WILLIAM J. SHOFNER was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., May 3, 1819, and is a son of Christopher and Elizabeth (Jenning) Shofner, who died in 1826 and in 1845, respectively. To them were born four daughters and four sons, three of whom are yet living.
Our subject resided with his widowed mother on a farm until her death, and about four years later located on his farm of 480 acres. He has been very successful in his business ventures, and has given his five married sons a good farm each. In 1846 he married Rhoda Boone, who was born May 19, 1828. She and husband became the parents of the following family: Jeptha B., born in 1847; James B., born in 1849; Christopher H., born in 1851; George F., born in 1854; William H., born in 1856; Albert, born in 1859, and died in 1861; Elizabeth M., born in 1861; Daniel W., born in 1864, and Newton M., born in 1868, and died in 1871. Mrs. Shofner’s parents were William and Sallie (Howard) Boone. The father was born in Kentucky, and is a distant relative of Daniel Boone. Her mother was born In 1803 and died in 1843. Her father then married Margaret Moore. He died in 1854 and the stepmother in 1873.
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.