{"id":546,"date":"2018-07-16T18:17:52","date_gmt":"2018-07-16T23:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/?page_id=546"},"modified":"2026-05-01T14:31:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:31:39","slug":"james-j-spellman","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/","title":{"rendered":"James J. Spelman"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-726\" src=\"http:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/J_J_Spelman-251x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"251\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/J_J_Spelman-251x300.jpg 251w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/J_J_Spelman-768x917.jpg 768w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/J_J_Spelman.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 251px) 100vw, 251px\" \/><\/p>\n<h1>Dr. James J. Spelman (Madison County)<\/h1>\n<p><strong>State House:\u00a0<\/strong>1870-1875<\/p>\n<p><strong>Born:\u00a0<\/strong>January 18, 1841 in Norwich, CT<br \/>\n<strong>Died:\u00a0<\/strong>May 25, 1894 in Jackson, MS<\/p>\n<p>Journalist. Appointed major in the Madison County militia in 1873. See Wikipedia entry for more extensive biography.<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Born in Norwich, Connecticut, Spelman was educated in public schools there and in New York City. On the eve of the Civil War, he worked as a correspondent for the\u00a0<\/em>Anglo-African<em> in New York and contributed to other black newspapers&#8230; He came to Mississippi in 1868 as an employee of the Freedmen&#8217;s Bureau and a correspondent for the New York\u00a0<\/em>Tribune<em>. With James D. Lynch, he published the Jackson\u00a0<\/em>Colored Citizen<em>, around 1868-70.&#8221;<\/em><br \/>\n(Eric Foner,\u00a0<em>Freedom\u2019s Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders during Reconstruction<\/em>, 1993)<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4812\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4812\" style=\"width: 497px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4812\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spelman.png\" alt=\"Signature of James J. Spelman\" width=\"497\" height=\"72\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spelman.png 829w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spelman-300x43.png 300w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spelman-768x111.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4812\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Signature of James J. Spelman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Links:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/James_J._Spelman\">Wikipedia entry on James J. Spelman<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/iiif.lib.harvard.edu\/manifests\/view\/drs:490232285$1i\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Convention of the Colored Men of America, 1869<\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6935\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6935\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/book\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6935\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6935\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/book-150x150.png\" alt=\"New-York Tribune, February 20, 1864\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/book-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/book-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6935\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New-York Tribune, February 20, 1864<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6926\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6926\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/attucks\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6926\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6926\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/attucks-150x150.png\" alt=\"Boston Evening Transcript, March 7, 1864\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/attucks-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/attucks-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6926\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Boston Evening Transcript, Mar 1864\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6941\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6941\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/the_liberator_1864_12_09_page_2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6941\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6941\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/The_Liberator_1864_12_09_Page_2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"The Liberator, December 9, 1864\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/The_Liberator_1864_12_09_Page_2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/The_Liberator_1864_12_09_Page_2-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6941\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Liberator, December 9, 1864<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6930\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6930\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/cooper\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6930\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6930\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cooper-150x150.png\" alt=\"New-York Tribune, January 29, 1866\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cooper-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cooper-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6930\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New-York Tribune, January 29, 1866<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6928\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6928\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/swan\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6928\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6928\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/swan-150x150.png\" alt=\"Brooklyn Union, March 9, 1866\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/swan-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/swan-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6928\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brooklyn Union, March 9, 1866<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6932\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6932\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/brooklyn_eagle_1866_03_10_page_2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6932\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6932\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Brooklyn_Eagle_1866_03_10_Page_2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Brooklyn Eagle, March 10, 1866\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Brooklyn_Eagle_1866_03_10_Page_2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Brooklyn_Eagle_1866_03_10_Page_2-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6932\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brooklyn Eagle, March 10, 1866<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6924\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6924\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/new_york_daily_herald_1866_10_04_10\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6924\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6924\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Daily_Herald_1866_10_04_10-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"New York Daily Herald, October 4, 1866\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Daily_Herald_1866_10_04_10-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Daily_Herald_1866_10_04_10-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6924\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New York Daily Herald, October 4, 1866<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6937\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6937\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/new_york_daily_herald_1866_10_09_3\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6937\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6937\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Daily_Herald_1866_10_09_3-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"New York Daily Herald, October 9, 1866\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Daily_Herald_1866_10_09_3-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Daily_Herald_1866_10_09_3-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6937\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New York Daily Herald, October 9, 1866<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6939\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6939\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/new_york_tribune_1866_11_05_page_8\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6939\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6939\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Tribune_1866_11_05_Page_8-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"New-York Tribune, November 5, 1866\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Tribune_1866_11_05_Page_8-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/New_York_Tribune_1866_11_05_Page_8-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6939\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New-York Tribune, November 5, 1866<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2289\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2289\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/dr-stites\/stites3\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2289 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/stites3-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/stites3-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/stites3-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2289\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hinds County Gazette, June 7, 1871<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3247\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3247\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/george-w-white\/weekly_louisianian_1872-04-11_2\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3247 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Weekly_Louisianian_1872-04-11_2-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Weekly_Louisianian_1872-04-11_2-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Weekly_Louisianian_1872-04-11_2-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3247\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weekly Louisianian, April 11, 1872<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2089\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2089\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-h-piles\/convention-4\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2089 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/convention-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/convention-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/convention-1-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2089\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Times-Picayune, April 12, 1872<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1088\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1088\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/spelman\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1088 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/spelman-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/spelman-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/spelman-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1088\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New