JAMES D. JEFFRESS was born August 18, 1841, in Bedford County. His father, Thomas B. Jeffress, was born in Virginia in 1803 and came to Tennessee in about 1836. While in Virginia he wedded Pollie H. Carter, who was born about 1805. They died in 1876 and 1856, respectively. James was the fifth of their seven children. He entered the Confederate Army in 1861, in Company C, Twenty-third Tennessee Regiment, and was through the entire war, but was not wounded. He was in many of the principal battles, Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro and Knoxville being examples.
Since the war he has farmed, and since 1878 has tilled the old homestead, which he purchased, March 7, 1867, he was united in marriage to Frances A. Clay, born in Bedford County, February 16, 1846. Three children were born to this union: Annie Lee, Sallie H. and Thomas Ewing. Mr. Jeffress has a comfortable competency and is a man of intelligence and education. He and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and he is a Democrat politically.
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.