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 62
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Isaac Parkey, planter, was born near his present home August 1, 1838, the son of Peter and Pollie (Shoun) Parkey, natives of Johnson County, the former born in 1791. and deceased in this county about 1858, and the latter deceased in 1850. Soon after their mar- riage they came to Clairborne County, where the father was a farmer, and a Whig, while both were members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Our subject, one of a large fam- ily, was educated in the country, and has always farmed, settling at his present home in 1858. In April, 1862, he became second lieutenant of Company A, Sixty-third Tennessee Infantry, serving at Chickamauga, and in the battles about Richmond and Petersburg. He began farming on his present farm which contains over 600 acres, in this county and in Lee County, Va. In 1839 he married Martha J. Riley, who died in July, 1861, and in April, 1866, Rhoda Bales, of Lee County, Va .. became his wife, and is yet living. He has one daughter by his first marriage. who is deceased, and seven children by his second marriage. The first, a daughter, who died in infancy. and six boys : Archillis B., aged twenty, who was married March 30, 1886, to Miss Mattie Lula Morris, of Mossy Creek, Tenn .; William F., Joseph H., Cecil V., Hoyl T. and Hugh C., aged seventeen, fifteen. thirteen, ten and eight, respectively. He is a Democrat, and both wives were Missionary Baptists.
Ezra M. Quillen, of Mulberry Gap, merchant, was born in Scott County, Va., October 28, 1848, being the son of Anderson C. and Mary (Addington) Quillen, of Irish and English stock, and natives of the above county. The father was born November 14, 1816, and died in Hancock County. July 20, 1883. The mother was born in 1810, and is still living in Lee County, Va. They lived, after marriage, some twenty years in Scott County, Va., and then moved to Tennessee, settling near Mulberry Gap on a farm. The father was a Democrat, and both father and mother were Missionary Baptists. Our subject is the seventh of nine children. He educated himself largely by constant reading. When nineteen years old he began clerking in a store at Sneedville, but eighteen months later he went to Linn County, Mo. He worked as a farm hand for more than a year. and then returned to Tennessee, engaged in farming in partnership with his brother, H. B .. until 1872, when he sold out to his brother, and went to California. He spent four years as assistant agent on a ranch owned by J. B. Hoggin. In 1876 he returned and engaged in the mercantile business. In October 16, 1879, he was married to Mary E. Parkey, born March 27, 1855. Their children are Mossie Lee, born May 12, 1882; Charles E. and Everett P., born March 4, 1884, the latter died July 5, 1885. Our subject is a Democrat. and both are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
W. C. Seal, an enterprising trader and farmer of the Fifth District, Hancock County, Tenn., was born in Hancock County. Tenn .. November 26. 1826. and is the sou of William C. and Mary (Greene) Seal, of Irish descent. The father was born in Grayson County, Va., near Halifax Court House, in November. 1806. and died in Hancock County May 9. 1883. His father came to Tennessee when William C. was three years old, which be ( Wil- liam C.) made his home till death: he was very poor in his young days, but, as a farmer and trader, was very successful, and accumulated considerable property. Before the war was sheriff of Hancock County several years, and before this was deputy sheriff. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and was a Democrat. Mary Greene was born in Kentucky in 1801, is still living, and is a resident of Hancock. She has been a member of the Baptist Church many years. This union resulted in nine children, all living, our subject
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being the oldest. He received a common-school education in Hancock County; he remained with his parents until twenty years old, when he bought a small tract of land, and since that time has been adding land, and how owns 3,000 acres, but has deeded away a large amount, all but the home land bordering on Clinch River, Hancock County. He has been magistrate for fifteen years. He made his property by industry and good management. Immediately after the war he went into the mercantile business, and has since continued. and is the only man in the county that has done the same. Every- thing was swept clean by the war, lost all his stock, fences and other valuable property. He is a Mason, and a Democrat. November 8, 1847, he married Malina Hicks, who was born in Lee County, Va., about 1825, and died in Hancock County, Tenn .. July 17, 1848. She was the daughter of James and Lida Hicks. She had a common school education. This union resulted in six children: Eliza, Sarah, Mary, William, Lida M. and Malina. In 1849 he married Millie Frost, a daughter of John Frost; she was born in Hancock County, Tenn., in 1830 and died in 1866. She was a devoted member of the Baptist Church. Of these two families the father and two wives are the only ones deceased.
