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 63
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Philip S. Hale, a prominent citizen and well-to do farmer of Hawkins County, was. born in that county December 10, 1830, son of Philip S. and Elizabeth (Bachman) Hale. They were of Scotch-Irish and German descent, and natives of East Tennessee, the father of Greene County, and the mother of Sullivan County. They were married in the latter county, and lived at Kingsport, same county, after their marriage several years. then moved to Hawkins County, where the father died in 1867, at the good old age of seventy- fonr. The father was a farmer, and in his early days he was engaged in the mercantile business; was a Democrat, and a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church, to which.
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the mother also belongs. Our subject is one of twelve children. He was born in Haw- kins County, where he secured a good academical education, and, with the exception of one year, part of which (1865-66) he spent at Bristol, lived in that county all his life, engaged in farming. After living at different places in the county, about 1874 or 1875, be purchased and settied on the place where he now lives. He is an industrious citizen, his early lesson in life having been hard, and now owns upward of 210 acres in the Fifth District, on the Holston River. July 23. 1857, he married Miss Margaret Smith, of Haw- kins County, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Smith. Eight children-four sons and four daughters (one son deceased) -- were born to this union; the deceased, Samuel Smith, was born November 15, 1860, and died August 21, 1881. Our subject is a decided Demo- erat. IJe is not a member of any church, but is in sympathy with the Methodist faith. Mrs. Hale is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
Jacob Damilton (deceased), a planter. was born near Blountville. Tenn., February 2, 1828. the son of John B. and Elizabeth (Hicks) Hamilton, the former born in 1796, where the wife of our subject now lives, and deceased in Blountville, in 1863. The Hamilton ancestors were from Ireland. John B. was a successful farmer and trader, and acquired considerable property. Hle was sheriff several years, and in politics a Democrat, while his religious faith was Presbyterian. The mother, born also near Blountville about 1780, died in Sulli- van County, about sixty-five years of age, a member of the Baptist Church. Our subject, the third of nine children (but three living), left home at twenty-two and came to the farm where he lived so long and which he rented until 1884, and soon bought. He was then a merchant at Bristol. Tenn .. until 1866. then for two years a hotel keeper in Blountville.
when be returned to the farm. This consists of 1,200 acres on the Holston River and Bays Mountain. He was very successful, but his generous nature led him to suffer as a surety, a great deal. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted in Col. Samuel Powell's Confederate Infantry, and was at Shiloh, Chickamauga and other actions, serving until March, 1961, when he returned home on account of ill health. Our subject entered the war as a lieu- tenant, but afterward became captain. Hle represented Hawkins County in the Lower
House of the Legislature in 1856-57. He was the first Master of the lodge at Fall Branch and at Church Hill in the Masonic lodges. He was moderator at the Holston Baptist association several years in snecession. He was in many respects a remarkable man, and in every respect one of the most worthy and generally esteemed Christian gentlemen of his day. Ida D., his daughter, died, when but twelve years of age, in 1865. Olivia M., their eldest daughter, married A. C. Smith. He was a member of the Baptist Church from his eighteenth year, and was long a Mason. In politics he was a Dem- ocrat. He was educated at Blountville. March 12, 1850, he married Margaret E. Maxwell, who was born in Mecklenburg County, N. C., September 28. 1825, the daughter of J. J. and Margaret (Wallace) Maxwell, who were of Scotch-Irish origin. She is an educated lady. and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and the postoffice of Margaret, estab- lished in 1882. and of which she became postmistress, was named in her honor. She has also proved herself an able farm superintendent since her husband's death.
