Jere Baxter
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jere Baxter (February 11, 1852 – February 29, 1904) was an American businessman, lawyer, and politician. He was the founder of the Tennessee Central Railroad.
Jere Baxter | |
|---|---|
Jere Baxter, c. 1900 | |
| Born | February 11, 1852 |
| Died | February 29, 1904 (aged 52) |
| Resting place | Mount Olivet Cemetery |
| Education | Montgomery Bell Academy |
| Occupation | Businessman |
Early life
Jere Baxter was born on February 11, 1852, in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] His father, Nathaniel Baxter, was a politician and judge.[1] After graduating from Montgomery Bell Academy, he studied law.
Career
Baxter went into legal publishing, issuing The Legal Reporter, the nine-volume bound compilation of which came to be commonly known as Baxter's Reports.[1]
Baxter founded the Tennessee Central Railroad and helped found the communities of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, and Sheffield, Alabama.[1][2] He served in the Tennessee State Senate,[2] and unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Party nomination for governor of Tennessee in 1890.[3][4]
Baxter had a very public argument with Whitefoord Russell Cole over the Tennessee Central Railroad in the early 1900s.[5]
Death and legacy
Baxter died on February 29, 1904. Baxter, Tennessee, is named for him.[2] He was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery.[6]
