Mississippi Department of Archives and History

TROTTER, James Fisher, a Senator from Mississippi; born in Brunswick County, Va., November 5, 1802; moved to eastern Tennessee; attended private schools; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1820 and commenced practice in Hamilton, Monroe County, Miss., in 1823; member, State house of representatives 1827-1829; member, State senate 1829-1833; judge of the circuit court of Mississippi in 1833; appointed as a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Black and served from January 22 to July 10, 1838, when he resigned; judge of the supreme court of Mississippi 1839-1842, when he resigned; moved to Holly Springs, Marshall County, Miss., and resumed the practice of law in 1840; vice chancellor of the northern district of Mississippi 1855-1857; professor of law at the University of Mississippi 1860-1862; appointed circuit judge in 1866 and served until his death in Holly Springs, Miss., March 9, 1866; interment in Hill Crest Cemetery.