USA > Kentucky > Christian County > County of Christian, Kentucky : historical and biographical > Part 14
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JAMES RICHARDSON was born March 4, 1816, in Caswell County, N. C. His father, James Richardson, was born in Halifax
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County, Va., and there reared and educated. He was a farmer and merchant. He died in Caswell County, N. C., in June, 1826, and at that time was the owner of 1,200 acres of land. IIis wife and subject's mother, was Ann P. Ware, a native of Pittsylvania County, Va. She died on a train while en route to visit her children in 1881. After the death of Mr. Richardson, she married Stephen Sargeant. She was the mother of nine children ; by her first marriage the following : W. W. Richardson ; Susan P., widow of John Gunn, who resides in Alabama ; James, our subject ; Col. Edmond, the largest cotton-planter in the United States, who resides in New Orleans ; Robert P., a farmer, merchant and tobacco manufacturer near Reedsville, N. C .; Mary A., widow of Louis Withers, residing in New Orleans; Elizabeth, widow of Joshua Glass, residing in Caswell County, N. C .; and by her last marriage : Margaret D., widow of James A. Lea, residing in Salem, N. C., and Agnes, wife of Dr. Stanfield, of Caswell County, N. C. James Richardson, our sub- ject, spent his early life in Virginia and there received a limited com- mon school education. When he was sixteen years of age he left his home and embarked on his career in life as clerk in a store at Dan- ville, Va., and continued in the same position for five years, and then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, following farming on his own account near Danville until 1844, when he moved to Kentucky and set- led on West Fork, in Todd County, where he bought his first land and remained there until 1849, when he moved to his present residence, one- half mile from Pembroke. His farm contains 400 acres. Since 1855, in connection with his farm he has been engaged in the tobacco and com- mission business, and is now connected with the firm of Richardson & Jameson, who do a large business. In 1837 Mr. Richardson was mar- ried in Pittsylvania County, Va., to Miss Sarah T. Estes, a native of that county. She died in Christian County, Ky., in 1855, leaving six chil- dren as the result of their union, viz. : Margaret A., Susan P. (who died in December, 1878), William B., Robert P., Triplet E. and Caroline T. In 1857, in Christian County, he married Martha U. Buckner, who has borne him the following children : Frank B., Anna, Mattie, Mary and Jennie. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson are members of the Baptist Church ; he is an active member of the order A. F. & A. M. and is an ardent Dem- ocrat. He was Magistrate in the county for eight years, and is now Deputy County Clerk, having held the office for fifteen years.
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WILLIAM G. ROSE. The subject of this sketch was born May 15, 1832, in Jackson County, Tenn., where he grew to manhood and lived until 1873, when he removed to Christian County, Ky., and settled where he is at present located, in Pembroke Precinct. Ilis father, Thomas J. 'Rose, was also born in Jackson County, Tenn., in 1808, and died there in 1883. He was the son of David Rose, who was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Jackson County, Tenn. Subject's mother, Polly (Scantland) Rose, was born in Jackson County, Tenn., and is still living with her son at this place. On September 26, 1852, Mr. Rose was married to Miss Louisa, daughter of Washington Hampton, of Jackson County, Tenn., and to them have been born : Martha S. (Moss), Thomas W., James M., George D. and John II. On July 12, 1867, Martha S. was married to Reese V. Moss, the son of William Moss, of Jackson County, Tenn., and to them have been born : James P., William H., Johnnie F. and Annie M. On October 16, 1883, Thomas W. was married to Walker E. Gray, of Christian County, Ky. On January 11, 1881, James M. was married to Mattie Combs, danghter of William Combs, of Todd County, Ky. On March 13, 1884, George D. was married to Ollie B. Stamps, the daughter of Jolin R. Stamps, of Christian County, Ky. John H., the only one now single, is living with his father, and is a bright and energetic young man. Subject is by profession a farmer, being the owner of over 400 aeres of fair land, which he is successfully cultivating, and on which he is prospering. Mr. Rose is regarded as a valuable accession to and a useful man in the community where he resides. In religion he is a mem- ber of the Christian Church, and in politics a Democrat.
