Samuel Hogg

Samuel E. Hogg (April 18, 1783 – May 28, 1842) was an American physician, soldier, and politician who served one term in the United States House of Representatives representing Tennessee from 1817 to 1819. A member of the Republican Party, commonly known at the time as the Democratic-Republican Party, he participated in the legislative process during a significant period in early American history, representing the interests of his Tennessee constituents in the Fifteenth Congress.

Hogg was born on April 18, 1783, in Halifax, North Carolina, the son of Thomas and Rebecca Edwards Hogg. After the death of his father, his uncle, also named Samuel Hogg and the relative for whom he was named, became his guardian. He attended public schools in Caswell County, North Carolina, and for a time taught school himself. Around 1804 he moved west to Gallatin, Tennessee, where he pursued the study of medicine, laying the foundation for a professional career that would later intersect with both military and political service.

After completing his medical studies, Hogg settled in what was then commonly referred to as Lebanon, Tennessee, and entered public service as a physician in the armed forces during the War of 1812 and related frontier conflicts. He joined the army as a surgeon and served in the First Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Infantry from November 21, 1812, to April 22, 1813. He subsequently served on the staff of Major General Andrew Jackson in the expedition against the Creek Indians from February 22 to May 25, 1814, a campaign that formed part of the broader Creek War. Hogg later served on the staff of Major General William Carroll from November 13, 1814, to May 13, 1815. Over roughly three years of service as an army surgeon, he was repeatedly engaged in the hardships of frontier and wartime conditions.

Following his military service, Hogg returned to Tennessee and resumed civilian life. He entered state politics and was elected a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, reflecting the growing prominence he had achieved as both a physician and a veteran. Building on this experience, he sought national office and was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fifteenth Congress. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1817, to March 3, 1819, representing Tennessee at a time when the nation was addressing issues of postwar expansion, internal improvements, and the evolving balance between state and federal authority. During his single term in Congress, Hogg contributed to the legislative process as part of the dominant Republican Party of the era.

After leaving Congress, Hogg returned to his medical profession, which remained the principal occupation of his later life. He practiced medicine in Lebanon, Tennessee, until 1828, serving the local community for roughly a decade. In 1828 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he continued his medical practice until 1836. Seeking new opportunities, he then relocated to Natchez, Mississippi, and practiced there from 1836 to 1838, before returning once again to Nashville. From 1838 to 1840 he resumed his medical work in the Tennessee capital. His professional standing among his peers was recognized when he was elected president of the State Medical Society of Tennessee in 1840, reflecting his leadership in the development of the medical profession in the state.

Samuel E. Hogg died in Rutherford County, Tennessee, on May 28, 1842, at the age of 59 years and 40 days. He was interred at the Nashville City Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee. His career combined medical practice, military service, and participation in both state and national legislatures during a formative period in Tennessee and United States history.