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Samuel Ramsey Rodgers (1798 – July 14, 1866) was an American attorney, judge and politician, who served as Speaker of the Tennessee Senate during the months following the Civil War. He oversaw the passage of several important pieces of legislation in the senate, including the state's ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Rodgers remained loyal to the Union during the war, and chaired the convention that reorganized the state government in January 1865. Prior to the war, Rodgers served as U.S. Attorney for Tennessee's Eastern District (1850–1853), and taught at East Tennessee College (the forerunner of the University of Tennessee). ==Early life and career== Rodgers was born in Greeneville, Tennessee.〔〔"(The Senators in the Tennessee Legislature )," ''Knoxville Whig and Rebel Ventilator'', 12 April 1865, p. 2.〕 According to the historian J. G. M. Ramsey, he was the son of James Rodgers, a farmer from Washington County who settled near the Ramsey House in Knox County in the early 1810s.〔J.G.M. Ramsey, ''(History of Lebanon Presbyterian Church )'', 1875. Accessed at Knoxcotn.org, 28 December 2014.〕 Rodgers trained as a blacksmith before pursuing studies at East Tennessee College in Knoxville.〔"(Death of Chancellor Rodgers )," ''Knoxville Whig'', 18 July 1866, p. 2.〕 After excelling as a student, he worked as an instructor at the college from 1826 to 1827.〔''(The University of Tennessee Record )'', Vol. 1, No. 5 (July 1898), pp. 260-261.〕 He studied law under Senator Hugh Lawson White, and was admitted to the bar in 1831.〔"(Death of Chancellor Rodgers )," ''Knoxville Whig'', 18 July 1866, p. 2.〕 During the Black Hawk War (1832), Rodgers served as a commissary colonel, and thus the title "Colonel" would subsequently be associated with his name.〔 In 1834, Rodgers organized a petition calling for the gradual abolition of slavery, which he submitted to the state constitutional convention then in session.〔〔Oliver Perry Temple, ''(East Tennessee and the Civil War )'' (R. Clarke and Company, 1899), p. 111.〕 In 1849, President Zachary Taylor appointed Rodgers United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He served in this position until 1853.〔 In 1855, Rodgers ran as the American Party ("Know Nothing") candidate for the Tennessee Senate seat representing Knox and Roane counties,〔"(United We Stand )," ''Nashville True Whig'', 11 July 1855, p. 2. Originally published in the ''Knoxville Register''.〕 and defeated Democrat and popular Knoxville businessman Joseph A. Mabry in the general election.〔"(The Proof )," ''Nashville Union and American'', 31 July 1855, p. 2.〕 He served on the senate's judiciary, internal improvements, and public grounds committees.〔"(Tennessee Legislature )," ''Nashville True Whig'', 9 October 1855, p. 2.〕 During his term, he obtained funding for the Tennessee School for the Deaf and Dumb in Knoxville,〔"(Tennessee Legislature )," ''Nashville Union and American'', 11 November 1855, p. 2.〕 and generally supported state funding for railroad construction.〔"(Tennessee Legislature )," ''Nashville Daily Patriot'', 18 January 1856, p. 2.〕〔"(Tennessee Legislature )," ''Nashville Union and American'', 23 January 1856, p. 3.〕 He left the senate at the end of his term in 1857. During the 1860 presidential election, Rodgers supported the Constitutional Union Party candidate John Bell, who sought to preserve the union by opposing both secession and abolition. In September 1860, Rodgers was one of five Bell supporters who confronted radical Alabama secessionist William Yancey during one of Yancey's campaign events in Knoxville. Rodgers was one of the more vocal Unionists at a citywide assembly held in Knoxville in late 1860 to discuss the secession issue.〔Temple, ''East Tennessee and the Civil War'', pp. 150-165.〕 In May 1861, Rodgers was among the Unionists who signed a call for the region's Union supporters to meet in Knoxville at what would become known as the East Tennessee Convention. He attended this convention as a member of the Knox County delegation.〔''(Proceedings of the East Tennessee Convention )'' (H. Barry Book Company, 1861). Accessed at the Calvin M. McClung Digital Collection, 24 December 2014.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Samuel R. Rodgers」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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