William Evans Arthur
Encyclopedia
William Evans Arthur was a U.S. Representative
from Kentucky
.
on March 3, 1825. He was the son of William and Eliza (Parsons) Arthur. In 1832, the family moved Covington, Kentucky
. Two years later, Arthur's father died.
Arthur received his early education in private schools and from private tutors in Covington and Harford County, Maryland
. He then studied law under John W. Stevenson
and James Turner Morehead
. He was admitted to the bar
in 1850 and commenced practice in Covington.
In 1855, Arthur married Addie Southgate, daughter of former Congressman William Wright Southgate
. His first wife died in 1858, and in December 1860, Arthur married her younger sister Etha Southgate. The couple had two children – a son named Sidney and a daughter named May.
for the ninth judicial district for a term of six years. He served as presidential elector
on the Democratic
ticket of John C. Breckinridge
and Joseph Lane
in the 1860 presidential election
.
In 1866, Arthur was elected criminal judge of the ninth circuit served until 1868, when he resigned. He was elected to represent the Sixth District
in the U.S. House of Representatives
in 1870. During the Forty-second
and Forty-third
Congresses (March 4, 1871-March 3, 1875), he served on the House Committees on Elections
and Railways and Canals. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1874.
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
Early life and family
William E. Arthur was born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
on March 3, 1825. He was the son of William and Eliza (Parsons) Arthur. In 1832, the family moved Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
. Two years later, Arthur's father died.
Arthur received his early education in private schools and from private tutors in Covington and Harford County, Maryland
Harford County, Maryland
Harford County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 244,826. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.-History:...
. He then studied law under John W. Stevenson
John W. Stevenson
John White Stevenson was a U.S. Representative, the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, the 25th Governor of Kentucky and U.S. Senator. His father, Andrew Stevenson, had served as Speaker of the House and minister to Great Britain...
and James Turner Morehead
James Turner Morehead (Kentucky)
James Turner Morehead was a United States Senator and the 12th Governor of Kentucky. He was the first native-born Kentuckian to hold the governorship of the state...
. He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1850 and commenced practice in Covington.
In 1855, Arthur married Addie Southgate, daughter of former Congressman William Wright Southgate
William Wright Southgate
William Wright Southgate was born November 27, 1800, in Newport, Kentucky. He was the son of Richard Southgate and Ann Winston Hinde. William married Adaliza Keene of Lexington, Ky...
. His first wife died in 1858, and in December 1860, Arthur married her younger sister Etha Southgate. The couple had two children – a son named Sidney and a daughter named May.
Political career
In 1856, Arthur was elected Commonwealth's AttorneyCommonwealth's Attorney
Commonwealth's Attorney is the title given to the elected prosecutor of felony crimes in Kentucky and Virginia. Other states refer to similar prosecutors as District Attorney or State's Attorney....
for the ninth judicial district for a term of six years. He served as presidential elector
United States Electoral College
The Electoral College consists of the electors appointed by each state who formally elect the President and Vice President of the United States. Since 1964, there have been 538 electors in each presidential election...
on the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
ticket of John C. Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States , to date the youngest vice president in U.S...
and Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
in the 1860 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1860
The United States presidential election of 1860 was a quadrennial election, held on November 6, 1860, for the office of President of the United States and the immediate impetus for the outbreak of the American Civil War. The nation had been divided throughout the 1850s on questions surrounding the...
.
In 1866, Arthur was elected criminal judge of the ninth circuit served until 1868, when he resigned. He was elected to represent the Sixth District
Kentucky's 6th congressional district
Kentucky's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Based in Central Kentucky, the district contains the cities of Lexington , Richmond, and Frankfort, the state capital....
in the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1870. During the Forty-second
42nd United States Congress
The Forty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873, during the third and fourth...
and Forty-third
43rd United States Congress
The Forty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1873 to March 4, 1875, during the fifth and sixth...
Congresses (March 4, 1871-March 3, 1875), he served on the House Committees on Elections
United States House Committee on Elections
The United States House Committee on Elections is a former standing committee of the United States House of Representatives.Article 1, section 5, of the Constitution of the United States specifies: "Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns, and Qualifications of its own Members." The...
and Railways and Canals. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1874.
Later life and death
After the expiration of his congressional term, he resumed the practice of law in Covington. In August 1886, he was elected judge of the twelfth judicial circuit of Kentucky and served until the expiration of his term on January 1, 1893. He resumed his law practice until his death in Covington on May 18, 1897. He was interred in Linden Grove CemeteryLinden Grove Cemetery
' is located along Holman Street, between 13th and 15th streets in Covington, Kentucky, United States. It is the second public cemetery in Covington, the city's first public burial ground being Craig Street Cemetery, which dates to 1815. Craig Street Cemetery closed in 1872...
.
Further reading
- William Evans Arthur at Linden Grove Cemetery
- William Evans Arthur at Find-A-Grave