Hon. Isham P. DISMUKES (deceased), one of the leading members of the
Fayetteville bar, was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., April 19, 1832, son of
Marcus L. and Delia (WADKINS) DISMUKES. He received a thorough literary
education in the Fayetteville Academy, his preceptor being Prof. F. A.
DICKINSON. He began teaching school, and during his leisure moments was an
earnest student of Blackstone. In 1855 he entered the law department of
the Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., and graduated in 1856. He
returned to Lincoln County, and formed a law partnership with Hon. Edmund
COOPER, of Shelbyville, and in 1860 Hon. J. G. WOODS entered as partner,
and after a short time Mr. COOPER withdrew, and W. B. MARTIN took his
place. In 1861 Mr. DISMUKES enlisted in Freeman’s battery, and fought at
Parker’s Cross Roads, Chickamauga and Knoxville. He served until the close
of the war, and was a brave and gallant soldier. December 17, 1867, he
married Jennie FULTON, daughter of Hon. James and Mary (MORGAN) FULTON. Mr. DISMUKES’ career from the very first was brilliant and successful. He was an able and wise counselor, and was unsurpassed in readiness of speech and brilliancy of thought. He had a large and paying clientage at the time of his death. He died of consumption, September 14, 1875, after living a
life of great usefulness, and it may justly be said of him that his
character was beyond reproach, and that he was an honorable and noble
gentleman. He was candid in speech, honest in his motives, sincere in his
manifestations of friendship, and incapable of a mean action. At his death
the members of the Lincoln County bar passed a series of resolutions on his
life and character. An eloquent tribute to his memory was delivered by his
first law partner, Hon. Edmund COOPER. Since his death his widow has
resided in Fayetteville, where she has a beautiful home.

Robert S. and David G. DOUTHAT, boot and shoe manufacturers, of
Fayetteville, Tenn., are the sons of John H. and Margaret (BURKE) DOUTHAT.
The father is of Scotch-Irish origin, and was born in 1816, in Fincastle,
Va., and when a youth began learning the blacksmith’s trade, which he
mastered, and at which he worked for over fifteen years. He then began
manufacturing wagons and plows, but for the past twenty-five years has been
engaged in manufacturing boots and shoes. The mother is of German descent,
and was born in Virginia in 1818. Eleven children blessed their union, ten
of whom are living. Robert was born in 1844, and at the age of nine years
began learning the shoe-maker’s trade. In 1867 he left the paternal roof,
and came to Fayetteville, where he continued working at his trade. October
27, 1867, he wedded Mary Ann NOBLETT, who was born in Tennessee, in 1844.
In 1872 Robert and his brother, William B.*, established a boot and shoe
shop in Fayetteville, continuing until 1884, when David G. was taken into
partnership. In 1873 William was elected postmaster of the city, and his
brothers, Robert and David, became sole proprietors. They are good
workmen, and have been fairly successful in their business. They are
stanch Republicans in politics, Robert casting his first presidential vote
for U. S. Grant and David for R. B. Hayes. David was born in Virginia, in
1853 and, like his brother, learned the shoe-maker’s trade, and left home
when quite young, coming to Fayetteville. In August, 1875, he married
Susan D. BELL, daughter of James H. BELL. Mrs. DOUTHAT was born in 1855,
and has borne four children: Robert H., John F., Margaret and David G.

