Overton, John, 1766-1833

John Overton was a Tennessee lawyer and politician.

John Overton was an early Tennessee jurist, who served on the Tennessee Supreme Court. Also, he was a founder of Memphis, Tennessee.

John Overton (1766-1833), Tennessee pioneer, jurist, and dedicated supporter of Andrew Jackson, was born in Louisa County, Virginia. He studied law in Mercer County, Kentucky (1787), and then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he shared lodgings with Andrew Jackson. They became steadfast friends and were partners in a number of speculative land ventures, including the founding of Memphis, Tennessee, in 1819.

Overton succeeded Jackson to the state Superior Court (1804-1810 and 1811-1816). He was a widely recognized authority on land legislation in Tennessee. He was also reputed to be the state's wealthiest citizen. After his resignation from the bench in 1816, Overton committed himself to the furtherance of Jackson's political career.

(Biographical information from the Dictionary of American Biography .)