Capt. William P. Testerman, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Lee County, Va., June 28, 1842, the son of William and Mary (Brown) Testerman, the former born in Gray- son County, Va., in 1798, and deceased in this county, April 13, 1850, and the latter born in Greene County, in October, 1803, and deceased in Hancock County, December 21, 1881. The father was a teacher, and later a fairly wealthy farmer, and a Whig. The mothor was a Methodist. Our subject, the sixth of eight children, was fairly educated, and lived with his mother until 1803, when he joined Company E, Eighth Tennessee Federal Cav- alry, and soon became orderly sergeant and later first lieutenant, while in July, 1865, he was made captain. He returned home in September, and, with his brother, bought the homestead, where he lived until 1883, but now resides at his present home. He became county trustee in 1868, and in 1874 became sheriff for two years, having been elected on the Republican ticket. November 8, 1866, Jane, a daughter of John and Martha Davis, and born in 1849, became his wife, and has borne him the following children: Adia C., Martha C., Mary L., John T., Minnie E., Lilly B., Robert T., Stella M., and Birdie J., deceased.
Sampson Williams, lawyer and planter, was born in Hancock County, February 8, 1825, the son of Moses and Nancy (Wilder) Williams, natives of Tennessee; the former, of French lineage, born about 1802. and deceased in Madison County, Ark., about 1877, and the latter born about 1800, still living in that county. Moses, her husband, was in the war of 1812, from which she now receives a pension. The parents were married in Hawkins County, and, up to 1842, were farmers within eight miles of Sneedville, but then removed to Kentucky. In 1869 they went to Arkansas. The father was a Whig, and both were strict members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Our subject, one of eleven children, grew up in the country, and has always chietly engaged in farming. In 1861 he came to his present farm, embracing 500 acres. with other farms making his posses- sions 700 acres. In 1848 he became deputy sheriff, for thirteen years, during which time he read law, so as to be admitted in 1877, since which time he has been a prominent attor- ney in the county, circuit and Federal courts. He has been a justice for twenty years, and for five years. from 1881, was United States commissioner. In 1884 he and his son, John, made a tour through the North and Canada. Our subject's family consists of his wife and five children. Himself and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and he is a Prohibitionist.
W. T. Wolfe, merchant and farmer, was born in Hawkins County, October 8, 1833. the son of John and Polly ( Holliway) Wolfe. the former of German origin, born in Virginia, and deceased in Hawkins County, and the latter born in Jefferson County, and deceased in the former county-a member of the Baptist Church. The father was a boy when he came to Hawkins County, where he became a successful farmer, and was a Whig. The subject of this sketch, the sixth of fourteen children (ten living), received a fair education, and when forty-three bought his present home, now embracing 500 acres of land it Mountain Valley, and has been a successful farmer. In 1952 he became a merchant, and was made postmaster at Treadway. He is a Baptist, and a Democrat. November 13,
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1854, Catharine, a daughter of Hiram and Sarah Mills, became his wife. She was born in 1838, in Hawkins County, and is a member of the Baptist Church. They have a large family.
Capt. Gideon Wolfe, farmer, was born in Hancock County, May C, 1835, the son of George and Jane (Allen) Wolfe, the former of German origin, born in Grainger County in 1812 and still living, and the latter born in Hancock (then Hawkins) County, about 1815. and deceased in January, 1885. The grandfather came to this county when twenty-four years old, and was successful as a farmer. Both were Baptists, and the father is a Republican. Our subject, the second of six children, was fairly educated, and when twenty-six years old became an independent farmer on his father's farm. In April, 1862, he joined Company B, First Tennessee Federal Cavalry, as first lieutenant, and soon- became captain, serving at Nashville, Chickamauga, Sherman's march. and in many skirmishes. He returned to Hancock County, and bought part of his present farm, a large one. He is a Baptist, and a Republican. May 5, 1861, he married Lidia, the daughter of William and Rebecca Mills, and born in this county November 26, 1838. She is a Baptist. Their children are J. Harrison, George W. and Thomas G. The grandfather came to this country when twenty-four years old, and was among the first settlers. The father bought a farm in Hancock County, and moved there, and became a successful farmer; he was born in 1812.
HAWKINS COUNTY.
Capt. William L. Armstrong, merchant and farmer, was born at his home in Stony Point, July 3, 1837, the son of William and Mary (Young) Armstrong, both of Irish origin, and natives of Hawkins County. The father was born in 1791, and died in August, 1860; the mother was born in 1792, and died in 1868, and both spent their lives in their native county. The father was a farmer, and an old line Whig, and he and his wife were Pres- byterians. The grandfather, William, a native of Augusta, Va., built, where our subject now lives, the first brick residence in the county, and here the great-grandfather also lived and died, who came from Virginia, and was among the first settlers of Hawkins County. Our subject, the youngest of seven children-three living-finished his education at the Piedmont (Va.) Institute, and the Roanoke (Va.) College. When twenty-two years of age he married Sallie C. Buren, who was born in 1842. To this union five sous and seven daughters were born; one of the latter being deceased. One son, William, is the fifth male of that name in this family line. He came into possession of the old homestead. on which he settled in 1860, and, until he added the mercantile trade to his pursuits a few years since, he devoted his attention to farming. In 1861 he enlisted in Company G, Thirty-first Ten- nessee Infantry, as a private, and soon became captain. From 1862 he was on staff duty, under Gens. Jackson and Vaughn, until he returned home in the spring of 1865. Our subject is a Democrat, and he and his wife are Presbyterians.
Henry C. Armstrong, sheriff, was born twelve miles northeast of Rogersville, at Stony Point, August 21, 1853, being the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Armstrong, natives of Hawkins County, Tenn., the former born December 29, 1823, and deceased at Winchester, Va., July 29, 1864. The latter was born December 31, 1830, and is now living in this connty. The father was a successful farmer, and in 1863 joined the Confederate service. Our subject, the second of seven children, completed his education at King's College, Bristol, Tenn. He farmed on the old home place up to 1882, and then the 600-aere home- stead was divided into seven shares, and all of his share, but a small portion, including his home, he sold in 1982. In April, 1987, he came to Rogersville to attend to the duties of the office to which he had been elected in August before, on the Republican ticket. On April 30, 1878, he married Florence Hickey, of Hawkins County, Tenn. Our subject is a Presbyterian, and a Prohibitionist.
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William M. Arnott was born near Persia, Hawkins Co., Tenn., December 12, 1827, and is the son of Jacob and Amy (Grigsby) Arnott. The ancestors of the Arnott family were from England, and settled in Virginia. The father was born in Hawkins County, Tenn., about 1800, and died in the same county in 1852. He learned the carpenter's trade when young. In his latter years he bought a farm. He also worked at the black- smith's trade, and while at work in the shop, over the fire, got too hot, took sick, and died. He was very poor when young, but before his death had accumulated a good prop- erty. He beld the office of magistrate at the time of his death. He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was a Democrat. He was the son of William, a vative of Virginia, and was among the carly settlers of the county. He was also a farmer. Amy Grigsby was also born in Hawkins County, Tenn., about 1810, and died in that county May 28, 1807. She was also a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She had a good education. Father's education was good. She was the daughter of William Grigsby, whose ancestors came from Virginia. Farmer also. By the union of Jacob Arnott and Amy Grigsby there were ten children, eight sons and two daughters. nine of them now living. Our subject is the second son. One of the sons, Wicklift. was killed at the battle of Bull's Gap. Our subject lived on his father's farm, and went to school until twenty-one years of age, when he began on his own resources. He taught school for two years, became dissatisfied, quit, and bought land in the Fourteenth District of Hawkins County, his first purchase being 713 acres. Since that time he has added the balance of 1,000 acres. His start was $45. He has made what he has by hard work and good management. He is a very active and enterprising man, and at all times supports the causes of education and religion. Has no profession outside of morality; is a Demo- erat. In 1883 he purchased land and moved to his present place of residence; has 400 acres in this body of land. November 13, 1856, he married Charlotte Phillips, a daughter of William and Jemima (Pullen) Phillips. She has a liberal education. This union has resulted in ten children, six living: Nancy C., Newton F., Laura J., Louis MI., Lida J., and Robert L. Those deceased are Cornelia. William M. and infants. Cornelia was thrown from a horse and killed, while on the way to the burial of her grandmother, May 28, 1867, aged seven years. William M. died in his tenth year, June 19, 1876. His wife was born Christmas day, 1887, in Hawkins County, Tenn.
