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Gc 976.9 M51 v.1 1939916
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01713 4591
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/memorialrecordof01lewi 0
1
563
MEMORIAL RECORD
OF
WESTERN KENTUCKY
ILLUSTRATED
V.1
VOLUME I.
Public Library JUL 25 1962 Dallas, Texas
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1904
1939916
L. V. Husbands
atceser
Memorial records of Western Kentucky
Dallas
Lewis Pub. Co. 1904 v. I & II
R916.9
VI/
PREFACE.
The greatest of English historians, Macaulay, and one of America's ablest and most brilliant writers of the Nineteenth Century have said : "The history of a country is best told in a record of the lives of its people." In conformity with this idea, the Memorial Record of Western Kentucky has been prepared. History, so called, is but a narrative of what has been accomplished by people in the aggregate, and takes little note of the individual. Yet, in its broadest and truest sense, history also comprises the annals of the personal lives of those who bore the heat and burden of the day, and made the greatest sacrifices, portraying the spirit which actuated them, and holding up their efforts as an example to those who come afterward.
In recent years, genealogical and family histories have found their proper recognition, and are in constant and general demand. They are sought for in the great libraries, by book and magazine writers and lec- turers, and investigators from foreign lands as well as from all portions of our own country, and are in daily use in all newspaper offices. An honorable ancestry is a noble heritage, and the story of its achievements is a sacred trust committed to its descendants, upon whom devolves the per- petuation of that record. To place that record in permanent form this work is prepared, and its pages have been open to those whose lives have been worthy, and much space has been devoted to genealogy and family history.
1
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iv
PREFACE.
In every community there should be published a record of the pioneers who laid the foundations of civilization so broad and deep, of the old residents who upon these foundations builded so wisely and well. and of their successors, who have enlarged, beautified and enjoyed the munificent results; for thus is afforded an effective method of keeping green the memory of those to whom honor is due for their useful activi- ties and worthy lives. In these volumes will be found personal sketches of many whose lives are worthy of imitation of generations yet to come. They tell of many who out of limited advantages and ordinary environ- ments have become great men and women, and whose influence extends throughout the land. They tell of men who have risen from the lower walks of life to prominence in business, professional, social, political and official life. They tell of those in every walk of life who have striven to succeed, and record how success has usually crowned their efforts. They also tell of many who, not seeking the applause of the world, have pur- sued "the even tenor of their way," content to have it said of them, as Christ said of the women performing a deed of mercy-"they have done what they could." They, moreover, tell of many who, in the pride and strength of young manhood, left the plow and the anvil, the lawyer's office and the counting room, left every trade and profession, and at their country's call went forth valiantly "to do or die" for the land which gave them birth and to which, next to their God, their highest homage was due.
The western portion of the great commonwealth of Kentucky has produced many grand men and women, whose careers have shed lustre not only on the history of the community in which they lived, but also on that of their state and of the nation. Not much biography of this section of Kentucky has been recorded, and this fact, together with the passing
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PREFACE.
into oblivion of much biographical information concerning those who have been identified with the settlement, growth and rapid development of Western Kentucky, has prompted the compilation and publication of this Memorial Record. In the preparation of these volumes the data have been gained largely by means of interviews with prominent people. who have, by their force of character, brought their counties to a rank, in many respects, second to none among those comprising the great com- monwealth of which they are so justly proud; and from their own lips we have gained the story of their life struggles.
Generations yet unborn will greatly appreciate these volumes and preserve them as sacred treasures, and precious souvenirs of those who gave the best years of their lives in the interest of progress and civiliza- tion. In the compilation of this Memorial Record great care has been taken, and every opportunity possible given those who are represented to insure correctness in what has been written, and the publishers are giving to their patrons a work of few errors of consequence. The sketches of many will be missed in this work. For this the publishers are not to blame. Not having a proper conception of the work, some refused to give information necessary to compile a biography, while others were in- different. Occasionally some member of the family would oppose the enterprise, and on account of such opposition the support of the inter- ested one would be withheld. In some instances men could never be found, though repeated calls were made at their residences or places of business. To those who have given co-operation in the preparation of this work and are our patrons, we make grateful acknowledgment.
THE PUBLISHERS.
INDEX.
Akin, John A. 413
Allen, James R. .
421
Allen, Richard M. 616
Allensworth, J. B. 781
Anderson, Charles 656
Anderson, Edgar C. 759
Anderson, Lawrence B
75
Anderson, Lucian B.
65
Arnold, E. A .. 769
Atkins, Thomas J .:
468
Atwood, Thomas L. 40
Baker, Sanford W
512
Ballowe, Lee. 467
Barber, Richard J. 105
Barry, Richard B. 603
Bauer, J. Andy. 599
Becker, Joseph W
146
Beeler, George. 390
Beeler, George F 392
Beeler, John M.
393
Bell, James M. 617
Bell, W. Jesse. 618
Bennett, Green W. 228
Berry, Willis A ... 592
Bethshares, James 162
Beyer, Ulrick 230
Bishop, William Sutton. 286
Blakey, Thomas W
758
Blanc, Walter W. 637
Bloomfield, John
W
153
Blue, John W 365
Blythe Vernon 596
Boli, Louis A., Jr. 70
Bone, John. 449
Bone, John L
353
Boone, Eli G. 571
Boyd, John. 789
Boyd, William A. 667
Bradley, Henry L. 484
Bradshaw, William F. 456
Brasher, John B. 796
Braswell, Nicholas T 715
Breathitt, Augustinc.
358
Breathitt, James. 29
Breathitt, John W.
354
Brewer, James H. 108
Briggs. Benjamin F 200
Brooks, James P
Brooks, John G.
220
Brothers, Charles II. 4.54
Brown, Logan L.
744
Bryant, Lucius J. 294
Buchanan, Henry. 612
Bugg, Richard J
22
Bugg, Thomas I) 320
Bullock, Edward I. 603
Burch, Benjamin 698
Burchard, Mortimer J. L. 701
Burgess, Robert A. 470
Burnett, Henry C. 309
Burnett, Isaac.
10
Burton, Bedford F
419
Bush, Charles H.
756
Butler, Aaron ..
485
Butler, Edwin D. 703
Caldwell, Richard G. 36
Caldwell, Sammel B 204
Campbell, Alexander 30
Campbell, E. P.
321
Campbell, James
608
Carrico, Alphonsus K.
743
Carter, James L
418
Carter, John W
415
Case, Eliphalet.
638
66
Choice, Johi
187
Chowning, Robert M
642
Clark, Charles J
755
Clark, Thomas M
215
Clay, James W. .
417
Coleman, John R. 636
Coleman, Robert S
542
Colley, Andrew B. 584
Colley, Christopher C. 732
Collins, Thad. M. 324
Conant, A. J.
312
Cook, Edwin R.
Cooper, S. M. 606
Corbett, Jacob
118
Coulter, Gus G.
125
Coyle, James !
188
Crawford, Alfred B
Creedle, George R
175
Crockett, John W.
700
Crossland, Edward.
195
Crossland, Edward.
Crossland, Samuel H
198
Crouch, Hugh T.
260
Crumbaugh, Willian
L.
13
Cummins, Marcus
4.4
Catlett, George F
viii
INDEX.
Curd, Edmund.
717
Galloway, Nicholas 591
Curtchfield, James R.
645
Galloway, Thomas L. 737
Curtsinger, Thomas F.
690
Gardner, Howard J 275
Gardner, Thomas T 271
Dabney, Cornelius T.
520
Garnett, John P. 724
Dalton, George D).
773
Garnett, Joseph F
502
Daniel, Edmund H.
545
Garnett, Walter F
772
Darby, Franklin W.
203
Garrett, Edward.
336
Darby, Patrick H.
497
George, Henry
117
Davis, George G.
278
Gilbert, Jesse C.
32
Davis, Henry W.
185
Davis, John.
412
Gordon, J. F.
794
Davis, Lemuel R.
778
Davis, Rodney C.
281
Day, John B.
407
Dean, James C. .
648
Grant, Jonathan E.
255
Deboe, William J.
403
Graves, Francis E.
453
Dickey, Thomas M.
Gray, Levi N. 459
244
Douthit, Howard B.
761
Downer, James W. 38.4
176
Griffin, Walter 748
Driskill, Andrew J
374
Griffith, Jesse G. 583
Dunn, William C. 261
Groom, Major John. 680
Gunn, Jolın A. 775
Guthrie, Elbridge 559
Eager, Benjamin F 481
Eaton, William V. 562,
605
Hale, Henry S 156
Hale, John L. 290
Hall, William K. 168
Happy, James H. 672
Harrison, Thomas B. 565
Hazelwood, William R 349
Henderson, William 239
Henry, James W 323
Herndon, Thomas 600
Hicks, Robert A. 652
Hilliard, H. C. 749
48
Farrell, Thaddeus W 217
Finch, George A. 540
Hodge, Singleton 338
431
Hogancamp, Abram
132
Fisher, Frank M.
