John WARDEN was born in North Carolina in 1826, son of Robert and Elizabeth
(PILCHER) WARDEN. His early education was very limited, he never having
received more than six months’ schooling during his life. At the age of
six years he was brought to Tennessee by his parents, and made his home
with them until he was twenty-one years old. October 27, 1847, he married
Rachel ASHBY. She was born in Lincoln County December 1, 1825, daughter of
Alex ASHBY. They have three children: Vina Jane (Mrs. George MILLSTEAD),
John Wilson and Travis Alex. Mr. WARDEN resided in the Sixth District of
Lincoln County until May, 1864, when he purchased 100 acres in the Seventh
District, and there has since resided. He lost his wife May 9, 1854, and
the following year he married Martha A. DUNCAN, daughter of Judge DUNCAN.
They have six children: Martha Ellen, Mary Elenora, William James, Hardin
Daniel, Judge and James Ebenezer Goodloe. Their mother died June 30, 1880,
and March 20 of the next year he married Mary C. ASHBY, a sister of his
first wife. In 1861 Mr. WARDEN joined Company A, Forty-first Regiment
Tennessee Infantry, and was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Raymond,
Vicksburg, Jackson and Chickamauga. He was captured at Fort Donelson, and
taken to Camp Morton, Ind., where he was retained seven months. He
returned home in December, 1863 He is conservative in politics, and he and
wife are members of the Primitive Baptist Church. His father was born in
North Carolina in 1790, and was married in 1830. After living two years in
Illinois he came to Lincoln County, Tenn. He died in 1862. The mother was
born in North Carolina in 1799, and died in 1861. Of their eleven children
eight are living: Hardin, Emeline (widow of John H. STEELMAN), John,
Daniel, Jane (Mrs. James ISOM), Darinda (Mrs. G W. McAFEE), James M. and
Franklin H.

Thomas J. WHITAKER, citizen and farmer of the Thirteenth District, was born
in Lincoln County April 23, 1823, and is one of a family of seven children
born to Benjamin and Mahaldah WHITAKER, and the grandson of John WHITAKER,
who built the first grist-mill in Lincoln County. He was the first
chairman of the county court, and will be remembered by many of the oldest
citizens now living in the county. The father of our subject was born in
Kentucky, and came to Lincoln County with his parents at a very early day.
He was a farmer by occupation, and died in the Eighth District September
12, 1869, being over eighty years of age. The mother is supposed to be a
native of Georgia, and died about 1840. Our subject received a good
practical education in the common schools near home, and in 1847 was
married to Elizabeth R. MOORES, a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., born
November 19, 1821, and died November 30, 1880. By this union six children
were born, four of whom are living: W N., M. E., Susan and Dora. In 1847
our subject bought 167 acres of land in the Thirteenth District, where he
has since resided. The place is pleasantly located, well improved, and is
near Fayetteville Elkton road, twelve miles west of Fayetteville.

Alexander J. WHITAKER, son of Joseph and Ann (JEFFRIES) WHITAKER, was born
in Lincoln County in 1833. The father was born in Kentucky in 1788 and was
of English extraction. He was married twice, the first time to Martha
HUGHES, by whom he had six children, only two of whom are living. Mrs.
WHITAKER died in 1830, and in 1832 Mr. WHITAKER married his second wife, by
whom he had two children: Julia F., wife of T. D. HILL, and the subject of
this sketch. The father died in 1874 and the mother in 1863. Alexander
was reared at home, and received his early education in the district
schools but later attended the academy at Mulberry for about seven years,
where he took quite a thorough course. January 10, 1855 he wedded Sarah J.
McMILLEN, daughter of Dock and Madeline McMILLEN, and by this union became
the father of eight children, five of whom are living: Joe D., Charley B.,
Edna, Fannie E., and Henry. Soon after marriage our subject located on his
father’s farm, and in 1867 purchased 150 acres of land, on which he is now
residing. In 1865 Mr. WHITAKER was elected magistrate, and has held the
same office ever since. At the breaking out of the war Mr. WHITAKER
enlisted in the Fifth Kentucky Infantry, and took an active part in the
battles of Shiloh and Chickamauga. He is independent in political belief,
a Mason, K. of H., and both he and wife are members of the Missionary
Baptist Church.

