John J. Sumpter - Arkansas state legislator

John J. Sumpter (July 7, 1842 – June 22, 1899) was a lawyer and state legislator in Arkansas, military colonel, hotel proprietor, and lived in Hot Springs, Arkansas, for nearly all of his life.[1][2] He served in the Arkansas House of Representatives and the Arkansas Senate.[1]

Life and education

He was born July 7, 1842, in Warrenton, Missouri, to James and Elizabeth Sumpter.[1] His father with John and the rest of his family then moved to Arkansas in October 1843, and then to Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1844.[1][3][2]

John was a great grandson of Captain William Sumter and therefore great-grand-nephew to Brig. General Thomas Sumter, who Fort Sumter was named after.[2][4]

He married Miss Nancy "Nannie" Etter Cayce from Tennessee[2] on November 8, 1866, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and with whom he had two sons (John J. Jr and Orlando H.) and a daughter (Mary L.).[1][2]

He was appointed as a grand steward for the local Masonic Grand Lodge in 1871. Then proceeded to raise in the ranks to be the state grand master in 1883 and 1884.[1] He also was a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and of the Knights Templar.[1]

He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.[1]

He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1876.[1]

His son Orlando H. "O.H." Sumpter, was a practicing attorney in Hot Springs for more than 50 years and also served as a county judge, state senator, and City Attorney and on the Arkansas Democratic state committee.[5][6] At the time of his death, he was the oldest practicing attorney in Hot Springs.[5]

His other son, John J. Sumpter Jr., when a constable was involved in the Arkansas Airship Mystery of 1897, during the airship wave of 1896-1897. Allegedly, he and Deputy Sheriff John McLemore were investigating reports of cattle rustling near the community of Jessieville when they came across an unexpected sight.[7]

Civil War

When the American Civil War started he enlisted as a private in the Confederate army joining Company F of the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment.[1] During his service he served under General Forrest, Van Dorn and Wheeler and was involved in more than 200 battles and skirmishes.[1] By the end of the war he had been promoted to the position of a company commander where he commanded the retreat from Dalton, Georgia, to Savannah, Georgia, then on to North Carolina where the company surrendered in 1865.[1] His last rank in the military was Colonel.[2]

Career

He was proprietor of The Sumpter House, a hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas.[8][2]

He became one of the foremost attorneys of Hot Springs, Arkansas[9] and was a member of the firm, Rice, Sumpter & Peck.[2]

He served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1871, 1873 and 1874.[1] In 1872 he was the secretary of the Rockport and Ouachita Railroad Company.[10] From 1874 to 1876 he served as the sheriff of Garland County, Arkansas.[1] He was a member of the Democratic convention from 1876 until 1884.[1]

In July 1888 was unanimously nominated to be the Democratic representative for State Senator.[11] He was duly elected and served as State Senator from 1889 to 1891.[1]

In 1892 he also ran to be the Democratic nomination for congress, standing against the incumbent of 10 years Clifton R. Breckinridge.[12][13]

Death

He died June 22, 1899, at his home in Hot Springs, Arkansas, after a protracted illness.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Obituary for John J. SUMPTER". Arkansas Democrat. 1899-06-22. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-01-30.Open access icon
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "John J. Sumpter, 1883, Life Sketch and History". Arkansas Democrat. 1883-11-28. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  3. ↑ "James Sumpter, Hot Springs, Arkansas, and his family". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 1893-02-22. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  4. ↑ Sumpter, John James (November 30, 1871). "Thomas Sumter Papers, Draper Manuscripts, Sumpter, John James, Hot Springs, Ark. Letter to Lyman C. Draper". Draper Manuscripts, Thomas Sumter Papers. 18VV163-165 [75-76]: 163–165 [75–76] – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  5. 1 2 "Olander H. Sumpter Obituary, son of John J. Sumpter". Hope Star. 1948-06-18. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
  6. ↑ Herndon, Dallas T. (Dallas Tabor) (1922). Centennial history of Arkansas. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. Chicago, Little Rock, The S. J. Clarke publishing company. p. 1073.
  7. ↑ "The Arkansas Airship of 1897 - A 19th Century UFO Report?". exploresouthernhistory.com. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  8. ↑ "The Sumpter House, Proprietor John J. Sumpter". The Daily Sentinel. 1884-06-18. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  9. ↑ Herndon, Dallas T. (Dallas Tabor) (1922). Centennial history of Arkansas. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. Chicago, Little Rock, The S. J. Clarke publishing company. pp. 1070–1073.
  10. ↑ "Organisation of the Rockport and Ouachita Railroad Company". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 5 April 1872. p. 4. Retrieved 7 March 2021.Open access icon
  11. ↑ "John J. Sumpter". Arkansas Democrat. 17 July 1888. p. 6. Retrieved 7 March 2021.Open access icon
  12. ↑ "Col. John J. Sumpter". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 5 April 1892. p. 3. Retrieved 7 March 2021.Open access icon
  13. ↑ "Hon. John J. Sumpter". Arkansas Democrat. 28 January 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 7 March 2021.Open access icon
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