USA > Tennessee > A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans, the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume V > Part 29
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Born in Amherst county, Virginia, in 1815, Oliver Tinsley was but a boy when he came with his parents to Tennessee. Acquiring his early education in Nashville, he remained in that city until 1838, when he accepted a position with Robert Baxter, of Montgomery county, for whom he managed a furnace for ten years. He subsequently managed another furnace for twenty years, when he purchased from its owner the entire plant. including the furnace, land and other property. Turn- ing his attention then to agricultural pursuits, he carried on general farming until his death, in 1884. An able business man, he acquired a handsome property, at the breaking out of the war between the states being worth about $60.000. During the conflict he lost all of his per- sonal property. but retained about two thousand acres of land. He was a stanch member of the Democratic party, and belonged to the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons. He married Eliza Har- per, who was born in 1815 in Tennessee, her father, David Harper, having come to this state from North Carolina in early life. She lived to a ripe old age, passing away September 13, 1906. She was a most estimable woman, and a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Nine children were born of their union, one of whom. B. W. Tinsley, served in the Civil war as a member of the Fourteenth Ten- nessee Volunteer Infantry.
The youngest member of the parental household. Stewart D. Tins- ley, received a limited education in the district schools, which he attended as opportunity offered, at other times assisting in the care of the home farm. Being industrious and economical, he began in early life to accu- mulate money, and invest it in land and other property. Successful in his undertakings. Mr. Tinsley has now a fine farm of upwards of five hundred acres of land. and in addition owns a grist mill. a saw mill. Vol. V-16
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and a store. He makes a specialty of raising fine mules, and deals to a considerable extent in Hereford cattle and Berkshire hogs.
On June 25, 1872, Mr. Tinsley was united in marriage with Ella Hunter, a daughter of Drew and Nancy A. (Dean) Hunter, who were born, reared and married in Dickson county, Tennessee. Mrs. Tinsley is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church South, with which she united when young. Politically Mr. Tinsley is a Democrat, and has served in various public positions, having been constable two years, and sheriff six years, while for twelve years he was postmaster at Big Four.
FIELDING L. PITTMAN, general manager of the Union City Cotton Gin, Union City, Tennessee, is one of the enterprising, up-to-date young men of the town. He was born in Gibson county, Tennessee, in 1884, only child of L. G. H. and Lottie (Goodman) Pittman, both natives of the "Volunteer" state. His maternal grandfather, Fielding Goodman, was a man of prominence and influence, a farmer with large land hold- ings in Central Tennessee, where he filled many local offices. For a number of terms he served as sheriff of Gibson county. He and his wife, Nancy (Robinson) Goodman, had four children, who became represent- ative citizens, engaged chiefly in agricultural pursuits.
Fielding L. Pittman was reared on his father's farm and received his education in the common schools. His early life was spent in the study and practice of mechanical engineering. After three years devoted to this line of work, he turned his attention to the cotton busi- ness, and for the past two years has been identified as manager with the Union City Cotton Gin. This prosperous concern was incorporated in 1910 by a company of Union City men, and Mr. Pittman, who up to that time had had ten years' experience in the business, was placed in charge, and to his efficiency as general manager is due the success of the company. The plant covers an area of two acres, and the output of the gin in 1911 was 1,600 bales of cotton.
Mr. Pittman has numerous fraternal affiliations. He belongs to the F. and A. M., the O. E. S., the I. O. O. F., the W. O. W. and the B. P. O. E., in some of which he has served officially. He is a past noble grand of the I. O. O. F. and a past commander of the W. O. W. The only public office he has filled is that of revenue commissioner of Gibson county.
BURTON SANDERSON. One of the enterprising general merchandise concerns at Oakwood in Montgomery county is that conducted by Bur- ton Sanderson, who has employed a fine energy and ability to building up a trade which might be envied by many of the merchants of larger cities.
Mr. Sanderson was born in Stewart county, Tennessee, April 9, 1885.
