James G. Haywood, M. D., of Brownsville, Tenn., was born in Davidson County, Tenn., June 1, 1826, being a son of Thomas and Susan (Glasgow) Haywood, and a grandson of the gifted Judge John Haywood. Our subject’s parents were both natives of North Carolina.
James G. was reared in his native county until his fifteenth year, when he went to New Orleans and engaged as clerk in the mercantile business. He received a good literary education from his father in youthful days. In 1845 he came to Brownsville and began the study of medicine under his uncle, Dr. Egbert Haywood, and later attended the medical department of the University of Louisville, where he took a course of lectures. In 1847 he engaged in the practice of his profession in this county at Woodville. One year later he became a partner with Dr. A. J. Barbee in the county, and in 1850 engaged in practice in Brownsville, but some two or three years later removed to the country and did not return to town until 1867, since which time he has been engaged continuously in practice here, having acquired a large and lucrative practice and met with more than ordinary and well deserved success – In 1862 the Doctor raised a company of Cavalry from this and Lauderdale Counties and participated in the late war as captain of Company M, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, from the spring of 1862 to January, 1863.
January 30, 1856, the Doctor married Miss Harriett B. Read, a native of North Carolina, who died January 25, 1871. To them were born eight children, four now living: Mary G., the wife of H. M. Stone, of this county; James G., a practicing physician in Dakota, being in the employ of the United States Government; Alfred R., a graduate of the Memphis Hospital Medical College and a partner of his father, and Wm. Henry.
Dr. Haywood was a Democrat in politics, before and since the war, but belonged to the Douglas faction of the party before the war, and was strongly opposed to the war of the States, but after that sanguinary struggle came on, naturally espoused the Southern cause. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, in which faith his wife died. Dr. Haywood has always taken an active part and interest in laudable public and private enterprises of the county; is an ancient Mason and justly recognized as an enterprising and reliable citizen of the county, and a medical practitioner of experience and ability.
Goodspeed Pub. Co. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Lauderdale, Tipton, Haywood and Crockett Counties, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, Etc., Etc. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1887.