Benjamin Franklin Burkitt (July 5, 1843 – November 8, 1914) was an American newspaper editor and politician from the state of Mississippi.

Biography

Burkitt was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee in 1843 to Henry Lemuel Burkett and Louise Howell. Henry Burkett's ancestors had moved to North Carolina before the American Revolution, where Henry grew up before moving to Tennessee. Burkitt served in the 9th Battalion Tennessee Cavalry of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. After the war had ended, he taught in Alabama for two years, and moved to

Houston, Mississippi Houston is a city in and one of two county seats of Chickasaw County, in northern Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,623 at the 2010 census. History Native American groups had long used the future Chickasaw County for millennia b ...

in 1867, becoming the editor of the Houston ''Messenger'' in 1872. He moved the paper to

Okolona, Mississippi Okolona is a city in and one of the two county seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. It is located near the eastern border of the county. The population was 2,692 at the 2010 census. History Okolona was named as Rose Hill in 1 ...

in 1876 and renamed it the ''Peoples' Messenger'', becoming active with the Mississippi State Grange. Burkitt was elected president of the

Mississippi Press Association The Mississippi Press Association is a trade association located in the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi, which represents newspapers from Mississippi that are published at least weekly and are for sale to a general readership. Erle Johnston, ...

in 1883. Burkitt also began to practice law in 1872.

Political career

Burkitt began his political career when he was elected to the

Mississippi House of Representatives The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected fo ...

as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

in 1886, serving four terms. He was a delegate to the 1890 constitutional convention. In 1891, he joined the newly-formed Populist Party, and ran as that party's candidate for

Mississippi's 4th congressional district Mississippi's 4th congressional district covers the southeastern region of the state. It includes all of Mississippi's Gulf Coast, stretching ninety miles between the Alabama border to the east and the Louisiana border to the west, and extends n ...

in 1892, losing to Democrat

Hernando Money Hernando De Soto Money (August 26, 1839September 18, 1912) was an American politician from the state of Mississippi. Biography Money was born in Holmes County, Mississippi. He was named after the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto. Early in his ...

and receiving 39% of the vote. Burkitt was appointed as a Democratic elector for the

1892 presidential election The following elections occurred in the year 1892. {{TOC right Asia Japan * 1892 Japanese general election Europe Denmark * 1892 Danish Folketing election Portugal * 1892 Portuguese legislative election United Kingdom * 1892 Chelmsford by-el ...

, but resigned in order to support the Populist ticket. He ran for Governor of Mississippi in the 1895 gubernatorial election, losing to Democrat

Anselm J. McLaurin Anselm Joseph McLaurin (March 26, 1848December 22, 1909) was the 34th Governor of Mississippi, serving from 1896 to 1900. Life and career McLaurin was born on March 26, 1848, in Brandon, Mississippi, the son of Ellen Caroline (Tullus) and Lauchl ...

and receiving 28% of the vote. He rejoined the Democratic Party in 1900, and was elected again to the House in 1907. Burkitt was elected to the

Mississippi State Senate The Mississippi Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol ...

in 1910, and served until his death on November 18, 1914 in Okolona.

Personal life

Burkitt married Mattie Schrimsher on December 30, 1866, and they had four children: Jennie Lee Cary, James Howell, Mary Louise King, and Bennie Dossett. He again married on December 30, 1906, this time to Mary Elizabeth Mitchell.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burkitt, Frank 1843 births 1914 deaths People from Houston, Mississippi People from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee Confederate States Army soldiers Democratic Party Mississippi state senators Democratic Party members of the Mississippi House of Representatives Mississippi Populists People from Okolona, Mississippi