Ragland, F.B.

06. August 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Biographies · Tags: , ,

RAGLAND, F. B., merchant; born Denmark, Madison Co., Tenn., 1845; son F. B. and Elizabeth (Springfield) RAGLAND; Scotch descent; educated private schools in Haywood Co., Tenn.; married Mary A. CALLENDER Sept. 5, 1866; member K. of P.; three years’ service in Confederate army, member 12th Tenn. Cavalry; fought in battles Bryce’s Cross Roads, Johnsville, Harrisburg, assisted capture of steamboats at Johnsville; mustered out Gainesville, Miss., 1865; served with Gen. Forrest through entire campaign; since war in mercantile business at Dancyville, Tenn., and twenty years in Brownsville, Tenn.

Source: Who’s Who in Tennessee: A Biographical Reference Book of Notable Tennesseans of To-Day. Memphis: Paul & Douglas Co, 1911.

Patton, Alson C. (1856-1946)

04. August 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Biographies

PATTON, Alson C., educator; born Graham, N.C., Aug. 31, 1856; Irish-English descent; son of Alexander W. and Sarah (Freshwater) PATTON; educated Morrisville, N.C., graduated Morrisville, N.C., graduated Morrisville Academy, Morrisville (N.C.) in 1881; in early youth was a farmer; began business career later as a teacher; married Mary Lou BRIGANCE 1892; member I.O.O.F.; member of Methodist church; has been teaching school in Crockett Co., Tenn. since 1889.

Source: Who’s Who in Tennessee: A Biographical Reference Book of Notable Tennesseans of To-Day. Memphis: Paul & Douglas Co, 1911.

Related Information

Ijams, Charles Burgess

08. September 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Biographies · Tags: ,

Source: Moore, John T, and Austin P. Foster. Tennessee, the Volunteer State, 1769-1923. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co, 1923.

Charles Burgess Ijams spent his boyhood on the home farm and his earliest ambition was to be an educator. After receiving his preliminary education in the public schools of Corinth he engaged in teaching and subsequently entered a private school at Essary Springs, Tennessee, from which institution he was graduated in 1894, with the B. S. degree. In order to complete his education it was necessary for him to teach school again for awhile. In 1895 he enrolled in the Georgia Robertson Christian College at Henderson, from which institution he received the A. M. degree in 1897. Two years later he began his educational career as county superintendent of the schools in Chester county and when taking the examination for that office he had the highest average in the state. He was one of one hundred and sixty-four taking the examination. While active as county superintendent Mr. Ijams was also vice president of the Georgia Robertson Christian College and taught there. In 1905 he tendered his resignation as county superintendent and became principal of the Bolivar high school and county superintendent of Hardeman county.

In 1907 he came to Jackson as a teacher in the high school and subsequently he became principal of the West Jackson school, holding that position until 1913. The same year he became principal of the College Street school and from 1914 to 1916 he was principal of the local high school. In the latter year he was elected to his present position of superintendent of the Jackson city schools and he is discharging the many duties devolving upon him to the best of his ability. He is a man of well proved ability and is sincerely devoted to his profession. He is a constant student of it and since 1904 has taught or attended summer schools for teachers. He is one of the most prominent educators in West Tennessee and in 1919 refused to accept the position of dean of the West Tennessee Normal School because he preferred to reside in Jackson. He is interested in many lines of activity; all of which have a distinct bearing upon the development and improvement of the town, county and state and he is readily conceded to be one of Jackson’s most public-spirited and representative citizens. From 1919 to 1921 he served as chairman of the Madison County Highway Commission but resigned that position in April of the latter year.

On the 17th of August, 1904, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Ijams to Miss Edna Carroll, a daughter of Dr. J. R. Carroll, whose demise occurred in 1921, at Henderson. He was one of the prominent physicians and surgeons of his day and practiced in Bells, Union City, Humboldt and Henderson for many years. He was an active member of the State Medical Association, West Tennessee Medical Society and the Chester County Medical Society and was conceded an enviable position in medical circles throughout the state. Outside of his profession he was well known in the public life of Chester county, being active in the furtherance of every movement for the development and improvement of the general welfare. Mrs. Ijams is a woman of much culture and refinement and is a musician of ability. She is socially prominent and is a leader in the musical circles of the community. Mr. and Mrs. Ijams are the parents of one son, Charles Carroll Ijams.

Politically Mr. Ijams gives his allegiance to the democratic party and the principles for which it stands. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, being past master of the local lodge, and he is likewise affiliated with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Loyal Order of Moose. His religious faith is that of the Christian church, and he is teacher of the Men’s Bible class and a director in the Y. M. C. A. For the past ten years he has been clerk and elder in the church. Along educational lines he holds membership in the West Tennessee Teachers Association and since 1914 he has been secretary-treasurer of the organization. In 1915 he became a member of the State Board of Education, which position he has held for the past eight years. During the World war Mr. Ijams devoted his time and attention to the promotion of the government’s interests and he was not only active as chairman of the Fifth Liberty Loan but was chairman of the City Speakers’ Bureau. During the period of his residence in Jackson he has wielded a great influence for the good of the community and no man stands higher for integrity and sterling worth.

