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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1883

Vol. III
p376
3019

(Born N. C.)

Laurence Davisº Tyson

(Ap'd N. C.)

51

Born near Greenville, SC.​a

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1879, to June 13, 1883, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., 9th Infantry, June 13, 1883.

Served: on frontier duty at Ft. D. A. Russell, Wy., and in the field, Sep. 30, 1883, to July 20, 1886, — Ft. Apache, Ara., to Apr. 6, 1887, — San Carlos, Ara., to July 15, 1887, — and Ft. Mojave, Ara., to Sep. 4, 1887; on temporary duty at David's Island, N. Y., to Oct. 12, 1889; and

(First Lieut., 9th Infantry, Aug. 15, 1889)

on frontier duty at Whipple Barracks, Ara., to –––––.

Vol. IV
p382
[Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Military History. — Served: At Ft. Wingate, N. M., as Acting Assistant Quartermaster from Nov., 1890 to April 1, 1891. — Professor of Military Science and Tactics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Ten., from Sept. 15, 1891 until Sept. 15, 1895.

Resigned, April 15, 1896.

Civil History. — Attorney at law, Knoxville, Ten. — Graduated at  p383 the Law School of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Ten., in June, 1894, taking the degree of Bachelor of Laws. — Vice-President of Nashville Street Railway from Jan., 1897 until April, 1899; president of same road from April until May 20, 1899.

Military History. — Appointed by the President of the United States —

(Colonel, 6th U. S. Volunteer Infantry (Immunes), May 20, 1898)

Raised the regiment and commanded same at Knoxville and Chickamauga Park, Ga.,º and in Puerto Rico until muster‑out of regiment, March 15, 1899. — In command of a large district in Puerto Rico from Oct. 18, 1899 until sent home for muster‑out, Feb. 12, 1899. — Highly commended for services during the war, and recommended for brevet on muster‑out as Brigadier-General.

(Honorably mustered out of Volunteer Service, May 15, 1899)

Vol. V
p352
[Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

Civil History. — Attorney at Law, Knoxville, Tenn.; elected a member of the General Assembly of Tennessee, Nov., 1902; elected Speaker of General Assembly of Tennessee, Jan. 5, 1903, being first member ever elected speaker of General Assembly of Tennessee in his first term; in 1900, organized and was elected President of the Knoxville Cotton Mills; 1904,º elected President of the Knoxville  p353 Woolen Mills; 1903,º elected President of Poplar Creek Coal and Iron Co.; in 1907, elected President of Lenoir City Co., and is now serving as President and head of all these large corporations; is also Vice-President and Director in many other manufacturing and banking corporations; President of Society Sons of Revolution in Tennessee, 1905‑1906; served as Inspector-General of Tennesse under three continuous governors of Tennessee, for a total period of six years, from 1900 to 1906; elected by the Tennessee State Democratic Convention as one of the four Delegates-at‑Large from the State to the Democratic Convention in Denver, July 7, 1908.

Vol. VI
p370
[Supplement, Vol. VI: 1910‑1920]

(Born July 4, 1861)

Military History. —

First Lieut., 9th Infantry, Aug. 15, 1889

Resigned, April 15, 1896

Colonel, 6th U. S. Volunteer Infantry, May 20, 1898

Served in Porto Rico during Spanish-American War.

Honorably Mustered Out, March 15, 1899

Inspector-General of Tennessee, 1900‑1906

Brigadier-General, National Army, Aug. 5, 1917

At Camp Sevier, Greenville, S. C., commanding 59th Infantry Brigade, 30th Division; sailed for France in command of 30th Division, May 10, 1918; in Flanders with British at taking of Kemmel Hill, in Picardy and in fighting at Bellecourt and Nauroy which made the first break in the Hindenburg Line at its strongest point. This Division called "Old Hickory" in honor of Andrew Jackson. The following is quoted from General Haig's telegram:

"On the 29th of September you participated with distinction in a great and critical attack which shattered the enemy's resistance on the Hindenburg Line and which opened the road to final victory. The deeds of the 27th and 30th American Divisions, which took Bellecourt and Nauroy and gallantly sustained the desperate struggle  p371 for Bony, will rank with the highest achievements of the war."

