Thomas S. Evins, M.D., a prominent physician of Wayne County, was born in Tennessee in 1846, and is the son of William A. and Eliza (Bobo) Evins, who were also Tennesseans. The father was a merchant and farmer, a Democrat and member of the Missionary Baptist Church. He died January 15, 1856, followed by his widow, in 1870. Thomas S. was united in marriage to Minerva J. Gullick in 1875. She is a daughter of Jonathan A. and Frances C. (Baker) Gullick. Her father is a prosperous farmer, and belongs to the Democratic party. He and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mrs.. Evins was born in 1846, and is the mother of two children: Frank, born March 3, 1876, died march 3, 1878, and Thomas J., born September 22, 1877. October 8, 1877, Mrs. Evins died. Our subject was educated in the best schools of Bedford County, and lived with his parents until their respective deaths, when he began reading medicine under Dr. H. P. Ferguson, and remained with him about one year. He obtained two courses of lectures in 1870-71 in Louisville Medical College, after which he located at Wayne Furnace, and after practicing there until 1874 he entered Vanderbuilt University, of Nashville, and attended the course of 1874-75, graduating in the latter
Category Archives: GoodspeedBiography
Dixon, Columbus F.
Columbus F. Dixon, was born in Wayne County, Tenn., in 1828, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Boyd) Dixon, who were born in North Carolina, and came to Tennessee with their parents when quite young. The father was a farmer and distiller, and was very prosperous, supporting a family of seventeen children. His wife died November 23, 1863, and he took for his second wife Mary Foster, who was the mother of five of the children. Mr. Dixon died in Wayne County July 16, 1877. When twenty-four years old our subject married Sarah A. Springer, who was born in Tennessee, in 1836, and a daughter of Jonas and Annie Springer, and twelve children have blessed their union: Jonas S., Elizabeth A. (deceased), Mary J., Andrew J. (deceased), James M. (deceased),Robert M. (deceased), William F., Amanda P., and Ella (deceased). Mr. Dixon owns 369 acres of land, on which he has lived thirty-seven years; 150 acres are well improved and well tilled, besides this, he owns two other tracts of land consisting of 118 and 454 acres, respectively. He has filled the office of constable, and is a man who has lived an exemplary life. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a stanch Republican, and sided with the Union cause during the late war.
Dickerson, William J.
William J. Dickerson, merchant of Waynesboro, Tenn., and a native of the county, was born August 6, 1861, son of James M. and Sarah A. (Arnett) Dickerson, who were born in Wayne County. The father was a successful stock trader and farmer, and resided in the Fifth District. He was a Republican in politics, and during the late war served in the Union Army as major of the Second Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry, and was United States revenue assessor at Columbia, Tenn., for four years after the war. He died June 30, 1878. William J. was reared and educated in the county and followed farming, stock raising and saw-milling in the Fifth District until November, 1885, when he removed to Waynesboro, and engaged in the dry goods and general merchandise business in company with Huckaba Bros., and has remained with them to the present time, contributing largely to the success of this well known firm. April 3, 1884, he married Mary E. Hamm, of Wayne County. They have one child, Bessie C. Mr. Dickerson is a Republican.
Davis, William C.
William C. Davis first saw the light of day in Maury County, Tenn., in 1838, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth Davis, who were born in Tennessee. The father was a farmer, and died about 1850. His wife died about five years later. Our subject remained with his parents until their respective deaths, when he resided two years with an uncle, and emigrated to Missouri. After remaining there two years he returned to Tennessee, and has been engaged in farming ever since. In 1859 he was married to Annie M. Davis, a daughter of Anderson and Annie Davis. She was born in Wayne County in 1839, and is the mother of eight children: John A., Lowly I., Cecil K., George W., Salathiel C., William O., Charles H. and Mary A. In 1877 Mr. Davis moved to his present farm, which contains 225 acres, and lies on Beech Creek. Besides this farm he owns 400 acres of land adjoining this, that is fair land. Mr. Davis and wife are members of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and he is a stanch Democrat in politics.
Davis, John R. Sr.
John R. Davis, Sr., is a Tennessean, born in 1823. His parents, Anderson and Annie Davis, were born in Virginia and North Carolina, respectively, and came to Tennessee with their parents when young. The father was a farmer and pioneer citizen of the county, and departed this life in 1873. His wife died four years later. Our subject lived with his parents until twenty-one years of age, at which time he was united in marriage to Jemima Hill, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Felkins) Hill. She was born in Tennessee in 1825, and is the mother of ten children: Annie C., Nancy E., Henry E., Mary J., John J. J., Joseph A., Catherine O., an infant, (deceased, not named), Parlee (deceased), and Anderson (deceased). Since his marriage Mr. Davis has farmed in different portions of the county and in Missouri, being in the latter place about four years. In 1878 he purchased the farm, of 188 acres, on which he now lives. It lies about nine miles from the county seat, and is in a good state of cultivation. In 1883 he erected a water-power, saw and grist-mill on his farm, the same having proved quite successful. he has held the office of justice of the peace since 1868, and is a Democrat. He and Mrs. Davis are members of the Christian Church.
Cunningham, Armstead H.
Armstead H. Cunningham, the leading merchant at Forty Eight, Tenn., was born in this State in 1850, and is the son of John R. and Grace (Kimmens) Cunningham, of Tennessee birth. The father was a farmer by occupation, a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church, a Democrat in politics, and lived in Hickman County until his death, which occurred about 1874. Our subject’s juvenile days were spent on a farm. He lived with his father until twenty-one years of age, when he began life for himself, teaching and clerking. In 1874 he purchased Samuel H. William’s stock of goods at Centerville, Tenn., and did business in that place three years, one year being devoted to the hotel and livery business. He lost considerable property by fire, but, altogether, his career in that place was a success financially. For the next two years he was connected with the commission house of Mellen, Brown & Co, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and in 1876 was married to Laura E. Clagett, daughter of Horatio and Elizabeth (Montgomery) Clagett. Mrs. Cunningham was born in Tennessee, in 1855, and immediately after her marriage she and Mr. Cunningham took an extended tour East, visiting New York, Pittsburgh, the Centennial Exposition and Niagara Fall. After their return Mr. Cunningham engaged in the mercantile business in Forty Eight, where he has since been successfully engaged. He is also postmaster of the town, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church. They have four children: John H., Southern S., Walker M., and James R. A remarkable feature of the family is that from the fourth generation there has never been a female child born into the family. They are of English descent.
Crews, Jonathan
Jonathan Crews, a prominent citizen of Wayne County, Tenn., was born in North Carolina in 1825. His parents, William and Malisent (Hicks) Crews, were natives of the same State, and came to Tennessee about 1830. The father was a farmer, a member of the Hardshell Baptist Church, and a Whig in politics, and during the late war stood firm for the Union. His death occurred in 1871, and his wife’s in 1877. Our subject made his parents’ home his home until attaining his majority, when he was married to Frances Morrow, a daughter of Archibald and Martha (Parker) Morrow. Mrs. Crews was born in this State in 1827, and is the mother of nine children: Martha A., Malisent, William, Mary E., Nancy J (deceased in 1886), Eletha C. (deceased in 1861), Sarah F., Archie F. (deceased in 1862) and Gustina. Mr. Crews was a resident of Lawrence County until 1864, when he came to Wayne County and resided on several different farms until 1881, when he purchased his present farm of 80 acres, on which he located and has lived to the present time. He and Mrs. Crews are members of the Hard-shell Baptist Church.
Craig, Peyton H.