Rufus Hunter, a prominent citizen of Hawkins County, is a native of East Tennessee, and born in Greene County, July 22, 1837, son of John and Lettie (Self) Hunter. They were of Irish and English desceut, and natives of Greene County, Tenn .; the father born in 1794. and died in Greene County, in January, 1857; the mother was about ten years younger than the father, and died in Greene County about August, 1882. They were married in Greene County, where they lived ever afterward. The father was engaged in agricultural pursuits during life, and made life a good success. He was a Whig. Our subjeet is one of nine children. He secured a good academical education in his youth in Greene County, and began life as a farmer, has been farming ever since, and has made the raising of live stock rather a specialty; was engaged in the farming interest in Greene County up to 19:7. at which time he came to Hawkins County, and settled where he now lives, having purchased the farm (1874) three years previous. In 1866 he went to Alabama, and for two years he was engaged in raising cotton in Morgan County. He trades in stock in the Carolina States. Subject has been successful in life, and now owns over 700 acres in Hawkins and Greene
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Counties --- 550 in Hawkins, and 170 in Greene. In April, 1873, he married Miss Martha J. Spears, of Hawkins County, who was born in October, 1842. To this union seven chil- dren were born, two sons and five daughters. one son being deceased. Our subject is a Demo- crat. He is not a member of any church, but is a firm believer in the Christain religion, and in sympathy with the Methodist Church. His wife is a member of the same church. Our subject's father served in the war of 1812.
Robert M. Kyle, farmer and miller, was born near his present location forty-eight years ago on March 23, 1839, son of William C. and Alice (Massengil!) Kyle. Both were of Irish descent. The former was born in Hawkins County, June 6, 1813, and is now liv- ing at Whitesburg, Hamblen Co., the mother born in Grainger County, in Dec., 1815, and died at Whitesburg, in October, 1886. They were married in Grainger County, and immediately settled at Rogersville, Hawkins County, where they resided some fourteen years, then moved onto a farm two miles west of Rogersville and lived until the year 1807. at which time they went to Whitesburg, Hamblen County. Before the war the father was engaged in the mercantile business and the slave trade, and since the war in farming. He is a Democrat, and not a member of any church. The mother is a member of the Pres- byterian Church. Subject is the eldest of five children. He secured a good academic education at Rogersville, in his youth. Before the war he was engaged in agricultural pursuits: during the war and one year after the war, in merchandising. At Knoxville during the war, and,at Whitesburg after the war, he was engaged in the mercantile interest. In 1867 he settled on a farm near Rogersville, where he was engaged in farming two years, and in 1869 he purchased and settled on a farm in Jefferson County, and after five years farming in Jefferson County he sold out and came to Hawkins County and pur- chased and settled where he now lives. He gave his attention exclusively to farming and the live stock trade up to the fall of 1886, at which time he built the Walnut Hill Rolling Process Flouring Mills. Since then he has been engaged in farming and the milling interest. Our subject has been a successful man; he now owns one mill and over 1,700 acres of land in Hawkins County, 1,000 acres of which is on the Stony Mountain. Sub- ject's farm was owned by his father, William C. Kyle, by his grandfather, Absalom Kyle, and by his great-grandfather Robert Kyle, who came from North Carolina, and located, entering or buying the farm at the early settling of Hawkins County. On December 18. 1866, our subject married Miss Annie McNutt, of Knoxville, an excellent lady, and born in 1847 or 1848. They have seven children iivng, four sons and three daughters. Subject is a Democrat, but takes part in politics. He and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Thomas Lee, farmer, was born near St. Clair, Tenn., April 20, 1824, the son of James and Hannah (Hale) Lee, the former born in Hawkins County about 1786, and deceased in 1566. The ancestors of the Lees came from England, and James, a farmer, was in various battles of the war of 1812. The latter was well educated and held Democratic principles. The grandfather, Thomas, a farmer, also a native of Virginia, died in Hawkins County, in which he was among the earliest pioneers. The mother was born and died at dates corresponding nearly to those of her husband, and in the same county. Our subject, the tenth of fourteen children, was twenty years old when he left the old homestead and began as a farmer on rented land for himself. In 1861 he eulisted in Com- pany B, Thirty-first Tennessee Confederate Infantry as third lieutenant, and remained in service until the close of the war, engaging in the actions at Oak Hill (Miss.) and Big Black River, where he was captured May 17, 1863, and taken to Camp Morton, Indian- apolis, Ind., then Fort Delaware, and after six months at these places, to Point Lookout, Md. In September 1864, he rejoined his company then in Virginia. He lost all he had during the war, but now owns 310 acres of land in this county, and has it greatly improved. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and is a Democrat who favors prohibition. Lucy, a daughter of Jesse Spears, became his wife in 1343. She was born in Hawkins County, March 23, 1823, and is a Methodist. Their children are Eliza J., John B., Sallie, Thomas D., Edna V. and Samuel; those deceased are Jesse J., who was also cap- tured at Big Black River, and died in the war prison at Point Lookout: Joseph N.,
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deceased in this county, Maltenota, who died near Springfield, Mo .. which State became their home for a time in 1850, and Christopher who died in Salem, Mo., in JS51, while they were en route back to Tennessee.
