Silas Adams (February 9, 1839 – May 5, 1896) was an American attorney and politician from

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

who served for one term as a 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from Kentucky's 11th congressional district.

Early life and education

He was born in

Pulaski County, Kentucky Pulaski County is a county in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,034. Its county seat is Somerset. The county was founded in December 1798 from land given by Lincoln and Green Counties and named for ...

, on February 9, 1839, and moved to Casey County with his parents in 1841. He attended

Kentucky University The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a public land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, the university is one of the state' ...

(now

Transylvania University Transylvania University is a private university in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1780 and was the first university in Kentucky. It offers 46 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is accredited by the Southern ...

Career

He entered the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

as a first

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

in the 1st Kentucky Cavalry Regiment. He was later promoted to captain, lieutenant colonel and

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

. He was mustered out on December 31, 1864. His experiences in the cavalry are recorded in the book ''The Wild Riders of the First Kentucky Cavalry'' by Eastham Tarrant. Following the war, he entered the Lexington Law School in 1867. He was later admitted to the bar and practiced law. He served two terms as county attorney and later was a member of the

Kentucky House of Representatives The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form ...

from 1889 to 1892. He led an unsuccessful campaign as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

candidate for the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

in 1892. He was later elected as a Republican to the 53rd U.S. Congress (March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895). He was an unsuccessful independent candidate for re-election in 1894 to the 54th U.S. Congress and thereafter returned to the practice of law.

Personal life

He died in

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

on May 5, 1896, and was buried in Brown Cemetery in Casey County.

References

*Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771–Present *''Who Was Who in America: Historical Volume 1607-1896.'' Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1963. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Silas 1839 births 1896 deaths People from Pulaski County, Kentucky Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky Republican Party members of the Kentucky House of Representatives People from Casey County, Kentucky 19th-century American politicians Transylvania University alumni Union Army colonels People of Kentucky in the American Civil War