Capt Peyton H. Craig, clerk and master of the chancery court at Waynesboro, Tenn., was born in Maury County, Tenn., August 28, 1836, son of William and Amanda (Copeland) Craig, both of whom were born in North Carolina. Johnson Craig, our subject’s grandfather, came with his family to Tennessee in December, 1806, and located near Mount Pleasant, where he followed stock raising and farming, and reared a family of fifteen children, and lived to see them all married and with families of their own. He died in Lawrence County about 1845. The father was reared in Maury County and married in Williamson County. In 1853 he moved to Missouri, and died in Laclede County in 1869. The mother died in Maury County, Tenn., when Peyton H. was an infant two weeks old, leaving three other children. The father raised a family of five daughters by his second marriage. Our subject was reared on his great-uncle’s (William Blackwood) farm, and secured a good academic education. He prepared himself for teaching, which occupation he began at the age of seventeen years. In July, 1862, he abandoned domestic pursuits and enlisted as a private in Company A., Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, Confederate States Army. In 1863 he organizeda company and attached it to the Twentieth Tennessee Cavalry (Col. George H. Nixon), and served as its captain until near the close of the war. He was captured at Ashland by the Federals shortly before the surrender, but was soon paroled. He farmed in Wayne County, and also taught school during the fall and winter months, and in 1873 was appointed clerk and master under Chancellor Nixon, and has served continuously, by reappointment to the present time. It may be said to his credit that he has discharged the duties of this most important office in a highly satisfactory and efficient manner. In 1859 he wedded Martha A. Mitchell, who died in October, 1871, leaving four children: Mary A. (Mrs G. W. Jackson), Laura B. (wife of Dr. S. A. Smith), Sallie B. and Wilton. The Captain’s second wife, Laura W. Ramsey, died in March, 1875, after less than two years of married life, leaving one child, now deceased. In 1882 he married his present wife, Miss J. Harvey, of Lawrenceburg, who has borne him one son, William Harvey. Capt. Craig is a Democrat, and takes an active interest in political affairs, not only in his county, but in the judical circuit and State at large. He was, however an old line Whig, as were his father and grandfather. He is a Mason of Royal Arch and Council degree, being Grand Marshal of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee. He is Secretary of the Grand Convocation of Past Masters of the State, and is High Priest of the local chapter, and Master of the lodge at Waynesboro. He is also a member of the K. of H., and he and wife are church members.
Cook, William
William M. Cook, mayor of Clifton, and a prominent business man of the town, was born in Wayne County March 23, 1849, son of John L. and Mary Ann (Johnson) Cook, both of whom were natives of Wayne County. William M. was reared on a farm and secured a limited education in his boyhood days, and continued farming exclusively until twenty years of age. He then traded in stock until his marriage, at the age of twenty-two, with Almyra I. Montague. He then resumed farming and followed that and stock trading until 1882, when he engaged in steam saw-milling in the county, at which he has continued ever since. In December 1884, he moved to Clifton, and the following March engaged in the general merchandise business with G. W. Thompson, continuing the same up to the present time. May 11, 1886, Mrs. Cook died, leaving six living children: Nancy L., Jacob L., Mary, Thomas, Jessie and Nellie. Mr. Cook is a Democrat in politics, and in August, 1885, was elected to the office of mayor of Clifton. He is a Mason and K. of H. and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in which faith his wife died.
Cook, Nathaniel T.
Nathaniel T. Cook, M. D., of Wayne County, was born in 1850, and is a son of John L. and Mary A. (Johnson) Cook, who were natives of this State, the father being a farmer by occupation. He served in the quartermaster’s department of the Confederate Army, enlisting in 1863 and serving until the close of the war. He was a Democrat and died in Wayne County in 1876. Our subject assisted his parents until he attained his majority, when he began the battle of life for himself and engaged in the grocery and livery business in the town of Clifton. About eighteen months later there was a decline in stock and he at once closed out his business and in partnership with his uncle, N. W. Johnson, purchased a two-thirds interest in the dry goods establishment of Dr. Selph, and shortly after purchased the Doctor’s interest. In 1876 our subject sold out and retired to his father’s farm, which he managed three years. He and his brother then erected a steam saw-mill on the latter’s farm. He gave this up in 1883 and began practicing medicine, having spent a great deal of time studying that science, and became a partner with his brother, James T. Cook, M. D., of Flatwood, and they are doing a good work. he is a member of the I. O. O. F. and K. of H., and is a Democrat, having cast his first presidential vote for Horace Greeley. In 1870 he married Pina R. Fuson, daughter of Bethel and Sophronia Fuson. They have four children: John B. (who died in infancy), Heber J., Edner E., and an infant not named.