MURPHEY, Kemp

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Kemp Murphey, the most extensive merchant of this county, was born here July 21, 1841, and is the son of Abraham and Mary Murphy. The former was born in Orange County, N. C., May 18, 1796, and the latter in Caswall County, N.C. Abraham Murphey was the son of John Murphy, a native of Orange County, N. C., who immigrated to Claiborne County, Tenn., in the year 1798, and died in his eighty-second year. He was married three times; first to Sarah Purvine in the year 1813, who bore him two sons and one daughter; secondly to Mary Walker, who bore him three sons; and thirdly to Catherine Wills, September 13,1857. He removed from Claiborne County, Tenn., to New Market, Jefferson Co., Teon., about the year 1833. Thence he removed to Eiizabethton, Carter Co., Teon., and engaged in the mercantile business; thence to Dugger’s Ferry In the laet named county; thence into this (Johnson County), where he engaged in the manufacture of iron; and in merchandising, which two callings he pursued until the beginning of the war in 1861. After the war he settled at Mountain City, then called Taylorsville, and engaged in the mercantile business in partnership with two of his sons, Kemp and Elbert, under the firm name of Murphey & Sons. He retired from thefirm in the year 1875, after which the two brothers continued the business uritil July 27, 1884, when Elbert one of the brothers died, and since then Kemp, the surviving partner, has continued the business in his own name, and has carried a stock of $8,000, doing an annual business of $20,000. He also owns and operates a large tannery at Mountain City. He was educated at Holston College, New Market, Jefferson Co., Tenn. In the late war he espoused the Union cause, and enlisted in Company B, Fourth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, and was captured at McMinnville, Tenn., in October, 1862, but was paroled and joined his command at Lexington, Ky. Re was mustered out at Knoxville, Tenn., in 1865. In 1869 he married Susan C. Wills, a daughter of James H. Wills, horn in April, 1853, in this county. They have seven children living. Ha and his wife are Methodists. His father was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, from about the year 1822, continuously, up to his death, which occurred February 6, 1882.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

MOCK, Emanuel Hoser

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Emanuel Hoser Mock, farmer, was born in Washington County, Va., January 19,1838, the son of Henry and Nancy (Gibbs) Mock, the former horn in Surry (now Davy) County, N.C., September 8, 1794, the son of Henry Sr. and Katy (Black) Mock, of German origin. In 1820 the father married Nancy Gibbs, and in 1840 married Mary Katron; Mary K. Wright became his wife in 1857. He is the father of thirty children, and now lives in Virginia. Our subject grew up on the farm, working with his father, until eighteen years of age, when he became a millwright. He continued this thirteen years, and since 1869 has been successfully farming, at his present home, where he now owns 400 acres, although be began life with little capital. In 1869 he married Levenia F. Wills, a daughter of H. B. and Rebecca (Duff) Wills, and born in this county August 26, 1851. Their children are Edwin M. L., horn October 31,1870; William H., born October 8,1872; Lewis E., born Apr11 6, 1875; Sophia A., born November 9, 1877; Nancy E., born September 17, 1880; Bessie J., born July 24, 1883, and Charles II., born July 2, 1886. He and his wife are Methodists.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

MITCHELL, James S.

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James S. Mitchell, merchant, was horn in this county, December 7, 1849, the son of Ryder M. and Sarah (Slimp) Mitchell, the former born in Stokes County, N. C., in 1819, was the son of John Mitchell. The father became a pioneer farmer of this county, and now lives near Mountain City. The mother was born in this county, in 1815, the daughter of Michael Slimp. Both were members of the Baptist Church. Our subject, the fifth of ten children, was reared with rural advantages, and in 1870 began, alternately, teaching and attending school, for about four years. In 1879 he became a merchant’s clerk, and January 1, 1884, began his present business, in which he carries a stock of about $4,000, and does an annual business of ahottt $15,000. September 6, 1578, he married Alice, the daughter of Jones and Mary (Smithpeter) Smith, the former born in 1819, a son of Daniel Smith. She was horn in Carter County, July 18, 1855. Their only daughter, Mary B., was horn May 18, 1877.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

GRANT, H.T.

