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William Russell Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromAlabama's4th district | |
| In office March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1857 | |
| Preceded by | Samuel Williams Inge |
| Succeeded by | Sydenham Moore |
| Member of theAlabama House of Representatives | |
| In office 1841-1843 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1815-03-27)March 27, 1815 Logan County, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | February 26, 1896(1896-02-26) (aged 80) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Olivet Cemetery Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Branch/service | Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1862 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | 26th Alabama Infantry Regiment |
William Russell Smith (March 27, 1815 – February 26, 1896) was a prominentAlabama politician who served in both theUnited States Congress and theConfederate Congress.
Smith was born inLogan County, Kentucky. He moved to Alabama at an early age and attended theUniversity of Alabama. Smith was admitted to the bar in 1835.
The next year he served as a captain ofstate troops in the government's campaign against theCreek Indians, intended to remove most of them to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. He served as Mayor ofTuscaloosa in 1839 and as a member of theAlabama House of Representatives from 1841 to 1843. He later briefly served as a state judge from 1850 to 1851.
Smith was elected to four terms in theUnited States House of Representatives, serving from 1851 to 1857, representing the Fourth District.
At the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War, Smith raised the26th Alabama Infantry Regiment and was elected its colonel.[1] He stepped down to represent Alabama in theFirst and theSecond Confederate Congresses, from 1862 to 1865.
After the war, he resumed his law practice in Tuscaloosa. He served as president of theUniversity of Alabama from 1869 to 1871.
He died in Washington, D.C., on February 26, 1896.[2] He was interred atMount Olivet Cemetery in Washington, D.C.[3]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| First | Union nominee forGovernor of Alabama 1865 | Succeeded by None |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromAlabama's 4th congressional district 1851–1857 | Succeeded by |
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.
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