Randle, Edwin H.
In early colonial days there came from England two brothers by the name of
Randolph, who settled in Roanoke County, Va. Three sons of each moved to North
Carolina and settled along the Great Peedee River. To this source many of the
best families of our country can be traced. The old English Randolph, by
corruption has become Randol, Randal, and Randle, while others retain the
original Randolph, and many of this stock have become eminent as ministers,
physicians, military men and educators; but few as lawyers. Our subject,
Prof. Edwin H. Randle, traces his lineage to this source. On his father’s
side (one of the brothers), Maj. John, Wilson and George; on his mother’s side
(the other brother), William, Peyton and Susan Randle, our subject’s parents
being George and Susan Randle. They were brought from North Carolina to
Stewart County, Tenn. when small. After marriage they moved to West
Tennessee, and spent the remainder of their days. They had six sons and three
daughters, our subject being the only one living. He was born December 18,
1830, in Henry County, and was educated at Andrew College, at Trenton, Tenn.,
graduating there in 1856, and has since been engaged in educational work. In
1860 he married Letitia Alexander, by whom he had one son — Samuel T. Mrs.
Randle died three years after their marriage. During the latter part of the
war he served in Buford’s division of Forrest’s cavalry, and was assistant
sergeant in the quartermaster’s department. In 1869 Prof. Randle married
Sarah A. McPherson, by whom he had three children: Mary W., Malcolm M. and
Edwin I. Prof. Randle has been a close student and a useful man in the field
of education. In 1856 he established Caledonia College, at Caledonia, Henry
Co., Tenn., and was at the head of it until it was burned during the war. He
afterward established, in the same county, the Paris Female College, and with
Henry C. Irby founded McKenzie (now McTyeire) Institute, and held a joint
principalship for six years; then taught four years in Paducah, Ky., and in
1881 moved to Ripley and has since had charge of the school. Prof. Randle has
written some able articles for the leading periodicals. Among the number are
“Tyranny of the Cassics” and the “Bacteria of Disease,” and he has in
manuscript a valuable scientific work in two volumes: Vol. I, “Scientific
Interpretation of Genesis;” Vol. II, “The Plurality of the Races in the light
of the Bible, of Science and of History — Anti-Darwinism.” Prof. Randle is
justly considered a learned man and a fine educator.
Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN