William Swan

1821 (age 48)

Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

William Swan moved to Tennessee during the 1840s. During the 1850s, he was an influential citizen of Knoxville, Tennessee, wherein 1854 he was granted the exclusive right to light the city with gas. With his friend, John H. Crozier, Swan controlled and edited the Knoxville Register throughout the 1850s. He was a political opponent of William G. Brownlow, also a Whig. When Brownlow’s paper became the official Whig organ in the city, the Register became a Democratic paper. Swan was also a judge and state attorney general before the war. He was mayor of Knoxville in 1855-1856. When the Civil War began, he enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private but later campaigned successfully for the first and second Confederate House of Representatives as the poor man's friend, using his own paper for publicity. Swan, who supported the Davis administration during both of his terms, was a member of the Inauguration, Military Affairs, and Conference Committees during his first term. He retained his seat on the Military Affairs Committee in his second term, when he also served on the Printing Committee and on the special committee to remove the seat of Confederate government from Richmond. He was a bitter enemy of Henry S. Foote, also a congressman from Tennessee, because of Foote's opposition to President Davis. After the war, Swan returned to his law practice and business interests in Knoxville. But he moved to Memphis shortly thereafter and died there on April 10, 1869.

William Graham Swan

Edit Profile

congressman editor lawyer politician

Background

William Swan was born in 1821 in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Little is known of his early life.

Education

William graduated from East Tennessee College (now University of Tennessee) in 1838.

Career

William Swan moved to Tennessee during the 1840s. During the 1850s, he was an influential citizen of Knoxville, Tennessee, wherein 1854 he was granted the exclusive right to light the city with gas.

With his friend, John H. Crozier, Swan controlled and edited the Knoxville Register throughout the 1850s. He was a political opponent of William G. Brownlow, also a Whig. When Brownlow’s paper became the official Whig organ in the city, the Register became a Democratic paper.

Swan was also a judge and state attorney general before the war. He was mayor of Knoxville in 1855-1856. When the Civil War began, he enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private but later campaigned successfully for the first and second Confederate House of Representatives as the poor man's friend, using his own paper for publicity.

Swan, who supported the Davis administration during both of his terms, was a member of the Inauguration, Military Affairs, and Conference Committees during his first term. He retained his seat on the Military Affairs Committee in his second term, when he also served on the Printing Committee and on the special committee to remove the seat of Confederate government from Richmond.

He was a bitter enemy of Henry S. Foote, also a congressman from Tennessee, because of Foote's opposition to President Davis. After the war, Swan returned to his law practice and business interests in Knoxville. But he moved to Memphis shortly thereafter and died there on April 10, 1869.

Achievements

William Graham Swan was known for his service in the Confederate States Congress during the American Civil War. He also helped establish the town of East Knoxville and served as its first mayor in the late 1850s.

Politics

Swan was a supporter of the Davis administration. In Richmond, he concentrated on certain basic reforms in government policy. He proposed to break all ties with Europe and secure recognition by levying a heavy export tax on goods sent to nations refusing recognition. He thought that inflation could be halted by issuing a new class of currency and making it legal tender. Also, by both his votes and the bills he introduced, he showed the most careful discrimination as to whether particular men should be in the army or in productive labor at home. The only major powers that Swan denied the central government were the right to levy taxes and the right to arm slaves.

Connections

Swan was married to Margaret Paralee Mabry.

Wife:: Margaret Paralee Mabry Swan
Daughter:: Alice Mabry Swan Walker
enemy:: Henry Stuart Foote

Main Photo

School period

College/University

Gallery of William Swan

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Other photo of William Swan

Connections

enemy: Henry Stuart Foote

Connections

William Graham Swan

Background

Education

Career

Achievements

Politics

Connections

References

Born

Died

Resting place

Nationality

Political Party

Education

1838

Career

1851 - 1853

1855 - 1856

1862 - 1865

Official Titles