USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee from the earliest time to the present : together with an historical and a biographical sketch of from twenty-five to thirty counties of east Tennessee, V.3 > Part 36
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Elbert C. Montgomery (deceased), a farmer, was born December 23, 1825, in Roane County, where he died May 3, 1886. His limited education he supplemented to a great degree by his own study and reading, in after years. In 1851 he married Elizabeth C. Stephens, daughter of William and Emeline Stephens, natives of Bledsoe County. Mr. Stephens was justice of the peace for many years, and a son of Isaac and Anna (Davis)
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Stephens, among the earliest pioneers of the Sequatchie Valley. Our subject's children were Mary E., now Mrs. W. W. Smith; William S. (deceased), a graduate of Emory and Henry College, Virginia, in the class of 1879; Maggie, a graduate of Martha Washington College, Virginia, in the class of 1876: John A., a graduate of Emory and Henry College. in the class of 1883, and for some time a teacher, but later a farmer; and Laura F., educated at Marthe Washington College. Our subject was, from his majority, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and after the separation, in 1844, was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He was a prominent and influential church worker. His wife and children belong, likewise, to that denomination. He was a Democrat at the time of his death, but was formerly an old line Whig, and first voted for Taylor. He began life forhimself when twenty-five years of age, and at his death owned a fine farm of 1,000 acres, all. excepting a gift from his father, the result of his own care and ability. He was a successful farmer, and a prominent and highly respected citizen, and greatly missed by all who knew him. He was the sixth of seven chilren-four sons and three daughters-of John and Mary (Wenton) Montgomery. All the children are living in Missouri, excepting our subject and Alexander, and Mary (Mrs. White) who moved to Missouri, then to Texas, and finally to California. The father, probably a native of Sevier County, was a pioneer there and in Roane County, where he died.
Joseph A. Muecke is a well- to-do and enterprising citizen of Kingston. He was born in Hungary in 1843, and, with his parents, came to America in 1849, locating in Kingston, Tenn., in July of that year. At the commencement of the war, our subject entered the Union service, serving three years in the First Tennessee Infantry, after which he returned home, and has since been engaged in merchandising. He served as Roane County trustee during the years 1884 and 1885. His parents, Joseph and Frederica are citizens of Kingston. The father taught school in Hungary, and has followed merchandising here. Our subject married Henrietta Neergaard in 1872. She is a native of Holstein, Germany, but was reared in Roane County. To this marriage three sons and four daughters have been born, two of the sons now deceased. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
R. W. Neergaard, a prominent farmer of the First District, was born at Paint Rock. Roane County, in 1853, one of eight sons (one daughter) of Theodore and Augusta (Stuhr) Neergaard, our subject, Theodore A. (of Missouri) and Henrietta (Mrs. Muecke) being the only survivors. The parents were reared and married in Germany, and in 1848 came to America and located at Paint Rock, where they attended to their farm until their respective deaths, in 1858 and 1878. The mother moved to Kingston in 1867 to educate her children, and lived there until her death. In 1877 our subject married Nannie W. Patton, a native of Roane County, and daughter of Dr. J. P. Patton. Of their five sons one is deceased. He then bought his present home of 200 acres, mostly Tennessee River bottom lands. He also owns 400 acres in this county, part of his father's estate. Hc grows cereals, and also gives considerable attention to stockraising. The family are Presbyterians.
W. J. Owings, merchant and manufacturer of woolen goods, was born December ??. 1815, within three miles of Rockwood, his present home, where he has since lived, except- ing two years in Kentucky and Ohio. When eighteen he was thrown on his own resources. and by his own ability has acquired what he has. He was a carpenter and millwright before the war, when he was made sutler by Col. Byrd, of the First Tennessee, in which he continued up to 1863. He then engaged in merchandising at Nicholasville. Ky., where he remained one year, and then returned to Roane County, his present home. On January 13, 1839, he married Margaret, a daughter of Samuel and Margaret Kendrick, who were the earliest pioneers of Roane County, and of German descent. Of our subject's eight children, the following are living: Samuel A., F. D., State's attorney of the Roane County District; Mary, now Mrs. William Smith; and Martha A., now Mrs. Thomas A. Brown. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church. He is a Republican, and first voted for Van Buren. He is the eldest of thirteen children born to Samuel and Sarah (Randolph) Owings. The father was born and reared in Roane County, and was a sol-
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dier in the war of 1812, and assisted in the removal of the Cherokee Indians to the Indian Territory. He was the third of nine children born to Edward and Elizabeth (Sumpter) Owings, natives of North Carolina, and he was the first man to cross the Big Emory River and there build a house. Both were of English descent, and the grand-mother was a woman of remarkable force of character.
