Nathan Bedford Forrest II

Nathan Bedford Forrest II (April 6, 1872 – March 11, 1931) was an American businessman who served as the 19th Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans from 1919 to 1921.

Early life Nathan Bedford Forrest II was born on April 6, 1872, in Oxford, Mississippi, as the third son of Jane Taylor (née Cook) and William Montgomery Forrest. His father served as a captain in the Confederate States Army. He was the grandson of Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest. He was high school classmates with James R. Venable.

Career At the age of 25, Forrest engaged in the Klondike Gold Rush for four years as a miner and prospector. In 1921, he did seek re-election. He was succeeded by Edgar Scurry. In the Confederate Veteran, Forrest claimed that in 1915 he and Tate Brady were making plans together for an "active campaign throughout Oklahoma" on behalf of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He served as secretary and business manager at Lanier University in Atlanta, a college that was sold to the Klan in 1921.

In 1915, Forrest was aide to William Joseph Simmons during the Ku Klux Klan revival. Forrest became an exalted cyclops of the Nathan Bedford Forrest Klan No. 1 in Atlanta. He was succeeded in the position by Samuel Green. Her father served under Forrest's grandfather in the Civil War. His sister was historian Mary Forrest Bradley.

Forrest was a member of the Sardis Lodge; the Free and Accepted Masons, Mount Herman chapter; the Royal Arch Masons, Jason Burr council; the Royal and Select Masons; the Atlanta Commandery No. 9 of the Knights Templar; the Arctic Brothers; the Yukon Pioneers; and the North Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Forrest had a stroke in 1930. He died on March 12, 1931, in White Springs, Florida, while visiting there. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.