GRANVILLE C. PEARSON, farmer, was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., July 20, 1831, son of Hiram and Matilda B. (Wilson) Pearson, and of English descent. The father was born in Pittsylvania County, Va., April 9, 1797, and in the year 1819 he wedded Matilda Wilson, who was born in Sumner County, Tenn., May 12, 1802. The father died November 29, 1876, and the mother February 14, 1877. To this worthy couple were born ten children, our subject being the sixth. The Pearson family was among the early settlers of Tennessee, the father of our subject having settled in Rutherford County in 1818.
Our subject received a fair education in the common schools, and at the breaking out of the late war he enlisted in the Confederate Army, Fourth Tennessee Cavalry, under Col. Starnes. He took an active part in the battles of Chickamauga, Knoxville, Resaca and other actions. He was with Gen. Forrest when he captured the large Federal forces under command of Gen. Straight, and was a member of Jefferson Davis escort from Raleigh, N. C. to Washington, Ga. He has now in his possession eighteen Mexican silver dollars of the coinage of 1861, which were paid to him by the order of President Davis for services in the army. These he prized very highly as relics of that memorable struggle. Our subject has a fine farm of 110 acres, on which he lived, surrounded with the general comforts of life. He devotes the principal part of his time and attention to raising fine stock – horses, cattle and mules. The father of our subject was among the most enterprising stock raisers of his locality, owning oat one time 500 acres of land, but lost heavily in the war.
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.