Capt. William B. DOUTHAT, postmaster of Fayetteville, and a native of
Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., Va., was born March 1, 1840, son of John H.
and Margaret (BURKE) DOUTHAT. He received his education in Snowville,
Pulaski Co., Va., and at the age of twelve was bound out for seven years to
T. S. BULLARD, of Snowville, to serve an apprenticeship at the shoe-maker’s
trade. He worked four years, abandoned his master, and commenced in life
on his own responsibility. He went to Salem and worked for his brother,
James H., ten months, after which he returned to his former home and set up
a shop. During the late Rebellion he was a firm supporter of the Union.
In 1863 he was about to be drawn into the Confederate side, when he, with
upward of fifty others, started to join the Union forces, walking to
Somerset, Ky., a distance of 150 miles, where they took the train for
Nashville. He enlisted in Company C, Twelfth Tennessee Cavalry, U.S.A.,
and took an active part in the battles of Trune, Clifton, Lynchburg,
Pulaski, Tenn., Florence, Sulphur Trestle and Richland Creek Bridge, Ala.
In the action at Pulaski he was wounded twice, being shot in the right arm
and hip. He was taken to the hospital at Nashville, where he remained two
months. December, 1864, he rejoined his regiment and remained until
October 7, 1865, when he was mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, Kas., and
discharged at Nashville. He was appointed second lieutenant of Company A,
Twelfth Regiment Cavalry, Tennessee Volunteers, United States Army. May
11, 1864, he was promoted to first lieutenant of the same company and
regiment. April 16, 1865, he was assigned assistant adjutant-general on
the staff of Brig. Gen. G. Spaulding. He was assigned to duty as
regimental commissary in June, 1865, and served until mustered out of
service. He received a complimentary commission as captain October 20,
1865, for gallant and meritorious service. In 1866 Mr. DOUTHAT went to
Denver, Co., and remained there three years. In the spring of 1870 he came
to Fayetteville, and the following year he and his brother, Robert S.*,
formed a partnership in the manufacture of boots and shoes. In 1873 he
accepted the position of postmaster at Fayetteville, and in 1885 disposed
of his interest in the shoe shop, since which time he has given his
attention to the office. In 1875 he married Emma BURGESS, a native of
Lebanon, Tenn., born July 7, 1848, and the daughter of Charles T. and Mary
E. BURGESS. This union resulted in the birth of one child – Carl B. Mr.
DOUTHAT has proved to be a most worthy and efficient postmaster. He has
given universal satisfaction, and not one work of complaint has been
offered for his removal under the new administration. He is a Republican
in politics, and his wife is a member of the Christian Church.

J. H. C. DUFF was born in Lincoln County January 26, 1838, and remained
with his parents until he reached his majority. He received a fair
education in the common schools and afterward attended some time at Union
Academy, Lincoln County, where he took a thorough course in surveying. At
the breaking out of the war he enlisted in Company G, Eighth Tennessee
Mulberry Riflemen, under Capt. William L. Moore, but was afterward
transferred to Carne’s Battery. He was in the battles of Perryville, Ky.,
and Chickamauga, and was captured at the latter place and sent to Camp
Morton, Ind., where, February, 1864, he scaled the prison walls, under the
cover of darkness, and without being seen, succeeded in making his escape.
He was afterward captured again in Giles County, and made his escape once
more. In 1866 he went to Bethel, Lincoln County, and married Jane C.
CRAIG, but immediately returned to his father’s where he remained six
years. This union resulted in the birth of nine children, eight of whom
are living: Bessie C., Margaret E., Myrtle, Ruby, Henry N., Alfred F.,
Thomas D. and James B. F. In 1876 he was elected surveyor of Lincoln
County for a term of two years. In 1885 he moved to the farm where he now
resides. He is Independent in politics, is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and
he and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. His father,
H. C DUFF, was born in South Carolina, August 28, 1808, and in 1845
immigrated to Lincoln County, where he purchased seventy-six acres in the
Fifth District, and where he located and still resides. He has since
increased his estate to 590 acres, but has given his son 200 acres. In
1837 he married Eliza D. BROWN, who became the mother of our subject.
Date forwarded: Sun, 21 Sep 1997 11:57:31 -0700 (PDT)

R. M. DUNLAP is a Tennesseean, born April 22, 1837. James E. DUNLAP, his
father, was of English-Irish origin, born in South Carolina, and came to
Tennessee when a young man and married our subject’s mother, Sarah E.
James E. was a farmer by occupation, and died in 1859. The mother died in
1842. Our subject is one of their eight children. His education was
obtained in the district schools and his boyhood days were spent on a farm.
In 1859 he wedded Sarah E. COLE, who was born in Lincoln County in 1840,
and departed this life in 1861. Two children were born to them: Sarah
(Mrs. James RHODES) and R. J., both living in Texas. In March, 1861, Mr.
DUNLAP enlisted in Company D, Forty-first Tennessee Infantry, and
participated in the battles of Shiloh, Port Hudson, and numerous others.
He was taken with the small-pox, and returned home in February, 1863. He
has since been engaged in farming, and owns 230 acres of valuable land. In
December, 1863, he married Sarah E., daughter of J. H. and Sarah MIDLEY, of
Fulton, Miss., born in 1835. They have nine children: Mary E. (deceased),
Nancy E., James M., P. M., J. M., Patrick M., D. C., Shelton and Emma. Mr.
DUNLAP is quite skillful at almost any kind of work, and does hie own
blacksmithing and wagon work, and has been fairly successful in his
agricultural pursuits. He is a Democrat.

