Biographies from Goodspeed 6

Anderson County Tennessee

Biographies from Goodspeed

Continued

G.B.R. Lea, a leading farmer of the Fourth District, was born in Cocke County, Tenn., October 23, 1830, the son of Eppa and Mary (Rodgers) Lea. The father was born in Caswell County, N.C., April 11, 1792, and was the son of Herndon Lea, also a native of North Carolina. The father settled Jefferson County, Tenn., in 1806, and in 1839 move to Anderson County. He died October 5, 1885. The mother was born in Jefferson County, Tenn., the daughter of George Rodgers, who was of Irish birth. She died June 11, 1836. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Our subject was reared in Anderson County, and attended the neighboring schools, finishing his education at Union Academy, Clinton. He followed farming until November 4, 1862, when he enlisted in the Federal Army, Company L. Capt. James Morris, Second Regiment Tennessee Cavalry. He served until the close, and was mustered out in Nashville July 16, 1865. He then returned to the farm. He now owns a fine farm of 150 acres on the river in the Fourth District. December 26, 1867, he married Darcus Miller, who was born in Washington County, Va., in 1839, and died June 22, 1868. Oct. 13, 1870, he married Fannie Tunnell, who was born in Anderson County, March 11, 1840, the daughter of John Cox. One of their five children is deceased; the others are

  • Mary E., born May 28, 1878
  • Charles R., May 11, 1875
  • Eppa, April 2, 1877
  • John M., February 22, 1880.

Our subject is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is postmaster at Clinch River Post Office, and is one of the progressive men of his district, esteemed by those who know him.

J. E. Longmire was born in Anderson County November 14, 1838, and is the son of Reuben M. and Elizabeth (Wallace) Longmire. The father was a native of Campbell County, Tenn., and was born February 19, 1817, and was the son of Elijah Longmire, a native of North Carolina. He removed to Anderson County when a young man, and followed farming. He served as register of the county, and died September 9, 1857. The mother was born in Anderson County April 17, 1819, and is the daughter of David Wallace, a Tennesseean by birth. Our subject was reared on the farm and attended Union Academy, at Clinton. December 1, 1861, he left home, going to Indiana, where he visited an uncle for a while, and then went West, where for twenty-one years he worked in the gold and silver mines in Colorado, Montana, Idaho, British Columbia, Washington Territory, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, and California. His life in the mines was varied, full of hardships and adventures, and it was with a feeling of rest and content that he returned from California in February, 1884, and settled down to the quiet and domestic life of a farmer on his beautiful river farm, two miles from Clinton. He was married October 1, 1884, to Martha Moore, who was born October 28, 1845, and is the daughter of Samuel Moore. To this union one child, James Moss, was born July 24, 1885. The wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

 

Elijah Longmire, farmer, was born in Anderson County, Tenn., March 22, 1845, the son of Henderson and Sciota (Hibbs) Longmire, natives of Tennessee, the former of Irish stock and the latter of Dutch parentage. Farm life and the country school were the lot of our subjects youth, and when twenty-one he began for himself with no capital, and is now one the ablest farmers in the Second District. In 1866 he married Mary E., a daughter of John and Rosana (Lamar) Wallace. She was born December 2, 1848. Their children were

  • Altavena
  • Martha(deceased)
  • Charles
  • Franklin
  • Flora
  • Wayne
  • Lulu and
  • Maud.

The mother of these children belongs to the Baptist Church, and their father has, as one great object, their education, being a man much interested in religious and educational improvement. He is a follower of the Democratic banner. He owns a well improved farm of 200 acres, and his life is a fair example of what perseverance can do.

Dolph Lowe was born at Concord, Knox Co., Tenn., October 15, 1846, and is the son of Isaac L. and Malinda (Matlock) Lowe. The father was born at Lowe’s Ferry, Knox County, in 1807, and is the son of Virginia parents, his father being one of the first settlers of East Tennessee who settled on Holston river and established on of the first ferries and tavern, it being a stopping place for stages between Kingston and Maryville. The father is now one of the oldest farmers of Anderson County. The mother was born in Roane County, Tenn., about 1814. Both parents are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the father being one of the charter members of the first church of that denomination organized in Knox County or East Tennessee. Our subject was reared on the farm in Knox and Anderson Counties, and acquired his education at Ewing and Jefferson College, in Blount County. He began life when about eighteen years of age, farming and teaching school. In connection with other business, he has followed farming as a vocation. He has served as school commissioner for three years, and is now holding the office of justice of the peace, to which he was elected in 1887. He was married January 30, 1867, to Sabra L. Cross, who was born in Anderson County in 1849, and is the daughter of Col. William Cross, of that county. To this union six children have been born, as follows:

  • William C. born in 1870
  • Joseph H., born in 1872
  • Mary M., born in 1875
  • Samuel C., born in 1877
  • Ernest, born in 1878
  • and Jennie C., born in 1880.

Goodspeed’s pages 1114 – 1115

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