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a son of Frank and Minnie (Harrison) Sanderson. Both parents were natives of Stewart county, where their respective families had early become established. The father was born in 1850 and the mother in 1852. After a common school education in such schools as then existed, Frank Sanderson began his career without capital and with reliance solely on his industry and honesty of purpose. Working by the day or month, he in time acquired the means to purchase a farm in Stewart county, where he gained a position among the substantial citizens. In 1899 he sold his farm and moved to Montgomery county, where he owns a good homestead and is still an active producer of the agricultural crops. In politics he is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of the Christian church. Their seven children are named as follows: James E., a resident of Stewart county ; Callie, a resident of Oakwood ; Viola, the wife of Hiram Foster, of Montgomery county; Leonard, who lives with his parents; Burton; Ada, at home; and Mannie, a resident of Jordan Springs, Tennessee.
The family having moved to Montgomery county when he was four- teen, Burton Sanderson finished his education in the district schools of this county, and while still a boy began working for his living and the means for a larger career. After some years of industry he was able to start his general store in Oakwood in 1910, and since then he has been rapidly advancing to prosperity. He also owns a farm and gives it such attention as he can spare from his store.
On July 5, 1911, Mr. Sanderson married Miss Gracie Ferrell. Her father is Drew Ferrell, for many years a Montgomery county farmer, and now proprietor of a store at Needmore in district No. 9. Mr. San- derson is a member of the Christian church and politically is a Demo- crat.
C. C. CONN. Among the valued citizens of any community are con- structive men, men who have genius and the ability to apply it in mate- rial development ; but when moral stamina and high ideals of what con- stitutes good citizenship are added to their assets for usefulness in society, they become true factors of development and progress, not only in a material way but along all lines. C. C. Conn, of Union City, Ten- nessee, is such a gentleman, a prominent contractor and builder who in this capacity has erected such structures there as the Nailing building, the D. J. Caldwell home, the Neblett home and the residences of Her- man Deitzel, C. T. Moss, G. B. and W. L. White, G. L. Porter, J. M. Brice, as well as numerous other less important, all mute testimony of the quality of his workmanship and his skill and taste as a builder. For the most part he is his own architect and works from his own plans. He has spent twenty-one years as a carpenter and the last ten years of that time he has also operated as a contractor. He has long been a resident
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of this vicinity, but first made his home in Union City about three and a half years ago.
Born in Obion county, Tennessee, in 1866, he was reared and edu- cated in his native county and began his chosen occupation as soon as he Jeft school, following it successfully to the present time. He is a son of Jesse Conn and Louise (Waddle) Conn, the former of whom was born in York, Pennsylvania, while the latter was a native of Maury county, Tennessee. Jesse Conn migrated to Tennessee in 1861 and engaged in the milling and lumber business in Obion county, acquiring extensive business interests in this connection. By trade he was a carpenter and it was under his careful direction that his son learned carpentry and became a skilled workman. There were ten children in the elder Conn family, five of whom are living at this time. Of those surviving, two have followed agricultural pursuits and two are carpenters. They all have assumed worthy stations in society and have so ordered their lives as to command the respect of all who know them. Mr. Conn of this review is affiliated fraternally with the Masonic order, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Woodmen of the World.
JOSEPH E. REEDER. In a day when truly successful editorship requires not only executive ability, but also originality, it is gratifying to happen upon such an able opponent of journalism as we find Joseph E. Reeder, editor of the New Idea, a leading Tennessee newspaper pub- lished at Burns, Tennessee.
