West Hughes Humphreys
Encyclopedia
West Hughes Humphreys was a United States District Court
judge, and a judge of the Confederate States of America
. It was for the latter office that he was removed from his position in the former.
and studied Law at Transylvania University
(in Lexington, Kentucky
) and obtained a licence to practice in 1828. He was in private practice of law in Clarksville, Tennessee
from 1828 to 1829 and in private practice of law in Somerville, Tennessee
from 1829 to 1839. Humphreys later served in the Tennessee House of Representatives
from 1835 to 1838, and as State Attorney General from 1839 to 1851 and he was a Reporter of the Supreme Court of Tennessee from 1839 to 1851.
On March 24, 1853, Humphreys was appointed by President Franklin Pierce
to preside over all three of the Federal District Courts for Tennessee, the seats having been vacated by Morgan W. Brown. Two days later, Humphreys was confirmed by the United States Senate
and received his commission. Humphreys supported the secession
ist movement that led to the Civil War
and accepted an appointment to the Confederate District Court of Tennessee on which he served from 1861 to 1865.
On May 19, 1862 the United States House of Representatives
voted to impeach Humphreys on the following charges: Publicly calling for secession; Giving aid to an armed rebellion; Conspiring with Jefferson Davis
; Serving as a Confederate Judge; Confiscating the property of Military Governor Andrew Johnson
and Supreme Court Justice John Catron
; And imprisoning a Union sympathiser with "intent to injure him".
On June 26, 1862, the United States Senate
began the trial of the impeachment
in his absence and later that day unanimously convicted him of all charges presented, except that of confiscating the property of Andrew Johnson. He was removed from office and barred from holding office under the United States for life. He held his Confederate Judgeship until the end of the Civil War.
In later life he argued for the prohibition
of alcohol and wrote several books as well as engaging in the private practice of law in Nashville, Tennessee
from 1866 to 1882.
He died in Nashville, Tennessee
.
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
judge, and a judge of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. It was for the latter office that he was removed from his position in the former.
Biography
Humphreys was born in Montgomery County, TennesseeMontgomery County, Tennessee
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The county seat is Clarksville. The population was 172,331 at the 2010 census. It is one of the four counties included in the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and studied Law at Transylvania University
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
(in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
) and obtained a licence to practice in 1828. He was in private practice of law in Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
from 1828 to 1829 and in private practice of law in Somerville, Tennessee
Somerville, Tennessee
Somerville is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area. The population was 3,094 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Fayette County.-History:...
from 1829 to 1839. Humphreys later served in the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
from 1835 to 1838, and as State Attorney General from 1839 to 1851 and he was a Reporter of the Supreme Court of Tennessee from 1839 to 1851.
On March 24, 1853, Humphreys was appointed by President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
to preside over all three of the Federal District Courts for Tennessee, the seats having been vacated by Morgan W. Brown. Two days later, Humphreys was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and received his commission. Humphreys supported the secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
ist movement that led to the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and accepted an appointment to the Confederate District Court of Tennessee on which he served from 1861 to 1865.
On May 19, 1862 the United States 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...
voted to impeach Humphreys on the following charges: Publicly calling for secession; Giving aid to an armed rebellion; Conspiring with Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
; Serving as a Confederate Judge; Confiscating the property of Military Governor Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
and Supreme Court Justice John Catron
John Catron
John Catron was an American jurist who served as a US Supreme Court justice from 1837 to 1865.-Early life:Little is known of Catron's early life, but he served in the War of 1812 under Andrew Jackson...
; And imprisoning a Union sympathiser with "intent to injure him".
On June 26, 1862, the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
began the trial of the impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
in his absence and later that day unanimously convicted him of all charges presented, except that of confiscating the property of Andrew Johnson. He was removed from office and barred from holding office under the United States for life. He held his Confederate Judgeship until the end of the Civil War.
In later life he argued for the prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
of alcohol and wrote several books as well as engaging in the private practice of law in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
from 1866 to 1882.
He died in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.