Hugh Peterson (August 21, 1898 – October 3, 1961) was a

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

political figure A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and lawyer from the state of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Life

Peterson was born near Ailey,

in 1898 and attended the Brewton–Parker Institute in

Mount Vernon, Georgia Mount Vernon is a city in, and the county seat of, Montgomery County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,451 at the 2010 census. It is home to Brewton–Parker College. History Mount Vernon was founded in 1797. It became the county s ...

and the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

. He studied law, gained admission to the state bar in 1921 and began the practice of law in Mount Vernon. In 1922, Peterson served as the

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

. From 1923 through 1931, Peterson served in the

Georgia House of Representatives The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. T ...

. In 1931, he became a

state Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

and served in that position until 1932. In 1934, Peterson was elected to the

74th United States Congress The 74th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1935, ...

as a Democratic member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

representing

Georgia's 1st congressional district Georgia's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is currently represented by Republican Buddy Carter, though the district's boundaries were redrawn following the 2010 United States Census, which ...

. He served five additional terms in that seat until losing his re-election campaign in 1946. After his congressional service, Peterson returned to Ailey to practice law. He died on October 3, 1961, in

Sylva, North Carolina Sylva is an incorporated town located in central Jackson County, in the Plott Balsam Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,588. It is the county seat, taking over the ro ...

and was buried in the Peterson family plot in Ailey. Peterson was married to Patience Elizabeth Russell, daughter of

Richard Russell Sr. Richard Brevard Russell Sr. (April 27, 1861 – December 3, 1938) was an American lawyer, legislator, jurist, and candidate for political office. He is the patriarch of the Russell Family of Georgia, a notable 20th century Georgia political fami ...

and sister of

Richard Russell Jr. Richard Brevard Russell Jr. (November 2, 1897 – January 21, 1971) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 66th Governor of Georgia from 1931 to 1933 before serving in the United States Senate for alm ...

and

Robert Lee Russell Robert Lee Russell (August 19, 1900 – January 18, 1955) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and previously was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the ...

References

* 1898 births 1961 deaths Democratic Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers Mayors of places in Georgia (U.S. state) Democratic Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives University of Georgia alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia (U.S. state) People from Montgomery County, Georgia People from Mount Vernon, Georgia Brewton–Parker College alumni 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American lawyers {{GeorgiaUS-mayor-stub