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H. T. Grant, farmer, was born in 1848 in Washington County, Va., the third of ten children of Archibald S. and Margaret (Orr) Grant, natives of that county, and of English origin. He was a farmer and stock dealer, and both were active Methodists. The grandparents Archibald and Jennie (McGinnis) Grant, natives of England and Washington County, respectively. The former was brought to this country when a child; first to Kingston, NC., then to Maryland, and finally to Washington County, Va., where he died, as a farmer. His wife was the daughter of Archibald afid Polly (Hope) Orr, natives of the same county, the former, a son of James, a native of Ireland, and a weaver by trade, one of whose instruments is owned by H. T. Our subject was thirteen years old when they came this county, and after his education, when twenty years old, he began for himself, with a little inherited property. In 1862 he enlisted in Company A, Fifth North Carolina Confederate Cavalry, and served at Chickamauga, and until the surrender of Johnston’s army. August 28, 1877, he married Frances, a daughter of Peter and Sophia (McCowan) Wills, natives of this county and Virginia, respectively, and of German and Irish origin. He and his wife are Methodists, and he is a Democrat.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

DONNELLY, H.C.

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H. C. Donnelly, merchant and farmer, was born in this county in 1840, the youngest of thirteen children of Richard and Rebecca (Doren) Donnelly, the former born August 17, 1790, in Virginia, and the latter a daughter of Alexander Doren, an old resident of this county. The grandfather went to Rockingbam County, Va. and then to Wilkes County, N.C., when Richard was a young man, and the latter went to Washington County, Va, when of age, and afterward to Johnson County, locating near Taylorsville now Mountain City. He was a justice for many years, a Whig, and afterward a Republican. The first camp meeting ever held in this region was on his farm. His father Robert, was horn in Dublin, and was engaged in teaching and farming. Richard enlisted in the war of 1812, and served one month. Our subject was fairly educated, and now owns a fine farm of about 675 acres, besides some in other parts of the county. He is one of the firm of Donnelly & Smith, merchants at Shoun’s Cross Roads. June 13, 1866, he married M. A., a daughter of Henderson and Sarah (Baker) Shoun, natives of Johnson County, the former a son of Leonard, one of the earliest settlers of Carter County. Their children are Marietta, Joseph S., Sarah V. and Richard H. Both are Methodists. He is a Republican, and a Master Mason. His farm includes the old Leonard homestead, on which father-in-law is buried. He has been postmaster ever since 1869.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

DONNELLY, Alfred T.

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Capt. Alfred T. Donnelly, a prominent lawyer and farmer, was born at the old Donnelly homestead near Mountain City, March 9, 1888, the son of Richard and Rebecca (Doran) Donnelly, the former born in Albemarle County, Va., August 17, 1790, she of Robert, a native of Dublin, Ireland, who came to the above county, thence. to Rockingham County, Wilkes County, N. C., and finally to Carter (now Johnson) County, Tenn., where he was a farmer. The father, also a farmer, was a prominent magistrate and constable, whose death occurred on August 26, 1870. The mother was born September 9, 1796, in Washington County, Va., the daughter of Alexander Doran, who came to this county in its early settlement and settled at Head of Laurel, where he was a prominet farmer, and major in the militia. Richard Donnelly enlisted in the war of 1812 and served one month, when peace was declared, and assisted in removing the Indians; was also in the Legislature at Knoxville. She died December 28, 1876. Our subject, the twelfth of thirteen children, was educated at Taylorsville (now Mountain City) Academy and at Boone’s Creek, in Washington County. In September, 1863, he left teaching the study of law, to join Company D, Thirteenth Tennessee Federal Cavalry, became a sergeant-major, and afterward lieutenant, and, while in camp near Knoxville became captain. He was mustered out September 5, 1865, and resumed his law studies this county, where he was admitted to the bar the same year. He first entered into partnership with the late Col. H. Love and N. M. Taylor, now of Bristol, Tenn. At the end of one year he formed a partnership with Judge H. R. Butler (his brother-in-law), which partnership has continued twenty years and still exists. (Judge R. R. Butler was in Congress for eight or ten years after the late war, and is the present member from the First District of Tennessee). Mr. Donnelly has been successful in practice, and became county school superintendent in January, 1878, serving six years. He also has a farm of 175 acres near Mountain City, which he cultivates. He is a Mason. He was also deputy assessor and collector of internal revenue for several years.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

DONNELLY, Dr. James D.

