Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Foote, Henry Stuart 1800-1880

Statesman; born in Fauquier county, Va., Sept. 20, 1800; graduated at Washington College in 1819, and admitted to the bar in 1822; removed to Mississippi in 1826, where he entered into active politics while practising his profession. In 1847 he was elected to the United States Senate, and in 1852 was elected governor of the State, his opponent being Jefferson Davis. Mr. Foote was a strong opponent of secession at the Southern Convention held at Knoxville, Tenn., in May, 1859, but when secession was an assured fact he accepted an election to the Confederate Congress, where he was active in his opposition to most of President Davis's measures. He wrote Texas and the Texans (2 volumes); The War of the rebellion, or Scylla and Charybdis, Personal reminiscences, etc. In his day he was a noted duellist. He died in Nashville, Tenn., May 20, 1880.