ROBERT H. SMITHI was born in Buckingham County, Va., Octo- ber 9, 1817 ; removed with his parents to Georgia in 1824, where he remained until 1831, when he moved to Todd County, Ky., and settled on his present place in Christian County in 1842. Ilis father, William Smith, was born in Prince Edward County, Va., in 1791, where he grew to manhood, and was married in 1816 to Miss Nancy W., daughter of Thomas Cobb, of Buckingham County, Va.,, and to them were born : Robert II., Mary (Carbon) and John P. William was a soldier in the war of 1812, and the son of Owen Smith, a Baptist minister and mer- chant ef Old Virginia, who, after having reared seventeen children to manhood and womanhood, died in his native State about 1820. Ilis
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father, Col. Richard Smith, was a Scotch-Irishman, and married Kittu- rah Brewer, of Scotch descent. Nancy W. Cobb's father entered the . Continental Army at the age of eigtheeen years, and served to the end of the war; and his father, Col. Thomas Cobb, of the Revolutionary war, died near Augusta, Ga., about the year 1832, at the advanced age of one hundred and twenty-nine years. He was related to the Lamar family. Subjeet was married February 20, 1838, to Miss Octavia M., daughter of Leonard L. Wood, of Christian County, Ky., and to them have been born : Napoleon B., Dora (Williams), Catherine H. (Snow), Gilbert II., Nancy S. (Sheldon), Robert L., Julia P. (IIarrison), Claude L., James A., Sterling P. and Lillie May. Mrs. Smith was born May 21, 1821, in Williamson County, Tenn., and is still living, bright and well preserved. Her parents were born in North Carolina, but were of old Maryland stock. Subject and wife are members of the Christadelphian Church, and in politics he is Independent.
OWEN J. SMITH, son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Ware) Smith, was born September 27, 1860, near Victoria, Tex. His father was born in Virginia in 1819, and came with his parents to Christian County, Ky., when a child, where he remained until 1859, when he removed to Texas, where he lived until 1876; then returned to Christian County, Ky., where he stayed until 1883; then removed to Florida, his present home. Subject's mother was born in Port Royal, Tenn., about 1828, residing there until 1840; she then removed to Memphis, in the same State, thence to Graysville, Ky., where she was married to Thomas Smith, and to them were born : Helen, Harvey, Nettie and Owen J. HIer ancestors were related to Lord Fox, of England. Subject. was educated at the common schools at Pembroke, and at the age of fourteen years was put in charge of the railroad and telegraph office as night operator at Hop- kinsville, where he remained nine months, and was then transferred to Belleville, Ill .; thence to Earlington, Ky., where he stayed nearly four years ; then to Martin, Tenn .; then to Nashville; then was employed as extra operator for two years ; then operated in Slaughtersville, Ky., two years ; then in the general office, L. & N. R. R., at Louisville ; thence was transferred to Kansas City, Mo .; thence to Las Vegas, N. M .; thence to Guthrie, Ky., where he remained one year, and then to Pembroke, where he is at present in charge of the railroad and telegraph office, and
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is also Postmaster and express agent. In religion he is a Baptist. His earnest friends are the best citizens of the community.
EDWARD S. STUART, M. D. Among the able practitioners of medicine none is more worthy of a prominent mention in the history of Christian County than Dr. Edward S. Stuart, whose name heads this : sketeh. His grandfather was born in Hillsboro, N. C., in 1768, and. died in Christian County in 1835. Samuel Stuart, the father of our subject, was born in North Carolina in 1800, and was brought to Chris- tian County by his parents in 1806, and here died in 1833. His wife, subjeet's mother, was Elizabeth II., daughter of Edward Shanklin. She was born in Newmarket, Shenandoah County, Va., in 1800. She is the mother of William C. Stuart, who died in this county in 1866, and Dr. Stuart, the subject of this brief biography ; he is a native of Christian County, born near Antioch Church, on the 21st of July, 1828; his early life was spent at home. In 1848 he came to Fairview and began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. H. W. Darnall, and remained until the winter of 1849, when he entered the St. Louis Medi- cal College, and there graduated with the degree of M. D. in the spring of 1851. Upon leaving college he immediately entered upon the practice of his profession near Crofton, Ky., where he remained two years. In 1853 he removed to Fairview and entered into a partnership with his former preceptor, Dr. Darnall, and continued with him until 1858, and since that time has practiced alone. On the 1st of December, 1858, he married Miss Jane E., daughter of Hiram Vaughan. They had two chil- dren : May, born May 1, 1871 ; Willie, born September 13, 1877 ; the younger died in infancy. Dr. Stuart has met with great success in the practice of medicine and surgery, and has a splendid reputation as a phy- sician and a gentleman. He is a Democrat in politics, never sought office, and often has been solicited for different offices, but firmly declined, believing it to be more consistent with his interest to stay at home and devote his time and attention to the duties of his home and practice. He is the owner of about 900 acres of land, which he rents, and which was accumulated by his industry and economy. For the past fifteen years he has been High Priest of the Moore Chapter, No. 75, R. A. M., of Fairview.
