Name/Title
James Wellborn Starnes Sr.Entry/Object ID
Starnes, James WellbornDescription
Nearly knee-length of a young man in black coat, vest, pants, and tie with white shirt. He is standing with his right arm resting on a surface and his left arm is crooked to pull back his jacket. The sky is mottled to suggest a sunset/sunrise. His hair is dark and his color and attitude strong.Collection
Private CollectionMade/Created
Artist
Cooper, Washington Bogart, 1802-1889Date made
1855 - 1860Conservation
Notes
Cleaned by Ned Crouch.General Notes
Note Type
Historical NoteNote
James Wellborn Starnes was born on July 9, 1817, in Wilkes County, NC, to Dr. Samuel Scott Starnes and Nancy Matilda Wellborn Starnes. He was a prominent physician and planter. He graduated from the Jefferson Seminary Medical School (later University of Louisville). During the Mexican War he served as asst. surgeon of the 1st Tennessee Infantry. He married Mary Christina Rudder on April 19, 1849 and they had five children. When the Civil War broke out he raised a company of cavalry in Williamson County, Tennessee. He was later promoted to Colonel of the 4th Tennessee Cavalry, CSA. By 1863 Dr. Starnes was the commander of a brigade of Forrest's Cavalry and led it in action in Forrest's Brentwood Raid, in the fights around Franklin and the successful pursuit of Streight's raiders in Alabama. During the Tullahoma Campaign, on June 28, 1863, he was mortally wounded by a sharpshooter at Bobo's Crossroads, located between Tullahoma and Manchester. He was taken to the home of A. Y. Smith in Tullahoma where he died. He is buried in the Rudder-Starnes Cemetery in Williamson County.Create Date
October 13, 2026Update Date
October 13, 2026