Samuel W. Peel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Samuel W. Peel
4th judicial circuit of Arkansas
In office 1873-1876
U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 4th congressional district
In office March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885
Preceded by	Thomas M. Gunter
Succeeded by	John H. Rogers
U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 5th congressional district
In office March 4, 1885 - March 3, 1893
Preceded by	district created
Succeeded by	Hugh A. Dinsmore
Personal details
Born	September 13, 1831 Batesville, Arkansas
Died	December 18, 1924 (aged 93) Bentonville, Arkansas
Political party	Democrat
Spouse	Mary Emaline Berry (January 30, 1853)
Children	9

Samuel West Peel (born September 13, 1831 – died December 18, 1924) was an important person from Arkansas. He was a lawyer, a soldier in the Confederate Army, and he served in the United States House of Representatives. This means he helped make laws for the country.

Samuel West Peel's Early Life

Growing Up in Arkansas

Samuel W. Peel was born close to Batesville, Arkansas. His parents were John Wilson and Elizabeth West Peel. When Samuel was only four years old, his mother passed away. He then went to live with his grandparents.

Samuel went to the local public schools. As a teenager, he worked in his father's store. He also helped his father as a deputy court clerk. On January 30, 1853, he married Mary Emaline Berry. Together, they had nine children.

From 1858 to 1860, he worked as a clerk for the circuit court in Carroll County, Arkansas.

Serving in the War

When Arkansas left the United States in 1861, Samuel Peel joined the Confederate Army. He started as a private soldier. Later, he was chosen to be a major in the Third Regiment, Arkansas Infantry. He then became a colonel in the Fourth Regiment, Arkansas Infantry.

Peel fought in important battles like Wilson Creek and Prairie Grove. When the war ended, he left the army as a lieutenant colonel.

Becoming a Lawyer

After the war, Samuel Peel returned home to Carrollton. He found that his house had been burned down. He decided to study law with his brother-in-law, Judge James Middleton Pittman.

In 1865, he became a lawyer and started his own law practice in Carrollton, Arkansas. In 1867, he moved to Bentonville, in Benton County. He continued to work as a lawyer there.

Samuel Peel's Political Journey

Serving Arkansas as a Prosecutor

In 1873, the governor of Arkansas chose Samuel Peel for an important job. He became the prosecuting attorney for the fourth judicial circuit of Arkansas. A prosecuting attorney is a lawyer who works for the government. They try to prove that people who are accused of crimes are guilty. He held this job until 1876.

Working in Washington, D.C.

Samuel Peel was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives. He served for five terms, from March 4, 1883, to March 3, 1893. In the House of Representatives, he helped make laws for the entire country.

He was also the chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs. This committee worked on issues related to Native American tribes. Tribal leaders often met with him at his home. After his time in Congress, he went back to being a lawyer in Bentonville, Arkansas. He also worked for the United States Court of Claims in Washington, D.C. until 1915.

Later Life and Legacy

Samuel West Peel passed away in Bentonville, Arkansas, on December 18, 1924. He was 93 years old. He was buried in the Bentonville cemetery. The city of Peel, Oregon was named after him.