USA > Tennessee > Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee > Part 1
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Gc 976.8 Sp32s 1944724
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01713 0573
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/sketchesofpromin00spee_0
SKETCHES
OF
PROMINENT TENNESSEANS
CONTAINING
BIOGRAPHIES AND RECORDS OF MANY OF THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE ATTAINED PROMINENCE IN TENNESSEE.
COMPILED AND EDITED BY HON. WILLIAM S; SPEER
Public Library JUN 26 1967 Dallas, Texas
NASHVILLE: ALBERT B. TAVEL. 1888
34
2KEJCHEZ
ГИ АНЕГАИИЯТ ТИНИІМОЯЯ
AVAL ONW 2КИМАЯ ЗНЕ 40 YИЛИ 90 2010019 (MA 211949301) АЛЕЗАЦИЯ И НЮИЛИТОЯЯ ПРИМАТТА
ЯЗЯ92 2. МАН ТИКИОН
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ЦЕЛИНИЛЕ
1944724
Tafford
Dollar
1900
VAral
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A ConKIA
SKETCHES
OF
PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.
Mn
.
.
Speer, William S Sketches of prominent t Tennesseans
Dallas
1888
7
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1888, by . ALBERT B. TAVEL, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
16.420.0768 87421
INDEX TO SKETCHES.
A
Anderson, Joseph Mottley, M.D. 108
Anderson, Hon. Joseph Rhea. 208
Arrington, William T., D.D.S 286
Atkins, Hon. J. D. C. 257
Atlee, John Light .....
146
B
Baptist, Nathaniel Wilson 90
Barrett, Prof. A. T., LL.D. 210
Bartlett, Rev. Peter Mason, A.M., D. D. 496
Bate, Col, Humphrey R.
152
Baxter, Hon. Jere ..
570
Bearden, Capt. Walter S. 216
Bibb, W. G., M.D.
155
Black, Thomas, M.D
183
Blankenship, John P., M.D. 190
Boynton, Daniel T., M.D.
89
Bradford, Hon. William M .. 132
Briggs, Charles S., A.M., M.D.
181
William T., M.D .... 105
Brockway, Alonzo W. 826
Brown, Col. A. J ..
Brown, Hon. John Wesley
163
Brown, Hon, Neill'S
7.
Brown, Hon. T. W !
513
Buchanan, Prof, Andrew H
148
Bnlst, John R., M.D.
297.
Borney, Rev Stanford G., D.D., LL.D .158
Borns, Hon. Michael,
01
Burrus, Hon. Fletcher R
103
Buller, Hon. Roderick Random
50
C
Callender, John Hill, M.D
59
Campbell, Gen. Alexander W 27
Chester, Col. Robert I-o-hnston 20 Childress, Maj. John W., 26
Clapp, Hon, J. W.
40
Clift, Col. Moses H 189
Coldwell, Judge Thomas H.
vole, Edmund W
70
Conner, Gen. William
534
Cooper, Hon. William F
12
Cowan, James Benjamin, M D.
79
Craft, Henry ...
15
Cullom, Gen, William.
54
Dake, Jabez P., A.M., M.D
282
Dashiell, Richard R
232
Deaderick, Hon. James W
5
De Witt, Hon. William H ..
192
Dibrell, Gen. George Gibbs,
226
Dickens, James H., M.D.
182
Dodd, Rev. Thomas J., D.D ..
141
F
East, Hon. Edward H
196
Elder, James
150
Elder, John Wesley
99
Elliott, Ilon. William Y.
120
Erskine, Alexander, M.D.
Estes, ITon. Bedford M.
Evans, Robert Frank, M.D
65
Eve, Duncan, A.M., M.D.
187
Ewing, Hon, Edwin Hickman
138
F
Fait, Gen: John
218
Fentress, Hon. James
489
Ferriss, Hon. John C. 289
Fleming, Hon. William Stuart
42
Folsom, Maj. Henderson Mitchell 284
Foote, Hon. George K.
236
Foster, Maj. Wilbur F.
221
Frayser, John R., M.D.
167
Frayser, Col. R. Dudley
252
Freeman, Hon. Thomas J.
194
Frierson, Hon. Samuel Davies
17
Frizzell, Hon. John
170
Fulkerson, Hon. F. M
246
I l'armaa.
