William B. Stokes as an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee. He was born on September 9, 1814 in Chatham County, North Carolina. He attended the common schools, moved to Tennessee, and engaged in agricultural pusuits. He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1849 to 1852. He served in the Tennessee Senate in 1855 and 1856. He was elected as a member of the Opposition Party to the Thirty-sixth Congress by Tennessee's 4th congressional district, serving from March 4, 1859 to March 3, 1861. He enetered the Union Army on May 15, 1862 as a major of the Tennessee Volunteers. He was promotted to colonel and subsequently brevetted to major general. He was honorably discharged on March 10, 1865. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1867, and commenced practice in Alexandria, Tennessee in DeKalb County, Tennessee.
Upon the readmission of Tennessee to representation, he was elected as an Unconditional Unionist to the Thirty-ninth Congress by Tennessee's 3rd congressional district. He was re-elected as a Republican to the Fortieth and Forty-first Congresses. He served from July 24, 1866 to March 3, 1871. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1870 to the Forty-second Congress. He also was the supervisor of internal revenue for Tennessee. He resumed the practice of law and died in Alexandria, Tennessee on March 14, 1897. He was interred in East View Cemetery.
This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
