Walker Brooke
Encyclopedia
Walker Brooke was a United States Senator from Mississippi
.
Born at Page Brooke, Clarke County, Virginia
, he was the son of Humphrey Brooke and Sarah Walker Page. He attended the public schools in Richmond, Virginia
and Georgetown, D.C. He graduated from the University of Virginia
at Charlottesville
in 1835, studied law, was admitted to the bar
in 1838 and commenced practice in Lexington, Mississippi
. He was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
in 1848 and was a member of the Mississippi Senate in 1850 and 1852.
Brooke was elected as a Whig
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry S. Foote
and served from February 18, 1852, to March 3, 1853; he was not a candidate for reelection and resumed the practice of law. In 1857 he moved to Vicksburg
and continued the practice of law; he was a delegate to the constitutional convention
in 1861 and became affiliated with the Democratic Party that year. He was elected a member of the Provisional Confederate Congress
from Mississippi in 1861 and served one year; he was then appointed a member of the permanent military court of the Confederate States. Brooke died in Vicksburg in 1869; interment was in Vicksburg Cemetery.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
Born at Page Brooke, Clarke County, Virginia
Clarke County, Virginia
Clarke County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 14,034. Its county seat is Berryville.-History:Clarke County was established in 1836 by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron who built a home, Greenway Court, on part of his 5 million acre property,...
, he was the son of Humphrey Brooke and Sarah Walker Page. He attended the public schools in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Georgetown, D.C. He graduated from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
at Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
in 1835, studied law, was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1838 and commenced practice in Lexington, Mississippi
Lexington, Mississippi
Lexington is a city in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,025 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Holmes County.-Geography:Lexington is located at ....
. He was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi....
in 1848 and was a member of the Mississippi Senate in 1850 and 1852.
Brooke 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 U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry S. Foote
Henry S. Foote
Henry Stuart Foote was a United States Senator from Mississippi from 1847 to 1852 and Governor of Mississippi from 1852 to 1854. His emotional leadership on the Senate floor helped secure passage of the Compromise of 1850, which for a time averted a civil war in the United States.-Biography:Henry...
and served from February 18, 1852, to March 3, 1853; he was not a candidate for reelection and resumed the practice of law. In 1857 he moved to Vicksburg
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
and continued the practice of law; he was a delegate to the constitutional convention
Mississippi Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Mississippi is the governing document of Mississippi. It describes the structure and function of the state's government. The constitution was adopted November 1, 1890.- Contents :...
in 1861 and became affiliated with the Democratic Party that year. He was elected a member of the Provisional Confederate Congress
Provisional Confederate Congress
The Provisional Confederate Congress, for a time the legislative branch of the Confederate States of America, was the body which drafted the Confederate Constitution, elected Jefferson Davis President of the Confederacy, and designed the first Confederate flag...
from Mississippi in 1861 and served one year; he was then appointed a member of the permanent military court of the Confederate States. Brooke died in Vicksburg in 1869; interment was in Vicksburg Cemetery.