241
Holloway, Thomas
676
Fisher, George W 317
Hostetter, Edward
751
Housman, William F 660
646
Hubbard, Edmond W
566
Huey, Benjamin T.
141
Fowler, Joseph H. 465
Fowler, W. T. 771
Friedman, Joseph L
550
Friedman. Leopold. 546
Futrell, Solomon D 169
Galloway, John C. 735
523
Foster, Davis J 575
Fowler, John V .. 371
Hughes, Samuel C. 760
Hughes, Willis G. 249
Husbands, James B. 297
Husbands, Lorenzo D. II
Jackson, Christopher
437
Jackson, George W
526
Faith, Peter 407
Farabough, Jefferson A 52
Farley, Edwin. 275
Farley, George W. I11
716
Elliston, William L
173
Elmore, Thomas J
541
Elsey, Jesse L.
350
Elsey, John H. 181
Eubanks, William C. 232
Gordon, W. L. 792
397
Graham, Zelotes C. 597
328 Dismukes, John L. 300
Greer, William D
Dorsey, John 447
Greer, William W
477
Gresham, Robert L 508
Griffin, Joseph E. 15
Dreyfuss, Solomon
281
Davis, George R.
Gilbert, Jesse M.
Glenn, J. J. 607
251
Grace, Joseph J.
Elliott, Adolphus I
Elliott, William H.
Finley, James M 733
Hodges, Robert H.
Fisher, Alfred 306
Fisher, Read. 377
Flatt, Robert B. 39
Howard, Phillip
Flournoy, William
Hobbs, Arnold T
Hobson, Marshall 718
Dycus, William S. 45I
INDEX. ix
Jackson, John S., Sr 462
Moore, Alfred C. 238
James, Lemuel H.
225
Moore, J. C. .. 797
James, Ollie M. 227
Moore, Samuel J. 326
James, W. A.
788
Moore, Thomas W 373
Jeffrey, William N
707
Johnson, Edward M
408
Moorman, Harry
189
Johnson, Thomas 493
Morehead, Charles S
491
Jones, Wylie 506
Morehead, R. W.
489
Kane, John E. 362
Morgan, Samuel P
720
Kelly, Richard E.
763
Kevil, R. U ... 785
Morton, John G.
473
Kirkpatrick, John D.
521
Klapp,
Daniel
305
Moss, James L 312
Moss, N. J 319
Moss, Thomas E. 457
Moss, Willis R .. 649
359
Lackey, W. A .. 61
Landes, Joseph I. 27
Landrum, James D 282
Lawson, Jolın 288
Leavell, Buckner 83
Lee, William P.
210
Leech, James D. 688
Leech, James H. 684
Lemon, James R. 424
Lenihan, John 746.
Leonard, Simeon N ... 708
Leonard, Simeon N. Jr 713
Lightfoot, Richard T. 258
Ligon, Richard T. 700
Linn, C. H .. . 795
Lisanby, Rufus W 495
Little, John W. 533
Loeb, Mrs. Reuben 528
Lovelace, John H. 342
Lovelace, Thomas H 604
Lyon, Hylan B 387
Major, Edgar H. 199
Mantle, John E 302
Marble, Sumner 346
Marble, William 361
Martin, Clarence M. 624
Martin, James
722
Mason, Merriwether A. 664
Mathews, S. J. . 125
Maxon, Morse I. 304
McAlister, Don J. 40I
McCarroll, Joe 779
McClain, William P. 429
Meacham, Charles M. 17
695
Miller, Joseph A. H. 380
Milner, John A. 803
Mizell, William R. 212
Molloy, Samuel C. 529
Molloy, Thomas H. 610
1
Payne, George W
349
Payne, Joab
678
Peal, William R. 750
Perryman, John D. 399
Petree, Richard T. 378
Petrie, John S. 265
Pettit, Tom C. 47
Phillips, Robert B. 730
Pierceall, Benedict
J.
.257
Polivick, Stephen
366
Pollard, Charles
J
510
Pool, R. M.
