Wilson was a member of the Democratic Party . He served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1877 to 1879 , sitting on the judiciary committee . He was elected to the Tennessee Senate in 1879 , and served as the chairman of its judiciary committee . He was elected by the " low taxers " to represent Tennessee at the 1880 Democratic National Convention , but he lost to Alvin Hawkins
1880 Democratic National Convention
1880 Democratic National Convention
Samuel Franklin Wilson