Goodspeed’s Marshall County Biographies – Surnames T, W & Y
WILLIAM P. THOMAS may be mentioned as one of the prosperous farmers of Marshall County, Tenn. His parents, T.W. and Lucy (Pierson) Thomas, were born in Virginia, and were there married, and soon after came to Tennessee and located in Rutherford County, where they lived until the death of the father, and then the mother and her five children located in Bedford County, and about 1850 came to Marshall County. The father was a stock trader and while on a tour in Alabama sickened and died. William P. was born in Rutherford County, September 7, 1832, and as he was obliged to assist in supporting the family his school days were limited. He has acquired a practical business education, however, and is well to do in worldly goods, being the owner of 400 acres of land, which he has acquired by hard work. In 1861 he volunteered in Col. Haynes’ Company of cavalry and after a short service was discharged on account of rheumatic trouble. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and is a Master Mason of Chapel Hill Lodge. He is a bachelor.
JOSEPH PERCIVAL THOMPSON is a son of John and Mary (Snell) Thompson, who
were born in North Carolina. The father came to Tennessee with his parents when Nashville was a mere village. He spent the greater share of his life in Bedford Conty, where he farmed and practiced medicine. He served as surveyor and magistrate and represented his county one term in the State Legislature. He was a Democrat up to 1835 and then became a Whig. He died in 1857 and the mother in 1861. Joseph P. was born in Bedford County January 16, 1812. At the age of sixteen he began working as salesman, and in 1833 wedded Prudence Allison, by whom he had five children. She died in 1844 and the following year he married Myra Wallis. To them were born four children, two of whom lived to be grown. In 1850 his second wife died and two years later Margaret E. Fowler became his third wife. Since his first marriage Mr. Thompson has farmed. He is conservative in politics. Robert C. Thompson, his son, was born to his first marriage. He was born June 30, 1836, in Bedford County, and there lived ;until sixteen years of age and then came to Marshall County. He taught school for some time, although farming had been his chief calling through life. In 1858 he wedded Frances S. Wilson, by whom he had three children: Flora A., Thomas L. (who graduated with the class of 1886 from Vanderbilt University), and Minnie B. In 1861 Robert C volunteered in Company H, Forty-first Tennessee Infantry. He was captured at Fort Donelson and imprisoned at Camp Morton, but re-entered service after being exchanged, but was so severely wounded at Atlanta that he was disabled from further service. He attained the rank of second lieutenant. Since the was he has farmed. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a man who takes deep interest in enterprises for the public wealth.
JAMES M. WELBORN, farmer and stock raiser, is a son of Johnson and Elatia (Knight) Welborn. The father was born in Bedford County in 1814, and the mother in Rutherford County about 1822. After marriage they settled in Henderson County, and after a short residence came to this county in 1849. About twenty years later he moved to Texas, where the both died, the father in 1870 and the mother in 1880. The father was a Democrat, and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He was a farmer and stock raiser and owned about 600 acres of land. Our subject, James M. Welborn, was born Feburary 12, 1841, in Henderson County, passed his youthful days in aiding his father on the farm and in attending the common schools, where he received a good English education. He was preparing for a course in the higher schools when the stirring events of the war broke into his plans. In 1861 he volunteered in the Confederate Army, Company F, Seventeenth Tennessee Infantry, and after eighteen montys’ service was transferred to Company A, Fourth Tennessee Cavalry. He received but on slight wound and was never captured during the four years he was in service. In 1865 he married Rosa L. Hutton, who was born August 31, 1843, and five children blessed this union. Mr. Welborn is a Democrat in politics, and he and wife are zealous workers in the Missionary Baptist Church. He has a fine farm of 100 acres lying on the pike. In the line of fine stock, he keeps a fine horse of Traveler & Brooks stock, and two first class jacks.