Genealogically Mr. Reeder is a product of Tennessee and other southern states, with a mingling of Pennsylvania blood. In the Key- stone state lived his maternal grandfather, Joseph Walp, and there was born the daughter of the latter, Miss Almira Anna Walp. Her birth occurred in 1862 and it was in her girlhood that she and the other mem- bers of her father's family came to Dickson, Tennessee, where ties of wifehood and motherhood awaited her. North Carolina had been the earlier home of the Reeder line. That state was the birthplace of John Reeder, paternal grandfather of him who is the special subject of this review. Tennessee was for a brief early period a chosen location of John Reeder, who there married a Miss Hall, a native of Dickson county. They removed thence to Mississippi, where they lived for some time, during which their son, J. H. L. Reeder, was born. The family later returned to Tennessee, which from the age of seven continued to be the home of J. H. L. Reeder. When the Civil war thrilled all hearts to anxiety and with fear or courage, according to their temperaments, he enlisted in Company K, Eleventh Tennessee, under General Forrest, and with him served in all important engagements. He held the rank of sergeant and the quality of his service may be well guessed from the fact that he was three times wounded. Of his scars, however, he has made little account, speaking of each as a slight affair. He participated
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in thirty-one skirmishes and twenty-one battles during the four years of his service. He subsequently took up the study of medicine, which he practiced in Dickson county, where his rank was second to none and his practice during his life was one of the largest in the county. In 1876 he married Miss Almira Anna Walp, above referred to. They became the parents of eight children, of whom seven are yet living. Kate Reeder, the eldest daughter, became Mrs. Charles A. Robinson, now of White- ville; Elzina is Mrs. George Harris, of Nashville; Joseph E., the eldest son, is the special subject of this review and of detailed account below ; Edward Reeder is one of the citizens of Burns; Elmer C. Reeder is a res- ident of Kingston Springs, in Cheatham county. Miss Roma Reeder and her sister, Miss Alma, are members of the parental household.
In District 4 of Dickson county, Joseph Eugene Reeder was born on December 21, 1877. His education was, as he puts it, that of the country schools and of the type-case, for at the age of twenty he began his active career in a printing office. In combined capacities of printer and editor he served for some time the Home Enterprise, a well-known publication. Resigning this position, he was connected for five years with the Daily American For one year he was a member of the staff of reporters for the Nashville Banner.
It was in 1905 that the New Idea was established at Burns by Mr. Reeder. In the meantime he held for five years his road position, but his present duties as editor and manager require his full attention for the two publications of which he has charge. The New Idea is issued weekly and is independently Democratic. Its inherent principles are those of the good old Southern party, but the paper is permeated with the spirit of progress which marks all genuinely wideawake enterprises and its strongest influence is the desire for the greatest good of the com- munity. This publishing plant also issues a monthly periodical of the magazine class, called The Home Defender.
Mr. Reeder is personally a Democrat. His fraternal connections are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, with the Knights of Pythias and with the Modern Woodmen of America. His church inter- ests are broad in sympathy, but he is not formally connected with any church organization. Mrs. Reeder is a member of the Church of the Disciples.
Editor Reeder's home was established in 1908, at which time he was united in marriage to Miss Jessie McWilliams, daughter of W. McWil- liams, of Dickson, Tennessee. Mr. McWilliams is a native of Pennsylva- nia and Ohio was the birthplace of his daughter, Mrs. Reeder. In the social life of this locality, the Reeders occupy an important place. Editor Reeder's human interests are as practical as they are wide, and his pub- lications attract extensive and favorable attention. His favorite avoca- tion is related to agricultural affairs, as he owns a fine farm near the city. In whatever line his interests lie, however, all contribute to his
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greater ability in acting as interpreter, through the press, of the chief needs and the highest principles of the people of this town and vicinity.
WALTER HARDING DRANE. Was born in Montgomery county and has passed his life thus far within its confines. His natal day was February 8, 1870, and he is the son of William McClure and Amelia Washington (Haddox) Drane.
William McClure Drane was born in Clarksville in 1826, and died there on the 23d day of December, 1909. He was the son of W. H. Drane, a native of Montgomery county, Maryland, born there in 1797, and he came as a boy with his father's family to the old settlement at Clarksville early in the nineteenth century. He was a physician, but eventually gave up his practice to engage in the tobacco business, in which he made an independent fortune, and he was ranked among the most eminent citizens of Clarksville of his time. His wife was Eliza J. McClure, a daughter of one of the oldest families in Montgomery county. His son, William McClure Drane, followed him in the tobacco business and like him was one of the most successful men of his community and time. He was active and prominent in the life of the county until his last years. His wife was born in Todd county, Kentucky, in 1836, and was a daughter of Joseph Haddox, a farmer and old resident of Todd county. She died in 1907. Eight children were born to these parents.