1
G
2 2 2
Gantt, Col. George.
521
Gaines, Col. James L.
100
Gallaway, Col. Matthew C. 346
Gardenhire, Hon. E L.
887
Gaut, Judge Jesse II ..
388
153
58
126
14
PAGE.
PAGE.
vi
INDEX.
PAGE.
Gaut, Judge John C ... 410
Gibson, David Jobe, M.D 313 King, Col. O. C ... 470. Kyle, Hon. Absalom Arthur ..... .431
Godwin, John R.
491
Golliday, Col. Edward I 310
Goodbar, Capt. James M 245
Grant, James F., M.D 272
Graves, Prof. Zuinglius Calvin, A.M., LL.D. 333
Green, Hon. Nathan, LL.D 435
Greer, Hon. James M
441
H
Hadden, Hon. David P. 428
Hall, Judge M. R 397
Haller, Capt. Benjamin F
3:21
Harding, Gen. William G
1
Hardwick, Christopher L.
519
Harrell, Hon. James Croghan
96
Harris, J. George 485 Harrison, J. J., M.D 303
Haynes, Capt. W. D.
212
Heiskell, Judge Carrick W
180
Henderson, Hon. William A 465
Henning, Bennett G., M.D. 518
Henning, D. M., M. D. 576
Hill, Napoleon 329
Holman, Col. James H. 45
Holmes, Prof. George D. 125
Holmes, Rev. James, D.D .. 125
Houk, Hon. Leonidas Campbell 86
House, Hon. John F 499
Howell, J. H., M.D. 274
Hughes, Hon. Archclaus M 30
Hughes, Hon. George W. T 230
Humes, Rev. Thomas W., S.T. D. 407
I
Ingersoll, Hon. H. H. 572
J
Jackson, Gen. Alfred E. 507
Jackson, Hon. Howell Edmunds. 424
Jackson, Gen. William II. 445 :
Jones, Rev. A. W., A.M., D.D 516
Jones, George W. 298
Jones, Heber, M.D 538
Jones, Hon. Thomas MeKissiek 474
Jones, Hon. William E. B 478
Jones, William Palmer, M. D. 412
Jordan, Edward L. 112
K
Keating, John McLeod. 378
Kennedy, Hon. David N 429
Key, Hon. David M
443
PAGE. Killebrew, Hon. Joseph Buckner, A.M., Ph. D. 82
L
Larkin, James M., M.D 165
Latta, Capt. Samuel Rankin 97
Lea, Hon. Benjamin J. 169
Ledgerwood, Hon. W. L. 151
Lindsley, Prof. Van S., M.D 401
Lipscomb, Thomas, M.D. 102
Livingston, Hon. Henry J 522
Looney, Col. Robert F
121
Long, Rev. N. M ...
172
Long, Capt. John Pomfret: 123
M
McAdoo, Hon. William Gibbs .. 202
McBride, P. H., M.D. 66
McConnell, Hon. Newton Whitfield 214
McDowell, Maj. Byron G .... 72
McDowell, Hon. William Wallace. 128
McFarland, Hon. Robert. 67
McFerrin, Rev. John Berry, D.D. 359
McGuire, C. B., M.D 219
McMurray, William J., M.D.
372
McNeal, Maj. E. P.
160
McTyeire, Bishop H. N. 407
Mc Whirter, Maj. A. J. 175
Maddin, John W., A.M., M.D 56
Maddin, Thomas L., M.D. 93
Marchbanks, Hon. Columbus. 178
Marks, Gov. Albert S.
Martin, Hon. Andrew B., LL.D. 279
Martin, Hon. George W 134
Martin, Gen. Matt. 361
Martin, Thomas .. 143
"Mathes, Capt. James Harvey 184.,
Maury, Richard B., M.D.
77
Meek, Hon. James M ...
568
Menees, Orville H., M D. 434
Menees, Hon. Thomas, M.D.
389
Mitchell. Gen. John M. D.
64
Mitchell, R. W., M.D.
556
Morgan, Hon. Robert J 200
Morgan, William H., M.D., D.D.S. 260
Moore, Thomas E., M.D. 312
Moore, Hon, William R 290
Mumford, Col. Edward W 293
Muse, Hon. Thomas C ..... 320
N
Neal, Hon. Thomas Washington 376
Neely, Gen. Rufus Polk. 109
Neilson, David A., M.D. 440
Nelson, Anson
304
L
.
--
----
Glass, Hon. Presley T 341
vii
INDEX ..
PAGE.
Netherland, Hon. John, 62
Nichol, William L., M.D. 277
Nichols, F. S 157
Nicholson, Prof. Hunter 332
O
Overton, Hon. John, jr
176
P
Paine, Capt. Thomas H .: 223
Palmer, Gen. Joseph B 353
Patterson, Hon. David T. 531
Patterson, Col. Josiah 266
Pettibone, Hon. Augustus H 295
Phillips, Rev. J. W., M.D. 161
Pitman, John, M.D. 179
Plunket, James D., M.D. 374
Porter, Hon. James Davis 35
Q
Quarles, Judge James M
162
R
Rambaut, Maj. Gilbert V. 350
& Randolph, Hon. William M 222
Reid, Hon. Frank T 113.
Richardson, James D. 275
Richardson, Nick D., M.D 318
Roberts, Deering J., M.D. 288
Robison, Col. W. D. 251
Rodgers, James, M.D 302
Rodgers, Judge Samuel A. 242
Rose, Hon. Solon E
204
ROAS, J. C., D.D.S 369
S
Safford, James Merrill, A.M., M.D., Ph. D 483
Sanford, Col. William 504
Saunders, Dudley D., M.D. 511
Scobey, Prof. James E. 357
Sears, Rev. Achilles D., D.D. 263
Senter, Hon. D. W. C ... 308
Shearer, Rev. John Bunyan, M.A., D.D 323
Sheppard, William C., D.D.S 368 Shields, Hon. James 'T 522
Simonton, Hon. Charles Bryson 315
Smith, Gen. E. Kirby. 32 Smith, John D., M.D. 270
Smith, Hon. William M. 356
Smitheal, Hon. G. W. 130
Smithson, Hon. Noble ... 406
Staley, Hon. William B 546
PAGE.
Stark, Hon. Jo. C. 399
Stephens, J. Bunyan, M. D 366
Stewart, Bryce. 386
Stockell, Capt. William 237
Stokes, Hon. Jordan 467
T
Tarver, Hon. Benjamin J 268
Taylor, Capt. Henry Harrison 462
Taylor, Col. Nathaniel M. 564
Taylor, Col. William F 249
Temple, Hon. Oliver P 540
Thompson, Hon. Jacob 23
--
Thomas, Hon. Atha. 563
Thornburgh, Col. Duff Green
529
Thornton, G. B., M.D.
241
Thurman, Gen. Charles. 527
Tinnon, Hon. John A 455
Trewhitt, Hon. Daniel C. 505
Trousdale, Hon. Leonidas 480
Turley, Judge T. W 254
Turney, Hon. Peter 472
Ussery, Benjamin W., M.D.
280
Vance, Charles R., Esq 336
Van Deman, J. H., A.M., M. D. 264 ~
Van Dyke, IIon. Thomas Nixon 559
Vertrees, W. M., M.D 418:
W
Wade, Ethelbert Barksdale. 578
Ward, William E., A.M., D.D. 420
Warder, Capt. James A. 464
Watson, Rev. Samuel 566
White, Rev. George, D.D 457
White, John H., M.D. 417
Whitthorne, Gen. Washington Curran 47
Wilder, Gen. John T 553
Williamson, Maj. John T 438
Williamson, Hon. William Henry 425
Wilson, Alexander B., A.M 437
Wood, W. H. 552
Woods, Judge John 81
Wright, Hon. Archibald 10
Wright, Daniel F., M.D 548
Wright, Gen. Marcus J 476
Wright, Hon. John y 524
Y
Young, Hon. David King. 550
1 . Young, Robert M., A.M., M.D., D.D 414
11-9 Harding 1
PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.
GEN. WILLIAM G. HARDING.
NASHVILLE.
G EN. WILLIAM G. HARDING, the eminent agriculturist and breeder of thoroughbred stock, was born September 15, 1808, in a log cabin, still stand- ing on his present celebrated and magnificent Belle Meade estate, six miles from the city of Nashville. He grew up ou that place when the Indians were plenti- f'ul in its neighborhood, and it has been his home ever since, except during the six years he engaged in cotton planting on his Stone's river farm. Said he, " I am to the manner born," and alluding to his birthplace he said, "I am a log cabin man." And, indeed, he is a splendid illustration of the virtue of the staying power as a factor of success. He is one of the few men whose personal records appear in this volume, who are now living where they were born, and such men are, as a rule, eminent examples of success in life.