339
Potter, James T. 444
Powell, James H. 738
Powell, Lazarus W. 625
Pritchett, John W. IIO
Prowse, John :P.
531
Pryor, Jefferson D. 21
Pullen, Benjamin N
673
Purdy, Archibald D.
428
Puryear, Gabriel J.
766
Quigley, Isaac Moore
244
Quigley, James B.
183
Quigley, Quintus Quincy
284
668
Mosby, William L
120
Klapp,
Thaddeus
G
394
Koltinsky, Abram 787
Lackey, G. W. 253
Myatt, Kendrick M.
Nance, Edwin T 154
Nance, Monroe 580
Nance, Thomas M. 582
Newberry, Jolın H. 801
Newman, Thomas K. 220
Nichols, John M. 704
Ogilvie, John W 474
Ogilvie, L. B ... 475
Ogilvie, Richard W 500
Oliver, George W 578
Owen, John R ..
57
Owen, William V. 573
Morgan, James E.
579
Morris, Walter W
Moore, William S. 479
Merritt, Beauregard R.
X
INDEX.
Randle, J. N 237
Ratliff, Rodolphus B.
II2
Ray, James B. 619
Ray, William W 97
Reddick, James T
231
Thompson, George C. 586
Reed, Charles
192
Thompson, Joseph W 142
Reed, William M.
149
Reeves, George W 434
Reynolds, C. C. 611
Rich, William H. 552
Richmond, William W. 620
Riglesberger, Joseph W. 554
Rivers, Thomas 85
Robb, Thomas J
416
Robbins, J. E. 124
Robbins, Josephus E. 691
Robertson, George W
107
Rock, George
68
Rodgers, Andy 216
Rogers, N. L.
375
Rozzell, Milford W 690
Rudolph, Ephraim
574
Samuels, E. B .. 35
Sanderson, King S 219
Saunders, Reuben 91
Schmidt, John 450
Scott, M. K .. 235
Shacklett, Ule S.
161
Shelbourne, Moreau T 63
213
Shelton, James H
42
Sherrell, Jefferson
452
Sights, Henry
728
Sleeth, James 558
Sleeth, John B.
5.56
Smith, Charles 480
Smith, John D 569
Smith, J. R. 144
Smith, Robert L. 3.3
Smith, Thomas N. 670
Spalding, Ignatius A 363
Spalding. John H.
79
Spicer, Ivy W. 368
Spicer, King S. 360
Spink, Gabriel L. 798
Stanfield, Daniel B 152
Stanley, Harry M 768
Starr, Joseph F. 522
Steele, George M. 78
Stevens, John H.
609
Stone, Thomas R.
433
Sublett, Lindsay R.
296
Sullivan, Flavius J. 486
Tartt, James M 422
Taylor, Young .. 594
Templeman, John D. 753
Terrell, John H. 560
Terrell, Richard G I26
Tharp, James H. 166
Thompson, C. C. 145
Todd, John N 577
Torian, John H. 665
Travis, D. J. 791
Trimble, Isaac N 5.35
Troutman, Joseph S 250
Turk, John W. 86
Turner, Fielding L. 33[
Turner, Henry F. 631
Underwood, George B
96
Utley, Newton W. 515
Utterback, James 463
Vaughn, Samuel P
202
Via, William L.
370
Walker, Ed B. 634
Wallace, Bert F. 488
Wallace, George C. 438
Waller, Edwin D. 400
Washam, John A. 538
Watkins, Thomas J. 115
Watkins, Thomas M. 396
Webb, Will J. 675
Whayne, William 568
Wheeler, Charles K. 654
White, James D.
138
White, William T. 159
White, Willis J. 140
Whitlow, William J. 643
Wickliffe, John B. 100
Wiley, James I 745
721
Williamson, John E.
16
Willingham, Jay.
Willingham, Jeremiah T.
726
Willingham, Robert O., Jr 93
Wisdom, B. H. 442
Witty, George G. I71
564
Wood, George W
782
Wood, Hunter ..
343
Wray, James H
445
Wright, Richard B 741
Wyatt, Benjamin F
128
Yates, Jolm C. 651
Yates, A. B ..
754
Yeiser, David A. 527
Yeiser, Philip I
527
Young, James A.
777
Shelton, Henry C.
Williams, Joseph H.
Woelfle, James E.
١
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MEMORIAL RECORD
OF
WESTERN KENTUCKY.