THOMAS J. TANDY was born September 20, 1840, in Christian County, Ky., which has ever since been the place of his residence. His
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father, Deacon Richard Tandy, was born in Spottsylvania County, Va., August 9, 1811, and removed with his parents, in infancy, to Christian . County, where he grew to manhood, and died in 1873. He was a sue- cessful farmer, and long a member of the Bethel Baptist Church. Sub- ject's grandfather, Elder William Tandy, was born in Virginia in 1778, and died in Christian County, Ky., in 1838. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was for nine years pastor of the Bethel Church. Sub- jeet's mother, Ann B., daughter of Thomas Hord, of Christian County, died in 1845. Her children were : Elizabeth (Morrison), Sallie W. (Bar- clay), William, Thomas J., David A., and John H. The family were favored with good literary advantages, and secured good English educa- tions at select schools in the community. Subject is a farmer, possessing 480 acres of good farming land, which he cultivates successfully in wheat, tobacco and corn; he is unmarried. His brother, John H. Tandy, was born December 9, 1843; is also a farmer, owning forty acres, and one- half interest in 275 aeres of good farming land, and is also unmarried. William Tandy was born in Christian County, March 15, 1839, and was married, December 14, 1865, to Miss Tommie C., daughter of James C. and Martha R. (Mosley) Jones, of Christian County, Ky., and to them were born : Augustus W., July 17, 1867, and Sallie, December 16, 1869. Mrs. Tandy's grandfather, Lemuel Mosley, was a soldier in the war of 1812. The family are all members of the Bethel Baptist Church. The men vote the Democratic ticket.
JOSEPHI POTTS THOMAS, M. D., of Cottage Lawn, near Pem- broke, was born September 9, 1830, in Clarksville, Tenn., where, at the age of twelve years, he entered a drug store, in which he continued for a period of twelve years, and gaining a high character as a pharmacist. His father, Capt. Joseph P. Thomas, Sr., was an architect of Winchester, Va., who equipped, at his own expense, and commanded a company throughout the war of 1812. IIe removed to Elkton, Todd County, Ky., in 1822, and to Clarksville, Tenn., in 1829, where he died in 1835. Ilis wife was Sarah Curran Duvall, of Frederick, Md., a descendant of John Philpot Curran, the celebrated Irish barrister. To them were born : Eliza A. (Waters), Emily A. (Armistead), Sarah J. (Walter), Dr. Adison E., Townsend A., Benjamin F., Edwin R. W., Robert B. and Joseph P. Subject's grandfather was a distinguished attorney,
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who lived and died in Winchester, Va. He was also Major in the Revolutionary war. Subject was educated at the Clarksville Aead- emy ; the Shelby Medical College; the Universities of Nashville and Louisville, graduating in 1859, and again in 1868. In 1854 he was married to Miss Louisa J., daughter of Joseph A. Radford, of Christian County, Ky., and to them have been born : Mary C. (Mc- Clanahan), Blanche B., Lula M., Sallie H., Bettie, Ange A., Josepli E., and Frank P. Dr. Thomas moved to his present residence at Cot- tage Lawn in 1857, where he has continued his profession in general practice and surgery to the present time. At his extensive and delight- ful residence he has successfully treated many chronic eases placed under his care from a distance, and established a small sanitarium, as it were, for the treatment of chronic diseases, at which many successful eures have been performed. He has added to the wealth of medical science by his con- tributions to the literature of that old and worthy profession. Dr. Thomas possesses and has exercised the rare and heroic courage to publish, in the literature of the medical world, for the benefit of the profession, his failures in difficult cases in surgery, and has, in consequence, received many letters of commendation and inquiry from men whose reputation gives weight to their opinions throughout the civilized world. In addition to his practice he is also an extensive farmer, having 1,500 acres of good land which he is successfully cultivating in wheat, tobacco, corn and live stock. In his religious affiliations he is connected with the Baptist Church ; and politically is identified with the Democratic party. His portrait appears on another page.
