J. A. Barnes, farmer, was born near where he now resides in the Eighth District, in 1828, and is a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Wyatt) Barnes. The father was a native of South Carolina, born in 1795, and of German lineage. When young he left his native State, and immigrated to Stewart County, Tenn., where he lived at the time of his marriage in 1818. He soon moved to Henry County, and in 1828 came to Benton County and bought 200 acres in the Eighth District, where he remained until his career ended. He died in 1844. His wife was a native of Carolina, and was of Irish-German extraction. She died in 1868. Our subject was reared at home, and received but a limited education, not attending school more than two months during his entire life. In 1855 married Mary E. Byrn, a native of Davidson County, Tenn., born in 1832, and the daughter of Stephen and Mary Byrn. The marriage of our subject resulted in the birth of four children: James H., John P., Thomas E. and Edmond B. Mr. Barnes now owns upward of 350 acres, and is one of Benton County's well-to-do farmers. In politics he has stanch Democrat, casting his first presidential vote for Franklin in 1852.
Silas W. Bullock, postmaster of Big Sandy, Tenn., and a native of Benton County, of this State, was born August 13, 1851, son of Obidiah and Penelope (Nobles) Bullock, both natives of North Carolina. The father came to Tennessee in 1838 or 1839, locating the first year in Dyer County, then located on the river, near Point Mason, Benton County and followed farming until his death, December 25, 1885. Our subject reared to manhood on a farm, and securing but a limited English Education, at the age of twenty-two he came to Big Sandy and engaged in the retail liquor business two years, and then accepted a position as a clerk with William Caraway, where he continued two years. He then spent one year prospecting in Texas and Arkansas, after which he returned to Big Sandy and followed the carpenter's trade until 1881, where he resumed his clerkship with Mr. Caraway, and has remained with him since. January, 1886, he engaged in the drug business in Big Sandy with Geo. W. Cantrell, and now has a half interest in the business. March, 1886, he was made postmaster, which position he has since held, having a deputy in the office. Mr. Bullock married his present wife, who was Miss Dora Rushing, February 18, 1886. He lost his first wife by death. He is a Democrat in politics, a Master Mason, and is justly recognized as one among the popular and reliable business men and citizens of Benton County.
William Caraway was born in Smith County, Tenn., May 14, 1836; was reared on a farm; removed to West Tennessee at the age of six years. In 1858 he engaged in the mercantile business in Benton County, one-half a mile from the present town of Big Sandy, where he continued successfully till the Louisville & Nashville Railroad was built, when he moved to a point 400 yards below the station. He assisted largely in building up the town, and has conducted a large mercantile business here ever since. He has been engaged in the saw-mill business for the last five years; also owns and runs a cotton-gin in town. He is a Republican in politics, a Mason, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Travis Davidson, attorney at law of Camden, and ex-register of Benton County, was born in Perry County, Tenn., December 4, 1856, son of L. Berry and Mary J. (Langley) Davidson, natives respectively of Kentucky and Tennessee. Our subject's grandfather, William Davidson, came to Tennessee from Virginia early in the present century, and located in Davidson County, but later moved to Kentucky, where our subject's father was born and reared. L. B. came to Tennessee about sixty years ago, and located in Perry County, where he married and reared a family of nine children, two sons and three daughters now living. He died there December 20, 1860. The mother still survives him. Our subject, Travis, left Perry County at the age of fifteen, and grew to manhood on the farm in this county. He secured a good literary education, and by his own efforts prepared himself for teaching. He followed this profession until 1882, when he was elected register of the county. During his term of office he studied law, and in April, 1885, was admitted to the Benton County bar. From that time to the present he has been actively engaged in his profession, having also served his term of four years as magistrate. In July, 1886, he was elected mayor of Camden, and now fills this position. August 6, 1884, he married Lucy B. Hughes, of McKenzie, Tenn., and to them was born one child, Daisy. Mr. Davidson is a true and unswerving Democrat in politics. He is a member of the 0.0. of H., and he and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he is a deacon. He is a clerk of the session and superintendant of the Sunday-school, and is one of the county's best citizens. He was constable of Second District from 1880 to 1882, and has been a regular correspondent for the Nashville Union since the paper started. Mrs. Davidson is a native of Carroll County, Tenn., and a daugther of William and Virginia (Gaines) Hughes. She was reared in Carroll County and attended McKenzie and later Bethel College, from which she graduated. She studied art for years, which she has made a profession, making specialty of landscape painting in oil, in which she has gained much well merited popularity.
John H. Farmer, magistrate of the Fifth District of Benton and a resident of Camden, was born June 22, 1822, on Sulphur Creek, Benton Co., Tenn. He is the son of George W. and Catherine (Harmon) Farmer. The father was born in Orange County, N. C., in 1798. In 1798 he, in company with his father and sister Catherine, left his native State and immigrated to Robertson County, Tenn. They remained there till 1809 or 1810, when they moved to Humphreys County, and from there to Benton County in 1819. They located on Sulphur Creek, where they lived quite a number of years, and afterward moved to Harmon Creek. The father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and assisted in fighting the Creek Indians. He drew a pension for quite a number of years for services rendered in the war. He died in 1876. His wife, Catherine Harmon, was a native of Middle Tennessee, and died in 1843. Her father, Adam Harmon, was one of the pioneer settlers of Benton County, Harmon Creek being named in his honor. Our subject was reared at home, receiving his education in the country school Camden. At the age of twenty he left home, and in 1851 became a resident of Camden. The following year he was elected constable. He also flatboated on the Mississippi River, making forty-three trips in all, and for twelve years was engaged in merchandising in Camden, at the same time looking after the interests of his farm. In 1859 he was elected sheriff of Benton County, and served the people in that capacity for four years. During the late war he was in the service for about seven months under Gen. Chalmers. In 1865 Mr. Farmer was elected justice of the peace of the Fifth District, and at the same time was elected as chairman of the county court. From 1865 to the present, with the exception of one term, Mr. Farmer has been magistrate, and for many years was chairman of the county court, thus forcibly illustrating his popularity among the people. For over twenty years he has adjusted his neighbors' difficulties with judicial fairness. November 27, 1854, he married Martha Jane Atchison, a native of Henry County, Tenn., born November 11, 1830. She died April 14, 1863. Mr. Farmer is the owner of 900 acres of land, and is one of the substantial citizens of the county. He is a Republican in politics, casting his first vote for Lewis Cass in 1848.
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