James Minor Quarles

James Minor Quarles (February 8, 1823 – March 3, 1901) was an American politician, lawyer, and jurist who represented Tennessee’s 8th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Serving as a member of the Independent Party representing Tennessee, he contributed to the legislative process during one term in office, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents during a significant period in American history.

Quarles was born on February 8, 1823, in Louisa County, Virginia. In his youth he moved with his family to Christian County, Kentucky, where he was raised. He received his early education in the local schools and pursued further studies at Saint Mary’s College near Lebanon, Kentucky. After completing his academic preparation, he turned to the study of law, a profession that would shape the course of his public life.

Upon being admitted to the bar, Quarles commenced the practice of law in Clarksville, Tennessee. He established himself as a practicing attorney and became active in the civic affairs of his community. His legal career in Clarksville provided the foundation for his later political prominence, as he gained experience in advocacy, public issues, and the concerns of citizens in Middle Tennessee.

Quarles entered national politics as a member of the Independent Party representing Tennessee and was elected to the Thirty-fifth Congress as the representative of Tennessee’s 8th congressional district. He served one term in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1857, to March 3, 1859. His service in Congress occurred during a turbulent pre–Civil War era, when sectional tensions over slavery and states’ rights were intensifying. During this period he participated in the legislative process and the broader democratic debate, representing the interests of his district at a time of mounting national crisis.

After his single term in Congress, Quarles returned to Tennessee and resumed the practice of law. With the outbreak of the Civil War, he aligned with the Confederacy and served as a judge of the Confederate district court, reflecting the divided loyalties of Tennessee during the conflict. Following the war, he continued his legal career and remained a figure of some standing in the state’s legal and political circles as Tennessee navigated Reconstruction and its aftermath.

In his later years, Quarles relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where he continued to practice law and remained engaged in professional life. He lived there until his death on March 3, 1901. James Minor Quarles was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nashville, closing a career that had spanned law, judicial service, and a term in the United States Congress during one of the most consequential eras in American history.