Answer
Mississippi Senate was the first legislative body James A. Blount served in. He was elected to the state senate in 1859 and served until 1861, when he resigned to join the Confederate Army. After the war, Blount was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served from 1873 to 1879. He was then appointed to the U.S. Senate, where he served from 1879 to 1881.