James Zachariah George

James Zachariah George, Mississippi's "Great Commoner," was born on October 20, 1826. He served as a private in the Mexican War under Jefferson Davis. On his return, George studied law and was admitted to the bar. In 1854 he became a reporter of the Supreme Court of Mississippi, and over the next 20 years he prepared a 10-volume digest of its cases.

• As a member of the Mississippi Secession Convention, he signed the Ordinance of Secession.
• A Confederate colonel during the Civil War, he was captured twice and spent two years in prison, where he conducted a law course for his fellow prisoners.
• In 1879 he was appointed to the Mississippi Supreme Court and immediately was chosen chief justice by his colleagues.
• From 1881 until his death he represented Mississippi in the United States Senate, where he was recognized for his skills in debate, helped frame the future Sherman Anti-Trust Act, introduced the bill for agricultural college experiment stations, and encouraged the establishment of the Department of Agriculture.
• He also served as a member of the Mississippi Constitutional Convention of 1890 and successfully defended the constitution before the Senate and the Supreme Court.
• George died on August 14, 1897, in Mississippi City, Mississippi, where he had gone for health treatment.