James C. Eskridge

James Clarence Eskridge was born on April 26, 1873, in Houston, Mississippi.[1][2] He was the son of William Laurel Eskridge and Elizabeth Catherine (Hill) Eskridge.[1] He was of English descent.[1] Eskridge attended the common schools of Chickasaw County, Mississippi and then graduated from Tula Normal Institute in 1888.[1] In 1889, Eskridge took a teacher's course at Iuka Normal Institute, and then taught schools in Pontotoc County for a year, and taught schools in Panola County for the next year.[1] After that, Eskridge participated in the lumber and mercantile businesses.[1]

In 1911, Eskridge was elected to represent Lafayette County in the Mississippi House of Representatives, and served in the 1912-1916 term.[2] During this term, Eskridge served in the Penitentiary, Appropriations, and Manufactures committees.[2] In 1915, Eskridge was elected to represent the 32nd district in the Mississippi State Senate for the 1916-1920 term.[1] During this term, Eskridge served on the Rules, Finance, Corporations, Agriculture & Commerce, Drainage, and Fees & Salaries committees, and he was also the Chairman of the Finance Committee.[1]

Eskridge died in 1949 in New Orleans, Louisiana.[3]

Eskridge was a Baptist, a Freemason, and a Woodman of the World.[1] He married Jimmie Phoebe Lynch on March 1, 1899, in Delay, Mississippi.[1][3] They had three sons, named Samuel Richard, James Laurel, and Clarence Wade.[1]