S. A. Owings, merchant, was born in 1850, in Roane County, where he has since lived, excepting two years spent in Kentucky. He received a good academic education, and was thrown upon his own resources when twenty-three years of age. He first ran a card- ing machine and saw mill, managed a farm for five years, and then engaged in merchan- dising and milling in partnership with N. D. Acoff, as Owings & Acoff. He began life with $8,500, received from his father, but by his ability in management he now owns, besides the stock and seventy acres belonging to the firm, seventy. acres where he now resides. In 1876 he married Martha J. McGregor. Their children were Lennie L., James S. (deceased), Mary A., Samuel C. (deceased), and and an infant (deceased). Both are members of the Christian Church. He is a Republican in politics, and first voted for Grant. He was elected justice in 1883, which office he still holds. He is the sixth of nine children born to W. J. and Margaret (Kendrick) Owings, both residents of Roans County all their lives. The father, a sutler for the First Tennessee during the late war, began life a poor man, and succeeded in accumulating considerable property. He was a splendid millwright. His home is in Rockwood. The grandfather, Samuel, was one of the first pioneers of this county.
J. C. Pope, county court clerk, was born in Roane County in 1843, and was reared on a farm in the county until the commencement of the war, when he enlisted in the Fifth Federal Infantry, and after the retreat from Cumberland Gap was promoted to orderly sergeant, serving until the close. He then located on a farm till he was elected county surveyor in 1874; then moved to Kingston, where he has since resided. He served as sur- veyor till 1878, and was then elected county court clerk, and is now serving his third term. In 1866 he married Matilda C. Mathews, a native of Roane County, by whom one son and six daughters were born-five daughters living. The mother of these children died in April, 1882, and in September, 1883, our subject married Mary E. Smith, also a native of Roane County. Jehu Pope, the great-grandfather of our subject. was of Irish descent. He was reared in Virginia, married there, and moved to Jefferson County, Tenn., where William E., the great-grandfather of our subject was born. The latter was a Baptist min- ister, and soon after the establishment of Blair's Ferry, located in Roane (now Loudon) County, then afterward in this county, where he died in 1867. Jehu H., the father of our subject, was born in Jefferson County, was a Baptist minister, and died in Roane County in 1875. Our subject's mother, whose maiden name was Parker, was a native of Roane County, and died in 1880.
W. B. Reed, editor of the Kingston East Tennesseean, was born in 1836, in Charles town, Jefferson Co., Va., where he was reared and educated. From 1858 to 1861 he was engaged in journalism in his native county. At the breaking out of the war he enlisted and served in the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, under Col. Turner A. Ashby, eight- een months. Then, under the Confederate law exempting newspaper men, he was dis- charged and engaged on the Richmond Examiner about a year. Tiring of newspaper life he again enlisted-this time in the marine service-serving as coast-guard on Chesapeake Bay, where, with his squad, he was captured and spent eleven months at Point Lookout and other Federal prisons. Through a special exchange of the naval men in February. 1865, he returned, and again being discharged, he re-engaged on the Richmond Examiner. where he remained until the close of the war. In November. 1866, he came to Kingston. and established the paper of which he has been editor and proprietor ever since. In 1875 he married Mary E. Jackson, of Virginia, who died in 1879. He then married her sister Roberta. They are both Presbyterians, of which church he has been an elder for several years. His father, John, was born in Maryland. He married Emma Downs. in Charles- town, Va., and lived there permanently. Our subject is the only survivor of four sons and two daughters who lived to maturity.
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ROANE COUNTY.
E. W. Robbs, a merchant and farmer, was born August 30, 1827, in Washington County, Tenn., and since his eighth year has lived at his present home. In April, 1847, he enlisted in the First North Carolina Infantry, and was mustered out August 8, 1848, at Smithville, N. C. August 11, 1861, be also enlisted in Company E, First Ten- nessee Infantry, and served until March 7, 1865. He was second lieutenant of his com- pany, and while stationed near Washington, in Rhea County, guarding the ford there, he was captured, and with nine others, of whom he became the only survivor, was held sixteen months and three days in Libby Prison. He was engaged in iron forging until 1876, since when he has been devoted to farming and merchandising at his present location. Besides his stock of goods he also owns 500 acres of land on the C. S. R. R .. all the result of his own skill and hard work. March 11, 1852, he married Rebecca S .. a daughter of Samuel and Sallie Owings. Their children are Alexander (now of Texas). Sallie (widow of the late W. Tarwater), and Margaret (deceased). The mother died Sep- tember 14, 1859. February 23, 1860, he married Louisa Ables, a daughter of J. C. Ables. Their children were James, Henderson, Nancy A., Lillie M., Amanda (deceased), Eddie (deceased), Luther (deceased) ard Patrick. He is a Republican, and first voted for Taylor. He is the third of twelve children of Alexander and Nancy (Hickey) Robhs, the former a native of South Carolina, and since boyhood a resident of Washington County, Tenn. The mother was born in Wytheville, Va., and also when a child became a resident of Washington County. He was a son of Edward and Betsey Robbs, of Irish origin.
