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Hon. William P. CALDWELL, a much honored citizen of Weakley County, Tenn., was born at Christmasville, Carroll Co., Tenn., November 8, 1832; was educated at McLemoreville, Tenn., and at Princeton, Ky. He entered the law department of the Cumberland University, and began practicing his profession at Dresden, Tenn., in 1832. He has been a resident of Weakley County all his life, and has practiced in that and Obion Counties for the past thirty years. He was elected to the State Legislature of Tennessee, in 1857 and 1870, and served on the Douglas electoral ticket in 1860. He was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1868, and was elected to the Forty-fourth Congress, and was re-elected to the Forty-fifth Congress as a Democrat, receiving 14,799 votes against 6,509 votes for Folk, an Independent Democrat. Mr. Caldwell cast his first presidential vote for James Buchanan. He is a Mason, a K. of H., and a member of the O.O. of H. He was married in 1854 to Ada B., daughter of Hon. John A Gardner. Mrs. Caldwell was born in Weakley County, in 1835, and is the mother of five children: Dr. L. W. (a resident of Sulfur Bluff, Texas), John A. (a lawyer and partner with his father), Frederick J. (who is a messenger of the Southern Express Co., and a resident of Memphis, Tenn.), Will D. and Enloe V. Mr. Caldwell and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His parents, David P. and Elizabeth (Edwards) Caldwell, were born in North Carolina, and Dixon County, Tenn., in 1801 and 1811, and died in 1862 and 1857, respectively. At the age of twenty-five years, the father moved from Stewart to Carroll County, thence to Weakley County, in 1836. He was postmaster of Dresden, during VanBuren’s administration, and in 1841 moved to his farm, where he afterward resided.
P. A. CASHON, M. D., was born in Weakley County, Tenn., March 4, 1839, one of six children, three of whom were sons, the other two being W. B. (a farmer of Weakley County) and J. F. (a physician of Martin). Their parents were Andrew J. and Frances (Winstead) Cashon, who were born in Virginia and Tennessee, in 1815 and 1818, respectively. The father came to Tennessee with his parents, when about ten years of age and after residing in Sumner County two years, moved to Weakley County, being among the early settlers. He farmed, and married about 1836, and is yet residing in Weakley County. His father died in 1875, at the ripe old age of ninety-one years. Our subject’s mother’s death occurred in 1880. P. A. Cashon, our subject, was educated at Dukedom Academy, and entered the teacher’s profession, and after one session entered the office of Dr. J. V. Freeman, and spent two years reading medicine. He then took two courses of lectures at the Nashville University, and in 1863-64 took a course of lectures in the Louisville (Ky) University, and graduated from that institution in the spring of the latter year. In 2865 he entered the army as assistant surgeon of the Sixth Tennessee Cavalry. After the war he purchased a farm near Dresden, where he remained until December, 1882. He then disposed of his farm and came to Martin, and he and Dr. Lawler entered into partnership, and also engaged in the drug business, their stock amounting to $3,500. Dr. Cashon has met with flattering success in the practice of his profession, and is doing well, financially. He is a Republican, and cast his first presidential vote for John Bell. He also belongs to the Masonic fraternity. February, 1866, Dr. Cashon married Miss Desda J. Stowe, daughter of W. A. and Susan Stowe. Mrs. Cashon was born in Weakley County, in 1840, and is the mother of two children: Willie Lee and John Bell. Both the Doctor and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
A. M. CLEMONS, a prominent citizen and lawyer, of Martin, Tenn., is a native of the county, born December 12, 1838, one of ten children of Charles and Mary (Doughterty) Clemons. The father was of Welsh descent, born in the Old Dominion, in October, 1790. He was married in his native State, and in 1829 moved to Tennessee, where he followed a farmer’s life, and was a man of energetic and temperate habits. He died in October, 1862. His wife was born in Rogersville, Tenn., in 1792, and departed this life, in December, 1859. Our subject was educated in the Dresden Academy, his preceptor being the well known Prof. David Cochrane. He soon after accepted a clerkship in the store of W. P. Berry & Bro., and at the end of three years he and his brother, J. W. Clemons, and W. D. Walthall engaged in the mercantile business, at Dukedom, continuing until the breaking out of the war. In April, 1855, Margaret I. Gordon became his wife. She was born in Graves County, Ky., May 20, 1840, and is the mother of four children: C. W., E. F. (who is a postal clerk on the Illinois Central R. R.), Nettie (wife of Dr. T. P. Callicott) and Clara A. (wife of George E. Bowden). From 1865 until 1875 Mr. Clemons held the office of magistrate, and during this time he began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1870. Three years later he was appointed postmaster of Martin, which position he held until December, 1885. Mr. Clemons is much esteemed for his many good qualities, and ranks high in his profession. He and Mrs. Clemons are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he belongs to the Masonic, I. 0. 0. F., K. of H. fraternities, and is a Republican in politics.
