William E. Simms

William Simms
Confederate States Senator
from Kentucky
In office
February 18, 1862  May 10, 1865
Preceded by Constituency established
Succeeded by Constituency abolished
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 8th district
In office
March 4, 1859  March 4, 1861
Preceded by James Clay
Succeeded by John Crittenden
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office
1849-1851
Personal details
Born (1822-01-02)January 2, 1822
Cynthiana, Kentucky, U.S.
Died June 25, 1898(1898-06-25) (aged 76)
Paris, Kentucky, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Alma mater Transylvania University

William Emmett[1] Simms (January 2, 1822 June 25, 1898) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. He also served as a commissioner for the Confederate government of Kentucky and in several posts in the Confederate States government during the American Civil War.

Biography

Simms was born near Cynthiana, Harrison County, Kentucky. He attended the public schools, and was graduated from the law department of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1846. He was admitted to the bar in 1846 and commenced practice in Paris, Kentucky.

Simms served as a captain in the United States Army throughout the Mexican War, and was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1849 to 1851. He was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-sixth Congress (March 4, 1859 March 3, 1861), but unsuccessfully ran for reelection in 1860.

On October 21, 1861, Simms was appointed to the temporary rank of colonel in the Confederate Army. He was appointed lieutenant colonel in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States on December 24, 1861, and was assigned to the First Battalion, Kentucky Cavalry. He resigned his commission on February 17, 1862, having been chosen as one of two senators from Kentucky to the Confederate States Congress. He was a member of the Senate of the First and Second Confederate Congresses and also served in President Davis' Cabinet.

After the war, he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and died on his estate, "Mount Airy," near Paris, Kentucky, on June 25, 1898. He is interred in Paris Cemetery.

Notes

  1. The Kentucky Encyclopedia gives the name as "Elliott"

References

Further reading

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
James Clay
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 8th congressional district

1859–1861
Succeeded by
John Crittenden
Confederate States Senate
New constituency Confederate States Senator (Class 1) from Kentucky
1862–1865
Served alongside: Henry Burnett
Constituency abolished
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