James Churchwell Luttrell (1813 - 1878)

Born 2 Mar 1813 in Knox County, Tennessee, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza Carr (Bell) Luttrell — married 11 Mar 1841 in Knox County, Tennessee, USA

Died 6 Jul 1878 at age 65 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA

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Biography

James C. Luttrell was born in March 1813 in Knox County, Tennessee. He was the son of James Luttrell and Martha Armstrong. Although his home was in Knoxville, Knox County, he passed away in July 1878 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee while visiting an associate and is buried in Old Gray Cemetery, Knox County, Tennessee.

James was the third of five men in his direct line named James Churchwell Luttrell; his grandfather, father, son and grandson all bore the same name. He had a second cousin James Churchwell Luttrell (1803-1866) son of William Luttrell (1765-1813), his great-uncle. Another cousin, James C. Luttrell (1830-1901), was the son of his uncle, Robert H. Luttrell. And still another cousin, James C. Luttrell (b 1838), was the son of his uncle, Lewis Luttrell. And these were only the men who lived in or near Knox County, Tennessee. To complicate matters, the name is sometimes misspelled Churchill. It does make researching the family somewhat interesting.

James married Eliza Carr Bell on 11 March 1841 in Knox County, Tennessee.^[1] To this marriage were born two sons (James C. and Samuel B.) and six daughters, four of whom lived to adulthood (Elizabeth, Martha, Belle, and Mary). One daughter, Fannie A. Luttrell, lived only two days and is listed on her parents gravestone in Old Gray Cemetery. A second daughter, Mamie Luttrell, was born in 1850 and died in 1851. (He did not have a son named John as stated in the Wikipedia article.)

James was very active politically after his graduation from East Tennessee College in 1832. He was at one time clerk of the Tennessee Legislature and rode horseback to and from Nashville in company with Andrew Johnson. He was a Colonel in the Knox County Militia.

He was a member of the Whig Party when he was first elected mayor in 1854, but aligned himself with the Know Nothings after the collapse of the Whigs. When this party attained enough power in the state legislature, they arranged James' appointment as state Comptroller after his first term as mayor. James was a supporter of the Union during the Civil War as was his son Samuel B. Luttrell. But his household was divided. His son, James C. Luttrell, was a supporter of the Confederacy.

James won the 1858 election for mayor of Knoxville and, despite his Union sentiments, he was reelected mayor of the Confederate-occupied Knoxville in 1862. He served until 1868. After the Civil War James joined the Democratic party; not a popular position in Tennessee. He was elected State Senator from Knox County in 1868 and served one two-year term, 1869-1871; the first Democrat who carried Knox County after the war.

Notes

Born in Knox county, March 2, 1813. Graduated at East Tennessee College, 1832. Colonel of Militia. Mayor of Knoxville, 1854-1855; 1859-1868. Comptroller of the Treasury of Tennessee, 1855-1857. Appointed a Trustee of East Tennessee University, 1859. Senator from Knox county, 1869-1871. Register of Knox county several years. Postmaster at Knoxville under Presidents Fillmore and Lincoln. Died at Nashville, July 6, 1878.^[2]

Timeline

1813 Born in rural Knox County to James C. Luttrell, a prominent businessman, and Martha Armstrong, daughter of Revolutionary War soldier 1st Lieutenant Robert Armstrong (born in Ireland, settled in Pennsylvania with parents).

1832 Graduated East Tennessee College (forerunner of University of Tennessee)

1833 Began to practice law in Knox County

1840 Census not found; may have been living with relatives

1841 Married Eliza Carr Bell, daughter of Samuel Bell, mayor of Knoxville 1841-1845 and noted silversmith and jeweler, and Eliza Carr, first generation American; her parents were born in England.

1841 Son James C. Luttrell born; married 1867 Josephine Brooks; died 1914. Served in C.S.A. during the Civil War. Mayor of Knoxville 1885-1887.

1843 Daughter Elizabeth S. Luttrell born; married 1861 Dr. William Morrow; died 1911.

1844 Son Samuel Bell Luttrell born; married 1866 Margaret M. Swan; died 1933. Mayor of Knoxville 1879-1880.

1846 Daughter Martha A. Luttrell born; married 1868 Stokeley D. Mitchell; died 1934.

1848 Elected Register of Knox County

1849 Appointed Postmaster at Knoxville, served until 1853

1850 Living in Knoxville, Knox County, with wife Eliza and children James C., Elizabeth, Samuel B., and Martha Luttrell. Occupation given as Postmaster. Also in household Jane Franklin, age 15, and Louisa Franklin, age13; not sure of relationship.^[3]

1850 Daughter Mamie Luttrell born; died 1851.

1854-1855 Mayor of Knoxville

1855-1857 Comptroller of the Treasury of Tennessee

1859-1868 Mayor of Knoxville

1859 Appointed Trustee of East Tennessee University

1860 Living in Knoxville, Knox County, with wife Eliza and children James C., Elizabeth, Samuel B., and Martha A. Occupation: Merchant. Real Estate valued at $6000 and personal property valued at $10,000. Personal property included merchandise in his mercantile business.^[4]

1860 Daughter Belle Luttrell born in August; about 1887 married Jesse H. Thomas; died 1948.

1861 Appointed Postmaster at Knoxville; reappointed 1864 and 1867

1862 U.S. IRS Tax Assessment List 7 June 1862, District No. 1, Knox County, shows 1 lot on Church Street, value $3,500^[5]

1862 Daughter Mary Luttrell born; married about 1885 Charles E. Griffith; died unknown.

1863 Daughter Fannie A. Luttrell born 4 December, died 5 December.

1869-1871 State Senator from Knox County

1870 Living in Knoxville, Knox County, with wife Eliza and daughters Belle, age 9, and Mary, age 7. Occupation Lawyer. After the Civil War real estate and personal property values declined. His land is now valued at $5000 and personal property at $500.^[6]

1878 Death in Nashville, Tennessee while visiting an associate; buried in Old Gray Cemetery, Knox County, Tennessee. Sharing his gravestone are wife Eliza and daughter Fannie A. Luttrell.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S377 Name: J C Luttrell Spouse: E C Bell Marriage Date: 11 Mar 1841 Marriage County: Knox
2. ↑ University of Tennessee record, Volume 1 By University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1898- Transcribed by AFOFG
3. ↑ Source: #S91 Year: 1850; Census Place: Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee; Roll: M432_886; Page: 97A; Image: 195.
4. ↑ Source: #S80 Year: 1860; Census Place: District 1, Knox, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1259; Page: 87; Image: 181; Family History Library Film: 805259.
5. ↑ The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Civil War Direct Tax Assessment Lists: Tennessee; Series: T227; Roll: 4; Description: Hancock through Hardin (part) counties; Humphreys through Madison counties; Record Group: 217, Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, 1775 - 1978.
6. ↑ Source: #S92 Year: 1870; Census Place: Knoxville Ward 4, Knox, Tennessee; Roll: M593_1541; Page: 386B; Image: 610; Family History Library Film: 553040.
7. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 10523595

See also:

• Source: S377 Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002, Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Repository: #R11
• Source: S91 Federal Census 1850 United States Bureau of the Census Publication: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, D. C.: National Archives and Records. Effective date 1 Jun 1850. Repository: #R11
• Source: S80 1860 United States Federal Census U.S. Bureau of the Census Publication: U. S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Repository #R11
• Source: S92 Federal Census 1870 United States Bureau of the Census Publication: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, D. C.: National Archives and Records. Effective date 1 Jun 1870 Repository: #R11
• Repository: R11 Name: Ancestry. com Operations, Inc. City: Provo State: UT URL: www.ancestry.com
• A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans: the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume I, by Will T. Hale and Dixon L. Merritt; The Lewis Publishing Company; Chicago and New York, 1913; p. 1544
• City of Knoxville Mayors
• Wikipedia, James C. Luttrell
• Political Graveyard.com, Luttrell Family of Tennessee