Hon. W. W. WILSON is the son of William and Susan WILSON, natives of
Kentucky and North Carolina, respectively. The father was born in
February, 1799 and came to Lincoln County with his parents when but six
years of age. He followed agricultural pursuits as a livelihood, and was
quite successful at this. He died in March, 1856. The mother was born in
1797, and departed this life in 1845. Our subject was born in Lincoln
County, April 28, 1827, and received his education in the school near his
country home, and at Viny Grove, under Prof. Erwin. In 1848 he married
Miss A. WHITING, a daughter of Robert and Mrs. WHITING. She was born in
Robertson County in 1829. Mr. WILSON began teaching, and has followed that
occupation for about ten years. In 1851 he bought ten acres of land in the
Thirteenth District, where he located, and has since lived. He now owns
250 acres in a very desirable place, and is doing a good business. About
1858 he was elected magistrate, and again in 1864. He has held the office
considerable of the time since, up to 1880, when he refused to accept the
position any longer. In 1872 he was chosen by the people to represent them
in the State Legislature. He is a man well known throughout the county,
and his being elected to offices of trust at different times shows that the
public appreciates his services. He is a Democrat, and a member of the
Masonic fraternity. Mrs. WILSON is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church.

J. B. WILSON, the proprietor of a furniture and undertaking establishment
in Fayetteville, Lincoln County, Tenn., was born in that place February 3,
1834. He is the eldest child of a family of five children – three sons and
two daughters – born to Union A. and Mary (SHANKS) WILSON, and was educated
in Fayetteville. At the age of sixteen he began learning the
cabinet-maker’s trade in his father’s shop, and continued working for him
until 1854, when his father, his brother, C. S. WILSON*, and himself
entered into a co-partnership of undertaking and dealing in furniture, in
which they continued until 1859. He was married to Miss M. A. WHITAKER
October 6 1856, and eight children were born to this union – six daughters
and two sons – of whom only four are living: Martha A., Mary M., James B.
and Myrtle C. At the breaking out of hostilities between the North and
South our subject enlisted in Company C, Forty-first Tennessee Regiment
Confederate States Army, in December 1862. For his second wife he took
Mrs. Lucy A. (McDANIEL) FULLERTON May 10, 1882, who was born April 28,
1850. She was first married to Robert G. FULLERTON December 1, 1868, by
which marriage there were three daughters born, only two now living: Willa
A. and Lucy G. J. B. WILSON is a practical business man and has an
extensive trade. He has been the leading furniture dealer and undertaker
in Fayetteville for the last twenty years. He has been a life-long
Democrat, is an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and is also a member of
the I.O.O.F.

WILSON, C.S. In 1858 C. S. WILSON established a sale and feed stable in Fayetteville,
Tenn., and soon after, on a very humble scale, engaged in the livery stable
business. He steadily prospered in his undertakings, and in March, 1885
owned twenty-six vehicles and twenty horses. On the 4th of that month the
building caught fire, and the building, thirteen buggies and fifteen horses
were consumed. Mr. WILSON immediately began erecting a much larger
building, 82×125 feet, with a capacity of feeding sixty-eight horses. He
is doing an extensive business, meeting with the success his efforts
deserve. He was born in 1835 in Fayetteville, and is a son of Union A. and
Mary (SHANKS) WILSON. When about fourteen years of age he began learning
the cabinet-maker’s trade, continuing eight years. In 1869 he became
proprietor of the Shanks House, and managed that hotel for four years. In
1878 he purchased 200 acres of land, which he has managed in connection
with his stable. In November, 1861, he and M. E. LAUDERDALE were married.
She was born in 1840, and is the mother of four children: Charles, Beulah,
Augusta and Fannie. Mr. WILSON has been a business man of Fayetteville for
the past twenty-five years, and is in every respect an honest and worthy
citizen. He is a Democrat, and belongs to the K. of P. His father was
born in Tennessee in 1813, and was a cabinet-maker by trade. In 1832 he
married, and after his first wife’s death he wedded Rebecca PRICE, who yet
survives him. He was the father of thirteen children, and died in 1875.

J. W. WOODARD, a native of Lincoln County, was born March 9, 1843, son of
M. C. and Lucinda WOODARD. The father was of Irish descent, and was born
in Lincoln County in 1810. He was a blacksmith and farmer by occupation,
and died in September, 1860. The mother of our subject was also born in
Lincoln County about 1818, and now resides at the old home-place in the
Thirteenth District with her son, W. S. Our subject received his education
in the schools near home, and remained with his parents until the breaking
out of the late war. In 1861 he enlisted in Company F, Forty-fourth
Tennessee Infantry, and took part in the battles of Shiloh, Chickamauga,
Murfreesboro, Petersburg, and was captured at this place and taken to Fort
Delaware, where he remained about four months. He returned home in July,
1865, after over four years’ service, and was in many of the hottest
battles of the war without receiving a single wound. In 1866 he married M.
E. HAMPTON, a native of Lincoln County, born in 1845, and the daughter of
Samuel and Annie HAMPTON. To our subject and wife were born six children:
Samuel M., James G., John H. F., Lillian, Robert M. and Martha L. After
remaining on the old home-place about four years our subject purchased
about 100 acres of land in the Thirteenth District, where he located and
remained about thirteen years. In 1883 he bought 135 acres in the
Sixteenth District, where he located. He still retains the farm in the
Thirteenth District and owns 485 acres of valuable land. He also owns a
mill and is doing a good business in grinding grain and sawing lumber.
Besides this, he looks after the interest of the farm. He is a Democrat, a
Mason, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

