John Overton (judge)
| John Overton | |
|---|---|
John Overton
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| Superior Court Judge | |
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In office 1804–1810 |
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| Preceded by | Andrew Jackson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 9, 1766 Louisa County, Virginia |
| Died | April 12, 1833 (aged 67) Nashville, Tennessee |
| Spouse(s) | Mary McConnell White |
| Profession | Judge, lawyer, banker |
John Overton (April 9, 1766 – April 12, 1833) was an American planter, advisor of Andrew Jackson, a judge at the Superior Court of Tennessee, a banker and political leader.
John Overton was born on April 9, 1766 in Louisa County, Virginia. His parents were James Overton and Mary Waller; his father was a great-grandson of Robert Overton, the Parliamentarian military commander during the English Civil War (and friend of Marvell and Milton).
In 1787, he began his law career and moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1789, to practice law at the Davidson County court. He was elected to succeed his friend Andrew Jackson as a member of the Superior Court of Tennessee in 1804, where he served as a judge until 1810. His elder brother Thomas Overton served as Jackson's second in his duel with Charles Dickinson. In 1819, he founded Memphis, Tennessee on land he owned with Andrew Jackson and James Winchester.
He was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1820.
He was married to Mary McConnell White, the daughter of Knoxville founder, James White.
He died April 12, 1833 at Travellers Rest, his Nashville home.
The nearby John Overton Comprehensive High School, located just across the railroad tracks that abut the property, is named in his honor.
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Wikipedia