Thomas H. Woods
Thomas Hall Woods | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Glasgow, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | 10 August 1910 (aged 74) Meridian, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Jurist, legislator, attorney, bank president |
| Years active | 1859–1900 |
| Known for | Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi |
Thomas Hall Woods (born March 17, 1836 – died August 10, 1910) was a prominent American jurist, legislator, and attorney. His career included service in the Mississippi State Legislature and tenure as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi.
Early life
Born in Glasgow, Kentucky on March 17, 1836, Woods relocated with his family to Kemper County, Mississippi in 1848. There, he attended local public schools. He pursued higher education at Williams College in Massachusetts for two terms and joined the Fraternity of Delta Psi (also known as St. Anthony Hall). Upon returning to Mississippi, he completed his legal studies through apprenticeship and successfully earned his law license.
Career
Woods launched his legal practice in De Kalb, Mississippi starting in 1859. Notably, he was the youngest delegate participating in the convention that adopted the secession ordinance. During the Civil War, he held the rank of Captain leading Company C of the 13th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, where he suffered a severe injury at the Battle of Malvern Hill.
After the war, Woods was elected district attorney in 1865 and reappointed in 1866; however, he was removed from office amid Reconstruction policies. He regained this position in 1875 but soon resigned to dedicate himself fully to his law practice. His legislative service spanned from 1871 through 1881 in the Mississippi State Legislature, after which he declined both reelection and a nomination by President Grover Cleveland for U.S. District Attorney.
In 1889, Governor Robert Lowry named Woods as an associate justice on the Supreme Court of Mississippi. Subsequently, Governor John Marshall Stone appointed him to a nine-year term beginning in 1891. Woods ascended to chief justice from 1896 until his retirement in 1900.
Beyond his judicial duties, Woods played a pivotal role in banking as the inaugural president of Citizens National Bank (also referred to as Citizens Savings Bank), founded in 1888.
Personal life
Initially residing in Kemper County, Woods later moved to Meridian. He was married and fathered five sons along with two daughters. Following his retirement, he returned to Meridian where he passed away on August 10, 1910. His final resting place is Rose Hill Cemetery located in Meridian.
See also
References
- Confederate States Army officers
- District attorneys in Mississippi
- 1910 deaths
- Chief justices of the Supreme Court of Mississippi
- 1836 births
- American bank presidents
- People from Glasgow, Kentucky
- U.S. state supreme court judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law
- 19th-century American judges
- 19th-century American businesspeople
- Williams College alumni
- St. Anthony Hall
- 19th-century American lawyers
- 20th-century American judges
- 19th-century Mississippi politicians