Thomas Clendinen Catchings (January 11, 1847 – December 24, 1927) was a

U.S. Representative 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 c ...

from

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

Early life and education

Thomas Clendenin Catchings was born January 11, 1847, at "Fleetwood" in

Hinds County, Mississippi Hinds County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. With its county seats (Raymond, Mississippi, Raymond and the state's capital, Jackson, Mississippi, Jackson), Hinds is the most populous county in Mississ ...

, to Dr. T. J. and Nancy M. ( née Clendenin) and Catchings. Tutored at home until September 1860, he entered the

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where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall.Negus, W. H. (1900).
Delta Psi"
In Maxwell, W. J. (ed.). ''Greek Lettermen of Washington''. New York, New York: The Umbdenstock Publishing Co. pp. 231–234 In 1861 he entered Oakland College near Rodney. He entered the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

in 1861 and served as a private in Company K, 18th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, and subsequently in Company C,

11th Mississippi Cavalry Regiment The 11th Mississippi Cavalry Regiment (also known as "Perrin's regiment") was a cavalry formation in the Western Theater of the American Civil War commanded by Col. Robert O. Perrin, from 1863 to March 1865, when he resigned, and Lieut. Col. ...

Political career

He was admitted to the bar in 1866 and commenced practice in Vicksburg. Catchings was elected to the

State Senate A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...

in 1875 but resigned in 1877. Catchings was elected attorney general in 1877. He was reelected in 1881 and served until February 16, 1885. Catchings, 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 ...

, was elected to the 49th and to the seven succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1885–March 3, 1901) after winning a disputed election against Cornelius Jones, an African American lawyer and state legislator. Catchings served as chairman of the Committee on Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River (50th Congress), Committee on Railways and Canals (52nd and 53rd Congress), Committee on Rivers and Harbors (53rd Congress). He first introduced a bill for

Vicksburg National Military Park Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the site of the American Civil War Battle of Vicksburg, waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. The park, located in Vicksburg, Mississippi (flanking the Mississippi River), also commemorates the greater ...

in January 1896. When it failed to pass, although favorably reported by committee, he re-introduced it in the next Congress in December 1897.

Later life

Later, Catchings was employed as division counsel for the Southern Railway. Appointed by Governor Vardaman, he also served as a member of the Mississippi Code Commission. He died in Vicksburg on December 24, 1927, and was interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

References

External links

Thomas C. Catchings
at

The Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information. The name comes from the website's inclusion of burial locations o ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Catchings, Thomas C. 1847 births 1927 deaths 11th Mississippi Cavalry Regiment Confederate States Army soldiers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi Mississippi Attorneys General