William W. Legg, a prominent citizen, farmer and stock dealer, was born in Koos County, December5, 1841, a son of J. W. and Martha J.(Meek) Legg. They were of English Irish, and Scotch-Irish descent. Both were natives of East Tennessee, the father of Knox County, and the mother of Jefferson County. The father was born about 1814. and died in 1870, and the mother was born about 1828, and died in Knox county in the fall of 1962. They were married in Jefferson County, and settled after their marriage in Knox County. In 1865 the father went to South Carolina, and remained four years, then went to Georgia. The father was a merchant and a farmer, and for some twelve years he was county sur- veyor of Knox County. Our subject is one of eight children, he received a common- school education in his youth, and at the age of eightcen (in June, 1862, ) he entered the Confederate States service, enlisting in Company D (Cavalry), Second Tennessee Regi- ment, served the remainder of the war with credit, and was received into Home's brigade. Our subject took part in the battles of Fishing Creek, Richmond (Ky.), Murfreesboro, Chickamauga Creek and Missionary Ridge. He surrendered in North Carolina, and after the war he went to Chester, S. C., and remained in that State until 1878. trading in live stock. In 1818 he came to Hawkins County, and settled where he now lives. Since then he has been engaged in farming, trading and raising live stock, in which he has been very successful. June 21, 1882, be married Miss Laura A. Lane, born in Hamblen County November 9, 1859. Three children have been born to this union-two sons and one daugh- ter, one daughter deceased. Our subject is a Democrat. He is not a member of any church, but his wife is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.
William F. Lyons, a prominent citizen of Hawkins County, was born eleven miles cast of Rogersville, May 22, 1818, a son of William and Matilda G. (Maxwell) Lyons. Both were of Irish descent. The father was born in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, March 11, 1776, and died in Hawkins County, at Lyon's store, July 3, 1866, at the advanced age of ninety years. The mother was born in Hawkins County, January 19, 1787, and died at Lyon's store August 21, 1861, aged eighty years. They were married in Hawkins County about 1806 or 1807, and spent the remainder of their days in Hawkins County. The father was engaged in the mercantile business in connection with farming, and made a success of life; he sold goods nearly sixty years at and near Lyon's store. He was a Demo- crat, and he and wife were worthy members of the Presbyterian Church. Our subject is the fifth of nine children. He secured a good academical education in Hawkins County, began life as a farmer, and farming has been his occupation ever since. About 1840 he settled on a farm in the Eighth District, where he resided some ten years. In 1850 be pur- chased and settled where he now lives, having at the same time sold his other place. He has been successful in the farming interest, now owning upward of 800 acres of land in Ilaw- kins County. Our subject is a stanch Democrat. He is not a member of any church, but is of the Presbyterian faith. He has been married twice; first on November 3, 1842, to Miss Julia A. Hale, born in Sullivan County, but raised in Hawkins County. She was born March 24, 1823. She died at Knoxville while under treatment of a physician. She was a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church. One son was the result of the first marriage, James C., born December 13, 1843, and died May 29, 1884. Our subject. is a very stanch Democrat, and desires the world to know it. He is a great admirer of Jefferson Davis.
Capt. Clinton G. Lyons, a prominent citizen and stock raiser, was born where he now lives, February 10, 1829, son of William and Matilda G. (Maxwell) Lyons. The father was of Irish descent, and the mother of Scotch-Irish descent. The former was born in Pennsylvania, nine miles from Philadelphia, in Haverford Township. The mother's father, George Maxwell, was among the first settlers of Hawkins County. Our subject's father was among the first settlers of the same county, having settled here as early as the year 1800. Our subject is the youngest of nine children. He secured a good educa- tion, which was commenced at the country schools, and finished at the University of Knox .