Walter Harding Drane received his early education in his home, under the supervision of a governess, but he later attended the public schools of Clarksville, finishing his education in the Southern Presbyte- rian University and the Broadhurst Institute of Clarksville. Being the youngest of the family, he remained in the home longer than any of the others and when he reached man's estate, busied himself in the care of the home place, a fine farm of two hundred and twelve acres. In addi- tion to this he rents some three hundred acres, his being one of the best improved properties in the country. He raises considerable tobacco, hay and corn, and has a fine herd of registered Jerseys, of which he makes a specialty. He also is interested in Berkshire hogs and has a goodly representation of registered hogs on the place, as well as a num- ber of thoroughbred saddle horses, Montgomery Chief being sire of some of his finest horses. One of his favorite horses is Avelyn, now in the show ring, and she has already taken a number of prizes.
Mr. Drane is a Democrat and is magistrate for district No. 7 of Mont- gomery county, being the first of the name to hold office of any kind. He is identified with a number of prosperous concerns, among which are the First National Bank and the Clarksville Ice & Coal Company. Mr. Drane is unmarried.
MATTHEW SANDERS. An enterprising and practical agriculturist, Matthew Sanders, of Montgomery county, is prosperously engaged in
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his chosen calling in district 18, where he owns and occupies the farm on which his birth occurred, December 10, 1875.
His father, the late Wiley Green Sanders, was born in Dickson county, Tennessee, near Charlotte, in 1824, and was there reared. Soon after his marriage he began farming for himself in his native county, living there until 1867. Coming then to Montgomery county, he pur- chased two hundred acres of land in District 18, and by well-directed toil soon placed his estate in a fine condition. Here he lived until his death, which occurred in 1905, at an advanced age. He was a worthy and highly esteemed citizen, a Democrat in politics, and a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. The maiden name of his wife was Tillie Ava. She was born in 1830 in South Carolina, and died on the home farm, in Montgomery county, Tennessee, in 1903. Of the eight children born of their union four are now living, as follows: Thomas, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Finney, a resident of Kentucky; Betty, wife of Daniel Proctor; and Matthew, the special subject of this brief personal narrative.
As a boy and youth Matthew Sanders took advantage of his limited opportunities for advancing his education, and when out of school assisted his father on the home place, thus obtaining a practical knowl- edge of agriculture in various branches. Succeeding to the ownership of the home farm, Mr. Sanders has carried on the improvements previ- ously inaugurated, and has now a fine farm of one hundred and sixty- seven acres, on which he raises the staple products of the region, his principal crops being tobacco and corn.
Mr. Sanders married, December 5, 1902, Miss Hettie Eads, a daughter of J. S. Eads, and to them three children have been born, namely: Annie Mae; Roy, and Ava. Politically Mr. Sanders is a straightforward Demo- crat, and for the past six years has served as magistrate, an office for which he is well qualified, and to which he was re-elected in 1912. He is also notary public, and a member of the Montgomery County High School Board, and for four years was a school director. Fraternally Mr. ' Sanders is a member of Palmyra Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons; of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. Religiously he belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian church, of which Mrs. Sanders is also a member.
ROBERT F. FERGUSON, M. D. Any biographical work of the represen- tative men of Tennessee would be decidedly incomplete did it not record the incidents in the career of one whose labors here have covered a period of more than thirty-five years, and whose long experience and acknowledged abilities place him in a foremost position among the pro- fessional men of Montgomery county, Robert F. Ferguson, M. D., of Clarksville. Dr. Ferguson belongs to one of the old and honored fam-
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ilies of the state, members of which have been prominent in various walks of life, and was born September 17, 1855, a son of Robert F. and Nancy M. (Barker) Ferguson.
