George G. Symes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George G. Symes
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's at-large district |
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| In office March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889 |
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| Preceded by | James B. Belford |
| Succeeded by | Hosea Townsend |
| Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Montana Territory | |
| In office May 1869 – February 1871 |
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| Appointed by | Ulysses S. Grant |
| Preceded by | Lyman E. Munson |
| Succeeded by | John Luttrell Murphy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 28, 1840 Ashtabula County, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | November 3, 1893 (aged 53) Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Cause of death | ... |
| Resting place | Fairmount Cemetery, Denver |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Sophie Foster
(m. 1875–1893) |
| Children |
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| Relatives | John Wells Foster (father-in-law) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Volunteers Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Colonel, USV |
| Unit |
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| Commands | 44th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
George Gifford Symes (April 28, 1840 – November 3, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Republican Party. Symes was a pioneer in the states of Wisconsin, Montana, and Colorado. He served as a Congressman for Colorado from 1885 to 1889. Before that, he was a judge on the highest court in the Montana Territory. Earlier in his life, he was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Contents
Early Life and Education
George G. Symes was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio, in April 1840. He grew up and went to school there. In 1852, when he was 12, he moved with his family to La Crosse, Wisconsin. He finished his schooling in La Crosse. When he was 20, he started learning to become a lawyer. He studied in the offices of Angus Cameron, who later became a U.S. Senator.
Service in the Civil War
When the American Civil War began, George Symes joined the Union Army. He volunteered with a group called the "La Crosse Light Guard." This group became Company B in the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. They officially joined the federal army on April 12, 1861.
Symes was hurt during the First Battle of Bull Run. Because of his injuries, he had to leave the army in December of that year.
After he got better, he volunteered again. He became an adjutant (an officer who helps the commander) for the 25th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. After a year, he was promoted to captain of Company F in that same regiment. With the 25th Wisconsin Infantry, he fought in important battles. These included the Siege of Vicksburg and the Atlanta Campaign. He was wounded a second time in Decatur, Georgia, in July 1864.
While he was recovering, Symes was asked to lead a new group of soldiers. This group was the 44th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He went back to Wisconsin to help get the new regiment ready. The 44th Wisconsin Infantry was called to duty before it was fully organized. Five companies were sent ahead in November 1864. Symes finished getting the rest of the regiment ready. He joined the first group of soldiers in Nashville, Tennessee, in February 1865. They spent the rest of the war on guard duty in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Political Career Highlights
After the war, Symes stayed in Paducah, Kentucky, where his regiment had been stationed. In 1867, he ran for the United States House of Representatives. He was a Radical Republican candidate for Kentucky's 1st congressional district. He ran against the person already in office, Lawrence S. Trimble, but he did not win.
Symes continued to work as a lawyer in Paducah. In 1869, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him as a judge. He became an associate justice on the Supreme Court of the Montana Territory. He served as a judge for two years. Then, he resigned to work as a lawyer again in Helena, Montana.
In 1874, Symes decided to move to Denver, Colorado. He wanted to start a law practice there. The lawyers in Montana had a special dinner for him when he left in February 1874. They celebrated his career and achievements.
Symes was elected as a Republican to the U.S. Congress. He served in the Forty-ninth and Fiftieth Congresses. His term was from March 4, 1885, to March 3, 1889. After his time in Congress, he continued to manage his properties and work as a lawyer.
Family and Personal Life
George Symes was the oldest son of William Symes and Mary Gifford. His parents had moved to the United States from England in 1836.
George Symes married Sophie Foster on July 3, 1875, in Chicago. Sophie was the daughter of a well-known geologist named John Wells Foster. George and Sophie had at least three children. Their oldest son was John Foster Symes. He later became a United States district judge in Colorado for 28 years. He was also the United States attorney for Colorado.
While he was serving in Congress, George Symes lived in Washington, D.C.. His home was at 1501 18th Street, N.W., in the Dupont Circle Historic District. Today, his former home is part of the Embassy of Malaysia.
