William B. Stokes

American politician

William Brickly Stokes (September 9, 1814 – March 14, 1897) was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee. He also served as colonel of the 5th Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry during the American Civil War.

He was born on September 9, 1814, in Chatham County, North Carolina. He attended the common schools, moved with his family to Temperance Hall, Tennessee, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1849 to 1852. He served in the Tennessee Senate in 1855 and 1856. Stokes owned between seven and ten enslaved people in Tennessee. Stokes 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 4, 1861. He entered the Union Army on May 15, 1862, as a major of the Tennessee Volunteers. He served as colonel of the 5th Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry until he resigned on March 10, 1865. He briefly served in temporary brigade command in the Army of the Ohio between June 17, 1863, and August 6, 1863. The U. S. Senate confirmed the award on February 21, 1867. 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 in the U. S. House of Representatives from July 24, 1866, to March 4, 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 at Alexandria.