John D. Tarrant, ex-postmaster and farmer, is a son of John and Nancy (Croft)
Tarrant, who were born, and reared and married in the Palmetto State. They
soon after moved to Alabama, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
Their family consisted of five sons and six daughters. The father was a Whig
and a strong Union man, and as farming was his chosen calling, he followed it
quite extensively in early life. His wife died in 1854 and he again
remarried. He died in 1867. Mr. Tarrant inherits English blood from his
ancestors. Our subject is the tenth child of the family and was born October
21, 1849, in Cherokee County, Ala. At the age of seventeen he began to battle
his own way in the world and for four years worked at the carpenter’s trade
and expended the fruits of his labor in educating himself. He came to
Lauderdale County in 1867 and has since made it his home. After residing in
Ripley a short time he entered a mercantile house as salesman, continuing
until 1872, when he became one of the firm of Greaves, Tarrant & Co. Their
stock and store burned in 1874, and Mr. Tarrant accepted the position of
deputy sheriff, which position he filled sixteen months, doing all the
business of the office. In 1876 he acted as tax collector and has filled the
office of deputy marshal four years, and was re-appointed but resigned. From
1881 until 1885, he served as postmaster, and since that time has followed
farming. He owns 400 acres of farming land and 571 acres in timber. In 1879
he married Anna Alexander, who was born July 7, 1852. They have three
children: Anna Marie, John and Genevieve. Mrs. Tarrant is a Missionary
Baptist. Mr. Tarrant is a Republican and for twenty years has been a resident
of Lincoln County. He has been a successful business man, and as a citizen
has the interest of the community at heart. He was Mayor of Ripley two years.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN