| 1st Mississippi Legislature | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Overview | |||
| Jurisdiction | Mississippi,  United States | ||
| Term | October 6, 1817 – February 6, 1818 | ||
| Election | September 17, 1817 | ||
| Mississippi State Senate | |||
| Members | 8 | ||
| President | Edward Turner | ||
| Mississippi House of Representatives | |||
| Members | 24 | ||
| Speaker | Thomas Barnes | ||
The 1st Mississippi Legislature met between October 6, 1817 and February 6, 1818, first in Washington and then in Natchez, Mississippi.
Elections were held on September 17, 1817. [1] Senators and representatives first convened in Washington, Mississippi, between October 6 and October 9, 1817. [2] They then met in Natchez, Mississippi, on December 8, 1817. [2] The Senate adjourned on February 4, 1818. [2]
Senators were to be elected to staggered three-year terms. [3] Lots were drawn to determine how many years each senator's term would last (including the first session) before re-election. [4] [2]
Two senators, Duncan Stewart and David Dickson, resigned during the recess in between October and December. [2] Joseph Johnson was sworn in to replace Stewart (who had been elected lieutenant governor) on December 9, 1817. [2] Stewart, who was sworn in on December 9, 1817, became the ex officio president of the Senate. [5] Nathaniel Wells was sworn in to replace Dickson on January 2, 1819. [2] The House adjourned on February 6, 1818. [5]
| Counties | Senator(s) | Term Years before Next Election [6] |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | Henry Postlethwaite | 2 |
| Amite | David Lea | 2 |
| Jefferson | Hezekiah J. Balch | 1 |
| Wilkinson | Duncan Stewart (Oct-Dec. 8, 1817) | 3 |
| Joseph Johnston (Dec. 1818–1819) | ||
| Franklin, Pike | David Dickson (Oct-Dec 8, 1817) | 1 |
| Nathaniel Wells (January 2, 1819) | ||
| Lawrence, Marion, Hancock | Charles Stovall | 1 |
| Warren, Claiborne | Daniel Burnet | 3 |
| Wayne, Greene, Jackson | Josiah Skinner | 2 |
The House met alongside the Senate on October 6, 1817. [5] On that day, Thomas Barnes of Claiborne County was elected Speaker of the House. [5] Then, non-representatives Peter A. Vandorn and John Lowry were elected to the offices of House clerk and doorkeeper respectively. [5] One representative, Benjamin Bullen, resigned in between the October and December meetings. [2] [5] Cowles Mead was sworn in to replace Bullen on December 8, 1817. [5]