Raines, James Tidwell

08. September 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Biographies · Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Source: Moore, John T, and Austin P. Foster. Tennessee, the Volunteer State, 1769-1923. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co, 1923.

A representative member of the medical profession in Madison county is Dr. James Tidwell Raines, who has practiced in Malesus for thirty-eight years. He was born in Crockett county, on the 2d of September, 1849, a son of William Henderson and Elizabeth Jane (Tidwell) Raines. The father died in 1889 and the mother in 1895. The paternal grandparents located in Nashville about 1815. In 1818 the grandfather joined the United States navy and was lost at sea.

The public schools of his native county afforded James Tidwell Raines his early education and subsequently he enrolled in the medical department of the University of Tennessee at Nashville, where he was graduated in 1874, with the M. D. degree. He immediately located in Henderson county and opened offices for the practice of his chosen profession. He remained in that county ten years and at the termination of that time came to Malesus, where he has since resided. Dr. Raines has been in continuous active practice here for some thirty-eight years and he stands high among the foremost professional men in the county. He is a great humanitarian and gives his services to rich and poor alike, with no thought of remuneration. Aside from his practice the Doctor has been active in public life. He has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the democratic party in Madison county and Malesus, in particular. He was elected to the state legislature in 1905 and although he has not since held public office he has been a dominant factor in the election of his friends to various offices. His public spirit is a stimulus and inspiration and he is one of the most energetic and resourceful promoters of his community’s advancement.

Dr. Raines has been twice married. His first marriage was celebrated in Crockett county in 1871, when Miss Jennie Hall became his wife. To their union two daughters were born: Leona Bell Boykin and Ida Lorena, who died in childhood. Mrs. Raines died in 1878, her death coming as a severe shock to her family and many friends. Dr. Raines later married Miss Ida McHaney, a daughter of Lafayette and Samantha McHaney. Her parents were natives of Virginia and members of old and prominent families of that state. Mrs. McHaney died at the age of thirty-one years. Mr. McHaney later married Miss Minerva Jones, and to them were born the following: Mrs. Fenner McCallum, William L. McHaney, Mrs. S. A. Blackmon, Guy L. McHaney; and Shelly, Clyde, Ernest and Nannie, who died in childhood. Mrs. McHaney died when about forty years of age. To the union of Dr. Raines and Miss McHaney ten children were born: Bertha Raines Davis; James McHaney; Walter, whose death occurred in his seventh year; Jesse T., who was a very prominent young physician and died at the age of thirty-four years; Noble Lafayette; Angie Raines Caldwell; William Louis, who died in his tenth year; Roy Woods, who died in infancy; Hugh Robert; and Mary Raines Lake. Dr. Raines is the grandfather of eighteen children.

Fraternally the Doctor is a thirty-second degree Mason and Shriner. He is readily conceded to be an exemplary member of the craft. His religious faith is that of the Christian church. For more than fifteen years he has been a member of the school board of his district and in many other ways he is serving his community. Dr. Raines has achieved well merited success in his profession and he owns some of the most valuable farm land in Madison county, in the cultivation of which he is actively interested. He has met every requirement of life and Malesus is indeed proud to number him among her foremost citizens.

Myers, John T.

08. September 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Biographies · Tags: ,

Source: Moore, John T, and Austin P. Foster. Tennessee, the Volunteer State, 1769-1923. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co, 1923.

John T. Myers acquired his early education in the public schools of Jackson and afterward attended Bethel College and the Cumberland Presbyterian College at McKenzie, Tennessee. He also became a student at the University of Chicago and in 1921 Asbury College at Wilmore, Kentucky, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. His first call was to the Central church of Memphis, Tennessee, and for four years he filled the pulpit of the Madison Heights church of that city. For a similar period he was pastor of the Methodist church at Covington, Tennessee, and his next charge was at Mayfield, Kentucky, where he was stationed for five years. For the past two years he has been pastor of the First Methodist church of Jackson, the city of his birth, and his labors have been resultant forces in his extraordinary success and in promoting the spiritual welfare of those who have come under his guidance.

He entered the ministry in 1903 and is a strong, conscientious worker in behalf of the church of his faith. Dr. Myers is a facile writer and early in life entered the field of journalism, becoming managing editor of the West Tennessee Whig of Jackson when but seventeen years of age. He has written various articles on religious subjects, is a regular contributor to the religious press, and is the author of a widely read pamphlet entitled, “Life Insurance and Its Appeal,” which has been used by the National Insurance Journal. He has added to his store of knowledge by travel and enjoys an enviable reputation as a lecturer.

At Memphis, Tennessee, on the 28th of January, 1908, Dr. Myers was united in marriage to Miss Ida May Wills, a daughter of Edwin F. Wills of that city, and they have become the parents of three children: Lucile, Elizabeth and Edith, aged, respectively, fourteen, twelve and ten years. The Doctor is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and is president of the board of missions of the Memphis conference. He is a trustee of Lambeth College of Jackson and acts as chaplain of the Travelers’ Protective Association. He is a Rotarian and fraternally is connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Masons. He is a man of scholarly attainments, with whom association means expansion and elevation, and his life has been one of great usefulness and far-reaching influence.