Ellis Cocke, lawyer, was born in Grainger County, September 1, 1850, the son of William M. and Sarah Cocke, both of Scotch. Irish stock, and natives of Grainger County, the former born July 6, 1815, and the latter March 5, 1818, and died at Asheville, N. C., November 30, 1866. They lived in Grainger County until 1859, then moved to Knox County, near McMillan Station, where they lived until February, 1864. Their next residence was where the mother died, and in 1872 the father married Amanda Grigsby, and settled at Winchester, Ky. The father is a lawyer, and has represented the Second Congressional District several terms. The speech he made in Congress on the Mexican war was pub- lished in the Southern Orator. Our subject, one of a large family, graduated from Davidson College, N. C., in 1873, and at once began the study of law under Col. Frank M. Fulkerson, of Rogersville, and was admitted in 1874. In 1875 he was elected county superintendent of public schools, and while in the office he gave his spare time to the law, and to-day few lawyers in upper East Tennessee are better known in the criminal and Federal courts. He has distinguished himself in several cases in the last few years. and given much attention to practice in the Federal courts at Knoxville, Chattanooga and Asheville, N. C. His family has always been illustrious in East Tennessee as lawyers and politicians. He has been an active and prominent Democrat.
Hon. William M. Francisco, farmer, and the present representative of Hawkins County was born there August 2, 1842, the son of Jackson W. and Elizabeth (Crews) Frau- cisco, natives of Hawkins County, and of English origin, with parents from Virginia. The father was born about 1820, the mother about 1821, and both are still living in Hawkins. the only county they ever called their home; both are Methodists, and accustomed to farm life. Our subject, one of a large family, finished his education in Prospect Academy, Vir- ginia, and Boston Academy, Kentucky. Farming has been his chief calling in life. but in
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HAWKINS COUNTY.
the spring of 1884 he was licensed to practice law, in which active practice he has never yet entered. Since 1858 he has been at his present home. In November, 1886, the Re- publican party elected him to his present honorable position, over Mr. R. F. Powell. and has served one session of seventy-five days, on several important committees, and voted for the constitutional amendment against intoxicating liquors. In May, 1867, Kizzie, a daughter of George W. and Sallie Wells, became his wife. She was born May 21. 1930. They have two sons and two daughters. Our subject is a Republican, while in religion he is a Methodist and his wife a Presbyterian.
Samuel H. Gault, M. D., was born in Blount County, Tenn., February 24, 1843, son of John G. and Mary (Logan) Gault. The father was of Irish descent; his father, William Gault, came from Ireland. John G. was born in Blount County, about 1798, and died in Blount County in 1869. The mother was of Dutch extraction; her ancestors came from Pennsylvania; she was born in Blount County about 1801, and died in Blount County, at Maryville, in 1874. They were married in their native county, and never lived anywhere else except in Blount County. The father was engaged in agricultural pursuits during life, and made life a fair success; was a Democrat, and a prominent member of the Presby- terian Church, and for a number of years served the church as a ruling elder; the mother was a member of the same church. Our subject is the youngest of a large family of children. He received a liberal education in his youth, which was commenced at the country schools and completed at Maryville, Porter Academy. In February, 1863, he left school to join the United States Army, and enlisted in the Third Tennessee Regiment Infantry; was received into the army of the Ohio, served the remainder of the war, and the last year he served as aid-de-camp on the staff of Gen. J. A. Cooper. He returned home in the spring of 1865, and early in 1866 he commenced to engage in the mercantile business at Maryville. in partnership with W. A. Walker; firm name Walker & Gault. He continued about three years, then sold out to his partner, and for the next two years read medicine under Dr. John Blankenship, of Maryville. In the winters of 1872-73, and 1873-74, he attended the lectures at the University of Nashville, Tenn., where he duly received his diploma as M. D. In the spring of 1871, after graduating he returned to Maryville and com- menced the practice of his profession. He remained at Maryville until the fall of 1876, he then went to Louisville, Blount Co., Tenn., on the Tennessee River, and remained there until April, 1884, at which time he came to Rogersville. On March 15. 1:66. he married Miss Sarah E. Henry, of Blount County. This lady died September 1, IST ?. On May 19, 1886, he took for his second wife Miss Mary E. White, of Rogersville. He had three children by his first marriage, one son and two daughters. Our subject is a Republican, and a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church. His first wife was a mem ber of the same church. His present wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church North.
