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SIMPSON, George W. (1833- )

George W. Simpson was born in 1833, in Southbridge, Mass., being one of the family of Pearley and Hannah (Harwood) Simpson. The father was a merchant, and died in 1867. The mother still lives at the old homestead at the age of eighty-seven years. Our subject was reared at home and received a common school education, and attended an academy one term. He left his parents at the age of twenty-two and went to Warren County, Ill., and engaged at merchandising there till August, 1862, when he came to Fort Donelson and sold goods under military permit. He then pursued merchandising at Clarksville two years. From 1866 till 1876 he served in the internal revenue department. Thence he went to Benton County and sold merchandise till 1884, when he came to Erin and was connected with the Arlington Lime Company. He also held an interest in the Stewart Manufacturing Company from February, 1883, till March 1, 1886. He was married in 1867 to Gertie Bradley, who bore him a daughter, Carrie H., and died in 1868. In June, 1876, he was united in marriage to Margaretha Rauscher. This marriage was blessed in the birth of a son, George M.  In November, 1878, this wife died of yellow fever. His last marriage, in January, 1883, was to Miss E. F. Thompson, of Wilson County, Tenn., the result of this union being two children, one of whom is living, Lillian G. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches, respectively. He is a firm Republican in politics, and a valued man of Houston County.

Transcribed by Susan Knight Gore

Source: Goodspeed, Weston A, and John Wooldridge. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Montgomery, Robertson, Humphreys, Stewart, Dickson, Cheatham and Houston Counties. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1886.

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SALISBURY, Barton V.

Barton V. Salisbury is a native of New York State. He was of a family born to the marriage of Russell Salisbury and Mary Downer. The parents lived in New York till B. V. was about five years old, when they moved to Wisconsin, where the father died in 1867. In 1868 our subject came to Houston County, and in about 1872 the mother and her youngest daughter came to the same county. The father was a cabinetmaker. The immediate subject of this sketch was born September 14, 1848. He received but a common school education. Upon coming to Houston County he worked for his brother in the manufacture of lime. After four years he engaged on a railroad, and was conductor of a freight train for about nine years. In 1883 he engaged as a partner in the Stewart Manufacturing Company in the manufacture of cooperage, lumber, lime, etc. His marriage ceremony was solemnized in 1878, uniting him in matrimonial bonds to Miss Martha Rauscher. A family of two children has blessed this union. Their names are Frank and Ethel. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically Mr. Salisbury has always been a Republican. He is one of the prominent and highly respected citizens of Stewart and of Houston County.

Transcribed by Susan Knight Gore

Source: Goodspeed, Weston A, and John Wooldridge. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Montgomery, Robertson, Humphreys, Stewart, Dickson, Cheatham and Houston Counties. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1886.

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RAUSCHER, George E. ( 1845- )

George E. Rauscher, one of Houston County’s most prominent business men, was born December 23, 1845, in Beaver County, Penn., being the third in a family of eleven children born to the marriage of George Rauscher and Caroline Goehring, natives of France and Pennsylvania, respectively. The father was a merchant and farmer. He came to America about 1820, and married the mother in Pennsylvania, where he lived and died. The mother is now living in Erin. Our subject was reared on a farm and secured a fair business education. He remained with his parents till attaining his majority, and then he came to Erin, Tenn., where he engaged in saw-milling for one year successfully. He then began general merchandising in 1869, and has ever since continued in that business very successfully. In 1883 he connected himself with other parties in organizing the Arlington Lime Company, the manufacture of lime. He is the secretary of that company. He is also a member of the Stewart Manufacturing Company, at Stewart, in this county, in the manufacture of staves, heading, lumber and barrels,and in merchandising also at Stewart. October 1, 1872, he was married to Lizzie Campbell, a native of Pennsylvania. Five children have been born to this union, all of whom are now living. Their names are as follows: Ira W., Arthur C., Callie E., George and Bertha. Mr. Rauscher, his wife and eldest child are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Rauscher is a firm Republican. He was the first mayor of Erin, and held the office several terms. He is one of the prominent men of the community, and as a citizen of Houston County he is very highly respected as a moral, honorable and very successful business man.

Transcribed by Susan Knight Gore

Source: Goodspeed, Weston A, and John Wooldridge. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Montgomery, Robertson, Humphreys, Stewart, Dickson, Cheatham and Houston Counties. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1886.

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LEE, James S. (1830- )

James S. Lee, clerk of the County Court of Houston County, was born May 26, 1830, within the present limits of Houston County. He was the youngest, but one, of eight children born to the marriage of John W. Lee and Elizabeth Hawkins, natives of North Carolina. The father was born about 1790. He married the mother in that State, and soon after came to Tennessee, where he followed farming. He was one of the prominent pioneers, and bore the high esteem of the people. His death occurred in 1849, and his mother in 1884, she being in her eighty-sixth year. Our subject was reared on a farm, and had the common school educational advantages, and has acquired his education mainly by his personal application outside of school. He remained with his parents till he married at the age of twenty-five, after whichhis mother lived with him till her death. He taught school in this county two
and a half years, and then engaged in mercantile business at Ashley, Ill., for
one year. He then returned to Tennessee. In 1861 he enlisted in Company I,
Fiftieth Tennessee Volunteers, Confederate States Army, in which he served three months at Fort Donelson, and was discharged because of sickness. He was then a mercantile clerk till 1871, when he was elected to the office he now holds, the only incumbent ever in the office. In 1873-74 he read law, which he now practices. October 13, 1856, he was married to Sarah C. Richardson, a native of this county. Eight children have been born to this union, viz.: Ella, the wife of William Wilson, of Stewart County; Minnie, the wife of E. W. Rauscher, of Erin; James S., Alma, Robert E., Harry, Sallie, and Harrison C., who died at sixteen years of age. The wife died October 1, 1885. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Lee is a member of the Knight Templar Degree, F. & A.M. Politically he is a firm Democrat, and stands high in his party and as a citizen.

Transcribed by Susan Knight Gore

Source: Goodspeed, Weston A, and John Wooldridge. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Montgomery, Robertson, Humphreys, Stewart, Dickson, Cheatham and Houston Counties. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1886.

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HAGLER, B. F.

B. F. Hagler, a merchant of Erin, was one of a family born to the union of William Hagler and Delilah Pegrim. His father died when he was but about three years old, and his mother, when he was about twelve years old. He then lived with an uncle to the age of fifteen, when he began his own support, having had very limited educational advantages, his schooling being only what he earned himself. After attending a two-years’ term of school he began teaching and continued till the war, when he enlisted in Company B, Fourteenth Tennessee Volunteers, C.S.A., where he served till the fall of 1862, when he became physically disabled. In the winter of 1862 he entered the cavalry service and continued therein till the surrender. He received a gun-shot wound in the left elbow, at Franklin, Tenn. After the war he engaged at general carpenter’s work for two years, and then at railroad bridging for about eight years. Since then he has pursued his trade, farmed, and sold merchandise. He established his present business in 1883. September 2, 1872, Callie Rauscher became his wife, who lived to be the mother of two children: Guy L. and Blanche C., and died October 29, 1876. He chose and wedded his present wife, Bettie (Pollard) Hagler, February 12, 1878, the result of this union being three children: Rooke, Daisy and Grover C. Mrs. Hagler is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Politically Mr. Hagler is a firm Democrat, and he is a good citizen of Houston and a self-made man.

Transcribed by Susan Knight Gore

Source: Goodspeed, Weston A, and John Wooldridge. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Montgomery, Robertson, Humphreys, Stewart, Dickson, Cheatham and Houston Counties. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1886.