G. W. CONNOR, a well-to-do farmer of the Seventeenth District of Weakley County, Tenn., was born in Knoxville, Tenn., October 80, 1819, and was the only child born to the marriage of Samuel Conner and Martha Hickey. Samuel Conner was of Irish descent some generations back, and was born in the Old Dominion in 1796. At the early age of three years he was brought to Tennessee by his parents, and was married in the land of his adoption. Weakley County became his home in 1831; here he farmed, and while in Missouri on business, died in 1859. The mother was born in Knox County, Tenn., in September, 1798, and died June 12, 1820. After attending the common schools, our subject, in 1842, married Martha A. Welch, daughter of John and Dorcas Welch. Mrs. Conner was born in 1825, and died in January, 1856, and of seven children born to them, five are living: Samuel M., John C., Dorcas A. (Mrs. D. W. McDade), Martha G. (Mrs. D. R. Wesbey), and George W., Jr. October 8, 1857, Mr. Conner married Mrs. (Gordon) Scaffold who was born in 1825, and three daughters – Ida E. (Mrs. J. G. McDade), Cora E. and Maggie L.were born to their union. Mr. Conner at one time time owned 500 acres of land, but disposed of portions of it until he now owns 168 acres. He is the oldest resident of the Seventeenth District and has been magistrate of the same six years. He is a Mason, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. All the children are residing near their father, save Mrs. Wesbey, who is a resident of Danville, IL.
C. W. COTTRELL, proprietor of a general merchandise store at Dresden, Tenn., was born in Granville County, N. C., December 4, 1840. His father, Samuel Cottrell, was born in the same county and State, August 7, 1820, and was a farmer by occupation. He immigrated to Tennessee in 1844, locating in Weakley County, and died in the Tenth District of that county, October 29, 1847. The mother, whose maiden name was Catherine Hicks, was born in the same State and county as her husband, February 8, 1819. After her husband’s death she married C. E. Baxter, and after his death she united her fortunes with those of W. R. Ross, who is also deceased. For the past eight years she has been living with our subject. Mr. Cottrell was educated in the schools of Dresden and became a salesman in the general merchandise store of M. D. Cardwell in Dresden, at the age of sixteen. In 1859 he began clerking for E. J. White, with whom he remained until 1865, when he became a partner in the business, the firm consisting of E. J. White (his son) J. M. White and Mr. Cottrell. In 1868 E. J. White died, and from that date until 1879 Mr. Cottrell and J. M. White continued as, partners. In 1879 Mr. Cottrell disposed of his interest in the stock to his partner, and in 1880 formed a partnership with B. D. Irvine, S. P. Scott and G. S. Boyd, under the firm name of Cottrell, Irvine & Co., starting a large dry goods and general merchandise establishment, and building a fine flouring-mill, saw-mill, etc. In 1883 Mr. Cottrell sold his interest in the mills and bought the entire stock in the store, and from that date until the present, has successfully managed the business. April 25, 1866, he married Mary E. Johnson, who was born near Murfreesboro, February 14, 1841, daughter of Joseph Al. Johnson, who was, at one time, sheriff of Rutherford County. They have no children. Mr. Cottrell is a Democrat and belongs to K. of H. Lodge, No. 312. His wife and mother are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
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