M. W. WOODARD, attorney at law, of Fayetteville, Tenn., was born in Lincoln
County, in 1846, the third son of Robert S. and Mary (McKINNEY) WOODARD,
born in Tennessee and North Carolina, in 1821 and 1825, respectively. The
father was a teacher and farmer in early life, and was married in 1842. In
1847 he was elected tax-collector of Lincoln County, serving one term. In
1856 he was elected clerk of the circuit court, and held the position until
the late war. In 1864 he was re-elected and held the office until 1868.
Soon after the organization of the Lincoln County Savings Bank he was
chosen assistant cashier, but at the organization of the First National
Bank he was chosen its cashier, which position he held until his death in
1877. During the many years he was in public life he was the administrator
of many large estates. His father, Reuben WOODARD, was born in 1792, in
North Carolina, and was a pioneer settler of Tennessee. He was a
brick-mason, and lived to be eighty-six years of age. Our subject’s mother,
since her husband’s death, has resided on the old homestead with two of her
children. Their family consisted of eleven children: James L., Galen D.,
M. W., Annie B. (Mrs. Thomas DRYDEN), Mary E. (Mrs. Dr. O. R. HATCHER), A.
B., Robert P., J. Reuben, W. K., Addie (Mrs. Eugene HIGGINS) and one
deceased sister (Mrs. Sallie FRANCIS). Our subject was educated in Milton
College, Fayetteville, and in 1868 began studying law, and in 1871 was
admitted to the bar and began immediately to practice. In 1873 he was
appointed judge of the county court, and filled the position for eighteen
months. In 1883 he and Hon. R. L. BRIGHT formed a law partnership, and the
firm is known as Bright & Woodard. They constitute one of the leading law
firms of Lincoln County, and our subject is one of the leading and useful
members of society. October 25, 1871, he married Ida L. HATCHER, who was
born in Maury County, Tenn., in 1854. The following are the names of their
children: Irene, Octa L., Bessie, Robert S., Bernard H., Fannie, John and
Ida. Mr. and Mrs. WOODARD are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he
is a Democrat and belongs to the Masonic fraternity and I.O.O.F.

Elder J. G. WOODS was born in Franklin County, Tenn., in 1823, and is a son
of William and Mary (HARRIS) WOODS. Wm. WOODS was born in Virginia in
1776, and Mary HARRIS, his wife, was born in Kentucky in 1782. They died
in Franklin County, Tenn., in 1838 and 1840, respectively. Wm. WOODS was
of Scotch-Irish descent, and a tiller of the soil, and for upward of thirty
years was a Primitive Baptist minister. He was one of the earliest
settlers and largest landowners of Franklin County. Of his large family of
children, only three are living: Mourning S., Mary A. (widow of John
MILLER) and J. G., who is the youngest. J. G. WOODS was educated in the
pioneer log schoolhouse of primitive days. After his parents’ death he
resided on the home farm about three years, and on November 30, 1843, he
was married to Susan J. BOYCE, daughter of Joseph and Martha J. BOYCE, who
was a daughter of Paul DISMUKES. Susan J. was born in Madison County,
Ala., in 1825. J. G. and Susan J. WOODS had six children, to wit: James
H., Archibald M., William E., Joseph G, Mary A. and Mattie E. Archibald M.
died in infancy, and Mary A. died after she was grown. Since 1844 Mr.
WOODS has been a resident of Fayetteville. He and James H. COBB were
engaged in the tanning, saddlery and harness business for a number of
years, and they were also engaged in buying and shipping produce South. In
1850 they erected the first livery and feed stable in the town, and two
years later they closed their partnership business, after which our subject
served as constable and justice of the peace for several years, during
which time he studied law and was admitted as a practicing attorney in
1858. He continued to practice law until 1875. In 1857 or 1858, upon the
re-organization of the Winchester & Alabama Railroad, he was elected one of
its directors, and continued a director until the road was sold by the
State. He was also president and receiver of the road for some time. At
the organization of the First National Bank of Fayetteville he was elected
one of the directors, and in November, 1874, was elected president of the
same, but resigned in January, 1885, owing to ill health. He was licensed
to preach by the Primitive Baptist Church in the fall of 1873, and ordained
in 1874, and has been actively engaged in the ministry from that time until
the present, except when prevented by bad health. His wife Susan J. died
in 1865, and the following year he married Lou S. WEBB, who is a daughter
of Hartwell and Nancy WEBB, and was born in 1825. He has been a member of
the Masonic fraternity since about 1851.

