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fie was appointed attorney-general of the
ttrritory in 1803, and conducted the prose-
cution of Aaron Burr. His violent denun-
ciations of the Federalists resulted in a
challenge from Abijah Hunt, whom he
killed in the duel that ensued. He was
elected to the legislature in 1805, and in 1807
was a delegate to congress, serving until
18 1 3, when he was appointed United States
judge for the territory of Mississippi, and
he so administered the law as to settle many
conflicting land grant titles, and repress the
criminal classes. He aided in the prepara-
tions for the war of 1812, and joined Gen.
Jackson, to whom he served as an aide at
the battle of New Orleans. In the Missis-
sippi constitutional convention of 1817 he
was chairman of the committee to draft a
state constitution, and when Mississippi
was received into the Union, he was its first
representative in congress, and proved an
able defender of President Jackson. After
serving one term in congress, he was elected
governor of Mississippi, and, under auth-
ority of the legislature, he completed and
published the "Revised Code of the Laws of
Mississippi," (Natchez. 1824). In 1821 he
returned to the bar, and continued practice
until 1830. when he was appointed to the
United States senate to fill a vacancy, then
being elected, and serving until 1835. Dur-
ing his senatorial service, became estranged
from Jackson, occupying ground midway
between Clay and Calhoun, but leaning to-
wards the latter. He strenuously opposed
the appointment of the president's personal
friends to office in Mississippi, and voted for
Clay's resolution of censure. In 1835 he
located in Louisville. Kentucky, but subse-
quently returned to Mississippi, and died
at Jackson, that state, September 5, 1853.
Bowlin, James Butler, born in Spottsyl-
vania county, Virginia, in 1804. He was
early apprenticed to a trade, but abandoned
it, and taught school while acquiring a
classical education. In 1825 he settled in
Greenbrier county, where he studied law,
v/as admitted to the bar, and began prac-
tice. He removed to St. Louis, Missouri, in
1833, ^"d there followed his profession, also
establishing the Farmers* and Mechanics'
Advocate." In 1836 he was a member of
the state legislature, and for some time its
chief clerk. A year later he became district
attorney for St. Louis, and in 1839 was
elected judge of the criminal court. Atter-
w ard he was elected to congress as a Demo-
crat, and served from December i, 1843, to
March 3, 1S51. From 1854 till 1857 he was
minister resident in Colombia, and from
1858 till 1859 commissioner to Paraguay.
Webb, Thomas T., born in Virginia, about 1806. He entered the navy as a midship- man. Januarv i, 1808, and was promoted to lieutenant, December 19, 1814. He served in the navy during the war of 1812, cruised in the frigate Macedonian^ of the Mediter- ranean station in 1815-18 during the Alger- ine war, was attached to the Norfolk navy yard in 1818-21. cruised in the sloop John Adams^ in the West Indies in 1821-24, served in the receiving-ship Alert, at Norfolk in 1825-26. and at the navy-yard, Pensacola. 1828-29. He commanded the schooner Shark in the West Indies in 1836-32, was promoted to master-commandant, March 8, 1831. and commanded the sloop Vandalia, on the coast of Florida, in 1835-36. In 1837 he was on leave, and in 1838-41 he com- manded the receiving-ship at Norfolk. He was promoted to captain. March 8, 1841, and
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