Walker Brooke

Walker Brooke (December 25, 1813 – February 18, 1869) was an American politician who served as a Deputy from Mississippi to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1862. He was also a U.S. Senator from 1852 to 1853, representing the state of Mississippi.

Walker Brooke
Deputy from Mississippi to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States
In office February 4, 1861 – February 17, 1862
Preceded by	New constituency
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
United States Senator from Mississippi
In office February 18, 1852 – March 3, 1853 Serving with John McRae 1852 Stephen Adams 1852–1853
Preceded by	Henry S. Foote
Succeeded by	Albert G. Brown
Member of the Mississippi Senate
In office 1850–1852
Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
In office 1848
Personal details
Born	(1813-12-25)December 25, 1813 Clarke County, Virginia, U.S.
Died	February 18, 1869(1869-02-18) (aged 55) Vicksburg, Fourth Military District, U.S.
Resting place	Cedar Hill Cemetery, Vicksburg, Mississippi
Party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Whig
Alma mater	University of Virginia

Biography

Born on December 25, 1813, in Clarke County, Virginia, Walker Brooke was the son of Humphrey Brooke and Sarah Walker Page. He attended the public schools in Richmond, Virginia and Georgetown, D.C. In his early days he worked as a schoolteacher.^[1] He graduated from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1835, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1838 and commenced practice in Lexington, Mississippi. He was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1848 and was a member of the Mississippi Senate in 1850 and 1852.

Brooke was elected as a Whig to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry S. Foote and served from February 18, 1852, to March 3, 1853; he was not a candidate for reelection and resumed the practice of law.

In 1857 he moved to Vicksburg and continued the practice of law; he was a delegate to the Mississippi secession convention in 1861.^[2] He was elected a member of the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States from Mississippi in 1861 and served one year; he was then appointed a member of the permanent military court of the Confederate States.^[2]

He died from choking on a very large oyster in an attempt to win a "friendly wager."^[2]

See also

• List of United States senators from Mississippi