James H. WRIGHT is one of twelve children of Jacob and Nancy WRIGHT, and
was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., in 1812. His father was of English
descent, born and married in Virginia. He came to Tennessee and followed
the life of a farmer and died when about ninety-six years of age. The
mother was born in Ireland, and came to the United States with her parents.
James H. obtained the rudiments of his education in the schools near his
home, and in 1839 married Nancy, daughter of John and Elizabeth TRANTAM.
They have thirteen children: Elizabeth (Mrs. John ALSUP), Josie (Mrs. John
MYERS), Fannie (Mrs. Ruf. SMITH), Ethlinda (Mrs. Robert MAURY), W. L., A.
W., S. H., J. H., R. L., D. N., J. H. and Cordelia, and one son, Marshall,
who was killed at the battle of Chattanooga. Mr. WRIGHT has always farmed,
and by the sweat of his brow has become the owner of 300 acres of valuable
and well improved land. He has been successful. He has reared a large
family of children and given them good educational advantages, and has a
comfortable competency. Mr. WRIGHT is a Democrat, and he and Mrs. WRIGHT
are members of the Christian Church.

William R. WYATT, farmer and miller of Fayetteville, Tenn., was born in
Lincoln County, in 1844. His father William WYATT was of English-Irish
descent; born in 1802 in South Carolina. He came to Tennessee in 1804, and
to Lincoln County in 1807 or 1808, and was a teacher and farmer by
occupation, being very successful in both occupations. He married Sallie
BRECKENRIDGE in 1834, and died in 1880. His wife was born in South
Carolina in 1804 and died in 1884. The WYATT family came to Tennessee when
the country was almost a wilderness. The bottom lands were covered with
cane, and the country was infested with Indians and many wild animals.
They did their share in helping to settle and clear the lands of Lincoln
County. Of the seven children born to William and Sallie WYATT, three are
living: Margaret Jane, Mollie E. and William R., who received such
education as could be obtained in the old fashion schoolhouses of his
boyhood days. July 4,1864, he and Sallie McCOWN were united in marriage.
She was born in South Carolina in 1845, a daughter of Joseph I. and Mary
(BRYSON) McCOWN. Mr. and Mrs. WYATT have six children: Eva, Delia,
Lizzie, Jennie, Joseph and Flora. Mr. WYATT resided with his parents four
years, and in 1868 purchased 200 acres of land about five miles from
Fayetteville, where he settled and resided until January 1, 1886, when he
moved to town to educate his children. By energy and industry Mr. WYATT is
the owner of 400 acres of land. He is a Republican in politics, and his
first presidential vote was cast for U. S. Grant in 1868. He and wife are
members of the United Presbyterian Church. In 1884 he purchased a saw-mill
which he operates in connection with his farm.

John YOUNG, lumberman and builder, was born in New Hampshire March 24,
1842, and is one of nine children born to Benjamin and Melinda (EVERETT)
YOUNG. Our subject remained at home until he was eighteen years of age,
and received his early education in the district schools of New Hampshire.
After immigrating to Illinois he attended a graded school, where he
received a good practical education, and after this he was engaged in
farming and threshing for several years. He was in the army, and served
several years in the quartermaster’s department. In 1867 he came to
Lincoln County, and settled at Flintville, where he purchased some
property. In 1870 he wedded Sarah M. BRADFORD, and the fruits of this
union were five children, four of whom are living: Sarah, George, John and
James. In 1879 Mr. YOUNG purchased a milling property, and has since been
engaged in sawing lumber and grinding grain. Although commencing life with
but little of this world’s goods, Mr. YOUNG now owns, exclusive of town and
mill property, about 200 acres of land near Flintville. The father of our
subject was born in New Hampshire about 1810, and was of English origin.
He received a good business education, and engaged in agricultural
pursuits. In 1856 he moved to Illinois, and is living there at the present
time. The mother of our subject was also born in New Hampshire, about
1810, and is still living.