C. B. RANEY, farmer, of Bedford County, was born June 18, 1838, son of John W. and Catharine (Rolinson) Raney. The father was a native of Virginia, born in 1806, and immigrated to this county at an early day, settling in Bedford County. He was the father of a family of eight children, six of whom lived to be grown. John W. Raney was a farmer, and was accidentally killed in 1841. He was a worthy member or the Free-Will Baptist Church. The mother is still living.
Our subject grew to manhood on the farm, and in 1865 began working for himself. Previous to this he had enlisted in the Confederate Army, in the Forty-first Tennessee Regiment, and in 1861 was elected lieutenant in the company, but gave up his position to make harmony in the ranks, and acted as orderly sergeant. He was again elected lieutenant, and was soon made second lieutenant of the company. He was captured at Fort Donelson and carried to Camp Morton, where he remained eight months. He was then exchanged, and went back into service, and was in the battles of Vicksburg, Jackson, Raymond, Port Hudson, Corinth, Chickamauga and numerous other important battles, as his regiment was never in any important engagement without him. In 1878 he was married to Miss Victoria Campbell, and to this union two children were born: Eunice and William. In politics he is a stanch Democrat.
Transcribed by Kathryn Hopkins
Goodspeed Publishing Co. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford & Marshall Counties, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Reminescences [Sic], Observations, Etc., Etc. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1988.