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Dr. James D. Donnelly, the oldest physician of Mountain City, was born near there December 5, 1823, the son of Richard and Rebecca (Doran) Donnelly, the former bron in Albemarle County, Va., August 17, 1790, the son of Robert, a native of Ireland, boren in 1760, and who came to Virginia, and at an early date to Carter (now Johnson) County, where he died in 1882. The father was a farmer and served several years as magistrate. His death occurred August 26, 1870. The mother, horn in Washington County, Va., September 9, 1796, was the daughter of Alexander Doran, and died December 28, 1876, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our the fourth of thirteen children was educated at Taylorsville, and began reading medicine at Elizabethton in 1846, with Dr. Joseph Powell. He began practice in 1848 at his present residence, and for sixteen years served as United States pension examine, acting as president of the board. He was trustee for four years and for twelve years acted as school commissioner. January 27, 1860 he married Frances L., a daughter of Archibald Orr, and born in Washington County, Va. They have eight children, while two are deceased. She is a Methodist.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

CHURCH, James Henry

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James Henry Church, a prominent lawyer, was born near Elk Cross Roads, Ashe County, N. C., May 5, 1852, the son of Wiley and Margaret (Ray) Church, the former born in said county, March 15,1812, the son of a native of that State. The father is a farmer, living at our subject’s birth-place, a prominent man, and was postmaster under President Lincoln’s first administration. He is a Baptist. The mother, horn in that county in 1817, is the daughter of William Ray, and a Baptist. Our subject, the youngest, except one, of nine children, received a good common-school education, and left the farm when of age to engage in teaching, which he followed in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee. He finished his education at the Masonic Institute, Moutain City, (Taylorsville), Tenn., and began law in May, 1874, under Hon R. R. Butler, gaining admittance to the bar in July, 1875, and began practice. He became a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, serving on the Jonesboro Circuit in Washington County, Tenn., one year, and went West. He returned from Kansas to Mountain City, and since January, 1881, has been exclusively engaged in his profession of law, and is an able and successful lawyer. May 5, 1874, he married Virginia L., the daughter of the the said Hon. R. R. Butler, born December 19, 1850. Their children are Richard Connolly and a twin sister Hattie Elixabeth, born August 25, 1875 (the sister deceased the 9th of the following November), and William Rollin, born December 26, 1877. The mother is a Methodist.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

BROWN, S.J.

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S. J. Brown, farmer and stock dealer, was born in 1843, in Watauga County, N. C., the fourth of ten children of James and Harriet (Farthing) Brown, natives of North Carolina, who came to this county in 1846, the former of English and the latter of Scotch-English stock. They were engaged in farming and stock dealing. Our subject was three years old when they came to this county, and when seventeen began for himself. In 1861he enlisted in Company D, First North Carolina Confederate Cavalry, serving at Chickamauga, where he was wounded, and then transferred to the Sixth North Carolina Regiment, and surrendered with Johnston’s army. After returning, he studied law, and attended school, and was admitted to the bar January 18,1868, by the supreme court of North Carolina. Circumstances compelled him to become a hardware clerk at Salisbury, N. C., and six years later at another place. where for two years he engaged independently, and since then has been at his present location, as a farmer. In February, 1874, he married Addle, a daughter of Jacob and Celia (Perkins) Wagner, natives of this and Ashe County, N. C., respectively. The former is a son of Mathias, who settled in this county on our subject’s present farm, about 1789. Our subject’s children are Tallulah W., Charles W. W., Thomas J. and Addielee. Both are Methodists, and he a Democrat, and a Master Mason. Our subject received about $3,000 of property through his wife, but now owns a fine farm of 400 acres, and is an enterprising farmer.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)

BROWN, James

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James Brown, farmer and stock dealer, was born October 21, 1811, in Ashe County, N.C., the youngest of eight children of Joseph and Anna (Hayler) Brown, natives of Wilkes and Anson Counties, N. C., respectively. The father was an expert deer hunter. The grandfather, James Brown, was a native of England, and his wife was of German descent. He was a farmer. When of age, our subject began independently as a farmer and now owns a fine place of 800 acres, besides a farm in Hawkins County. September 14, 1837, he married Harriet N., a daughter of William and Polly (Halliburton) Farthing natives of North Carolina, the former a Missionary Baptist minister. Their children were Joseph H., Nancy E., Barton H., Stephen J., Mary E. (deceased), Sallie L. (deceased), Eva A., Martha C., Julian M. and Dudley F. He and his wife are Baptists, and also several of their children. He had two sons in the late war, one, Barton R., having organized the only Confederate company in this county, of which company Stephen J. was first lieutenant. Our subject is a Democrat.

Transcribed from Godspeed’s History of TN (1896)