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ville. He remained with his father until his death, and assisted him in his mercantile and farming interests. At the death of his father (1866) he came in possession of the old homestead, and since that time he has given his attention exclusively to the farming interests, making the raising of live stock a great specialty. In May, 1862, he entered the Confederate States service, enlisting in Company A, Twelfth Tennessee Battalion of Cavalry as first lieutenant, and in a short while he was elected captain of the company, and served his country in this capacity the remainder of the war. His company was gallant, and was finally received into Gen. Pegram's division, and operated both in the western and eastern armies; took part in the battles of Perryville. Ky., Murfreesboro, Chickamuga, and then led the advance of Gen. Longstreet to Knoxville. At Loudon, one night, he was selected by Gen. Morrison to drive into the enemy's pickets and ascertain the position of the enemy. This he did very successfully, and to the satisfaction of the com- manding general. He received a wound at Chickamuga. but never quit the field. After leaving East Tennessee he went to Virginia, and took part in the battles of Cedar Hill and Port Republic, and at Port Republic he received a severe wound, and was never able to enter the service again, and is still suffering from its effects. On October 2, 1857, he ruarried Livie M. Cocke, daughter of Col. William M. Cocke, of Grainger County, who represented before the war that district in Congress. To the subject of this sketch belong six children-four sous and two daughters-one son, James S., died in February. 1890. Our subject is a stanch Democrat, and he and wife and four chidren are members of the Presbyterian Church. Five children are living, and all reside with him, and one son, William C .. is a practicing physician. William C. commenced the study of medicine in 1884, and read two years under Dr. James Hoffman, of Stony Point, and in the winter of 1886-8; he attended lectures at the Louisville Medical College, receiving an honorary diploma. Ile is a young physician of much promise, and will go soon to the Bellevue College, New York City. Ile returned from college in January, 1887, and since that time he has been engaged in the practice of medicine.
Luther B. Lyons, a prominent citizen and well-to-do farmer of the Eighth District, was born in Hawkins County, January, 7, 1854, son of David and Julia (Armstrong) Lyons. They were of Irish and Scotch-Irish descent. Both were natives of Haw- kins County. The father was born September 27, 1800, and died in Hawkins County, Sep- tember 27, 1861, just fifty-five years of age to a day. The mother was born in 1811, and is still living in Hawkins County. They were married in Hawkins County, and never lived anywhere else. The father was a merchant and farmer. He was an old line Whig. and a Presbyterian in faith, though he never connected himself with the church. The mother is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Luther B., the youngest of five children, received a good education, commenced in a country school and finished in King's College. Bristol. He took a select course and received a certificate for the same. Upon leaving college, he commenced farming, and this has been his calling ever since. At the age of twenty-one he came in possession of the homestead. He has been successful, and now owns 325 acres of land. On December 21, 1879, he married Miss Kate Phipps, of Hawkins County, a cultivated lady, born in 1859. Three children, two sons and one daughter, have been born. Our subject is a Democrat, and he and his wife are worthy members of the Presbyterian Church.
Richard P .; Mitchell, M. D., of Rogersville, was born at Rogersville, April 30, 1827. the son of Stokely D. and Alice (Rogers) Mitchell. They were of Scotch- Irish and Irish descent. Both were born at Rogersville; the father on March 25, 1795, and the mother on November 4, 1800. Both died at Rogersville, the father on June 19, 1866. and the mother in 1873. They were married at Rogersville, December 11, 1823. The father received a collegiate education, and graduated from the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill, in 1815. He was a man of considerable prominence, and was cashier of the old State Bank at Rogersville from 1818 to 1830. He was clerk of the House of Representatives four terms-1935. 1886. 1841 and 1813. He published the Calcanistic Magazine during 1828-29-30. and in 1880 published also the Railroad Advocate. The mother was the daugh- ter of Joseph Rogers, who was the founder of Rogersville. Our subject is the third of
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nine children. He received a liberal education in his youth, at MeMinn Academy, at Rogersville, and went, in 1558, to the Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia. where he graduated as an M. D. in 1854. After his graduation he went to Florida, and when he had practiced over one year near Gainesville be returned to Rogersville, and, with the excep- tion of the two years he spent in the war, he has been a practicing physician here ever since. In the fall of 1868 he joined the United States Army, and was made surgeon of the First Ten- nessee Regiment of Light Artillery. He was stationed at Nashville, where he remained the remainder of the war. He was on the medical examining board of the State and counts. July 2, 1861. he married Miss Mary J. Shields, daughter of Dr. Samuel and Eliza Shields of Grainger County. She was born July 4, 1885. They have four children, three sons and one daughter. Our subject is a Republican. His father was an old line Whig, and a great admirer of Henry Clay. Subject, father, mother, and wife are members of the Pres- byterian Church.
