William Dozier Anderson (July 20, 1862 – January 6, 1952)[1] was a mayor, state legislator, and judge in Mississippi. He served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi from 1910 to 1911 and from 1920 to 1944.[2] He also served as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Mississippi State Senate. He was mayor of Tupelo, Mississippi from 1898 to 1906.
William Dozier Anderson | |
|---|---|
| Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi | |
| In office 1920–1944 | |
| In office April 16, 1910 – October 1, 1911 | |
| Member of the Mississippi State Senate from the 39th district | |
| In office January 1908 – January 1912 Serving with George J. Leftwich | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 20, 1862 Pontotoc County, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | January 6, 1952 (aged 89) |
Early life
editWilliam Dozier Anderson was born on July 20, 1862, in Pontotoc County, Mississippi.[1][3] He was the son of Charles Wesley Anderson and Rebecca Ann (Dozier) Anderson.[3] Anderson received his early education in Birmingham, Lee County, Mississippi.[3] He then studied at Central University in Richmond, Kentucky and studied law at the University of Mississippi from 1881 to 1882.[3] Anderson was admitted to the bar in 1883.[4] He then moved to Tupelo, Mississippi, to practice law.[3]
Professional career
editAnderson served as a City and County Attorney as well as an Attorney for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.[3] In 1897, Anderson was elected to replace the deceased A. N. Wilson representing the Lee and Itawamba Counties floater district in the Mississippi House of Representatives for the 1898 session.[5] Anderson was an Alderman of Tupelo for one term, and he was its mayor from 1899 to 1907.[3] He was appointed to be a Special Judge in the Mississippi Circuit Court in 1906.[3] In November 1907, Anderson was elected to represent the 38th District in the Mississippi State Senate for the 1908-1912 term.[6] During this term, he was the chairman of the Senate's Judiciary committee.[3] In 1910, he was a candidate to succeed Anselm J. McLaurin in the United States Senate, and received 23 votes from the legislature before withdrawing.[3] On April 16, 1910, Governor Edmond Noel appointed Anderson to the Supreme Court of Mississippi.[3] He resigned from this post on October 1, 1911, and continued practicing law in Tupelo.[3] Then, he was a counsel to the Mobile & Ohio as well as the Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph Company.[3] In 1920, Anderson was elected to the Supreme Court of Mississippi for the 1921-1929 term.[3][4]
He and his fellow justices appear in a photo montage in the 1931-1933 Mississippi Blue Book.[7]
Personal life
editAnderson married Lena Bell Clayton on January 27, 1886.[6][4] They had 5 children, named Clayton, John Russell, Mary Agnes, Lena Bell, and Charles.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Judge Anderson Dies Sunday, Rites Today", Jackson Clarion-Ledger (January 7, 1952), p. 1.
- ^ Leslie Southwick, Mississippi Supreme Court Elections: A Historical Perspective 1916-1996, 18 Miss. C. L. Rev. 115 (1997-1998).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rowland, Dunbar (July 25, 1924). "The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi". Department of Archives and History. pp. 106–107 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c Schwarz, J. C. (1937). Who's who in Law. J.C. Schwarz. p. 28.
- ^ House of Representatives, Mississippi Legislature (1898). Journal. p. 5.
- ^ a b c Rowland, Dunbar (1908). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. Department of Archives and History. pp. 1022–1023.
- ^ Mississippi Blue Book. Biennial report of the Secretary of State to the Legislature of Mississippi, [1931-1933].