William Smith, a farmer at Post Oak Springs, was born June 3, 1827. in Roane County. He began business for himself when thirty years old, a poor man. He was mar- ried, in January, 1863, to Miss Mary Owings, daughter of W. J. Owings, of Roane County. Tenn. Mr. and Mrs. Owings were born and raised in Roane County. W. J. Owings was a sutler during the late war. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith three children have been born: James E. and Fidelia; the first born died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Smith is a Republican in politics. He Erst engaged in merchandising in Rhea County, Tenn., where he remained five years. 'and then went to Texas for the purpose of seeing the country, with the view of locating. He remained there one year, when he returned to Post Oak. and engaged in merchan- dising, at which he continued until the breaking out of the late war. During the war he engaged in farming at his present location, and also engaged in merchandising in Kentucky. After the war he farmed the year following, when he engaged in merchan- dising with his brother, the style of firm being William Smith & Bro. He continued thus for the next eight years, when he quit the goods business and went to farming, which has occupied most of his attention since, except a store he ran in connection with farming up till three years since. He is the sixth of eleven children of Anthony and Ann (Baily) Smith. The father was born in Virginia, and when quite small was brought by his parents to Roane County about 1790. Mrs. Smith was born in Blount County, and when small was brought to Roane County, where she resided until her death, which occurred in March, 1887, aged about ninety years. Anthony Smith was a soldier in the Creek Indian war under Gen. Jackson, and was a blacksmith and farmer by occupation. He died about 1847, aged about sixty years. He was a son of John Smith, who was born and raised in Virginia. and after his marriage came to Ten- nessee. William Smith has a fine farm of upward of 300 acres, where he resides, besides some land he owns in other tracts, which he has accumulated by his industry and good management.
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L. Swafford, merchant, was born in 1826 in McMinn County, Tenn. He began for himself at nineteen. a poor farmer; but since 1873 he has been merchandising. In 1842 he married M. C. Wilson, a daughter of Richard and Jane Wilson, natives of Ten- nessee, and of Irish and Dutch descent respectively. Our subject's children were Eliza J .. deceased; Sarah E., now Mrs. Walsh: Mary A., deceased: Martha C., now Mrs. Aytes; Ellen, now Mrs. Williams; John, a merchant in Meigs County, Tenn .; Tennessee (deceased), Lawrence (deceased), Florence (deceased) and Theodosin A. (deceased). Both
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
have been members of the Baptist Church since their early years, in which he has been clerk and deacon for eight years, and Sunday-school superintendent for five years past. He is a Republican, and for many years has been a justice of the peace. He is the only child of John and Sarah (Gahagen) Swafford, natives of Tennessee. The grandmother, also named Sarah Gahagen, was born in Ireland, and after her marriage first settled in MoMinh County on coming to America. The father, John, is one of eight children of Thomas and Sarah Swafford. The father of our subject's wife, Richard Welroed, was one of the most prominent Baptist ministers in McMinn County. Our subject is a prominent member of his church, and an able business man.
J. B. Tedder, a farmer and butcher at Rockwood, was born in 1829 in Roane County. He is the fifth of eight children of John and Mary (Robeson) Tedder. The father was born in Greene County, N. C., and when twenty-one years of age came to Tennessee, settling in Roane County. The mother was born and raised in Jefferson County, Teun., and when quite small came to Roane County with her parents. John Tedder was an inter- nal revenue officer for several years. J. B. Tedder was married, November 10, 1862. to Miss Sarah J. Shadden, a daughter of John and Betsey (Mitchell) Shadden. To this union seven children have been born: Eugene S., John, Joseph, William, Mary E. (deceased), Charles and Gideon. Mr. Tedder is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has an interest of 100 acres in the farm, where he now lives, and also owns 200 acres in Cumberland County. He is a Republican in politics. John Tedder was of Welsh and Mrs. Tedder of English and French descent.
