Thomas B. Turley
Encyclopedia
Thomas Battle Turley was a Tennessee
attorney
who served as a Democratic United States Senator
from 1897 to 1901.
and attended public schools and was a private in the Confederate
Army throughout the Civil War
, spending part of that conflict as a prisoner of war
. Upon its conclusion he attended the University of Virginia
law school
in Charlottesville, Virginia
, completing his studies in 1867. In 1870 he was admitted to the Tennessee bar
and began practicing in Memphis. A prominent attorney, upon the death in office of Senator Isham G. Harris
, Turley was appointed by governor of Tennessee Robert L. Taylor
to the vacancy. He was subsequently elected to the balance of the term by the Tennessee General Assembly
.
Turley declined to stand for any further service in the Senate once the balance of the term to which Harris had initially been elected had expired, serving in the Senate from July 20, 1897 to March 4, 1901. He returned to his Memphis law practice until shortly before his death in 1910. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, the final resting place of many West Tennessee
political figure.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who served as a Democratic United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from 1897 to 1901.
Biography
Turley was born in MemphisMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
and attended public schools and was a private in the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Army throughout the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, spending part of that conflict as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. Upon its conclusion he attended the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, completing his studies in 1867. In 1870 he was admitted to the Tennessee bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
and began practicing in Memphis. A prominent attorney, upon the death in office of Senator Isham G. Harris
Isham G. Harris
Isham Green Harris was an American politician. He served as Governor of Tennessee from 1857 to 1862 and as a U.S. Senator from 1877 until his death....
, Turley was appointed by governor of Tennessee Robert L. Taylor
Robert L. Taylor
Robert L. Taylor, born in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1924, is the founder and president of the Antique Airplane Association Inc. as well as co-founder and Chairman of the Board of the Airpower Museum with which organization he shares ownership of Antique Airfield in Blakesburg, Iowa.For the majority of...
to the vacancy. He was subsequently elected to the balance of the term by the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
.
Turley declined to stand for any further service in the Senate once the balance of the term to which Harris had initially been elected had expired, serving in the Senate from July 20, 1897 to March 4, 1901. He returned to his Memphis law practice until shortly before his death in 1910. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, the final resting place of many West Tennessee
West Tennessee
West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the State of Tennessee. Of the three, it is the one that is most sharply defined geographically. Its boundaries are the Mississippi River on the west and the Tennessee River on the east...
political figure.