MRS. SALLIE A. WILLS was born in Christian County, Ky., in 1836, in which she was reared, and made her home to the present time. Her father, Mr. John C. Clardy, was born in North Carolina in 1798, removed to Smith County, Tenn., and thence to Christian County, Ky., about 1830, where he died at Wood Lawn, the old Clardy homestead, in 1853. The Clardy family are of old French Huguenot stock, who settled in an early day in Florida and emigrated to North Carolina, many years ago. Her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth (Cacey) Clardy, was born at Cumberland Court House, Virginia, in 1804, and is still living. To John C. Clardy and wife were born : William D., Dr. John D., James M., Benjamin F., Mrs. Sallie A. (Wills), Dr. Thomas F., Henry HI. and
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Mrs. Fannie M. (Burke). Mrs. Wills was first married in 1855 to Col. Henry C. Leavell, who was born in Todd County, Ky., in 1824, and died in Walker County, Ga., August 26, 1862. The universal testimony of the comrades in arms and the acquaintances and neighbors of Col. Leavell, is to the effect that he was a brave and gallant soldier, an officer of more than ordinary ability, a thorough gentleman and a Christian. ITis early death was greatly lamented, and his memory is still cherished in this community with a reverence that is but seldom attained by those who have lived long and useful lives. Seldom has the pall of death cast so heavy a shadow over a community, as did the death of Col. Leavell, over this ; he lived and died in communion with the Salem Baptist Church, in Christian County, Ky. To Col. and Mrs. Leavell were born a son, Joseph II., who is now, superintending the home farm, with a bright future before him ; and Mrs. Lizzie C., wife of Philander B. Pendleton, of this county. Mrs. Leavell was next married in 1866, to Mr. George H. Wills, who was born in Christian County, Ky., in 1842, and died in 1882; he was a good and gentlemanly man, and held in high esteem; he, with his wife, was a member of the Baptist Church. To them were born George W. and John C. Wills.
JOHN C. WILLIS is a native of Christian County, Ky., having been born in 1845, and this has been his home all his life. His father, Clarke Willis, was born in 1804 in Orange County, Va., and with his parents removed to Grayson County, Ky., at the age of two years, where he continued to reside until he arrived at the estate of manhood ; removed about 1830 to Christian County, Ky., where he died in 1867. The fam - ily are of old Virginia descent, and his grandfather, Lewis Willis, was a soldier in the war of 1812. Subject's mother, Louisa A., daughter of Richard Holland, was born in Fluvanna County, Va., in 1814, and came with her parents to Christian County in 1835; she is still living. Her father served in the war of 1812; her children are: Nancy V. (Ander- son), Lewis R. and John C. Willis. On December 1, 1881, Mr. John C. Willis was united in marriage to Miss Willie, daughter of Mr. Ruben Clark of Memphis, Tenn., and to them one child, Morine, has been born. Mr. Willis' vocation has always been that of a farmer, and he now has 460 aeres of valuable and very productive land, which he is successfully cultivating in wheat, tobacco and stock, realizing a handsome remunera-
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tion for the investment, under judicious management. On his farm may be seen some fine specimens of cattle of the short-horn grade ; he also has a track for training fast trotting-horses, and some animals now in his possession have already attained a speed that, a few years since, was not greatly surpassed by the celebrated trotters of the world. Mr. Willis, in politics. affiliates with the Democratic party.
STEPHEN F. WILLIAMS was born in Montgomery County, Tenn., August 19, 1843, and at the age of eleven years removed with his parents to Todd County, Ky., where he remained until 1872, when he came to Christian County, his present residence. His father, John B. Williams, was born in Virginia, and died in Todd County, Ky., in 1869. His grandfather was a Virginian, who died in Todd County, Ky., in 1864, nearly ninety years old. Subject's mother, Elizabeth A., daughter of Stephen Fuqua, of Logan County, Ky., was born in 1812, and is still living. Subject was married in 1870 to Miss Mary II., daughter of Edwin and Emma Turnley of Todd County, Ky., and their children are : Edwin T., Susan and Stephen. In the common schools our subject re- ceived a good business education. He is by profession a farmer, having 250 acres of valuable and productive land, which he successfully culti- vates, and which he has found remunerative. He is also possessed of those qualities of hospitality manifest in so eminent a degree in this por- tion of Kentucky. Subject is a member of the Grange, also a member of the Bethel Baptist Church, and in politics is a Democrat.
MRS. JANE D. WOOD was born on the place where she now resides in Pembroke Precinct, Christian County, Ky., June 29, 1822, and has never in her life been twenty miles away from her home. Her father, Benjamin Bradley, entered this land in 1799, the parchments, now in Mrs. Wood's possession, being signed by Christopher Greenup, as Governor, and Alfred William Grayson, as Secretary of the Common- wealth of Kentucky. Mr. Bradley removed from Virginia to this place in the latter part of the last century, and died here in 1824. His wife was Mary Austin, who died in 1842. His children are : Benjamin, Lit- tleton, John, Sallie (McPhaden), Polly (Crouch), Fanny (Austin), James, Martha A. (Wiltshire), David M., George W. and Jane D. (our subject). She was married in 1839 to William H. Wood, and to them were born : Pauline E. (McRae), Benjamin F., George M. and David D. Mr. Wood
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. was from Alabama, and died in 1853. Mrs. Wood has for twenty-nine years been a member of Bethel Baptist Church. She is engaged in · farming, having 167 acres of the old ancestral home, upon which, by industry, she has reared her family.
