Judge James Fentress, general solicitor for the Illinois Central Railroad Company, was born July 27, 1837, the second of a family of five children born to David and Matilda (Wendel) Fentress, whose ancestors came from England at an early day and located in Virginia. As the families increased they sought new and different homes, some coming to Tennessee. The grandfather, James Fentress, was speaker of the House of Representatives for a number of years. The maternal grandfather, David Wendel, of Murfreesboro, was the only Whig postmaster allowed to retain his office during Jackson’s administration. David Fentress married at Murfreesboro, moved to West Tennessee, where he made his home, and practiced law. He was considered one of the most talented and able lawyers in the entire section. He was at one time representative of Hardeman County in the State Legislature. Mrs. Fentress was a consistent and highly respected member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Fentress died in 1856, at the age of fifty-six years. Mrs. Fentress is still living, and in her seventy-eighth year. Her family consists of Dr. David W., of Texas; Francis, a lawyer of Bolivar; Kate, wife of Albert T. McNeal; Sallie W., wife of Jerome Hill, who is head of the firm of Hill, Fontaine & Co., of St. Louis; and the subject of this sketch, who after having the best of educational advantages at home, completed his course at the University of Virginia. After reading law for three years, he was admitted to the bar in 1859, since which time he has given most of his attention to his profession. The year of his admission to the bar he was united in marriage to Miss Mary T. Perkins, who was born January 16, 1842. This union resulted in the birth of ten children, of whom six are living: Mary W.; Matilda, wife of Girault Farrar, a lawyer of New Orleans; James, David, Calvin and Ethel. When the late war broke out between the North and South, Judge Fentress entered the Confederate service as a volunteer May 15, 1861, as lieutenant. He soon became captain of Company B, Fourth Tennessee Infantry. In 1862, he resigned his commission and entered the cavalry service as private in Company E, Seventh Tennessee, and so continued until the close of the war. During his four years of active service he was neither wounded nor captured. Judge Fentress is a Democrat in politics. In 1870 he was a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and took a prominent part in the revision of the Constitution. The same year he was elected chancellor of the Tenth Chancery Division of Tennessee, and resigning in 1872, returned to the practice of his profession. In 1876, he was appointed general solicitor of the Illinois Central Railroad Company for Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. He makes New Orleans his winter headquarters, spending the summer at his beautiful country residence near Bolivar. He is also chief attorney for the Mississippi & Tennessee Railroad Company, general solicitor for the Canton, Aberdeen & Nashville Railroad, for the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad, for the West & East Railroad, for the New Orleans Belt Line, and serves in the same capacity for several other railroad companies of less importance. The Judge advocates travel as a means of attaining the highest culture. Both he and his family have visited all the different countries of Europe and have also traveled extensively in America. They are a cultivated, refined and interesting family, always recognized as among the first in the land. Judge Fentress and his estimable wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Source: “The Goodspeed Publishing Co., History of Tennessee, 1886”