Charles Bryson Simonton

Charles Bryson Simonton (September 8, 1838 – June 10, 1911) was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives for the 9th congressional district of Tennessee. A Democrat, he served two terms in Congress during a significant period in American history, participating in the legislative process and representing the interests of his West Tennessee constituents.

Simonton was born on September 8, 1838, in Tipton County, Tennessee, the son of William Simonton and Catherine “Katie” Ferguson Simonton. He was raised in a rural community in West Tennessee and received his early education locally before pursuing higher studies out of state. He attended Erskine College in Due West, South Carolina, a Presbyterian-affiliated institution, from which he graduated in August 1859. On October 16, 1866, he married Mary Andros “Minnie” McDill. The couple had five children: Anna Simonton, Ella Simonton, William McDill Simonton, Charles Pressley Simonton, and Nannie May Simonton.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Simonton enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861 as a private in Company C, Ninth Tennessee Infantry. He rose through the ranks, first becoming a second lieutenant and later a captain. His military service was cut short when he was severely wounded at the Battle of Perryville in Kentucky on October 8, 1862. The seriousness of his injuries disabled him from any further active duty for the remainder of the war, and he returned to civilian life in Tennessee.

After the war, Simonton embarked on a career in public service and the law. In March 1870 he was elected clerk of the circuit court of Tipton County, Tennessee, marking his first significant local office. During this period he read law, following the customary practice of legal apprenticeship, and was admitted to the bar in 1873. He commenced the practice of law in Covington, the county seat of Tipton County, where he quickly became a prominent attorney. In addition to his legal work, he became editor of the Tipton Record in Covington, using the newspaper as a platform for local political and civic affairs.

Simonton’s growing influence in local politics led to his election as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, in which he served from 1877 to 1879. As a Democratic legislator, he participated in the reconstruction and reorganization of state government in the post–Civil War era. His state-level service helped establish his reputation as an effective representative of his district and prepared him for national office.

Elected as a Democrat to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses, Simonton represented Tennessee’s 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1879, to March 3, 1883. During his two terms in Congress, he contributed to the legislative process at a time when the nation was grappling with the economic, social, and political consequences of Reconstruction and the rapid expansion of industry and railroads. As a member of the Democratic Party representing Tennessee, he participated in the democratic process and worked to advance the interests of his constituents in West Tennessee, although he did not seek or secure renomination after his second term.

Following his congressional service, Simonton remained active in Democratic Party politics and public affairs in Tennessee. He served as chairman of the Democratic state convention in 1886, reflecting his continued prominence within the party. He also devoted considerable attention to education and civic improvement in Covington. From 1892 to 1903 he was president of the Covington city school board, overseeing the administration and development of the local public school system during a period of growth and modernization.

In addition to his local educational work, Simonton held a significant federal legal post. He was appointed United States district attorney for the Western District of Tennessee and served in that capacity from 1895 to 1898. In this role he represented the federal government in prosecutions and civil actions in the western part of the state, drawing on his long experience as a lawyer and public official.

Charles Bryson Simonton spent his later years in Covington, continuing to be regarded as a leading citizen of Tipton County. He died there on June 10, 1911. He was interred at Munford Cemetery in Tipton County, Tennessee, closing a life marked by military service, legal practice, state and national legislative work, and sustained engagement in local education and civic affairs.