E. Falkner, ex-county court clerk, was born November 22, 1846, in the Thirteenth District of Carroll County, and is the son of G. J. and Jane (Tosh) Falkner. The father was of Scotch descent. He was born in 1806, in Anson County, N.C., and was a farmer by occupation. In 1826 he left his native State and immigrated to Carroll County, Tenn. In 1830 he married Miss Nancy Sellars. She died the following year. In 1833 he married Miss Jane Tosh, who was of Irish extraction. She was a native of Christian County, Ky., born in 1804. Mr. Falkner bought 250 acres in the Thirteenth District, where he settled and lived until 1860, when he moved to the Twelfth District and remained until 1875, when he broke up housekeeping and he and his wife went to live with their son, E. He died December 1, 1884, and his wife five days subsequently. He was the father of six children, four by his first wife and two by his second, only two of whom are living, one by his first wife (Nancy, wife of E. P. Philips,) and Mr. Falkner, our subject.
He was reared at home, receiving his education in the native county, making his home with his parents until he was nineteen years of age. After becoming his own master be hired to P. E. Parker as clerk in his dry goods store, and worked for him two years, and the following year, or 1870, he was appointed as census taker of Carroll. In 1871 he clerked for Jo. McCracken & Co. In 1872 he was appointed as assistant assessor in the United States revenue department for a part of the Eighth District, or three counties, Benton, Henry and Weakley. He served two years. In 1874 he commenced merchandising on his own responsibility in Huntingdon and continued three years. In 1878 he was elected as county court clerk on the Republican ticket. In 1882 he was re-elected, and in 1885 he resigned. February 13, 1873, he married Miss Bettie Scott, who was a native of Carroll County, and was born in September, 1846. They have five children: Lula, Joe, Birdie, Elijah J., Wayne. Mr. Falkner resides one mile southeast of Huntingdon, and is the owner of 360 acres. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Lodge No. 106, and himself and wife are members of the Christian Church.
Transcribed by David Donahue
Source: History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Carroll, Henry and Benton Counties, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, Etc., Etc. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978.