Capt. L. M. Wester. John Wester, the grandfather of Capt. L. M. Wester, was born in North Carolina and married there, reared most of bis family there, and about 1815 came to Jefferson County, Tenn., where his death and also his wife's death occurred. Daniel Wester, a son of John, and our subject's father, were born in North Carolina, in 1787, left home at the age of ten years, passing through the town of Kingston located on Duck River, in Middle Tennessee, and in his sixteenth year accompanied Capt. Williams to Natchez the expedition against the Spaniards, than returned. In his seventeenth year he mar- ried Elizabeth Lloyd, then residing with her parents, John and Rachel Lloyd, on Duck River. Daniel Wester, his wife and her parents, then moved to Jefferson County, and after a couple of years started back to Duck River, but stopped at the fort at Kingston. where Daniel soon became a commissary officer, and was also deputy sheriff under Gen. Brown, which position he held twenty-two years. He was also with Harrison in the battles around Lake Erie and in Canada. After serving here at the fort under Gen. Brown he became a local Metbodist preacher, and also located on a farm eight miles below Kingston, where he resided till his death. Our subject is the eleventh of a family of twelve children, two sons and three daughters still living. Daniel Wester's first wife died in 1843, and he then married Sarah Breedlove, by whom he had two sons and one daughter. Daniel Wester died in 1860, and his second wife is still living. Capt. L. M. Wester was born in Kingston in 1823, and remained with his parents till eighteen years old, then married Sarah Hamel, a native of Roane County, by whom one son and two daughters were born, the son, John M., still living. This wife died in 1848, and he after- ward married Catharine E. Yost, a native of East Tennessee, by whom one son and two daughters are surviving. The Captain has always made Kingston his home, with excep- tion of the year 1851, when he resided in Texas. At the commencement of the Mexican war he volunteered at Kingston in Company C, Fourth Tennessee Regiment, being elected lieutenant at the organization. At the commencement of he late war he enlisted in the First Tennessee Federal Infantry, being elected captain of Company G. His son. John M., enlisted in the same regiment, aud was at the organization elected second lieutenant, he being then sixteen years old. The captain served two years, then resigned on account of sickness; the son, after serving two and a half years, received an appointment of cadet at West Point, and withdrew to go there. The Captain has been in the Legis- lature three terms, and State Senate once, and has been a justice of the peace for twenty nine consecutive years, including the time he was in the army. He is now also county school commissioner. At the age of nineteen he was elected constable, serving two years,
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and was a colonel in the old State militia. During his official duties in both wars he never placed a man of his under guard. He and family are Methodists.
J. A. Winton, farmer, was born February 2, 1819, in Roane County, where he grew to manhood. He was educated at Emory and Henry College, Washington County, Va. After beginning life for himself at his majority, he engaged in teaching at Saltville, Va., and has since been engaged as a farmer. February 2, 1843, he married Susanna, daughter of John and Susan Baker, who were among the carliest settlers of Washington County, Va. She died in March, 1873. November 27, 1877, he married Carrie P. Corry (nee Smith), a daughter of John Y. Smith, an old citizen of Roane County, and a prominent lawyer. They have one child, John Lenoir. Mrs. Winton died in 1881. Our subject has been a Methodist, of the Southern Branch, since 1838. He is a Democrat, and first voted for Clay. He was justice of the peace about two years, and is an F & A. M. He is the fourth of the eleven children of James and Rhoda (Mitchell) Winton, natives of Roane County, where they died March 17, 1849, aged sixty-two years, and September 3, 1886, aged ninety-one years, three months and fourteen days, respectively. The latter was of Dutch stock. The grandparents were John and Arabella (Cunningham) Winton, the for- mer of Irish stock, and born November 8, 1761, and the latter born May 18, 1763. John was a successful financier, and amassed a large fortune before his death. He settled near Muddy Creek Station sometime before 1985. Our subject owns a fine farm of about 500 Acres on the Tennessee River, and is a highly respected, well-informed man.
LOUDON COUNTY.
