James Z. George

James George
United States Senator from Mississippi
In office March 4, 1881 – August 14, 1897
Preceded by	Blanche Bruce
Succeeded by	Hernando Money
Personal details
Born	James Zachariah George (1826-10-20)October 20, 1826 Georgia
Died	August 14, 1897(1897-08-14) (aged 70) Gulfport, Mississippi
Political party	Democratic
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States
Service	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Colonel
Unit	20th Mississippi Infantry 5th Mississippi Cavalry
Battles/wars	American Civil War

James Zachariah George (October 20, 1826 – August 14, 1897) was an American lawyer, writer, U.S. politician, Confederate politician, and military officer. He was known as Mississippi's "Great Commoner".

Biography

James Z. George was born in Monroe County, Georgia, but moved to Noxubee County, Mississippi at age eight when his widowed mother remarried, and two years later, to Carroll County, Mississippi, where he received his education in the common schools.^[1] He served as a private in the Mexican–American War under Colonel Jefferson Davis, and participated in the Battle of Monterey.^[1] On his return, George read law and was admitted to the bar. In 1854 he became a reporter of the Supreme Court of Mississippi and, over the next 20 years, George prepared a 10-volume digest of its cases.

George was a slave owner.^[2][3] As a member of the Mississippi Secession Convention, George signed the Secession Ordinance. A Confederate colonel of the 5th Mississippi Cavalry during the Civil War, he was captured twice and spent two years in a prisoner of war camp, where he conducted a law course for his fellow captives. After the war, he returned to Mississippi and resumed the practice of law. In 1879 he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Mississippi and immediately was chosen chief justice by his colleagues.^[4]

From 1881 until his death, George represented Mississippi in the

George died in Mississippi City, Mississippi, where he had gone for health treatment. He is buried, along with his wife, Elizabeth Brooks (Young) George,^[7] in Evergreen Cemetery in North Carrollton, Mississippi.^[8] George's wife Elizabeth was the granddaughter of Col. William Martin Jr. of Tennessee, and the great-granddaughter of General Joseph Martin, an early Virginia explorer and Revolutionary War commander.^[9]

In 1931, the state of Mississippi donated a bronze statue of George to the United States Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection.

The J. Z. George High School in North Carrollton, Mississippi is named in his honor, which is less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from his burial place.^{[citation needed]} In addition, George County, Mississippi, is also named in his honor.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Battle of Collierville – Col. J. Z. George captured.
• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899)

References