William P. Gillenwaters, a prominent lawyer of the Rogersville bar, was born in Effingham County, Ill., in July, 1842, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Surgoin) Gil- lenwaters. The father's descendants are not known, but were either German or English. The mother was of French descent. Both were natives of Hawkins County, Tenn. Dates of birth not known. The father died in Illinois in the latter part of 1848, at about fifty years of age, and the mother died four months after the death of the father, at about forty-four years of age. They were married in Hawkins County, where they lived some ten years, and then went to Illinois, where they died, as above stated. The father was an old line Whig, and both father and mother were worthy members of the Methodis: Church. Our subject is the ninth of eleven children, and before he was two years old his parents died, when he was brought to Hawkins County, and raised by a grandmother. Surgoin. At the age of fifteen he found himself forced to make his way in life by his un- aided efforts. He began for himself by working one year in a saddler's shop, at Surgoin- ville, Hawkins County. He had resolved on securing an education, and after working on? year in the saddler's shop, he went to the farm, where he could have more time for study. After working one year on the farm, at $5 a month, he went to Strawberry Plains, sud with his small earnings and by working on Saturdays and vacation, he was enabled to
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attend school ten months, after which he was qualified to teach. He then alternately taught and went to school in the States of Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee, until he had mastered all the sciences and some of the languages. He read law while he was teaching, and after his return from the West, he gave one year to the study of law, and was admitted to the bar at Rogersville in 1865, and since that date his name has been on the roll of Ten- nessee attorneys. He is better known as a criminal lawyer, and the reputation he has made in this particular course is, perhaps, unequaled by that of any other lawyer in this section of the State. He is an ardent Republican, and has been prominent in that politi- cal party for the last ten years. In 1880 he was on the Garfield and Arthur electoral ticket. and twice, when Dr. Wight and Hawkins were nominated, our subject lacked only a few votes of getting the nomination. On May 6, 1865, he married Miss Amanda E. Sexton, a cultivated lady, and born in Clay County, JIl., in 1843. There have been born to them five children, three sons and two daughters. Our subject and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church (North).
John M. Gray, cashier of the Citizens' Bank, was born in Greene County, August 14, 1849, the son of Robert and Nancy (Mays) Gray, the former of Scotch-Irish stock, and born in Greene County, in October, 1814, and the latter of German origin, and born about 1825, in the same county. They were married about 1847, and a year later came to this. county, locating ten miles southeast of Rogersville, where they resided up to 1873. They then moved to Jefferson County, where the father, a cabinet-maker, devotes himself chiefly to farming. He is a Republican, and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. The mother, who died April 5, 1885, was also a member of that church. Our subject is. the only child. and finished his education at Tusculum College, after which he was a ped- agogue for a time in Greene and Hawkins Counties. In November, 1873, he became clerk and master of the chancery court, and as he was at this time but twenty-four years old, he was the youngest clerk in the district, and continued to hold the office for twelve years. He had been studying law, and was licensed in February, 1886, but has never actively practiced. At the organization of the bank in March, 1887, he was made its. cashier. The capital of the bank is $35,000. He married, March 10. 1875, Fannie S., a daughter of Richard and Louisiana Mitchell, and granddaughter of Joseph Rogers, in. whose honor Rogersville received its name. They have two sons and two daughters. Our subject is a Republican, and is a member of the Baptist Church, while his wife is & Presbyterian.
Lewis W. Guthrie, farmer, was born in Greene County, Tenn., February 11, 1834, the . son of Andrew and Ibbie (Rader) Guthrie. The father, born in Greene County in 1801, died there on August 3, 1867, a farmer and a Democrat. Andrew's father left him, as a child, with relatives, and went to Mississippi, and he was made to do for himself at a very early age. The mother, born in Greene County in 1813, died there in February, 1884, a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Our subject, the second of ten chil- dren (seven now living), worked for his father until twenty-two years of age, and began on his own resources. He moved to Hawkins County, and rented land until 1865, when he bought 80 acres of his present 560-acre farm. He is a Republican, an Odd Fellow, and a Methodist. November 3, 1859, he married Rhoda N. Moore, who was born in Hawkins County, Tenn., in February, 1838, a daughter of Robert Moore. She is a member of the . Methodist Episcopal Church. Willie N., Floyd, George R., Samuel, Mary C., Nora M. and Pearl are their living children, and those deceased are Sylvesta, Ida, Walter and John C.
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