Robert French Ferguson, the paternal grandfather of Dr. Ferguson, was born in Pennsylvania, whence the family had come from Scotland at an early day. He was a preacher of the Christian church, and mar- ried Hannah Champlain Babcock, who was born in Stonington, Rhode Island. Among their children was Robert French Ferguson, Jr., who was born at Springfield, Massachusetts, February 10, 1815, and received his education at William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia. With his brother, Jesse Babcock Ferguson, who subsequently became one of the greatest preachers Tennessee has ever known, Mr. Ferguson removed as a young man to Howardsburg. Kentucky, and became engaged in publishing a newspaper. In 1844 he took up farming, and settled on the old Babcock farm in Montgomery county, Tennessee, having married Nancy M. Barker, who was born November 17, 1820, at "Cloverlands," a farin in Montgomery county. She was a daughter of John Barker, who was considered the richest man in the county. Mr. Ferguson became one of the leading agriculturists of his locality, and at the time of his death, May 12, 1882, owned 1,500 acres of land. He reared a family of nine children, of whom six still survive, and Robert F. was the sixth in order of birth. Mr. Ferguson was a Democrat, and was well known in political circles during his day, being sent to the state legislature, help- ing to reconstruct the state after the close of the Civil war, and lending his aid and influence to United States Senator James Bailey. He was prominent in journalistie work, frequently contributing to the New York Tribune and the Cincinnati Enquirer, and was also active in the work of the Congregational church, erecting a church on his own farm, which he attended at the time of his death. His wife passed away in 1884.
John Barker Ferguson, son of Robert French Ferguson, Jr., was born March 7, 1858, at the farm known as "Summertrees," which was named after an estate mentioned in one of Scott's works. The youngest of his parents' nine children, he received his education in the neighbor- hood schools, and subsequently received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the Southwestern Presbyterian University at Clarksville in 1877, following which he taught school for one year with Lyon Gardner Tyler, now president of William and Mary College. in a preparatory school at Memphis. He then taught two years in the neighborhood schools, but on the death of his father returned home and took charge of the home- stead place, of which he had charge until 1896. At that time he opened a preparatory school, and for eight years was engaged in conducting if. but since 1904 has devoted all of his attention to cultivating the soil. Like his father, Mr, Ferguson has taken a great deal of interest in church work, and has been lay reader for the Clarksville District of the Metho
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dist church, and was conference leader for one year. He is now District Hospital Commissioner for the Clarksville District, and president of the Methodist Sunday School Association. In politics a Democrat, he reserves the right to vote for the candidate he deems best fitted for the office, while his fraternal connection is with the Masons, he being master of his lodge. Mr. Ferguson's 530 acres are in a high state of cultivation and, devoted to diversified farming, they yield large crops. On Novem- ber 7, 1883, Mr. Ferguson was married to Miss Carrie J. Morris, of Louisa county, Virginia, daughter of James Morris, and they have two children : Susanne and John B
Robert F. Ferguson received his early education in the common schools, following which he went to the University of New York and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and graduated in medicine at Nash- ville in 1876. On receiving his degree, he returned to his home and began practice, entering with zeal upon the work for which he had been trained. Success met his efforts to such a degree that his practice now extends over three counties, and no man in his profession is held in higher respect or esteem. The constant opportunities for real estate investment and his inherent business abilities have enabled the Doctor to accumulate 350 acres of valuable land, on which is situated his modern residence, and he has various other holdings and interests. He takes an active part in the work of the Montgomery County Medical Society, the Tennessee State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and holds mem- bership in John Hart Lodge No. 103, and the local chapter of Masonry. In political matters Dr. Ferguson is a Democrat.
In 1890 the Doctor was married to Miss Jennie F. Lester, daughter of Robert F. Lester, a native of. Virginia. Mr. Lester was for some years a prominent merchant, and later entered the tobacco business, but the Civil war caused financial reverses and his last years were spent at the home of his son-in-law. Dr. and Mrs. Ferguson have three children : Jennie L., Mary Merriwether and Robert F., all at home. The family is connected with the Methodist church South, and both Dr. and Mrs. Ferguson have been identified with various movements of a religious and charitable character.
CHARLES NICHOLAS MERRIWETHER. Among the successful agricul- turists and large landowners of Montgomery county, the name of Charles Nicholas Merriwether holds prominent place. Given excellent educa- tional advantages and trained for a scientific career, he preferred to become a tiller of the soil, and such has been his success that he has never regretted his choice. Today he is the owner of 600 acres of highly culti- vated land, in district No. 6, on which he is annually raising large crops, and his many years of experience make him known as one of his section's acknowledged judges of agricultural conditions. Mr. Merriwether was
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