Gen. Harding was educated at the " old field schools" until he was fourteen years old, when he went to the Cumberland College (predecessor of the University of Nashville), under Prof. Philip Lindsley, and there studied two years, displaying the characteristic which foreshadowed his manhood, resolution. Hle then said to his father, "I want to go off in search of an educa- tion, for I cannot get one here, surrounded, as I am, by clever chums, who do not study and will not permit me to study." His father, immersed in a large business, could give neither time nor thought to his son's request, and not comprehending why he could not get an educa- tion nearer home, reluctantly yielded to his request, gave him funds, and told him to go to any school he might select. He visited Yale, Harvard, and Prince- ton, inspecting their methods, and at last found that system, order and studiousness which he was seeking at. the American Military Academy, at Middletown, Con- necticut, under Capt. Alden Partridge, then having two hundred and fifty students. He had no acquaint- ances there, and did not want to find any. The absence of acquaintances was to his liking, for those he wanted to form slowly and with proper care. After four years'
stay, he graduated with the highest honors, having attained the first position in the corps of cadets. Hle returned home, to the great gratification of his father and mother, bringing with him as his guest old Capt. Partridge, this being the latter's first visit to any of the Southern States. Shortly after their arrival they paid a visit to the " Hero of the Hermitage," a man whom Capt. Partridge resembled in many respects. . Andrew J. Donelson, the private secretary of President Jack- son, was a cadet at West Point when Capt. Partridge was superintendent, prior to his organizing the Military Academy at Middletown. The course of instruction at this institution combining, as it did, the strict systems and accurate methods of military science, was also coupled with literary advantages and interspersed with the thoroughly practical, and consisted of marches over New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland, laying out roads, perfecting engineering plans, drawing canal locks, building of bridges, acqueducts, ete., and was of im- mense advantage to the young student who, at the age of sixteen, had the audacity to inspect for himself the merits of the oldest and most famous educational insti- tutions of the country.
In attendance at the military academy with young Harding were ex -Gov. Harry Seymour, of Connecticut ; ex-Gov. Horatio Seymour, of New York; Iturbide, son of the Emperor of Mexico; Col. M. H. Sandford, of New York ; ex-Gov. Hoge, of North Carolina, and many others equally distinguished in the military and civil service of the nation. The only certificate of graduation ever given in Capt. Partridge's own handwriting was to young Harding, and closed with the following words : "I hereby recommend Wm. G. Harding as a scholar, a gentleman and a soldier.
At the age of twenty Gen. Harding married Miss Selene MeNairy, the history of whose family is else- where given, and commenced life on a tract of six hundred acres and with forty five dollars in money. There he early displayed those traits of energy, close
!
PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.
application to business, and systematic and economical methods which have guided him'to eminent success as an agriculturist and breeder of fine stock, and given him a rank among the most distinguished farmers and stockmen in the United States. Remaining on his patrimonial inheritance on Stone's river, engaged in cotton growing, until 1839, he took possession of the Belle Meade estate, then comprising about fourteen hundred acres of land and one hundred and twenty-five slaves of all ages, and here he has resided till the- present time, constantly giving his personal attention to his plantation, and adding adjoining acres to the estate, to make room for the increase of his negroes. He was opposed, as his father before him had been, to purchasing slaves, and also opposed to trusting his slaves to the charge of an overseer. Consequently he would never invest in a cotton or sugar plantation, but kept his slaves under his immediate supervision, a course generally thought to be a less profitable method of working slave labor, but by him considered the more humane. During the civil war his slaves remained faithful to him, and a goodly number remain with him at this writing. He cares for them in sickness and in health as formerly. They are a contented, happy set ; well fed; well clothed; fat, sleek and merry. An incident is told illustrative of their affection and the delight with which they welcomed their old master's return home in 1862, after he had been confined as a political prisoner at Mackinaw. A number of them met the vehicle in which he was riding a mile from home, took him out of the carriage and carried him, with great exultation, on their shoulders. On arriving at the front yard he wanted to go immediately to see his wife, but they said, " No; old master, you must go first to see Bob " (Bob Green, the faithful groom of the thoroughbred stock, who had been shot by the Federals on account of his faithfulness to his master's interest in his absence), where he was carried, and afterwards returned to his family.
