Jeremiah Clemens

Jeremiah Clemens was a U.S. senator and novelist from the state of Alabama. He was elected to fill the vacancy left by the death of Dixon Hall Lewis, and served from November 30, 1849 to March 4, 1853. Clemens was the author of Tobias Wilson, one of the first American Civil War novels, and he was also one of the earliest writers of Western novels.

Clemens was born in Huntsville, Alabama on December 28, 1814, son of James Clemens, a merchant who had emigrated to Alabama with his wife Minerva Clemens from Pennsylvanian by way of Kentucky shortly before their sons birth. Clemens was well educated for his time, attending the former LaGrange College in Leighton, Alabama and the University of Alabama before studying law at Transylvania University. He began the practice of law in Huntsville in 1834 and was appointed the Attorney General for the Northern District of Alabama in 1838. He served one term in the Alabama House of Representatives. He served in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War and was eventually promoted to Colonel in the United States volunteers for his service.

Source: Wikipedia