William Coleman ANDERSON, Congress, TN (1853-1902)

ANDERSON, William Coleman, a Representative from Tennessee; born at Tusculum, near Greeneville, Greene County, Tenn., July 10, 1853; attended a rural school; was graduated from Tusculum College, Greeneville, Tenn., in 1876; moved to Newport, Tenn., in 1876; while studying law was assistant clerk of Cocke County 1877-1878; was admitted to the bar in 1878 and commenced practice in Newport; member of the State house of representatives 1881-1883; was a principal examiner in the General Land Office at Washington, D.C., 1889-1892; promoted to chief of the contest division February 1, 1892, but resigned August 7, 1892; chief of the General Land Office from November 23, 1892, until April 11, 1893; returned to Newport, Cocke County, in 1893 and resumed the practice of law; elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1895-March 3, 1897); unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1896; founder and editor of Plain Talk, a weekly newspaper published in Newport; member of the city council at the time of his death in Newport, Tenn., September 8, 1902; interment in Union Cemetery.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present