James M. DYER’s birth occurred in Lincoln County, Tenn., February 2, 1813.
His early education was limited, but he has done much to eradicate this
evil by reading, and is well posted on all the topics of the day. In 1834
he married Martha NEWTON, who was born in Shelbyville in 1813, and departed this life in 1874. Of their nine children three are living: Joseph H.,
Canthes V. and M. F. Our subject resided with his mother until about
twenty years of age, and then sold dry goods throughout the western and
middle portion of Tennessee for about three years. In 1849 he purchased
182 acres of land and is now the owner of 282 acres of valuable land. In
1875 Mr. DYER married Tennessee LARUE. She was born in Marshall County in
1834. Notwithstanding many difficulties Mr. DYER has encountered through
life, he has now a good home and a comfortable competency. He is a
Republican and was strongly opposed to secession. He held the position of
magistrate twelve years and he and wife are members of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church. He is a distant relative of the late Thomas A.
HENDRICKS. His parents were James and Martha (GARLAND, cousin of
Attorney-Gen. GARLAND) DYER, born in Tennessee in 1779 and 1781, and died
in 1817 and 1854 respectively. They were married in 1799. The father was
a farmer and a soldier in the war of 1812. Both our subject’s grandfathers
were soldiers in the Revolutionary war.

J. S. EDMISTON was born in Washington County, Va., in 1815, and was one of
a large family of children of G. W. C. and Elizabeth (STEWARD) EDMISTON,
natives of Virginia, born in 1785 and 1791, and died in 1847 and 1839,
respectively. They were married in the “Old Dominion” and immigrated to
Tennessee in 1817, where they led the lives of farmers. J. S. EDMISTON was
educated in the schools near his home, and when about twenty-three years
old purchased 140 acres of land near Swan Creek, where he remained four
years, and then disposed of his property and bought out the heirs to the
old home place, where he located and has since resided. He owns 450 acres
of good land, well improved. He is a Democrat, and during the late war was
strenuously opposed to secession. Previous to that conflict he was a Whig.
He is also a Mason. His grandfather, William EDMISTON, was a Virginian,
and was a captain in the Revolutionary war. Two of his brothers were
killed at the battle of King’s Mountain. December 13, 1852, our subject
married Margaret E., daughter of Russell T. and Eliza (FORSYTHE) HARRELD,
of Kentucky. Mrs. EDMISTON was born January 16, 1833, and has borne seven
children: William C., John H., Clara, Mary E., Catherine T., Robert R. and
Thomas S. Our subject and wife are members of the Old Presbyterian Church,
of Petersburg, Tenn.

Hon. W. W. ERWIN, farmer, and a native of Tennessee, was born April 26,
1846. His parents, Robert and Jane E. (WOODS) ERWIN, were natives of
Tennessee. The father was born in 1810, and the mother about the same
year. She died September, 1885. The father is still living and is a
saddler by trade. Our subject received his education at Moorsville
Academy. December 23, 1869, he married Addie, daughter of Dr. John and
Josephine WOOD, and a native of Lincoln County, born March 30, 1853. By
this union they became the parents of five children: Robert, Willie B.,
Edwin S., Ross and Leroy W. Mr. ERWIN remained with his parents for some
time, and received a good education in the schools of the county. He then
engaged in teaching, and has followed this occupation for ten years. He
has taught in Marshall, Giles and Lincoln Counties, and was principal of
the Boonshill Academy for some time. In 1871 he moved on his present farm
which consists of 150 acres of productive land. In 1884 he was elected to
represent the people of Lincoln and Moore Counties in the Legislature of
the State. Mr. Erwin is a Democrat, and he and wife are members of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Joseph FARRAR, an old and influential resident of Lincoln County, Tenn.,
was born in North Carolina, June 11, 1811, and was the son of John W., and
Elizabeth (WILLIAMS) FARRAR. The father of our subject was born in
Virginia in 1750, and moved to North Carolina, and remained there until
1810. He was captain of a company in the Revolutionary war, under Gen.
Greene, and served through its entire time. He was a cabinet-maker by
occupation, and was with Daniel Boone, the first settler of Kentucky. He
died in 1830. The mother of our subject was born in North Carolina, and
died in Lincoln County, Tenn. Our subject received his education in the
common schools, and December 22, 1831, he wedded Elizabeth, daughter of
Robert and Polly ABERNATHY. Mrs. FARRAR was born in Lincoln County, in
1814, and by this marriage became the mother of twelve children, four of
whom are living: Nancy A. (wife of William WEST), James T., Pinkney E.*,
and Miles J. After marriage our subject purchased one-half of the
homestead, where he located and remained until 1853. In 1855 he bought 115
acres of land in the Thirteenth District, where he has since lived. He has
since bought more land, and at one time owned 800 acres, but has divided it
among his sons, reserving for himself about forty acres. Mr. FARRAR is
well known and highly esteemed far and near. He is an excellent citizen
and a kind and obliging neighbor. He is a Democrat, and cast his first
vote for Andrew Jackson. He and wife are worthy and consistent members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church.

