GRIGSBY, Thomas K. (Colonel)
Col. Thomas K. Grigsby, one of Dickson County’s prominent citizens and clerk of the county court, was born July 31, 1823, in Madison County, Ala., being the second of a family of eight children of Samuel and Dorcas (Wyly) Grigsby. The parents lived and died in Alabama, the father’s occupation being that of a farmer. When our subject was but about seventeen years old he left home and began life for himself, working about on farms for two years. At the age of nineteen he came to Waverly, Tenn., and engaged as clerk in a store. In this vocation he continued until 1848, when he married and came to Charlotte and began merchandising, in which he was very successful until 1861. He then enlisted in Company B, Forty-ninth Tennessee, as captain. He was captured at Fort Donelson and retained as prisoner nine months. Upon the reorganization of the regiment he was elected lieutenant-colonel and was promoted to the colonelcy, which he resigned on account of physical disability. Returning home he engaged at farming for a few years. In 1870 he was elected to the office of which he is now the incumbent and has held it continuously by re-election ever since. He is extensively interested in real estate, and now owns over 3,000 acres of land. He was married in 1846 to Sarah A. Priestley, the result of this union being four children. The eldest son, James P., was a physician, and died of the yellow fever while bravely caring for those distressed at Erin in 1878. The others are Samuel W., William D. and Theodosia (the wife of D. S. Major of Cheatham County). This wife died in 1871, and Mr. Grigsby then chose and wedded, in 1874, Jane Hendrick, of Jefferson County, Tenn., by nativity. Five children have blessed this union, two of whom died in infancy, named Kelly and Mabel. The others are Thomas K., John W. and Harris. Both Mr. Grigsby and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Politically he was formerly an old line Whig, casting his first vote for Henry Clay. He is now a firm Democrat and is justly recognized as the most popular citizen of Dickson County.