Thus, ever since 1839, he has resided on his farm, Belle Meade, conducting, on the most extensive scale, farming operations and the breeding of blooded stock, and the management of labor with intelligent direction, order and raro good judgment. Particularly has he adhered with great persistence to the rearing of the thoroughbred horse, bringing to bear learning and re- search, and backing these with great outlay of funds in his breeding and development; and, although he has oftentimes seen his noble products below the price of mules, he has continued to persevere in this bratich of animal industry, clinging with tenacity of purpose to his first love, until now, in his declining years, he enjoys the proud satisfaction of knowing that his blood- horse stock has a reputation for excellence second to none in either the old world or the new. This fact is attested by the representatives of the French govern ment in their report on the horses of America to their
goverment. Such is the result of firm resolution, integrity, fair dealing, and a calm, cool judgment. The time was when he chased foxes, having only an old- fashioned " bit " to his name, but he held to that as a nest egg, and rode without a girth to his saddle until he had a few lambs old enough for sale, when he gave the " bit" to his wife to buy bluings with, and helped the butchers drive the lambs to Nashville.
A commendable pride of character has ever been Gen. Harding's guiding star; but he was never proud in the worldly sense of looking down on any body. Ile esteems men in every condition of life for their clever- ness and goodness of heart and integrity, rather than for great intellect without those noble traits. He is given to large, discriminating charity, of which he has been his own dispenser, never trusting to committees. Hle is ever ready to assist the industrious of both sexes, but never gives to the drone. He is noted for his gen- erous and elegant hospitality, and at his palatial resi- dence he has entertained nearly every man of prominence that lives in or has visited this section of the United States.
Gen. William II. Jackson, his son-in-law, who has lived with him now sixteen years, says of Gen. Hard- ing: " In his course of conduct and bearing towards his fellow-men he has fulfilled literally the golden rule, more so than any man I have seen, either in or out of the church. As illustrating the difference, I have known him, at a public auction of his colts, to direct the auctioneer to knock the colt off when he had reached a certain price, remarking that that was price enough for any yearling colt ; and, again, when a young man, representing a city firm, offered him one dollar and fifty cents per bushel for his wheat, he remarked, ' Young man, I am afraid you are not a judge of wheat after inspecting it. This wheat is not of sufficiently good quality for that price, and you may have it for one dollar and twenty-five cents,' a beautiful commentary upon the grasping, sordid times in which we live. This action on Gen. Harding's part was but natural, when we consider the carly associations of his life. He grew uj. in an age when confidence between man and man was almost universal, the note or bond never required ; when good and neighborly feeling was the rule; when neighbor helped neighbor to shuck his corn, roll logs, clear new ground and raise his cabin ; when the incar- ceration of a single prisoner in the log jail at Nashville produced a great ripple of excitement in the public mind, and when honesty and fair dealing were the rule with scarcely an exception. He attained the age of fifty years before he believed there was a man in the world who would look him in the face and tell him a lie-a beautiful confidence in his fellow-man, illustrative of the purity and simplicity of his own life. I believe he would suffer death rather than sacrifice a friend or betray a trust confided to him."
All who read the foregoing estimate of Gen. Hard-
١١٠
1
1
3,
PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.
ing's character by one fully competent to speak, will recognize it as a true picture of a truly noble Tennes- sean. Such integrity of life could not help producing like effect on those surrounding him. During the war his negroes buried a barrel of solid silverware that had been awarded him at fairs as premiums, and when the danger was over unearthed the treasure and brought it home, every piece of it.
Gen. Harding has lived as he was born, a "dyed in the wool" Democrat of the Old Hickory school. When Tennessee seceded he was appointed a member of the State Military Board, which expended five million dol- lars in the equipment of the Tennessee soldiery of all arms for the Confederate service. He had no other connection with the war, having been taken prisoner in April, 1862, and released on his parole of honor, which he observed most sacredly until the end of the war. Ilis title came from being elected brigadier-general of militia, about 1838.