National Era, April 3, 1873<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1512\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1512\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/ambrose-henderson\/militia-2\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1512 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/militia-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/militia-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/militia-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1512\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clarion-Ledger, October 2, 1873<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4777\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4777\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/charles-caldwell\/petition-4\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-4777\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-4777\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/petition-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"Petition to Governor Ames, Feb 12, 1874\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/petition-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/petition-1-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4777\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Petition to Governor Ames, Feb 12, 1874<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6453\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6453\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-d-cessar\/20260114_112800\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6453\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6453\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/20260114_112800-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Tributes to Charles Sumner, 1874\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/20260114_112800-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/20260114_112800-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6453\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tributes to Charles Sumner, 1874<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6387\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6387\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/charles-w-bush\/the_weekly_democrat_times_1874_11_21_1\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6387\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6387\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The_Weekly_Democrat_Times_1874_11_21_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Weekly Democrat-Times, Nov 21, 1874\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The_Weekly_Democrat_Times_1874_11_21_1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The_Weekly_Democrat_Times_1874_11_21_1-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6387\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weekly Democrat-Times, Nov 21, 1874<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1286\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1286\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/william-gray\/apps\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1286 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/apps-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/apps-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/apps-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1286\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clarion-Ledger, March 4, 1875<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1301\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1301\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/william-gray\/apps2\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1301 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/apps2-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/apps2-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/apps2-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1301\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chronicle-Star, March 13, 1875<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1382\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1382\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/alfred-handy\/handy7\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1382 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/handy7-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/handy7-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/handy7-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1382\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Canton Mail, March 13, 1875<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1385\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1385\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/alfred-handy\/handy8\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1385 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/handy8-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/handy8-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/handy8-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1385\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Canton Mail, April 10, 1875<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6869\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6869\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/charles-caldwell\/20260422_105350\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6869\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-6869\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20260422_105350-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Alcorn leadership dispute, May 1875\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20260422_105350-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/20260422_105350-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6869\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alcorn leadership dispute, May 1875<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1377\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1377\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/alfred-handy\/seg\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1377 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/seg-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/seg-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/seg-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1377\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Canton Mail, June 5, 1875<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1070\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1070\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/w-w-edwards\/convention\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1070 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/convention-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/convention-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/convention-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1070\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The American Citizen, April 1, 1876<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1466\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1466\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/charles-p-head\/head4\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1466 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/head4-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/head4-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/head4-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1466\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clarion-Ledger, September 15, 1880<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5323\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5323\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-d-cessar\/irs1881\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5323\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5323 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/irs1881-150x150.png\" alt=\"1881 Tax Collectors for Mississippi\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/irs1881-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/irs1881-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5323\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">US Treasury, 1881 Tax Collectors<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2657\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2657\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/william-h-allen\/eman-3\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2657 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/eman-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/eman-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/eman-1-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2657\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weekly Commercial Herald, Sep 25, 1885<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1528\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1528\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/ambrose-henderson\/baptist\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1528 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/baptist-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/baptist-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/baptist-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1528\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clarion-Ledger, November 16, 1887<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5521\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5521\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/george-w-huntley\/1888-meeting\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5521\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-5521\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1888-meeting-150x150.png\" alt=\"Clarion-Ledger, February 16, 1888\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1888-meeting-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1888-meeting-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5521\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clarion-Ledger, February 16, 1888<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2111\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2111\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/j-w-randolph\/conference\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2111 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/conference-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/conference-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/conference-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2111\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yazoo Herald, June 6, 1890<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr. James J. Spelman (Madison County) State House:\u00a01870-1875 Born:\u00a0January 18, 1841 in Norwich, CT Died:\u00a0May 25, 1894 in Jackson, MS Journalist. Appointed major in the Madison County militia in 1873. See Wikipedia entry for more extensive biography. &#8220;Born in Norwich, Connecticut, Spelman was educated in public schools there and in New York City. On the &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/legislators\/james-j-spellman\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;James J. Spelman&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":53,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-546","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=546"}],"version-history":[{"count":40,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6942,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/546\/revisions\/6942"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/53"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/much-ado.net\/legislators\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}