HON. REUBEN C. COUCH, farmer, was born in Bedford County, Tenn., January 13, 1830, son of Joseph and Catherine (Patton) COUCH, and of Scotch Irish descent. The father was born in South Carolina October 9, 1787, and the mother in Buncombe County, N.C., July 10, 1796. They were married in 1813, and to them were born twelve children. The father was a soldier in the war of 1812 under Gen. Jackson. He was a farmer by occupation, and died March 19, 1861. The mother followed March 10, 1886.
Our subject’s maternal grandmother was a daughter of Rhoda CUNNIGHAM, who came from Ireland. She is living in Bedford County, Tenn., and is in her ninety-third year. She has at this time 306 living descendants, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even to the fourth generation. What is most consoling to the declining years of this most venerable matron, is that our of this long line of descendants none have yet done ought to detract form the character of an honest family.
Our subject received his education in the common schools, and followed farming up to the time of the war. He enlisted with the boys in blue in the Fifth Tennessee Cavalry. He was commissioned as a lieutenant, and afterward promoted to captain, in which capacity he served through the war. He participated in the battle of Stone River, and various skirmishes. After the war he was elected clerk of the county court, and served several years in the revenue department. He was a member of the lower house of the Thirty-eighth General Assembly. November 23, 1865, he wedded Miss Mary J. DYER, daughter of William H. DYER, and to them were born three children: Reuben C., Lester and Emily G. James PATTON, our subject’s maternal grandfather, was one of the pioneers of Tennessee.
He reared a family of twelve children – eleven daughters and one son. All lived to be married. Among the daughters there were seven living at one time, all widows, and the youngest over seventy years of age. The mother of our subject, just before her death, had descendants to the number of 266, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Mr. COUCH is a Republican, a Mason, and he and wife and daughters are members of the Baptist Church. He has a fine farm of 275 acres in a fine state of cultivation.
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.