led to present his cases properly. He always preferred the chancery practice and obtained the greater part of the business in the county coming under the branch of his profession. The present bar is composed mainly of young men of good ability, who, in a great measure, have their legal reputation to make. W.F. Moiden and A.J. Farmer are the two eldest Members, both having been licensed to practice about eight years ago. The former prepared himself for his profession in the the office of T. A. Henry. He is a good lawyer before a jury and has a fair practice.
Joseph E. Jones, the present attorney-general of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, was admitted to the bar at Camden, in December, 1878. He immediately took high rank among the members of his profession in this section of the State, and in 1884 was elected to the responsible position he now holds. He is well grounded in the law, and is an advocate of no ordinary ability.
T. C. Rye began the study of law with Mr. Jones and since his admission to the bas has given but little attention to the practice of his profession, having been employed as private secretary to Congressman J.M. Taylor and clerk of the congressional Committee on Naval affairs.
Travis Davidson, who has recently completed a term as register of Benton County, is a man of unquestioned integrity, and possesses good legal ability. He has recently engaged in the practice of his profession. J. G. Presson and ___ Brandon, are also licensed attorneys. During the first three or four years after the organization of the circuit court, it was presided over alternately by Judges J. C. Cook, William R. Harris, Benjamin C. Totten, Mortimer A. Martin and William C. Dunlap. Afterward, until 1845, Judge Totten occupied the bench. His residence was at Huntingdon. He was one of the ablest judges ever upon the bench in this judicial circuit, although in private life he was recognized as a genial gentleman, while in this discharge of his official duties he was exceedingly dignified and reserved, and maintained excellent order in the court room. he was succeeded by William Fitzgerald, who continued upon the bench until the suspension of the courts in May, 1862. He was the able jurist, and socially was very popular throughout the circuit. In 1865, L.L. Hawkins, of Huntingdon, was commissioned judge of the circuit court by Gov. Brownlow. He continued to preside until 1870, when he was succeeded by James D. Porter, of Paris, who four years later was elected governor of Tennessee. The remaining four years of the term were filled by Jo. R. Hawkins, of Huntingdon. At the election of 1878, Samuel B. Ayres, of Dresden, was elected judge of the judicial circuit, but died in less than a year after entering upon the office. Clinton Aden, of Paris, completed the unexpired term, and in 1886, W. H. Swiggart, of Union City, was elected to the office of the succeeding eight years.
Benton County has never been deficient in patriotism nor military spirit. Promptly upon the breaking out of the Mexican war, a large company of volunteers was formed and organized, with Alvin Hawkins as captain; O.B. Caldwell, first lieutenant, and W. P. Morris, second lieutenant. They at once reported to the governor, but the quota of the county was filled and they were never called into service.
The first company organized in the county for the late civil was was Company C. of the fifth Tennessee Regiment, Volunteer Infantry. It was recruited in April and the early part of May, 1861.
|These records are part of the "Genealogy Computer Package" *** PC-PROFILE *** Volume - II. Sarratt/Sarrett/Surratt Family Profile© Compiled and self Published in Oct. 31, 1989 by Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. with the assistance of my late mother Mrs. M. Lucille (WILSON) SARRETT (1917-1987) These 1989 "Work-Books" were compiled by listing the various families, born, married, died, and a history of that family branch. In 1996 I started "Up-Loading" this material on the now called SFA© Series...prs|