Thomas Spight

Thomas Spight (October 25, 1841 – January 5, 1924) was a U.S. Representative from Mississippi.

Thomas Spight
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Mississippi's 2nd district
In office
July 5, 1898 (1898-07-05)  March 3, 1911 (1911-03-03)
Preceded byWilliam V. Sullivan
Succeeded byHubert D. Stephens
Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
In office
1874–1880
Personal details
Born(1841-10-25)October 25, 1841
near Ripley, Mississippi
DiedJanuary 5, 1924(1924-01-05) (aged 82)
Political partyDemocratic
OccupationLawyer, schoolteacher, newspaper owner
Military service
AllegianceConfederate States of America
Branch/serviceArmy

Born near Ripley, Mississippi, Spight attended the common schools, Ripley Academy, Purdy (Tennessee) College, and the La Grange (Tennessee) Synodical College. He enlisted in the Confederate States Army as a private in 1861. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant the same year. In 1862, he became captain of Company B, Thirty-fourth Regiment, Mississippi Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He taught school and also engaged in agricultural pursuits. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1875 and commenced practice in Ripley, Mississippi. He served as member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1874–1880. He established the Southern Sentinel in 1879, retiring from the newspaper business five years later. He served as prosecuting attorney of the third judicial district 1884–1892.

Spight was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-fifth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William V. Sullivan. He was reelected to the Fifty-sixth and to the five succeeding Congresses and served from July 5, 1898, to March 3, 1911. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1910. He again resumed the practice of his profession and also engaged in religious work until his death in Ripley, Mississippi, January 5, 1924. He was interred in Ripley Cemetery.

References

  • United States Congress. "Thomas Spight (id: S000734)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
William V. Sullivan
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Mississippi's 2nd congressional district

1898–1911
Succeeded by
Hubert D. Stephens
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