William Little Frierson (September 3, 1868 – May 25, 1953) was an American lawyer, judge, and politician. During his career he served as the

United States Solicitor General The solicitor general of the United States is the fourth-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. Elizabeth Prelogar has been serving in the role since October 28, 2021. The United States solicitor general represent ...

(1920–1921),

United States Assistant Attorney General Many of the divisions and offices of the United States Department of Justice are headed by an assistant attorney general. The president of the United States appoints individuals to the position of assistant attorney general with the advice and ...

(1917–1920), and mayor of

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020 ...

(1905–1907).

Biography

Frierson was born on September 3, 1868, in

Shelbyville, Tennessee Shelbyville is a city in and the county seat of Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. The town was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819. Shelbyville had a population of 20,335 residents at the 2010 census. The town is a hub of the Tenness ...

to Robert Payne and Mary (Little) Frierson. He graduated in 1887 from Southwestern Presbyterian University in

Clarksville, Tennessee Clarksville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States. It is the fifth-largest city in the state behind Nashville, Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The city had a population of 166,722 as of the 202 ...

(now

Rhodes College Rhodes College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Memphis, Tennessee. Historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), it is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Sout ...

. In 1929, Frierson received an honorary law degree from the college in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

. He began practicing law in his hometown of Shelbyville in 1889. The following year he moved to Chattanooga, where he worked in various law firms until 1917. Frierson held a variety of local government positions before being appointed United States Solicitor General. In 1905, Frierson was elected mayor of Chattanooga and held that position until 1907. He served as city attorney from 1912 to 1915. Subsequently, Frierson was named a special justice of the

Tennessee Supreme Court The Tennessee Supreme Court is the ultimate judicial tribunal of the state of Tennessee. Roger A. Page is the Chief Justice. Unlike other states, in which the state attorney general is directly elected or appointed by the governor or state leg ...

in 1916. In 1917, Frierson was appointed United States Assistant Attorney General, a position he held until 1920. During his time as Assistant Attorney General, he was involved in the Hughes Aircraft Investigation, where he questioned witnesses to the production and inspection of timber for American aircraft. In June 1920, President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

nominated and the Senate confirmed Frierson to be solicitor general. As SG, Frierson made persuasive arguments upholding the National Prohibition Act of 1919, which enforced the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution dealing with the prohibition of alcohol. When the question arose regarding the sale and possession of alcohol by Americans on ships, the Supreme Court agreed with his argument that no liquor could be sold on any U.S. flagged vessels. After serving as solicitor general, Frierson returned to Chattanooga to be a member of the Williams & Frierson law firm. From 1922 to 1923, he served as president of the Tennessee State Bar Association. William married Margaret (Daniel) on April 20, 1892, with whom he had three children: Margaret Williamson, Robert Payne, and Sue Lawwill. On May 25, 1953, Frierson died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 84.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Frierson, William 1868 births 1953 deaths People from Shelbyville, Tennessee United States Assistant Attorneys General United States Solicitors General Woodrow Wilson administration personnel Mayors of Chattanooga, Tennessee Tennessee lawyers