LONGVIEW PRECINCT.
JOHN W. ALLEN, of Elmo, is a native of Christian County, Ky., and was born October 22, 1845; he is the son of John Allen, who was born in Montgomery County, Tenn., and came to Christian County about 1838, where he died in 1869. His father, George Allen, was born in North Carolina, and died in Montgomery County, Tenn., in 1850. Sub- ject's mother, Elvira, daughter of Josiah and Mary (Scott) Settle, was born in Christian County, and is still living; her father lost an eye in the war of 1812, and died in 1868, aged seventy-two years. Subject's brothers and sisters are: Fannie S. (Jenkins), Josiah A., George M., Rowena A. (Bollinger), Bailey W., Dr. Thomas P., and Ella (Lunder- man). Mr. Allen was married February 10, 1875, to Miss Mary J., daughter of Irvin S. and Marietta (Scroggins) Ragsdale, of Christian County, and to them was born one child-Irvin Thomas, now deceased. Mr. Allen has been a merchant at Elmo, Ky., seventeen years, at which business he has been successful, at present owning his buildings and stock. He is a Mason, a Baptist and a Democrat.
MAJ. THOMAS M. BARKER is a most respected citizen, and one of the most substantial farmers of Christian County; he came to the county with his parents in 1849 from Virginia, he having been born in Louisa County, that State, January 12, 1842; he is a son of Chiles T. and Mary L. Barker, to whom were born the following children: T. M., John W., Mary L. Cloud, Sallie W. Logan, Nannie M. Jessup, Barbara Williamson, Lizzie L. Moore, Charles E., Peter M., Fannic P. and Susie M., the last two being twins. The circumstances surrounding our subjeet's early life granted him superior educational advantages, but his school life was cut short by the breaking out of the war, into which he entered though young in years; he went into the service as First Licuten- ant of Company II, First Kentucky Calvary, C. S. A., but his commendable conduct in the field secured him a subsequent promotion to the rank of Major, and as such he served to the close of the war. He has since
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given his attention to farming pursuits; he possesses farm property to the extent of 500 acres of improved land, which is in a high state of cultiva- tion, and is devoted to farming in the various branches. Mr. Barker is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Knights of Honor, and the Grange organization; he is a Democrat, has been one of the Magistrates of Long- view Precinct for eight years, and is a member of the Baptist Church. lle was united in marriage to Miss Mary L. Morris, a daughter of John D. and Margaret L. (Meriwether) Morris. This union has been blessed · with the following children: Chiles T., Fannie M., Thomas M., John M., Richard M. and Margaret L. Mr. Barker is a man of enterprise and energy and is ever ready to give his encouragement and material assistance to enterprises calculated to be of benefit to the general public.
PETER M. BARKER is a young man of high social and private worth, of generous and noble impulses, whose every-day life is a picture of enterprise and activity and whose genial and affable manners hold him in pleasant acquaintance by all who know him. He was born March 13, 1859, at " Glenburnie," the residence of his father. Our subject's pres- ent home is situated upon historical ground, the immediate place being one formerly occupied by an old French settlement. It consists of 670 acres of highly improved land, and is given to the cultivation of the prin- cipal staple crops. Mr. Barker has the benefits of a fine education, and is altogether a young man of great promise.
JOHN T. BATTS was born on April 27, 1832, in Robertson County, Tenn., and is a son of Jeremiah and Mary A. (Burns) Batts. The father was born in Edgecombe County, N. C., and was a son of Jeremiah Batts, Sr., who was also a native of North Carolina. The latter came to Ten- nessee and settled in Robertson County when Jeremiah, Jr., was but an infant. In that county the grandfather died, in 1858, at the age of eighty-four. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was highly respected among the people of that county, where Jeremiah, Jr., is still living. The mother was a daughter of James Burns, who was also a native of Robertson County. This lady was born in 1810, and died in 1867. To her were born the following children : Mahala L. (Stultz and Dunn), John T., ' Lucinda A. (Long), Martha W. (Cooley), Mary E. (Davis), Jeremiah, Emily F. (Anderson), Sallie A. (Carlew), Henry C. and Boscomb. John T. Batts remained in his native county until he
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