Richard Merrill Atkinson

Richard Merrill Atkinson (February 6, 1894 – April 29, 1947) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Tennessee.

Richard Merrill Atkinson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 5th district
In office January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1939
Preceded by	Jo Byrns
Succeeded by	Jo Byrns Jr.
Personal details
Born	February 6, 1894 (1894-02-06) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	April 29, 1947 (1947-04-30) (aged 53) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Wallace University Vanderbilt University Cumberland School of Law
Profession	Attorney, politician
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	June 30, 1917 to August 29, 1919
Rank	Private
Unit	Forty-seventh Company, Second Division France
Battles/wars	World War I

Biography

Atkinson was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and attended the public schools. He graduated from Wallace University School, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1912, from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1916, and from Cumberland School of Law at Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1917. Admitted to the bar in 1917, he commenced the practice of law in Nashville, in 1920.

During the First World War, Atkinson served from June 30, 1917, until honorably discharged on August 29, 1919. He was a member of the Forty-seventh Company, United States Marine Corps, Second Division, serving in France with the American Expeditionary Forces.

He served as Attorney general of the tenth judicial circuit of Tennessee from September 1, 1926, to September 1, 1934. He was also State commissioner of Smoky Mountain National Park from 1931 to 1933.^[1]

Atkinson was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-fifth Congress, and served from January 3, 1937, to January 3, 1939.^[2] He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1938, and returned to the practice of law in Nashville, Tennessee, until his death.

Death

Atkinson died in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, on April 29, 1947. He is interred at Spring Hill Cemetery, Madison, Tennessee.^[3]