Blackard, Charles Galloway

08. September 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Biographies · Tags: , , ,

Source: Moore, John T, and Austin P. Foster. Tennessee, the Volunteer State, 1769-1923. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co, 1923.

Charles Galloway Blackard, a member of one of the old and highly respected families of Tennessee, is engaged in the practice of law in Nashville and although one of the more recent additions to the bar of this city, he has already won recognition as an able advocate and safe counselor who has a high conception of the dignity and responsibility of his profession. He was born in Somerville, Fayette county, Tennessee, June 21, 1895, and is a son of James Washington Blackard, president of Lambuth College at Jackson, Tennessee, and a well known writer on religious subjects. James W. Blackard was born at Huntersville, Madison county, this state, and became a resident of Jackson. When a young man he took up the study of theology and was ordained a minister of the gospel in the Methodist Episcopal church, South. He has filled many important charges in the Memphis conference and for twelve years was presiding elder of the leading district of the conference. He has been a delegate to the General Conference and in 1901 was one of the delegates to the Ecumenical Methodist Conference, which was held in London, England, that year. He is a man of high intellectual attainments and a talented writer who has made frequent contributions to church papers and magazines, being at present engaged in preparing a book on the Life of Christ. His powers and talents have been a leavening force in making high ideals a tangible asset in the affairs of daily life and his influence has been a beneficial factor for good. He was a son of Wiley F. and Teresa Matilda (Wilie) Blackard, who became residents of Huntersville and later removed to Jackson, Tennessee. Wiley F. Blackard was prominent in civic affairs of that place, serving on the board of aldermen for ten years, and for six years he was sheriff of Madison county. He was a Knights Templar Mason and a veteran of the Civil war, serving under General Forrest. His son, James W. Blackard, married Louise Francis White, a daughter of James and Emma Haraldson (Davie) White. Her father was a successful farmer residing in Madison county, Tennessee, and he also served in the Confederate army, his commanding officer being General Forrest.

After finishing his grammar school course Charles G. Blackard attended the Haywood County high school at Brownsville, Tennessee, winning the declamation medal, and he then became a student at the Emory and Henry College at Emory, Virginia, from which he received the A. B. degree in 1917, being also awarded a medal in recognition of his ability as a debater. He next entered the law school of Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tennessee, from which he was graduated in 1920 with the LL. B. degree, being class orator. In June of the same year he was admitted to the bar at Nashville and he now maintains offices in the Stahlman building in this city. He has a thorough knowledge of statute and precedent and in a profession which requires a keen intellect and untiring application he is steadily advancing, his success coming to him because of his close reasoning, his logical argument, his correct application of legal principles and his ability to present his contention in the strongest possible light. He has already won a liberal clientele for one of his years and his business in the courts is steadily increasing in volume and importance.

Mr. Blackard’s military record is a most creditable one. He is a veteran of the World war, enlisting in the First Officers Training Camp at Blacksburg, Virginia, on the 2d of May, 1917, and on the 11th of that month he reported for duty at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He was transferred to the air service and on July 1, 1917, he became a student at the Military Aeronautic Ground School at Atlanta, Georgia, in which he completed a course of instruction. He was then ordered to Wilbur Wright field at Dayton, Ohio, reaching there on the 15th of August. He was stationed at that point until the 17th of December, when he was sent to Ellington Field, Texas, and on March 22, 1918, was commissioned pilot second lieutenant in the air service. On April 8, 1918, he was ordered to Camp Dick, Dallas, Texas, where he remained until the 1st of May, when he was transferred to Post Field at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and there acted as pilot instructor to aerial observers. On the 7th of June he became pilot instructor to aerial gunners at Selfridge Field, Mount Clemens, Michigan, and was thus occupied until ordered overseas on September 11, 1918. He embarked on the 16th of that month and was assigned as an officer to the Ninth Aero Squadron on the Meuse-Argonne front. After the signing of the armistice he went with his squadron and the Third Army to Trier, Germany, with the Army of Occupation and was on duty until May 15, 1919, when he was ordered back to the United States. He landed at New York city on the 22d of June and was honorably discharged from the army August 2, 1919, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He is a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Tennessee National Guard Aero Squadron, holding a commission of pilot first lieutenant from the time the squadron was organized.

Mr. Blackard is a member of the West End Methodist church of Nashville. He is not actively interested in political affairs. He served as journal clerk in the upper house of the state senate of Tennessee in 1921, but has neither sought nor desired political preferment. He is a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, having represented his fraternity chapter at the National Fraternity convention held at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1919-1920, and while attending high school, college and university played on both the baseball and football teams. He is a young man of high purposes and ideals, who is actuated by the laudable ambition to progress, and industry and ability are carrying him rapidly forward in his profession, while his admirable personal qualities have won for him the unqualified respect and esteem of all with whom he has been associated.