W. W. Gooch, a well known merchant and farmer of Goochville, was born in 1844 in White County. He is of Irish-Dutch descent, a son of Joseph and Lavinia W. (O’Connor) Gooch. The father was born in 1793 in North Carolina and immigrated to White County at an early date, where he died about 1847. The mother was born in White County in 1815, and died in Texas in 1868. The subject of this sketch spent his early days on a farm and received a good education in the country schools. He was in the Confederate Army, Company I, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry. He served during the entire war, and although he took part in many of the famous battles, was neither wounded nor captured. After receiving an honorable discharge he returned home and began farming. In 1878, in connection with his agricultural interests, he engaged in merchandising. He is a man of untiring energy and ability. He now owns 240 acres of valuable and productive land, on the Calf Killer River. He is a Democrat, a member of the I. O.O.F. and one of White County’s best men. In 1868 he married Melcena, daughter of Joseph and Margaret Gist. To this union have been born Joseph J., James W., Henry L., Wyman D., Addella M., Dora A., Wade H., Everett B. and Haden E.

Source:   Goodspeed Pub. Co. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of the Counties of White, Warren, Coffee, DeKalb, and Cannon, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, Etc., Etc. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1887.