Charles Inman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Inman
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
In office May 25, 1865 – October 3, 1869
Preceded by	Samuel McCammon
Succeeded by	William R. McBath
Personal details
Born	1810 Cocke County, Tennessee, United States
Died	April 9, 1899 (aged 89) Sevier County, Tennessee
Resting place	Fair Garden Cemetery Sevier County, Tennessee
Political party	Radical Republican
Spouse	Priscilla (Davis) Inman
Children	10
Occupation	Farmer
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1862–1865
Rank	Major
Unit	2nd Tennessee Cavalry
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Charles Inman (1810 – April 9, 1899) was an American politician, soldier, and farmer. He served two terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1865 to 1869. As a Radical Republican, he usually supported Governor William G. Brownlow's plans after the Civil War. He voted to approve the Fourteenth Amendment. This amendment gave civil rights to all citizens. He also supported laws that affected people who had fought for the Confederacy.

Inman stayed loyal to the Union during the American Civil War. He was part of the East Tennessee Convention in 1861. Later, he became a major in the Union Army. Confederate forces captured him in November 1864 and put him in jail.

Charles Inman's Early Life and the Civil War

Charles Inman was born in Cocke County, Tennessee, in 1810. His parents were John and Anna (Chilton) Inman. He probably went to local schools when he was a child. By 1850, he had moved with his family to the Fair Garden area. This was a farming community in northeastern Sevier County. There, he started his own farm.

Some family stories say he fought in the Mexican–American War. However, his name is not on the list of veterans in the Tennessee Archives. In 1856, he helped oversee the building of a railroad. This railroad was planned to connect Knoxville, Sevierville, and Paint Rock.

Staying Loyal to the Union

When the Civil War began in 1861, Inman remained loyal to the Union. Most people in Sevier County also supported the Union. He was a delegate from Sevier County at the East Tennessee Convention in June 1861. This meeting happened after Tennessee voted to leave the United States. The convention asked the state government to let East Tennessee form its own state. This new state would then stay part of the Union.

After Confederate soldiers took over East Tennessee, Inman went to Kentucky. In December 1862, he joined the 2nd Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry. He was given the rank of major. This army unit was mostly made up of Union supporters. They came from Knox, Blount, and Sevier counties. Colonel Daniel M. Ray led this unit. Ray had also been a delegate from Sevier County at the Union Convention.

Inman marched with his unit to join General William Rosecrans in Middle Tennessee. After the Battle of Stones River, Inman became sick. He was discharged from the army on March 10, 1863.

Later Military Service

After leaving the army, General Ambrose Burnside appointed Inman as Provost Marshal in East Tennessee. This job involved keeping law and order. In November 1864, Confederate forces captured him near Morristown, Tennessee. He was then sent to prison in Virginia.

Confederate authorities released him on February 20, 1865. He quickly rejoined the 2nd Tennessee Cavalry. He was officially discharged from service in Nashville on May 6, 1865.

Charles Inman's Political Career

In April 1865, Samuel McCammon, who held Sevier County's seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives, passed away. Charles Inman was elected to take his place. He officially started his term on May 25, 1865. Inman generally supported Governor William G. "Parson" Brownlow's plans. These plans aimed to bring Tennessee back into the United States. They also set policies for people who had supported the Confederacy.

In August 1865, Brownlow's son, John B. Brownlow, praised Inman. He said Inman supported a bill that stopped former Confederates from voting.

Radical and Conservative Republicans

By 1866, the Tennessee General Assembly had two main groups. Both groups supported the Union. The Radical Republicans supported Governor Brownlow. They wanted strict rules for former Confederates. They also wanted to give voting rights to formerly enslaved people. The Conservative Republicans supported President Andrew Johnson. They wanted more forgiving rules for former Confederates.

Inman was a strong Radical Republican. In May 1866, he voted for a new voting rights bill. This bill gave Brownlow the power to reject voter registrations in entire counties. In July 1866, Inman voted to approve the Fourteenth Amendment. This amendment gave civil rights to all citizens, including minorities. Tennessee's approval of this amendment helped it become the first former Confederate state to rejoin the Union.

Political Conventions and Reelection

In September 1866, Inman was a delegate from Tennessee. He attended the Radical Republican convention in Philadelphia. The next year, in March 1867, he represented Sevier County at the Radicals' state convention in Nashville. In April 1867, Inman was praised at a party convention. They called him a "patriotic" supporter of the Union party.

That same month, Inman led the party's Sevier County convention. This group wanted to keep former Confederates from voting. They also supported Brownlow for governor. They criticized Conservatives for trying to give control of the state back to "rebels."

Inman was nominated for reelection in May 1867. This time, he would represent a larger district. This district included both Knox and Sevier counties. In the election that August, he won by over a thousand votes. His brother, Shadrach, was also elected to the House. He represented their home county of Cocke.

Legislative Work

During his 1867–1869 term, Charles Inman served on several committees. These included the Committee on Finance, Ways and Means. He also served on the Committee on Military Affairs. In October 1867, he proposed a bill. This bill would provide money to build a hospital in Knoxville.

He generally supported laws about railroads. He voted for a bill that protected merchants. He also voted to create the Knoxville Iron Company. He supported a bill that stopped transportation companies from treating people differently based on race. Inman also supported laws to improve public schools. He voted to investigate problems with federal funds for agricultural schools.

In August 1868, Inman voted for a measure. This measure allowed Governor Brownlow to declare special powers in counties. This was a response to the growing threat of the Ku Klux Klan. He voted for a bill that sought money from the federal government. This money would pay for damages suffered by Union supporters in Tennessee during the war. In January 1869, he voted against a bill. This bill would have given voting rights back to some former Confederates. In October 1867, he voted for Brownlow to become a U.S. Senator.

Later Life

After his second term ended, Inman went back to his farm. He lived in Fair Garden. He was not very active in politics after that. Charles Inman passed away in Fair Garden on April 9, 1899.