Though a leading turfman forty years or more, enjoying the confidence, esteem and high regard of every man of his acquaintance who ever dealt in thoroughbred horses, yet he has been absolutely free from any of the vices attendant upon the race course. He has never wagered a cent on any race, but has at all times taken a broad view of the high and important mission of the thor- oughbred horse, which is to improve all of the equine race; and believes that his chief mission is not, as many suppose, to contribute to the amusement and pleasure of the public on the race-course, but sub- scribing to the idea that without the theater the world would never have known those distinguished delineators of human character in all its phases, so without the race-course-the theater of action and competition of the thoroughbred horse-the intelligent breeders of this animal would never have discovered the most valuable strains of blood to propagate.
Gen. Harding has also been an advanced thinker as an agriculturist, keeping pace with the latest improve- ments in farming machinery and the most valuable modes for the recuperation and culture of the soil. Occupying through life prominent positions in the different bureaus of agriculture of the State, he has at all times taken an active interest in all measures tending to build up Tennessee. He was the first farmer who ever shipped grain from Tennessee to the Charles- ton market; the first to ship a load of hay to New Orleans; the first to suggest the idea of building the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, opposing the ex- penditure of our money for the building of roads lead- ing North, believing that we should connect with our natural markets of the South, and let the North expend her own money in reaching our southern connections.
Gen. Harding's father was John Harding, a native of Virginia, who came to Tennessee in 1805, with his father's family, consisting of two daughters (Sallie, who married a Mr. Page, and Patsey, who married
Matthew Johnson), and four sons, besides himself, Giles, William, Thomas, and David Morris, who all became excellent farmers, and were a hardy pioneer race, who did the first clearing in their respective localities, and were noted for their hospitality and fondness for field sports. They were all men of the strictest integrity, truth-tellers, and fair in their deal- ings, but firm in contending for their rights.
John Harding married in Davidson county, Novem- ber, 1806, Miss Susannah Shute, daughter of John Shute, a farmer from the vicinity of Carlisle, Pennsyl- vania, and of German extraction. To this marriage were born Amanda (who married Frank McGavock), William Giles (subject of this sketch), and Elizabeth (who married Joseph Clay). Gen. Harding's father died in September, 1865, at the age of 87; his mother died September 12, 1815, at the age of 60. From a brief biographical sketch of John Harding in the Wis- tory of Davidson County, it appears that he was a warm friend of education, a member of the Christian Church, a prosperous farmer and stock raiser, a large land and slaveholder, and a man of energy, industry and versa- tility of talents. He purchased the Belle Meade place and built the log cabin in which his distinguished son, the subject of this sketch, was born. No man in this country ever made for himself so high a reputation as a hard and constant worker. Gen. Harding relates of his father that he was the only man, as the imported horse " Priam " was the only horse, whom he never saw resting, alternately, on either leg. No one ever saw him in any position except standing erect or sitting erect. On this remark being repeated to the late ven- erable Dr. W. K. Bowling, he quietly replied : "Gen. Harding might have said he never saw his father stand- ing on one foot or two, for he was always going." He never took a rocking chair or lounge up to the age of seventy. He was a tall man, six feet high, and of very gentle presence, mild in expression, careful of speech, never going above the mark in assertion. His motto was, " If you had tried a little harder, don't you think you could have got a little further?" He was possessed of indomitable will, and had an iron constitution, At. the age of seventy, at one end of a cross-cut saw and the best negro man of two hundred and fifty pounds that he owned at the other, he would go through the toughest tree of five feet in diameter without stopping to blow. At the age of seventy, having cleared up three farms in Tennessee and one in Louisiana, he pro- ceeded to Arkansas with eight hands, and at that ad- vanced age, cleared and put in successful operation a magnificent cotton plantation, near Plum Point Bend, which he gave to his grandson, John MeGavock, and for which he was offered and refused one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in gold. In 1860 he returned to Nashville, and lived in his city home, bewildered in his old age by the war. He could never be made to understand how people could take things which did
4
PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.
not belong to them. He devoted his old age to the Christian Church, of which he was an honored mem- ber, and for many years was its prominent support. His name, wherever known, was the synonym of honor- able and upright conduct. Such was John Harding, a factor in the early development of Middle Tennessee, and of more than one of its leading industries, He left his sturdy, vigorous personality impressed upon the memories of thousands of his survivors, and is therefore a Tennessee historie character, more im- portant than hundreds of noisy politicians, his con- temporaries, who died and left neither sign nor name.
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