 1985 in Jackson, where he was also buried.

Web links

• William P. Moss in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• The Political Graveyard
• Moss on the list of Tennessee Senate Presidents