James Lindsay Seward
Encyclopedia
James Lindsay Seward was an American
politician
and lawyer
.
Born in Dublin
, Georgia
in 1813, Seward moved with his family to Thomas County, Georgia
, in 1826. He studied law, gained admission to the state bar in 1835, and began practicing law in Thomasville, Georgia
.
Seward was elected to the Georgia State House of Representatives in 1835 and served in that position through 1839. He was elected to that body again in 1847 and served through 1852. He was elected in 1852 as a Democrat
to represent Georgia's 1st congressional district
in the United States House of Representatives
for the 33rd Congress
. He was elected to two more terms in that seat before not seeking reelection in 1858.
Returning to his practice of law, Seward also served as a delegate to the Democratic State conventions in 1858, 1859, and 1860. He was elected to the Georgia Senate
from 1859 through 1865 and was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention
s in Baltimore, Maryland and Charleston, South Carolina
.
Seward served on the board of trustees of Young’s Female College from 1860 through 1886 and of the University of Georgia
in Athens
from 1865 through 1886. He continued to be involved in politics, serving as a delegate to the Georgia constitutional convention in 1865, the Democratic Conservative Convention in 1870 and the Georgia constitutional convention in 1877. He died in Thomasville on November 21, 1886, and was buried in that city's Laurel Hill Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
Born in Dublin
Dublin, Georgia
Dublin is a city in Laurens County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 16,201. The city is the county seat of Laurens County.-History:The original settlement was named after the city Dublin, Ireland....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1813, Seward moved with his family to Thomas County, Georgia
Thomas County, Georgia
Thomas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The 2010 Census showed a population of 44,720. The county seat is Thomasville.-History:...
, in 1826. He studied law, gained admission to the state bar in 1835, and began practicing law in Thomasville, Georgia
Thomasville, Georgia
Thomasville is the county seat of Thomas County, Georgia, United States. The city is the second largest in Southwest Georgia after Albany.The city deems itself the City of Roses and holds an annual Rose Festival. The town features plantations open to the public, a historic downtown, a large...
.
Seward was elected to the Georgia State House of Representatives in 1835 and served in that position through 1839. He was elected to that body again in 1847 and served through 1852. He was elected in 1852 as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to represent Georgia's 1st congressional district
Georgia's 1st congressional district
Georgia's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. The district comprises the entire coastal area of Sea Islands, where many of the large cotton and rice plantations flourished in the 19th century, and much of the rural southeastern part of the state...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 33rd Congress
33rd United States Congress
The Thirty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1853 to March 3, 1855, during the first two years...
. He was elected to two more terms in that seat before not seeking reelection in 1858.
Returning to his practice of law, Seward also served as a delegate to the Democratic State conventions in 1858, 1859, and 1860. He was elected to the Georgia Senate
Georgia Senate
The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly .-Composition:According to the state constitution of 1983, this body is to be composed of no more than 56 members elected for two-year terms. Current state law provides for 56 members...
from 1859 through 1865 and was a delegate to the 1860 Democratic National Convention
1860 Democratic National Convention
The 1860 Democratic National Convention was one of the crucial events in the lead-up to the American Civil War. Following a fragmented official Democratic National Convention that was adjourned in deadlock, two more presidential nominating conventions took place: a resumed official convention,...
s in Baltimore, Maryland and Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
.
Seward served on the board of trustees of Young’s Female College from 1860 through 1886 and of the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in Athens
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
from 1865 through 1886. He continued to be involved in politics, serving as a delegate to the Georgia constitutional convention in 1865, the Democratic Conservative Convention in 1870 and the Georgia constitutional convention in 1877. He died in Thomasville on November 21, 1886, and was buried in that city's Laurel Hill Cemetery.