Engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of  Nashville, Mr. Beasley is one of the representative members of the bar of his native state and is serving as a valued member and chairman of the state board of prison commissioners. He is a scion of old and honored families of Smith county, Tennessee, both his paternal and maternal ancestors having founded homes in that section of the state in the early pioneer days and his parents, like himself, being natives of that county. Mr. Beasley has been an influential figure in political activities in Tennessee and is a recognized leader in the ranks of the Republican party in this state. He has high standing in his profession and is a citizen whose sterling character, loyalty and public spirit have gained and retained to him the confidence and esteem of those with whom he has come in contact in the various relations of life.     

James Sherman Beasley was born on the old homestead farm of his father, in Smith county, and the date of his nativity was August 14, 1873. He is a son of Jesse and Nancy (Dickerson) Beasley, both of whom were born and reared in that county, where they still reside and where the father has been identified with the great basic industry of agriculture during his entire active career. He is one of the honored and influential citizens of his county and represented his native state as a valiant soldier of the Union in the Civil war, his political allegiance being given unreservedly to .the Republican party. After duly availing himself of the advantages of the public schools James S. Beasley completed a scientific course in the Monroe Normal School, at Tompkinsville. Kentucky, and in preparation for the work of his chosen profession he entered the law department of the Southern Normal University, at Huntingdon, Tennessee, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1898 and from which he received his degree of Bachelor of Laws. Prior to this he had devoted ten years to teaching in the public schools of his native state, and he has proved most successful and popular in his work in the pedogogic profession.     

Upon his admission to the bar Mr. Beasley engaged in the practice of his profession at Centerville, the judicial center of Hickman County. where he built up a substantial and representative practice, in which he was associated with W. A. Knight, this alliance being still continued and the third member of the firm of McCarn, Knight & Beasley, being Jeff McCarn. This is one of the leading concerns of the Nashville bar and Messrs. Knight and Beasley have been residents of Nashville since 1911. In addition to following his profession at Centerville Mr. Beasley served eleven years as postmaster of that place. In 1908 he was-the Republican candidate for congress, from the Seventh congressional district, and though he made an excellent showing at the polls, after a brilliant canvass of the district, he was unable to overcome the large and normal Democratic majority and was defeated by Hon. L. P. Padget, a specially strong opponent. Mr. Beasley has been a most zealous and effective worker in behalf of the cause of the Republican party and has been an able exponent of its principles and policies, as well as a resourceful factor in the maneuvering of its forces in various, campaigns in his home state. He is at the present time chairman of the Republican congressional committee of the Seventh congressional district, and is at present chairman of the Republican state executive committee, having conducted the gubernatorial campaign of Gov. Ben W. Hooper in the year 1912. On the 7th of July, 1911, he was appointed, by Governor Hooper, a member of the state board of prison commissioners, and his confreres in this body gave prompt evidence of their esteem and appreciation by electing him chairman of the body. He is punctilious in his discharge of the duties of this important office, in which he is doing all in his power to bring the penal institutions of the state up to the highest possible standard of efficiency. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South.     

In the year 1898 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Beasley to Miss Minnie Elizabeth Edwards, daughter of B. W. Edwards, a representative citizen of Centerville, this state, and the one child of this union is a winsome little daughter, Elizabeth Edwards Beasley.      

A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans: the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities by Will T. Hale Chicago:  Lewis Pub. Co., 1913 

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