Joseph Alexander Mabry, Sr.

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Joseph Alexander Mabry Sr.
1826 – October 19, 1882
Allegiance	Confederate States of America
Service/branch	Confederate Army
Rank	Brigadier General
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Joseph Alexander Mabry Sr. was a folk figure, businessman and Confederate General during the American Civil War.

The gunfight which left Joseph, his son, Joseph Jr, and Thomas O'Conner dead was immortalized in Mark Twain's book, Life on the Mississippi.^[1] Thomas O'Conner was a bank president and one of the richest men in Tennessee. Following a business dispute, Joseph Mabry, Sr, a wealthy (and eccentric) businessman, threatened his life. The next day, O'Conner shot him dead on Gay Street in Knoxville. The victim's son, lawyer Joseph Mabry, Jr., was nearby. He and O'Conner became involved in a gunfight which left them both dead. Twain, intrigued by the story, recalled the event in Chapter 40 of his book, Life on The Mississppi. Today the Mabry-Hazen House is one of Knoxville's historic attractions. Joseph Alexander Mabry, Sr. and William Swan donated the land that became the downtown Market Square Mall to the City of Knoxville in 1853.