Mississippi Territory General Assembly

First session: The first election of legislators was to be the "fourth Monday in July" 1800, and the first session was to begin in Natchez on "the fourth Monday in September." The first election, in 1800, resulted in the apparent election of Cato West, Thomas M. Green, John Burnet, Thomas Calvet, Henry Hunter and James Hoggett, but the latter two, along with Anthony Hutchins and William Dunbar were not seated, on the grounds of "improper credentials" and/or incomplete returns. A petition was sent to Congress asking for intervention was declined. President John Adams made nominations for the legislative council on December 23, 1800. Third session: Met at Washington on May 3, 1802; printed a report. Joshua Baker is listed as a Speaker of the House in one account. Possible members, per Adams presidential papers and Statistical Register of Mississippi (1924): Legislative council • Adam Bingaman • John Ellis • John Stampley • Alexander Montgomery • Flood McGrew House of Representatives ==2nd General Assembly==

First session: The second meeting of the General Assembly was conducted for about five weeks beginning in July 1801. Bibliographer McMurtrie reports that the second session met December, 1802, to March, 1803. Second session: Incoming Governor W. C. C. Claiborne addressed the General Assembly on December 1, 1801. The legislature remained in session until February 2, 1802, repealed many existing laws, tried and failed to pass a law prohibiting the importation of male slaves over 16, changed the name of Pickering County to Jefferson, and created Claiborne and Wilkinson counties. Most significantly they voted to move the territorial capital from Natchez to Washington, about six miles up the Natchez Trace. The Assembly met again in October 1803, as a total body of nine people. John Ellis headed the Legislative Council. William Conner was the speaker of the house. A report from this session was published by Andrew Marschalk. Possible members, per the Mississippi Statistical Register of 1924: Legislative Council • David Latimore House of Representatives == 3rd General Assembly ==

The third legislature first met December 3, 1804. The session ended in March 1805. A report was published. March 1805 nominees for the legislative council: Daniel Burnet and William Downs of Claiborne County, Thomas Hinds and James Stewart of Jefferson County, Alexander Montgomery and Joseph Sessions of Adams County, Henry Hunter and Joshua Baker of Wilkinson County, and Lemuel Henry and William Buford of Washington County. Extra session: A report from an extra session held in July 1805 was published by the Terrell brothers in Natchez. Joseph B. Baker served on the legislative council from 1805 to 1808. Possible members, per the Mississippi Statistical Register of 1924: House of Representatives == 4th General Assembly ==

Legislative council appointments published June 1806: • Joshua Baker • Joseph Sessions • Thomas Hinds • Daniel Burnet • Lemuel Henry Baker was president of the legislative council 1807 to 1809. First session: A session of the general assembly was convened December 1, 1806. The session was continued to February 10, 1807. Joshua Baker was the president of the territorial legislative council in March 1808. Second session: The second session of the fourth assembly was convened December first Monday, 1807. New apportionment in 1808 allocated two representatives each to Claiborne, Jefferson, Adams, Wilkinson, and Washington counties. The fourth legislature convened again in February, 1808, and "both houses were dissolved by the Governor Robert Williams on the 1st of March," with the apparent intent of "obliterating" the legislative council. A session of the House of Representatives was convened September 15, 1808. In November 1807 there was an election to replace Samuel Bridges, deceased. House of Representatives == 5th General Assembly ==

First session: The first session convened on February 5, 1809, and was dissolved by Governor Robert Williams on his resignation as governor on March 3, 1809. In September 1809 Ferdinand L. Claiborne wrote Jefferson that Joshua Baker, Joseph Sessions, and Daniel Burnett had been recommended to the council. In November 1808 Thomas Jefferson appointed John Flood McGrew, Thomas Calvit, James Lea, Alexander Montgomery, and Daniel Burnet, to the Mississippi Territory Legislative Council. Daniel Burnet was president of the legislative council as of February 24, 1809. == 6th General Assembly ==

The Mississippi Territory House of Representatives met July 3, 1809, and recommended the following membership for the legislative council, later approved by James Madison: Alexander Montgomery, Adams County; David McCaleb, Jefferson County; Thomas Barnes, Claiborne County; Joseph Carson, Washington County; Joseph Roberts, Wilkinson County. First session: A report was published of acts passed at the session beginning November 6, 1809. Second session: Convened November 5, 1810, adjourned January 1811, report published. Legislative council • Alexander Montgomery, Adams County • David McCaleb, Jefferson County • Thomas Barnes, Claiborne County • Joseph Carson, Washington County • Joseph Roberts, Wilkinson County House of Representatives Possible members, per the Mississippi Statistical Register of 1924: == 7th General Assembly ==

There are two reports from the second session of the seventh assembly, convening November 4, 1812. A letter from the Assembly to James Madison from December 1811 is signed by Cowles Mead, Speaker of the House, and Alexander Montgomery, president of the legislature. House of Representatives Possible members, per the Mississippi Statistical Register of 1924: == 8th General Assembly ==

The first session of the eighth general assembly convened December 6, 1813. The second session of the eighth general assembly convened November 7, 1814. House of Representatives == 9th General Assembly ==

The first session of the ninth general assembly convened at Washington, M.T. on November 6, 1815. The legislative council had six members. The second session of the ninth general assembly convened November 4, 1816. This was the last session of the Mississippi territorial legislature. Legislative Council Members of the legislative council of the Ninth General Assembly of Mississippi included Thomas Barnes, president; Messrs. Carson, Grayson, Runnels, Titus, and Robert Beatty. House of Representatives == See also ==