Daniel P. Shoffner, a very prominent manufacturer and saw-mill owner of
Lauderdale County, was born in Carroll County, Tenn., January 25, 1839. His
parents were Joel and Matilda Shoffner; the father was born in North Carolina,
and was one of the pioneers of West Tennessee. He married in Carroll County,
where he lived until 1840, then moved to Bedford County, where he died in
1862. The mother was also a native of North Carolina, and is still living,
with her daughter, Mrs. J. B. Woosley, of Obion County. Our subject is the
fifth of ten children — seven sons and three daughters; he was raised on a
farm, and while his educational advantages were limited, he has, by his energy
and close application to business, brought himself to the front as one of the
self-made, practical business men of the county. When quite young he began
steam saw-milling, and has since continued it; his father was one of the
pioneers in the business in West Tennessee. Mr. Shoffner moved from Bedford
County to West Tennessee, and settled in Union City, where he has been one of
the founders of most of the manufacturing interests of the place. Mr.
Shoffner went into the Confederate Army and was sergeant-major of the
Seventeenth Tennessee Infantry, and was acting adjutant and major during
Bragg’s raid through Kentucky, and was at the battles of Fishing Creek, Ky.,
Wild Cat, back of Cumberland Gap, Murfreesboro, and Perryville; he was wounded
twice at Murfreesboro, and was captured at Chattanooga, and held as a
prisoner, then paroled after three years, hard service. Mr. Shoffner was
married in Bedford County, December 28, 1865, to Miss Mary B. Howard, a
daughter of Maj. Howard of Lincoln County, Tenn.; she was born in that county,
May 23, 1842. Florence M. and Lotta D. were the two children born to this
marriage. Our subject is neutral in politics; he is a member of the F. & A.
M., of the K. of P., and the K. of H., and was president of the C. B. A., two
years. Himself and family belong to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. His
home is at Union City, but his milling and lumber interests are at Hall’s
Station on the Newport News & Mississippi Valley Railroad.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN