For the Continental Congressman and Mayor of Philadelphia, see Samuel Powel

Samuel Powel

Samuel Powel was a colonial and post-colonial mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1759 from the College of Philadelphia . He served as mayor from 1775–1776 and 1789–1790, the office having lain vacant in the interim...

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Samuel Powell (July 10, 1776 – August 2, 1841), was an American politician who represented 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...

 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...

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Early life

He was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania

Norristown, Pennsylvania

Norristown is a municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of the city limits of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. The population was 34,324 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County...

. He attended the common schools and Philadelphia College

The Academy and College of Philadelphia

The Academy and College of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, is considered by many to have been the first American academy. It was founded in 1749 by Benjamin Franklin....

, studied law, and was admitted to 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...

 in Norristown prior to 1800.

Legal career

In 1800, he moved to Blountville, Tennessee

Blountville, Tennessee

Blountville is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,074 at the 2010 census...

, where he established the first law school in Tennessee at his home.

In 1805, Samuel Powell moved to Rogersville, Tennessee

Rogersville, Tennessee

Rogersville is a town in Hawkins County, Tennessee, United States. It was settled in 1775 by the grandparents of Davy Crockett and is the second-oldest town in the state. It is named for its founder, Joseph Rogers....

 and practiced law. From 1807 to 1809, he served as a member of the superior court of law and equity.

He was a judge of the first circuit court of Tennessee in 1812-13. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fourteenth Congress, which lasted from March 4, 1815 to March 3, 1817. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1816.

Later life

After departing Congress, Powell resumed the practice of law, and he was again a judge of the first circuit court

Circuit court

Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...

 of Tennessee from 1819 to 1841. He died in Rogersville, Tennessee, and 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:...

at the Old Presbyterian Cemetery.

External links