Wall Doxey

Doxey's grave in Hillcrest Cemetery

Wall Doxey (August 8, 1892Template:Spaced ndashMarch 2, 1962) was an American politician from Holly Springs, Mississippi. A Democrat, he served in the United States House of Representatives from 1929 to 1941 and the United States Senate from 1941 to 1943.

Early life

Wall Doxey was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi on August 8, 1892, a son of John Sanford Doxey and Sarah Corrolla (Jones) Doxey.<ref name="Directory1950">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was raised and educated in Holly Springs, and graduated from the University of Mississippi with an A.B. in 1913.<ref name="Directory1950"/> In 1914, he received his LL.B. from the University of Mississippi School of Law.<ref name="Directory1950"/>

Doxey was admitted to the bar in 1914 and practiced in Holly Springs.<ref name="Directory1950"/> In 1916, he married Myrtle Frances Johnson of Jackson, Tennessee.<ref name="Directory1940">Template:Cite book</ref> They were the parents of a son, Wall Doxey Jr.<ref name="Directory1940"/> Ralph H. Doxey, who served in the Mississippi House of Representatives and Mississippi Senate, is Doxey's grandson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

A Democrat, Doxey served as prosecuting attorney of Marshall County from 1915 to 1923.<ref name="Directory1950"/> From 1923 to 1929, he was district attorney for Mississippi's Third Judicial District.<ref name="Directory1950"/>

In addition to membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Doxey was active in Freemasonry and the Shriners.<ref name="Directory1940"/> He also belonged to the Elks, Rotary Club, Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity and Omicron Delta Kappa college fraternity.<ref name="Directory1940"/>

Congress

U.S. House

In 1928, Doxey was elected to represent Mississippi's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.<ref name="Directory1950"/> He was reelected six times, and served from 1929 to 1941.<ref name="Directory1950"/> Doxey was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions of 1932, 1936, and 1940.<ref name="Directory1971">Template:Cite book</ref>

Throughout his political career, Doxey represented a district with a black-majority population.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Black voters were largely affiliated with the Republican Party in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but they were effectively excluded from Mississippi's political system by the state constitution and legal restrictions that prevented them from registering to vote.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

U.S. Senate

After the death of U.S. Senator Pat Harrison, Doxey won a special election to fill the seat,<ref>MS US Senate - Special Election Race - Sep 23, 1941. Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 21, 2021.</ref> and served in the United States Senate from 1941 until 1943.<ref name="Directory1950"/> He was defeated in the 1942 Democratic primary by James Eastland.<ref>MS US Senate - D Runoff Race - Sep 15, 1942. Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 21, 2021.</ref>

Later career

Doxey served as United States Senate Sergeant at Arms from February 1, 1943, to January 3, 1947.<ref name="Directory1950"/> He is the only former senator to have served in this post.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He served for the rest of 1947 as a hearing examiner for the United States Department of Agriculture.<ref name="Directory1950"/> Doxey then returned to Holly Springs, where he practiced law until his retirement.<ref name="Directory1950"/>

Doxey died in Memphis, Tennessee on March 2, 1962.<ref name="Directory1971"/> He was buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Holly Springs.<ref name="Directory1971"/>

Legacy

Mississippi's Wall Doxey State Park is named for Doxey.<ref name="MDAH">Template:Cite web</ref> Construction of the park took place from 1935 to 1938, and it was the eighth of ten Mississippi parks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.<ref name="MDAH" /> Originally named Spring Lake State Park, the site was renamed in 1956.<ref name="MDAH" /> In 1997, the older part of the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Wall Doxey State Park Historic District.<ref name="MDAH" />

External links

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