Representative Thomas Scales Plowman - Contact Information

Thomas Scales Plowman (June 8, 1843 – July 26, 1919) was an American businessman, local official, state legislator, and U.S. Representative from Alabama. A member of the Democratic Party, he served one term in the United States House of Representatives, representing Alabama during the Fifty-fifth Congress from 1897 to 1898. His congressional service took place during a significant period in American history marked by the aftermath of Reconstruction and the economic and political realignments of the late nineteenth century.

Plowman was born in Talladega, Talladega County, Alabama, on June 8, 1843. He was educated in the common schools of his native community. With the outbreak of the Civil War, he entered military service for the Confederacy. In May 1862 he joined the Confederate States Army as a member of Company F, Fifty-first Alabama Cavalry. His wartime service coincided with the major campaigns in the Western and Deep South theaters, and like many of his contemporaries, he returned home at the close of the conflict to participate in the rebuilding of local economic and civic life.

After the war, Plowman engaged in agricultural and mercantile pursuits in Talladega. He became a prominent figure in local business circles, reflecting the broader postwar shift in the South toward diversified commercial activity alongside traditional farming. His success in these endeavors helped establish his standing in the community and provided a foundation for his entry into public office. Over time, he expanded his interests into banking, becoming for a number of years president of the First National Bank of Talladega, a position that underscored his influence in regional finance and economic development.

Plowman’s political career began at the municipal level. He was elected mayor of Talladega in 1872 and served three terms, helping to guide the city through the difficult Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction years. His leadership in local government was complemented by growing involvement in party affairs. In 1888 he served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, reflecting his rising profile within the Democratic Party in Alabama and his participation in national party deliberations during a period of intense debate over tariffs, currency, and federal policy.

In national politics, Plowman presented his credentials as a Democratic Member-elect to the Fifty-fifth Congress and took his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 4, 1897. During his time in Congress, he contributed to the legislative process and represented the interests of his Alabama constituents as the nation confronted issues such as economic recovery from the Panic of 1893, monetary policy, and the early stirrings of American expansionism. His tenure was cut short, however, when his election was contested. On February 9, 1898, he was succeeded by William F. Aldrich, who successfully challenged the result, thereby ending Plowman’s service in the House before the close of the full congressional term in 1899.

Following his departure from Congress, Plowman remained active in public service and civic affairs in Alabama. He continued his leadership in banking as president of the First National Bank of Talladega and took on additional responsibilities in local and state government. In 1910 and 1911 he served as a member and chairman of the Talladega County Jury Commission, overseeing aspects of the county’s judicial administration. In 1912 he advanced to state office as a member of the Alabama State Senate, participating in legislative work at the state level during a period of progressive-era reforms and infrastructure development. He also became the first president of the Bankhead Highway, an early and important interstate highway initiative that reflected the growing national emphasis on improved road transportation in the early twentieth century.

Plowman spent his later years in Talladega, remaining closely identified with the civic and economic life of the community where he had been born and had built his career. He died at his home in Talladega on July 26, 1919. He was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery in Talladega, Alabama, closing a life that spanned the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and the early modern era of American politics and transportation development.