P. E. FARRAR, farmer, is a son of Joseph* and Elizabeth FARRAR. The father
was born in one of the Carolinas in 1811, and came to Lincoln County with
his parents when but a lad. After marriage he located in the Thirteenth
District, where he still lives, and is a farmer by occupation. The mother
of our subject was born in Lincoln County in 1814, and was married about
1831. She and her husband have been living together longer than any other
couple in the district. Our subject was born in Lincoln County in October,
1850, and is one of twelve children born to his parents. He received his
education in the district schools, and remained with his parents until he
was twenty-five years of age. In 1875 he married N. J. DICKEY, a native of
Lincoln County, born in 1855, and the daughter of Alfred and Eliza DICKEY.
The fruits of this union were an interesting family of five children:
Lizzie, Myrtle, Nannie L., Annie B. and Edna. After marriage our subject
bought a farm in the Twelfth District, but remained there only three years,
when he disposed of that place and bought 200 acres in the Thirteenth
District, where he now resides. Mr. FARRAR had two brothers who served in
the late unpleasantness between the North and South. One brother, John,
was killed after a service of about four years. Mr. FARRAR and wife are
members of the church and are among the county’s best citizens.

William B. FAULKNER, one of the principal citizens of the Twenty-fifth
District, and a son of William and Ellen (BOLTON) FAULKNER, was born in
Lincoln County in 1834, and is one of a family of seven children, four of
whom are living. The father was born in Ireland in 1797, the grandfather
in England and the grandmother in Scotland. The father of our subject
received a fair education in the common schools, and was married twice, his
first wife being Miss PATTERSON, by whom he had two children, one of whom
died during the voyage to America. His wife died shortly after his arrival
in this country, and in 1832 he wedded the mother of our subject. He was a
farmer, a ditcher and blaster by occupation. His death occurred in 1870.
The mother of our subject was also born in Ireland, in 1798, and died in
1843. Our subject received a fair education, and as his parents were poor
he was compelled to work for a livelihood. He was employed for several
years in a factory and afterward was engaged in trading and teaming in some
of the Southern cities. During the war he enlisted in Company H, First
Tennessee Regiment, and soon entered the Army of the Potomac, where he was
quite a favorite of Stonewall Jackson’s. At the end of a year he was
discharged on account of ill health, but soon returned and engaged in some
of the principal battles of the war. He was captured and held a prisoner
until 1865. In January, 1866 he wedded Mrs. Charlotte TAYLOR, daughter of
J. and M. SIMMONS. To Mr. and Mrs. FAULKNER were born five children:
Amanda E., Nancy J., Eliza B., Ellen F. and William A. Our subject located
on ninety-four acres of land in the Twenty-fifth District, where he
remained three years. He then purchased the same amount of acres in the
same district, on which he located and still resides. Mrs. FAULKNER died
November 24, 1877, and in January, 1879, he married Mrs. Harriet A. SMITH,
daughter of David and Martha SISK, by whom he had three children, two of
whom are living: Mattie B. and Mary Pearl. Mr. FAULKNER is a Democrat, a
Mason and an Odd Fellow, and he and wife are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South.

Joseph M. GREER is a son of Joseph and Mary (HARMON) GREER, and is one of
eleven children and of Irish descent. The father was born in the “Keystone
State” in 1754, and was an early pioneer of Tennessee, coming in 1790 and
entering about 10,000 acres of land. They suffered all the hardships
incident to pioneer life, but, unlike many of the early settlers, had the
good will of the Indians. Mr. GREER was a farmer and merchant at
Knoxville, Tenn., and was clerk of the first chancery court after the
organization of the county. He died in 1835. Our subject was reared in
Tennessee when there was no schools, consequently his education was
acquired at home mainly through his own exertions. In 1847 he married Mary
EDMISTON, who departed this life September 19, 1858. They had one son –
Joseph M. – who resides on the old home-place and looks after his father’s
farm. He was born September 13, 1858, and was educated at Petersburg and
Fayetteville, and is now the owner of 535 acres of fine land, and is noted
for his generosity and honesty. He votes with the Democratic party, and
belongs to the Masonic fraternity.