Pulaski riot freedmen gathered at the door of the store, some eighteen whites rushed and shot at them at close range. They murdered one man, mortally wounded another, and injured four. No white was injured or prosecuted. The incident was investigated by the Freedmen's Bureau office of Nashville, Tennessee. In December 1865, white Confederate veterans had founded the Ku Klux Klan, a secret vigilante organization, in Pulaski. Chapters had been started in numerous other towns in Tennessee and other states. Members generally operated in groups and often threatened intended victims at night, trying to suppress black political actions and sometimes economic enterprises.
First Tennessee was created in 1969. Two years later, this became First Tennessee National Corporation, with the intention of acquiring other banks. The company acquired five banks in 1972, and as more banks became part of the company, their names changed to First Tennessee Bank. In 1977, First National also became First Tennessee Bank. In 1981 First Express became the first national check-clearing service, and First Tennessee offered brokerage services starting the next year. In 1995, with the purchases of Maryland National Mortgage Corporation and SNMC Management Corporation, First Tennessee had $6 billion in mortgage origination and was one of the country's