James Ronald Chalmers

Who was James Ronald Chalmers?

James Ronald Chalmers was an attorney in Mississippi and a military officer in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, serving as Brigadier-General. Later he entered politics as a Democrat; he was elected in 1874 to the Mississippi State Senate.

In 1876 Chalmers was elected from Mississippi's 6th congressional district to the US House of Representatives, where he served from 1877 from until 1881. He was elected in 1880 but his victory was contested; the Congressional committee decided in favor of his opponent, and he was replaced in April 1882 by Republican John R. Lynch.

In 1882 Chalmers was elected to the US House as an Independent in a year of fusion tickets in Mississippi; his victory was contested by Democrat Van H. Manning. Chalmers won the contest and was seated in June 1884, serving to the end of the term in March 1885. He was defeated by Democrat Henry Van Eaton in the 1884 election.