HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) — Descendants of Judge James F. Trotter have donated an oil painting of the former Mississippi Supreme Court justice and U.S. senator to the Marshall County Historical Museum.
David Person, one of Trotter’s descendants, tells the South Reporter (http://bit.ly/N0EjJj) that that the museum had requested a picture of Trotter for its collection many years ago.
He said the oil painting was commissioned and presented to the museum recently in memory of Frank Hopkins Jr.
Person said Hopkins was responsible for putting an earlier picture of Justice Trotter in the Mississippi Hall of Fame at the Old Capitol building in Jackson.
Trotter was born in Virginia and opened his law practice in Monroe County, Miss., in 1823. He served in the Mississippi House from 1827-1829 and in the state Senate from 1829-1833. He became a circuit judge in 1833.
Trotter was appointed as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Black and served from Jan. 22 to July 10, 1838, when he resigned.
He served on the Mississippi Supreme Court from 1839-1842, when he resigned to practice law in Holly Springs. He taught law at the University of Mississippi from 1860-1862.
He was appointed circuit judge in 1866 and served until his death in Holly Springs March 9, 1866. He is buried in Hill Crest Cemetery.