COLONEL LORENZO D. HUSBANDS.
Colonel Lorenzo D. Husbands, one of the prominent citizens and leading representatives of the bar of Paducah, Kentucky, was born in Christian county, Kentucky, December 18, 1823, and is a son of Har- mon Husbands and a grandson of Robert Husbands. Harmon Hus- bands was born in Rowan county, North Carolina, in August, 1776, and settled in Christian county, Kentucky, in 1805, becoming a pioneer farmer and surveyor of that locality. In 1826 he removed to Caldwell county, Kentucky, and three years later to Crittenden county, and finally in 1845 to Ballard county, Kentucky, where he died in 1856, aged eighty years.
The Husbands family is of English descent, two brothers, William and John, having, about 1700, emigrated from England to America. One possessed an aristocratic turn of mind and the other was of a plebeian character, and from the latter our subject's branch of the family descends. These brothers first settled in Pennsylvania and later in North Carolina at the forks of the Adkins river. A great-uncle of our
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF
subject later became a conspicuous character during the Revolutionary period and figured in the Mecklenburg revolution, and he and four others were sentenced to death, but he escaped to Western Pennsylvania; there fought in battles with the Indians and later returned to North Carolina.
Harmon Husbands married Sarah Renshaw, also a native of North Carolina, and a daughter of a farmer and pioneer of Port Royal, Ten- nessee, who died in the latter state. She lived to be eighty years old and bore her husband nine children, five daughters and four sons, all of whom are deceased except Mrs. Francis O. Lovelace, of Texas, and Colonel Lorenzo D. Husbands.
Colonel Husbands was reared on the farm, and his education was limited to a few months spent each year in attendance on the local schools of his father's neighborhood, but as he has always been a . student he has been able to 'supplement the meager education he then received, and is now a well-read and thoroughly informed man upon current events of a political, literary and scientific nature. He began reading law in 1847 with James B. Husbands, a brother, then located in Paducah, and was admitted to the bar in 1849. Through his ability Mr. Husbands soon rose in his profession, and has long been a leader at the bar. In 1859 he was elected to the legislature, and while there cast his vote against "armed neutrality." Mr. Husbands took no active part in the Civil war, and bears his title of colonel only as an endearing title bestowed upon him by his friends. His first political office was that of county attorney, to which he was elected in 1851, and served until 1855, when he was elected commonwealth attorney. After serving the legislature he never again sought office until 1897, when he was elected judge of the circuit court for the Second judicial district, and he is the
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WESTERN KENTUCKY.
present incumbent of that office. Throughout his long and useful life lie has been a Democrat.
Judge Husbands was married first in 1851 to Hannah Singleton. She was born in Hines county, Mississippi, in 1834, and died in 1856, leaving one son, Gip. In 1859 Judge Husbands married Mrs. Mary E. Bullock, nec Cook, a daughter of John W. Cook, of Christian county, Kentucky; her birth occurred in Princeton, Kentucky, and her educa- tion was principally obtained in Bethel Female College, Hopkinsville. Three children were born of this marriage, viz., Cook, Dow and Sallie, all of whom have been given excellent educational advantages.
WILLIAM LEWIS CRUMBAUGH.
William Lewis Crumbaugh, county judge of Lyon county, Ken- tucky, is a native of this state, and belongs to a family several genera- tions of which have lived and died in Kentucky. The Crumbaughs, as the name suggests, are of German origin. Conrad Crumbaugh, Judge Crumbaugh's grandfather, was born in Maryland, of German parent- age, and when a young man came with his family to Kentucky, where he passed the rest of his life. It was not until after his location here that he learned the English language. His son Eli, the Judge's father, at the time of their removal to Kentucky was a babe six months old. That was in October, 1806. Eli Crumbaugh, when he grew up, learned the potter's trade and worked at it for some years. ITe was engaged in farming, however, at the time of his death, which occurred when he was forty-nine years of age. Judge Crumbaugh's mother was before marriage Miss Elizabeth Townsend. Her father was of English and Scotch origin, and came from South Carolina to Kentucky about the
14
MEMORIAL RECORD OF
year 1800, settling in Logan county, where she was born. Her age at death was the same as her husband's, forty-nine years. They were the parents of three children that reached adult years, our subject being the eldest of this number.
William Lewis Crumbaugh was born in Logan county, Kentucky, April 25, 1835, and when he was four years old was brought by his parents to what is now Lyon county, then Caldwell county. Here he was reared on a farm. He received his education in the common schools of Eddyville and the academy at Bethlehem, and on reaching manhood engaged in farming and school teaching and buying and shipping to- bacco. His activity and interest in public affairs and his popularity soon gained for him public office. He served as magistrate and sheriff two terms, was county surveyor one term, and is now serving his fourth term as county judge, having been the recipient of these official honors at the hands of the Democratic party, of which he has all his life been a stanch supporter.
Judge Crumbaugh was married August 3, 1856, to Miss Virginia Lander, a daughter of John S. Lander, of Christian county, Kentucky, where she was born. They have five children living, namely: Mary, widow of the late Judge Caswell Bennett; Cleo, wife of A. C. Glass, of Crittenden county; Ruth, wife of J. T. Cooney, of New Orleans; John, at home; Sarah, wife of Joseph B. Smith, of Lyon county ; and two deceased, Nellie, who died in 1903, and Nannie, who was the wife of William Mills, died in 1888. The Judge is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, south, and is identified with the Masonic order, his membership being with Joppa Lodge and Lyon Chapter.
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15
WESTERN KENTUCKY.
JOSEPH ESTLE GRIFFIN.
The subject of this sketch is entitled to be called the pioneer pho- tographer of western Kentucky, he having spent no less than forty years in business here. His present location is at Princeton, where he has been since 1884.
Joseph Estle Griffin was born in Lincoln county, Tennessee, Sep- tember 4, 1843, third son in the family of ten children of Joseph and Rebecca (Jewell) Griffin, the former a native of South Carolina and the latter of North Carolina. Joseph Griffin settled in Tennessee when a young man, and in that state spent the rest of his life as a stock dealer, carrying on the business at different places. He died at the age of fifty-four years. His widow lived to be seventy years of age.
At the early age of thirteen years J. E. Griffin started out to make his own way in the world, and began by learning the boot and shoe trade, at which he worked until he was twenty. The shoe business, how- ever, was not just to his liking, and he turned his attention to photog- raphy. He learned the business at Roaring Springs, Kentucky, where he had located in 1862, and he afterward worked at his trade in Madi- sonville, Hopkinsville, Cadiz, Mayfield and other places in Kentucky, and in 1884 located in Princeton, where he has since remained and where he has established a good business, under the firm name of Griffin & Watkins.
Mr. Griffin married, in 1897, Miss Lucy Watkins, his partner, who has since been his partner in two senses of the word. The firm name continues the same. Mrs. Griffin is an artist of much talent, and that department of the work which pertains to enlarging and painting is entirely in her charge. There is perhaps no business which has made
1
16
MEMORLIL. RECORD OF
greater strides along the lines of advancement than that of pho- tography. Mr. Griffin has kept pace with the advancement made. In 1903 he erected a handsome and modern building in Princeton, and now the firm occupies one of the best equipped photographic galleries in Kentucky.
JOHN E. WILLIAMSON.
John E. Williamson, of Paducah, was born near Louisville, Jef- ferson county, Kentucky, in 1830, and was a son of John P. and Jane Williamson. Mr. Williamson was given only a limited education, and in early life learned the trade of stone-cutter. In 1857 he came to Paducah and here opened a shop, and from that date he has been in the marble business in this city, save during the period of the Civil war, . in which he espoused the cause of the Union, and in Paducah organized a company for the Union army. He was chosen captain of the com- pany, which was first connected with the Sixteenth Kentucky Cavalry, but was later consolidated with the Twelfth Cavalry, the fortunes of which he shared until mustered out of the service at the close of the war.
ITis grandfather, Elliott Williamson, was an emigrant to America in 1765 ; served in the colonial army in the war of the American Revolu- tion and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown; had a family of five sons of whom John P., the father of our subject, was a soldier in the war of 1812, participating in the closing scenes at New Orleans, and died at Paducah in 1871, in his eighty-second year. He, too, had five sons, of whom John E., our subject, prompted by a spirit of patriotism and loyalty to the Union, participated in struggle between the states in the sixties.
At the close of the war Mr. Williamson returned to his home and
17
WESTERN KENTUCKY.
family in Paducah and resumed the civil duties of life. He has been a successful business man, and is a highly respected citizen. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was married in 1856, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Miss Elizabeth Brownfield, and has reared a family of worthy sons and daughters.
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