A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans, Volume 5
By Will Thomas Hale, Dixon Lanier Merritt
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago and New York; 1913

Pages 1222-1223

George J. Pierce. The honored subject of this review is numbered among the progressive and representative agriculturists of Obion county, where he is the owner of a finely improved landed estate of five hundred acres, situated near the boundary line between Tennessee and Kentucky, Pierce Station being his postoffice address. He is a scion of one of the old and influential families of northwestern Tennessee and through his character and achievement he has well upheld the prestige of the honored name which he bears and which has been closely identified with the civic and industrial activities of this section of the state for more than seventy years.

Mr. Pierce was born in Obion county, Tennessee, on the 8th of June, 1850, and is a son of Thomas M. and Margaret (Blacknell) Pierce, the former of whom was born in North Carolina, in 1810, and the latter of whom was several years his junior. Thomas M. Pierce received excellent educational advantages and was a man of fine intellectuality and marked business acumen. He was a successful teacher in the schools of Tennessee for a number of years and eventually became one of the prominent agriculturists and merchants of the northwestern part of the state, both he and his wife having passed the closing years of their lives in Obion county and both having held the unqualified esteem of all who knew them. Thomas M. Pierce came to Tennessee in the year 1842 and first located in Dresden, Weakley county, whence he later removed to Obion county. He became the owner of a fine landed estate of eight hundred acres, which he operated with slave labor prior to the Civil war, most of this property having been confiscated at the close of the war, though he had been a stanch supporter of the cause of the Union and had ably opposed the secession of the Southern states. Notwithstanding his personal attitude at this climacteric period in the history of the nation, three of his sons—Thomas D., Henry H. and Rice, A.—espoused the cause of the Confederate government and were valiant soldiers in the Southern service during the great fratracidal conflict. Mr. Pierce was a man of specially progressive ideas and policies, and he developed an extensive merchandise business, in connection with which he had well equipped general stores at Jacksonville, Union City, and Pierce, Tennessee, and at Fulton, Kentucky.

Pierce Station was named for Thomas M. Pierce, who built the first station house himself, and was the first station master. He was also the first postmaster and held both offices until a short time before his death when he resigned. He was a Democrat but held the postoffice through the Republican administration.

Both Mr. Pierce and his wife held membership in the Methodist church, their lives having been ordered in harmony with the faith which they professed. Mrs. Pierce was graduated in one of the excellent educational institutions of her-native state, Virginia, and was a woman of exceptional culture and refinement. She was a successful and popular teacher in the schools of Tennessee prior to her marriage and she ever held the affectionate regard of all who came within the sphere of her gracious and gentle influence. The names of the children, with respective years of birth are here noted: Harriet, 1834; William B., 1836; T. Devereaux, 1838; Henry H., 1840; Rice, A., 1842; Lawrence, 1844; and George J., 1850. The four eldest were born in North Carolina and the remainder in Weakley county, this state, except George J., who is the subject of this review and the youngest of the number, he having been born in what is now Obion county, as previously noted. Of his brothers, Rice A., is now living.

George J. Pierce was reared on the old homestead plantation and in connection therewith he gained practical discipline, the while he had the gracious environment and influences of a refined and hospitable home, one representing the best of the fine old Southern regime. After availing himself of the advantages of the common schools he identified himself actively with agricultural pursuits, and during the long intervening years he has never severed his allegiance to this great basic industry, through the medium of which he has attained to substantial success and prosperity. His present beautiful and productive landed estate comprises five hundred acres and is one of the model farms of northwestern Tennessee. It is principally devoted to the raising of tobacco, cotton, wheat and corn, and in carrying on the work Mr. Pierce employs many negroes, having about seven families on the estate and some of the number having been with the family since the days before the Civil war.

Mr. Pierce is not only one of the progressive and enterprising agriculturists of Obion county but is also a citizen of marked loyalty and public spirit. He gives his co-operation in support of measures projected for the general good of the community and he holds secure vantage ground in the confidence and high regard of the people of his native county. He is a stanch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party and both he and his wife are zealous members of the Presbyterian church, in which he held the office of elder for fully a quarter of century.

In the year 1882 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Pierce to Miss Mary L. Gibbs, who was born in Mississippi, and who is a daughter of the late Judge Q. D. Gibbs, a representative citizen of his county, in Mississippi. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce became the parents of nine children, namely: Annie, Louise and Joseph, who are deceased; and William B., George J., Jr., Margaret Dorsey, Mamie, and Sherley. The attractive family home is known for its generous and gracious hospitality and Mr. Pierce and his family are popular facts in the social life of the community.

1900 Census, Obion County, Tennessee
16th Civil District, ED:112, Sheet 20B
Lines 82-91, Enum-Dwelling #392, Enum-Family #398
Pierce, George J. (head) born-June-1849, age 50, mar-17-yrs, TN-NC-VA
“, Mary L. (wife) born-July-1857, age 42, 8-children/6-living, MS-TN-KY
“, Annie L. (dau) born-Oct-1882, age 17, TN-TN-MS
“, Willie B. (son) born-Apr01887, age 13, TN-TN-MS
“, George J. (son) born-Oct-1889, age 10, TN-TN-MS
“, Margaret B. (dau) born-Aug-1893, age 6, TN-TN-MS
“, Dorsey S. (son) born-Oct-1895, age 4, TN-TN-MS
“, Mannie M. (son) born-May-1898, age 2, TN-TN-MS
MAHAN, William (servant) (no birth-date) age about 75, Ireland-Ireland-Ireland, Farm Laborer
MITCHEL, Ephriam D. (hired man) born-Dec-1856, age 42, TN-TN-TN, Farm Laborer