JAMES W. WHITMAN, farmer, is a son of Rev. R.M. Whitman, a native of Boston, Mass., born in 1804. When a mere boy R.M. Whitman went with his parents to Virginia, where he lived quite a number of years. They then immigrated to Bedford County, and here he married Almedia Sanders (the subject’s mother), and a native of Bedford County, born in 1815. To them were born nine children. After he death the father was married twice; first to Mrs. Jane Reed, who died in 1857, and then to Mrs Ann Edwards, who still lives. The father died in Texas in 1873. He was an extensive farmer and stock trader, and in early life practiced medicine. He was also a preacher of the gospel. Our subject was born November 28, 1838, in the Moore fraction of Lincoln County. He was reared on the farm and received a poor education, owing to the demand for his labor at home. In 1861 he volunteered in Company K, Eighth Tennessee Infantry, Confederate Army, and went through four years of service without being wounded, and was only captured once, when he succeeded in making his escape in a few days. He served twelve months as captain of Company A, Twenty-eighth Tennessee Cavalry. After the war he went to Texas to engage in the mercantile business, where he remained ten years. In 1874 he returned to Tennessee and engaged in Farming. In 1877 he married Ann E. Hutton, a native of Rutherford County, born August 14, 1841. In 1882 she died, and the following year he married Jennie P. Grigsby, of Giles County. This union resulted in the birth ofone child, Robert G. Mr. Whitman is a stanch Democrat and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. His present wife is a member of the Methondist Episcopal Church. He has a good farm of 497 acres, and as a farmer and stock raiser has been quite successful.
JOHN B. WILHOITE, farmer and stock dealer, is a son of William and Anna A. (Warner) Wilhoite, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. The father was a miller, running successfully an old-style mill during his life. He was a democrat, an attendant and his wife a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. He died at the age of thirty. In 1835 the mother came to this county, and soon afterward married James Robinson, of of Capt. Robinson. Her second husband died three years later. She died in 1876. Our subject was born December 23, 1830, in Bedford County, and did not have the best advantages for an education, but made the most of what he did have. After leaving the common schools he completed his education in Chapel Hill Academy. At the age of fifteen he took charge of the home farm, and a year later planned and superintended the construction of the grist and saw-mill at Fishing Ford, which he has run ever since. He is also the constructor of the dam furnishing water to the mills. In 1862 he volunteered in the Confederate Army in Capt. Miller’s company of Eleventh Tennessee Cavalry, and after three years of faithful service returned home. In 1869 he wedded Lizzie T. Bullock, of Williamson County, born in 1846; the fruits of this union were three children, all living-Jacob, Mary and Addie. Mr. Wilhoite is a Democrat, a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mrs. Wilhoite is a member of the Methodist Church. Our subject has considerable of this world’s goods, and has lived in Marshall County for forty-six years.
WILLIAM E. WIKLINSON, a prosperous young farmer of Marshall County, Tenn., is a son of Mack and Jane (Palmer) Wilkinson. The father was born in Giles County, Tenn., in 1816, and the mother in Virginia in 1819. To her marriage with Mr. Wilkinson were born six children. Mack Wilkinson was a soldier in the Seminole war, and for tow terms filled the office of constable. He was a Democrat, and died in 1881. The mother is still alive and is sixty-seven years of age. Our subject is of Scotch-Irish and German descent, and was born in what is now Marshall County March 14, 1856. He was reared on a farm, and at the age of nineteen years began teaching in Arkansas, but failing health caused him to return to Tennessee. He was elected and served two terms as constable. In 1880 he wedded Mollie Cooper, by whom he had three children, all girls. Mrs Wilkinson belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Since 1883 Mr. Wilkinson has resided on the farm where he now lives. He gives his support to the Democratic party, and is a prosperous farmer of the county.
WILLIAM H. WOOD, undertaker and dealer in furniture, is a son of William and Amy (Smith) Wood. They were married in Massachusetts and came to Maury County, this State, between 1834 and 1840, to take charge of a large cotton factory. By trade the father was a machinist, being a first-class man in the business. For the last twenty-five years he has operated a chair factory. He is still living at the age of seventy-two. His wife is sixty-eight. Our subject was born September 20, 1841, in Maury County, was reared in town, and received a good practical education. While growing up he had learned the cabinet-maker’s trade in his father’s shop, and after reaching manhood he entered a book store as salesman, and two years later, in connection with R.D. Blum, opened a dry goods and clothing store in Columbia. Having bought out his partner, he sold the whole stock and engaged in the manufacture of chairs with his father and brother. He then sold out and worked in the cabinet shop of Lamb & Boyd, and later became superintendent of the water-works of Columbia. In 1866 he wedded Mary L. Bynum, and to this unin were born six children-three of whom are living. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wood are active members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Twice Mr. Wood has been elected alderman, and is now president of the corporation. In politics he is conservative, supporting the Democracy.
For nine years he has been in business in Lewisburg, and the trade he has succeeded in getting speaks well for his ability as a business man.
HON. EWING A. WILSON was prominent citizen and native of Marshall County, Tenn. He was born in 1818 and always resided in the county, and was prominently connected with its growth and prosperity. His early education was somewhat limited, but he acquired a good education through self-application and contact with business life. He held the position of captain, major and brigadier-general of militia, and during the late was major of the Fourth Tennessee Cavalry, but failing health caused him to give up his army career. He represented his county three terms in the lower house of the State Legislature and was senator two terms. He was very public-spirited and assisted in every enterprise for the good of the county. He was president of the Marshall County Fair Association, and in the days of the Grange movement he was on the side of honest toil. As a financier he has been almost without a peer, and by good management became the owner of about 2,000 acres of land, which he distributed liberally among his sisters children. For forty years he was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He died in 1883, beloved and respected by all. As a christian he was faithful, kind-hearted and true, wise as a legislator, and as a citizen had few equals. His parents were Aaron J. and Hannah (Martin) Wilson. The father was born in North Carolina and when young came to Rutherford County, where he married and became the father of seven children. The mother died in 1827 and he in 1831. They were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
JAMES A. WOODS, senior member of the firm of Woods & McCord, of Lewisburg, is a son of Francis B. and Margaret S. (Morrison) Woods, both natives of this State. After marriage they settled in this county, on the farm where they are still living. Their family consisted of eight children, six of whom are living. Both parents are members of the Presbyterian Church. For a number of years the father served as constable, though he was not an aspirant to places of public trust. He is now seventy-seven years old, and his wife is seventy-five. They have lived together fifty-four years. Our subject was born August 4, 1848, in Marshall County, and received his education in the country schools. Having prepared himself at Union Academy, of this county, in 1869 he entered Ann Arbor University and graduated in the classical course of the literary department in 1872. He then taught school one year, and began reading law under Walter S. Bearden, of Shelbyville, but failing health drove him from the profession of law, and after clerking for a short time he engaged in business at Lewisburg. In 1880 he wedded Nannie J. McCord, by whom he has two children: James W. and Bedford M. Mr. woods is a democrat, and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Woods has been alderman and commissioner of this taxing district for six years, besides he has been president of the Marshall County Temperance Alliance since its organization. He also holds a large interest in the firm of Coffey, Woods & Co.
JASPER A. YARBROUGH, register of Marshall County, is a son of George and Nancy E. (Gibbons) Yarbrough. The father was born in North Carolina and the mother in Tennessee. They were married in Tennessee, and their family consisted of ten children. Jasper’s maternal grandparents had twenty-six children and his paternal had fourteen. Both our subject’s parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The father was a well-to-do farmer and had the honor of furnishing three brave boys for the war, one of whom was killed. The father lived to be about seventy-six and the mother about seventy-four. Our subject, who was born November 7,1839, in Marshall County, is a man three feet and nine and a half inches in height. He was reared on the farm and received a practical education in the common schools. Having picked up the shoe-maker’s trade he worked at it for about eight years, besides teaching school. He was always a very handy workman and could make a suit of clothes, knit a pair of socks, or almost anything he turned his hand to. In 1874 he was elected register, and has held that position ever since with the ability and to the satisfaction of the people. In 1881 he wedded Lizzie McKee. The fruits of this union were three children, two of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Yarbrough are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been a citizen of Marshall County for forty-six years. In politics he is a warm Democrat.
Source: Biographical Appendix, The Goodspeed History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford, Marshall Counties of Tennessee from The Goodspeed’s History of Tennessee, 1886.
Transcribed by Paulette Carpenter, 2005