Elliott M. Braxton

Elliott Muse Braxton
Elliott Muse Braxton
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from Virginia's 7th district
	In office; March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873
Preceded by	Lewis McKenzie
Succeeded by	John T. Harris
Member of the Virginia Senate from Richmond, Lancaster, Northumberland and Westmoreland Counties
	In office; 1852–1857
Preceded by	District established
Succeeded by	Richard L. T. Beale
Personal details
Born	October 8, 1823; Mathews, Virginia
Died	October 2, 1891 (aged 67); Fredericksburg, Virginia
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Politician, Lawyer

Elliott Muse Braxton (October 8, 1823 – October 2, 1891) was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from Virginia.[1] He was the great-grandson of Carter Braxton.[2]

Early life

Born in Mathews, Virginia, Braxton attended the common schools as a child, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1849, commencing in Richmond, Virginia.

Career

He moved to Richmond County, Virginia and served in the Virginia Senate from 1852 to 1856. He later moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia in 1860 and continued practicing law. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Braxton raised a company for the Confederate Army and was elected its captain. He was later promoted to a major and served in the staff of General John R. Cooke. After the war, Braxton was democratically elected a member of the common council of Fredericksburg in 1866 and was later elected a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in 1870, serving from 1871 to 1873. After being unsuccessful for reelection in 1872, Braxton resumed practicing law in Fredericksburg until his death.

1870 and 1872 elections

Braxton was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (7th district) over Republican incumbent Lewis McKenzie by a margin of 53-47%. Following redistricting, he ran in the 1st district against Republican James B. Sener, this time losing by a narrow margin of 49-51% (373 votes).

Death

Braxton died in Fredericksburg on October 2, 1891. He was interred there in the Confederate Cemetery.

References

Goolrick, John T. (1922). Historic Fredericksburg: The Story of an Old Town. Whittet & Shepperson. p. 110.
Kennedy, Lawrence F. (1971). Biographical Directory of the American Congress 1774-1971: The Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788 and the Congress of the United States, from the First Through the Ninety-first Congress, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 1971, Inclusive Issue 92, Part 8 of Senate document. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 630.

External links

United States Congress. "Elliott M. Braxton (id: B000777)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2008-02-13
"Elliott M. Braxton". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2008-02-13.

Virginia House of Delegates
Preceded by District established	Virginia Senate 1852–1857	Succeeded by Richard L. T. Beale
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Lewis McKenzie	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 7th congressional district March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873	Succeeded by John T. Harris

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[1] Goolrick, John T. (1922). Historic Fredericksburg: The Story of an Old Town. Whittet & Shepperson. p. 110.

[2] Kennedy, Lawrence F. (1971). Biographical Directory of the American Congress 1774-1971: The Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788 and the Congress of the United States, from the First Through the Ninety-first Congress, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 1971, Inclusive Issue 92, Part 8 of Senate document. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 630.