Sailed from France, March 15; arrived in U. S., March 27, 1919;

Honorably Discharged, April 15, 1919

Awarded

Distinguished Service Medal

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services. He commanded with distinction the 59th Infantry Brigade throughout its training period and during its active operations against the enemy. His determination and skill as a military leader were reflected in the successes of his brigade in the attack and capture of Brancourt and Prémont, where a large number of prisoners and much material fell into our hands. He rendered services of great worth to the American Expeditionary Forces."

Civil History. — Attorney at Law, Knoxville, Tenn.; elected a member of the General Assembly of Tennessee, November, 1902; elected Speaker of the General Assembly, Jan. 5, 1903, being first member ever so elected in his first term; organized Knoxville Cotton Mills and was elected President, 1900; President of the Knoxville Woolen Mills, 1904; President of Poplar Creek Coal and Iron Co., 1903; President of Lenoir City Co., 1907; President of Knoxville Spinning Co., 1911; President of Southern Locomotive Valve Gear Co., 1914; President of Tennessee Mills, 1915; Vice-President and Director of many other manufacturing and banking corporations; President of Society of Sons of Revolution in Tennessee, 1905‑06; elected by the Tennessee State Democratic Convention as one of the four Delegates-at‑Large to the Democratic Convention in Denver, 1908; in 1913, candidate for U. S. Senator from Tennessee; received 62 votes in the Tennessee Legislature, 66 being necessary for choice.

Address: 839 Temple Avenue, Knoxville, Tenn.

Vol. VII
p207
[Supplement, Vol. VII: 1920‑1930]

Lawrence Davis Tyson

(Entered the Academy as Laurence Davis Tyson.)

Military History. —

Distinguished Service Medal.

First Lieutenant, 9th Infantry, Aug. 15, 1889.

Resigned, Apr. 15, 1896.

Colonel, 6th U. S. Volunteer Infantry, May 20, 1898.

Honorably Mustered Out, Mar. 15, 1899.

Inspector-General of Tennessee, 1900‑1906.

Brigadier-General, National Army, Aug. 5, 1917.

Honorably Discharged, Apr. 15, 1919.

Civil History: — Attorney at Law, Knoxville, Tenn.; elected a member of the General Assembly of Tennessee, Nov., 1902; elected Speaker of the General Assembly, Jan. 5, 1903, being first member ever so elected in his first term; organized Knoxville Cotton Mills and was elected President, 1900; President of Knoxville Woolen Mills, 1904; President of Poplar Creek Coal and Iron Co., 1903; President of Lenoir City Co., 1907; President of Knoxville Spinning Co., 1911; President of Southern Locomotive Valve Gear Co., 1914; President of Tennessee Mills, 1915; Vice-President and Director of many other manufacturing and banking corporations; President of Society of Sons of Revolution in Tennessee, 1905‑1906; elected by the Tennessee State Democratic Convention as one of the four Delegates-at‑Large to the Democratic Convention in Denver, 1908; in 1913, candidate for U. S. Senator from Tennessee; received 62 votes in the Tennessee Legislature, 66 being necessary for choice; elected U. S. Senator for term, 1925‑1931.

Died, Aug. 24, 1929, at Philadelphia, Pa.:​b Aged 68.

Portrait and obituary in Annual Report, Association of Graduates, for 1930.

Buried, Old Gray Cemetery, Knoxville, TN.


Thayer's Notes:

a Sen. Tyson's birthplace is from his AOG obituary.

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b Sen. Tyson's AOG obituary is more precise, stating that he died "at Manresa Sanatarium,º Strafford, Pa."


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