Josiah M. Anderson
Encyclopedia
Josiah McNair Anderson was an American
politician
and a member of the United States House of Representatives
for Tennessee
's 3rd congressional district
. He was born near Pikeville, Tennessee
in Bledsoe County on November 29, 1807. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar
, and commenced practice in Jasper, Tennessee
.
From 1833 to 1837, he was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
, serving as speaker. He was a member of the Tennessee Senate
from 1843 to 1845, serving as its presiding officer. He was elected as a Whig
to the Thirty-first United States Congress, but was not a successful candidate for re-election in 1850 to the Thirty-second Congress. He served from March 4, 1849 to March 3, 1851.
He was a delegate from Tennessee to the peace convention of 1861, held in Washington, D.C.
, in an effort to devise means to prevent the impending war
. He was a colonel
in the Tennessee State Militia in 1861. He was killed at Looneys Creek, near the present town of Whitwell, Tennessee
in Marion County
on November 8 of that year, just after having made a secession
speech. He was interred
on a farm seven miles southeast of Dunlap, Tennessee
in Sequatchie County.
An article in the North Carolina Standard newspaper, dated Wednesday, Nov. 27, 1861, states:
Murder of Hon. Josiah M. Anderson of Tennessee - On the day of election, at or near Dunlap, Sequatchie County, Tennessee, Hon. Josiah M. Anderson was set upon by a band of Lincolnite assassins, and stabbed in the back, causing his instant death. Col. Anderson formerly represented the Knoxville District in the Congress of the United States, and was delegate from Tennessee in the "Peace Congress." His only offence for which he was so basely assassinted, was his defence of the South in conversation.
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 a member of 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 Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
's 3rd congressional district
Tennessee's 3rd congressional district
The 3rd Congressional District of Tennessee is a congressional district in Tennessee. It currently includes a north-south strip in the eastern part of the state. Current Republican Representative Chuck Fleischmann has served since 2011....
. He was born near Pikeville, Tennessee
Pikeville, Tennessee
Pikeville is a city in Bledsoe County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2000 census. It is also the county seat of Bledsoe County.-Geography:...
in Bledsoe County on November 29, 1807. He attended the common schools, studied law, was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
, and commenced practice in Jasper, Tennessee
Jasper, Tennessee
Jasper is a town in Marion County, Tennessee. The population was 3,214 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County.Jasper is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
.
From 1833 to 1837, he was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
, serving as speaker. He was a member of the Tennessee Senate
Tennessee Senate
The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the Tennessee state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly.The Tennessee Senate, according to the state constitution of 1870, is composed of 33 members, one-third the size of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Senators...
from 1843 to 1845, serving as its presiding officer. He was elected as a Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
to the Thirty-first United States Congress, but was not a successful candidate for re-election in 1850 to the Thirty-second Congress. He served from March 4, 1849 to March 3, 1851.
He was a delegate from Tennessee to the peace convention of 1861, held in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in an effort to devise means to prevent the impending war
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He was a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Tennessee State Militia in 1861. He was killed at Looneys Creek, near the present town of Whitwell, Tennessee
Whitwell, Tennessee
Whitwell is a city in Marion County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,660 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in Marion County
Marion County, Tennessee
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 27,776. Its county seat is Jasper.Marion County is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
on November 8 of that year, just after having made a secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
speech. He was interred
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
on a farm seven miles southeast of Dunlap, Tennessee
Dunlap, Tennessee
Dunlap is a city in Sequatchie County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,173 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sequatchie County.Dunlap is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in Sequatchie County.
An article in the North Carolina Standard newspaper, dated Wednesday, Nov. 27, 1861, states:
Murder of Hon. Josiah M. Anderson of Tennessee - On the day of election, at or near Dunlap, Sequatchie County, Tennessee, Hon. Josiah M. Anderson was set upon by a band of Lincolnite assassins, and stabbed in the back, causing his instant death. Col. Anderson formerly represented the Knoxville District in the Congress of the United States, and was delegate from Tennessee in the "Peace Congress." His only offence for which he was so basely assassinted, was his defence of the South in conversation.
External links
- Josiah Anderson at Find-A-Grave