Richard A. Blackwell, a prominent citizen of Lauderdale County, was born in
South Carolina, May 6, 1833. His father, Thomas Blackwell, was a native of
North Carolina, and came to Tennessee in 1837, settling in Hardin County on
the east side of the Tennessee River, where he engaged in farming, and had a
saw and grist-mill. He was married twice in South Carolina. Our subject was
the fourth child born to the last marriage. After living four years in Hardin
County he moved to Haywood, and two years later to Lauderdale County, where he
died in February 1867. Our subject’s mother died September 1876. Richard
Blackwell was raised on the farm, and engaged in farming and saw-milling. In
1858 he went to South Carolina on a visit and remained until 1861, when he
enlisted in South Carolina Cavalry (Confederate Army), and served through the
war. He was at the siege of Port Royal, and in the battles of Grahamville,
Waterboro and other places; his command was disbanded at Greensboro, N.C.,
January 7, 1863. He was married to Miss L. C. Buche, a daughter of A. A.
Buche, a prominent rice planter. To this marriage were born Alonzo P., at
Mathews Bluff, while on the retreat, before Sherman’s army, December 26, 1864;
Thomas A., May 27, 1866; Edgar M., November 15, 1867; Mary E., in Georgia,
December 15, 1868, and Allie May, in West Tennessee, December 31, 1879. Mrs.
Blackwell was born in Buford District, S.C., April 8, 1841. After the war he
moved to Georgia, and remained four years; then settled in Haywood County,
Tenn., and in 1874 moved to Lauderdale and located at his present homestead.
In 1882 he erected a sawmill at a cost of $4,000, and in October 1884, it was
destroyed by fire, but in less than three months he had built another mill,
costing $5,000, with a capacity of 20,000 feet a day. Mr. Blackwell owns 242
acres of land with a handsome new residence on it. He is a Democrat and a
Mason and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Mrs. Blackwell is
a Missionary Baptist. He is one of the substantial, influential men of this
county.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN