Tales from Tennessee and Beyond: Edward Ward Carmack

Edward Ward Carmack was one of Tennessee's most famous newspaper editors. He also made a name for himself in politics. Carmack figures prominently into the Restoration Movement, due to the fact that he was the son of gospel preacher F.M. Carmack. He began his practice of law in Columbia, Tennessee in 1878. He served as the city attorney as well. In 1884 he was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives. He entered journalism shortly after, when he started The Columbia Herald. He later went to Nashville and started The Nashville Democrat. When the Nashville Democrat merged with the Nashville American, Carmack became editor in chief. In 1892, he left Nashville and went to Memphis and became the editor of the Memphis Commercial, now known as The Commercial Appeal. In 1897 Carmack reentered politics. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served two terms. Following his second term, he entered the 1908 race for governor. The race was very heated, but he lost to Malcolm R. Patterson. Following his unsuccessful run for governor, Carmack reentered journalism. He became the editor of The Tennessean. Carmack was very outspoken on the issue of temperance. He was also unafraid of attacking rivals in the newspapers. Carmack remained a strong member of the church of Christ. He was close allies with The Gospel Advocate's David Lipscomb. Lipscomb was against members of the church of Christ being involved in politics. He also did not believe members should go to war. These views no doubt led to some interesting debates between the two men. On November 9, 1908, Carmack's newspaper attacks finally caught up with him. After a short feud, that had begun with attacks in the newspaper, Carmack was shot dead in the streets of Nashville by Duncan Brown Cooper. One of the most controversial figures in Tennessee politics, journalism, and the Restoration Movement was no more. The murder of Carmack only added more fuel to the fire of what David Lipscomb preached. In 1927, Carmack was honored with a statue in front of the Tennessee State Capital that overlooks the Capital Mall. Edward Ward Carmack is truly one of the most interesting characters in Tennessee History.