The Blair Family has, since the very earliest settlement of East Tennessee, been prominent in its history, and still has many representatives in Loudon and the surround- ing counties. These are all descendants of John Blair, a soldier at King's Mountain, and a pioneer from South Carolina to Washington County, Tenn., where he died in 1819. His family of six sons and four daughters-Hugh, John, James, William, Thomas, Samuel, Jane, Mary, Martha and Rachel-came from Washington County to the present site of Loudon about 1790, and soon after, what was long known as Blair's Ferry was established. Hugh, the eldest of this family, was a cripple, who never married, and always made his home with his brother James. But little is known of the four daughters and of the second and sixth named sons. James was born in 1777, and married Jane Carmichael, a member of another pioneer East Tennessee family. They remained in the vicinity of Blair's Ferry, where they accumulated considerable poperty and many slaves. They raised five sons and two daughters, and had two infant daughters, deceased. William, the fourth mentioned above, married Sarah Simmons, who died in 1840, six years after his own death. Four sons and six daughters were reared by them. The fifth named above Thomas, remained in Blair's Ferry a short time, and went to Indiana. John, the eldest of James Blair's family, was born July 19, 1800, and married Elizabeth Johnston in 1827. He then located on the farm now owned by his son, Dr. J. L. Blair. He was an officer in the State militia, and was for many years a justice of the peace. His death occurred January 18, 1858, his wife having preceeded him November 14, 1845. Dr. J. L. Blair is the eldest of five sons and five daughters, and of three survivors of these, himself, Dr. Hugh A., of Wilson County, and Martha A .. now Mrs. George W. St. John, of Washington County. Dr. J. L. was born in 1828, and in 1853 married Margaret L. Bark- ley, a native of Jonesboro. Of their two sons and three daughters. two of the latter are deceased, as is the mother also, who died January 5, 1871. In 1872 the Doctor married Mrs. Lucy A. Osborn (ner George), a native of Blount County, to whom two sons and four daughters have been born. The Doctor was educated chiefly at Hiwassee College, and in 1852 attended the Union Medical College, of New York, since which time he has
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
practiced in this locality. Returning now to the James Blair family, we will mention Wiley, who was born in Loudon in 1813, and married Mary M. Johnston, rearing a family of three sons and two daughters, one of whom, Rachel E. C., is now deceased, The other daughter, Laura J., is the wife of William R. Blair, of this county. James M., W. W. and H. E. F. are the sons, the first of whom, James M., was born in 1314. since which time be has lived in this vicinity. W. W. was born in 1851 and married Frankie M. Browder; they have three daughters. H. E. F. was born in 1854 and married Martha K. Eldridge. They have two sons and two daughters. William, the fourth named son of John Blair, had four sons and six daughters; the first of these, John, was born in Lcu- don (then Roane) County, in 1803, and married Mary C. Edwards, a native of Virginia, to whom one son, William R. (a prominent farmer of Loudon County) and one daugh- ter, Sarah J. (now the wife of John Hall, of Loudon County,) were born. John Blair and wife died in 1875 and 1880, respectively. Of the other children of William Blair, Vincent and Hugh reside in Texas, and Elizabeth, now a widow of Andrew Allen, resides in Loudon County. The rest are deceased.
C. T. P. Davis, & farmer, was born October 14, 1811, in Greene County, Tenn., and when eleven years old bis father moved to a farm, where he has since resided. He is the youngest of five children of Jonathan and Sarah (Crosby) Davis, born and reared in Vir- ginia, but married in Greene County. Nathan Davis, the grandfather, commanded a company during the Revolution, and about 1781 became one of the leading farmers of Greene County. Uriah Crosby, the maternal grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war, and a prominent farmer of Greene County. Their ancestors are of Welsh- English stock. The father was an active, old line Whig, and when the Legislature met at Murfreesboro, was appointed justice, serving for many years, and eventually assisting in establishing the boundary of Monroe County. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He made his home with his father until the latter's death, in 1854, when his sister kept house for him until his marriage. July 22, 1813. he married Amanda E., daughter of James and Mary (Scott) Griffiths, natives of Blount County, and residents of the same until the former's death, June 2, 1870, since when the latter has lived with her daughter, Mrs. Davis. Our subject's children are Charlie H. and Sarah N. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church forty-five years, while his wife is a Presbyterian. Our subject is a Master Mason, and Republican, first voting for the Whig candidate, in 1836. From March, 1848, he served as justice for eighteen years, and was the first to advocate and aid in establishing the Monroe County Infirmary. After Loudon County was established, he served most successfully as chairman of the county court for one year, and also assisted in establishing an infirmary in this county, and in clearing the county of debt. He began with twenty acres, but now owns 2,200 acres of fine land, on which are deposits of iron and silver ore. His grandfather, Nathan, was a brother of the grandfather of Jefferson Davis. Mrs. Davis is a third cousin of Samuel Houston. Our subject is an able man, and a most efficient officer.
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