Richard R. Samuels

Richard R. Samuels (c. 1844–1878)[1] was a farmer, blacksmith and state legislator in Arkansas.[2] He was a delegate to the 1868 Arkansas Constitutional Convention from Hempstead County, Arkansas.[1][3] He was one of 8 African American delegates at the convention. He represented Hempstead County, Arkansas in the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1868 and 1869. He was a Republican.[1][4] He was one of the first six African Americans to serve in the Arkansas Legislature.[5] At The Brindle Convention in 1872 he was nominated for the position of superintendent of the penitentiary.[6] He also served on the grand jury for a fraud and corruption trial in Hempstead.[7] Later in 1872 he was elected as clerk for Hempstead to serve with James W. Vance who was re-elected as the Sheriff.[8] A few months later judge T. G. T. Steele put a restraining order on Samuels and Thomas M. Higgs commanding them not to exercise their duties of clerk and deputy sheriff.[9] T. G. T. Steele then later issued writs for the arrest of Samuels, Mitchell and Higgs for contempt of these order but was then himself investigate by the Senate for his conduct and exceeding his jurisdiction.[10]

He came from Washington County, Arkansas where he had been a respected blacksmith.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
  2. Foner, Eric (1 August 1996). Freedom's Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction. LSU Press. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-8071-2082-8. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  3. "Delegates duly elected to the constitutional convention". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 1 January 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 8 May 2022.open access
  4. Debates and Proceedings of the Convention which Assembled at Little Rock, January 7th, 1868 ...: To Form a Constitution for the State of Arkansas. J. G. Price, printer to the convention. 1868.
  5. Branam, Christopher Warren. ""The Africans Have Taken Arkansas": Political Activities of African-American Members of the Arkansas Legislature, 1868-73". University of Arkansas. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  6. "The Brindle Convention (section) - Richard Samuels". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 25 May 1872. p. 2. Retrieved 8 May 2022.open access
  7. "Fraud and Corruption in Hempstead Co., AR". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 16 June 1872. p. 1. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  8. "New County Officials". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 15 November 1872. p. 4. Retrieved 8 May 2022.open access
  9. "Restraining order for Richard Samuels and Thomas M. Higgs". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 21 March 1873. p. 4. Retrieved 8 May 2022.open access
  10. "Senate - Friday, April 11 (section) - conduct of T. G. T. Steele". Daily Arkansas Gazette. 12 April 1873. p. 4. Retrieved 8 May 2022.open access
  11. "About the Capitol". Weekly Arkansas Gazette. 7 April 1868. p. 2. Retrieved 8 May 2022.open access


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