Randal William McGavock

Randal William McGavock
Col. Randal William McGavock
Born	August 10, 1826 Nashville, Tennessee
Died	May 12, 1863(1863-05-12) (aged 36) Raymond, Mississippi
Resting place	Mount Olivet Cemetery
Nationality	American
Education	University of Nashville Harvard Law School
Occupation	Politician Planter
Spouse(s)	Seraphina Deery
Relatives	Randal McGavock (paternal great uncle) Felix Grundy (maternal grandfather)

Randal William McGavock (1826–1863) was an American lawyer, Democratic politician, Southern planter, and colonel in the Confederate States Army. He served as the Mayor of Nashville, Tennessee from 1858 to 1859.

Randal William McGavock was born on August 10, 1826 in Nashville, Tennessee. He was a fourth-generation Irish-American. His paternal grandfather's brother was Randal McGavock (1766–1843), who served as Mayor of Nashville from 1824 to 1825 and owned the Carnton plantation. His father, Jacob McGavock, fought in the Creek War of 1813–1814 with Andrew Jackson. His mother was Louisa Caroline (Grundy) McGavock. His maternal grandfather was Felix Grundy (1775–1840), U.S. Congressman from Tennessee from 1829 to 1838 and 13th United States Attorney General from 1838 to 1840.

McGavock attended a private academy, The Classical and Mathematical Seminary run by Professor Moses Stevens (1790–1841) in Nashville, which closed down in 1846. From 1843 to 1846, he attended the University of Nashville. In 1847, he enrolled at the Harvard Law School, where he was active in the debating club called Kent Club and the Moot court. He received his law degree from the Harvard Law School in 1849. He then went on a twenty-month tour of Europe, Asia and Africa. He wrote articles about his experiences abroad for the Daily Nashville Union and published them in a book in 1854.

Upon his return from Europe, McGavock worked as a lawyer in Nashville. He joined the A.O.M.C., a fraternal organization whose members wore black robes and hoods during ceremonies. He also oversaw his family plantations in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky. His portrait was painted by Washington Bogart Cooper (1802–1888) circa 1850.