TORBETT, Granville C. – (d. 1872)
The Nashville Union and American of Thursday morning last, says: The death of this old and valued citizen, which occurred at fifteen minutes before eleven last night at his residence in this city, after a gradual decline of several months, though long expected, will sadden the hearts of a large circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the State. Col. TORBETT was a native of Monroe county, East Tennessee, born on the 4th of March, 1810, and was therefore nearly sixty-two years of age. He commenced life under disadvantageous circumstances, but by his native energy and application, educated himself for the profession of law, under the favor and instruction of the late Judge G.W. ROWLES. In 1831 he was elected a representative to the Legislature of Tennessee from his native county; and in 1843 and again in 1845 was elected to the State Senate from that district. On the 22d of November, 1842, he married a daughter of the late Matthew BARROW, of this city, and in 1817 moved to Jackson, Tennessee. In 1852 he was induced to move to this city and associate himself with E.G. EASTMAN in the publication of what was then known as the Nashville American, which at a later date they consolidated with the Nashville Union, and thus commenced the publication of the present Union and American, through which we now chronicle this death. In 1853, when the then “American party” held a bare majority in the Legislature of this State, he was taken up by the Democratic party as the only one who could overcome that majority, and without solicitation, was elected Treasurer of the State. Having severed his connection with the press, he was elected early in 1861, President of the Bank of Tennessee, which position he held to the close of the war. The troubles of the war, and the disasters incident to it, told heavily upon his constitution. For more than a year past he has been in declining health. He died in the sixty-second year of this age.
Source: Cleveland Banner, February 22, 1872. Available in the Google News Archive.