John R. Moore, farmer. was, on his present farm in the Fourteenth District, Hawkins County. August 18, 1843, the son of James (Sr.) and Ann (Beckman) Moore, the former born in Botetourt County, Va., in 1800, and deceased in this county. December 9, 18;1. James, was brought to Tennessee, when but a year old, by his father, who afterward died there. James became a wealthy farmer, and in politics was a Whig and a Republican. successively. The date of birth, birth-place, and residence of the mother, are nearly the saine as those of her husband; but she died July 27, 1883, a member of the German Baptist Church. Our subject, the youngest and only living child of eight born to them, was educated in Washington and Hawkins Counties. He lived with his father, until he married, and then took care of his parents in their old age, from whom he received part of his land. which he has so improved and increased since. From 1881 to 1886 he was selling agricultural implements at Rogersville Junction. He is a Republican and a member of the German Baptist Church. In June, 1864, he enlisted in the Third Tennessee Mounted Infantry, for 100 days, and was on guard duty as corporal along the line of the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railway. November 23, 1871, he married Emily, a daughter of Alexander and Eliza (Davis) Mccullough, the former of whom died at the action at Bull's Gap, and the latter is still living. She was born in Hawkins County. August 22, 1849, and is well educated. Their children are Maggie'A., Minnie B., Dorsey J. and Mary E.
Thomas J. Parrott, trustee of Hawkins County, was born there January 23, 1857, and finished his education at the high schools of Macedonia and Sabina (Ohio). He began on the farm of John Simpson, at the age of twelve years, and labored two years; then went to Joseph A. Bassett's, in the same neighborhood, and worked five years, regularly. except four months, during which time he was in school. In the meantime while he worked for J. A. Bassett. he recited lessons every night to Miss Addie Johnson, who was governess in the house of Mr. Bassett. Miss Johnson gave him his first lessons in grammar and arithmetic, and he would study his lessons during! the day and recite at night. He learned to repeat all of the multiplication table, while hauling rails with an ox team. in the winter of 1871. He began on the farms of John Simpson and Joseph A. Bassett, and when nineteen. worked ou the forms of W. Mckibben and Andrew M. Hunter, in Ohio. He taught school one year in Ohio, and in 1881 returned to East Tennessee, and then engaged in teaching in Greene County, a short time. He was then a salesman for Jones & Gray, at Choptack, for about twenty months, and then bought out the store, but two years later quit that business. In August, 1886, he was elected to his present position, as a Republican. over L. H. Charles, the Democratic nominee, by 354 votes December 1ยบ, 1884, Sarah E. Davis became his wife. She is a cultured lady of this county. Cora N., their only daughter. was born October 8, 1885. He and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
P. L. Pearson, a prominent citizen, merchant and farmer of the Ninth Civit Dis. trict, of Hawkins County, was born in Hawkins County, in the Third District, thir- teen miles northwest of Rogersville. October 23, 1837, the son of Lawrence and Elizabeth Davault) Pearson. They were of German and Irish descent. The father was born in
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Pennsylvania, and brought to Hawkins County when a child, where he was reared and lived ever afterward. He died February 19, 1872, at about eighty-five or eighty-six years of age. The mother was born in Claiborne County, about 1800, and died in Hawkins Coun- ty, January 7, 1884. The father's parents were among the first settlers of Hawkins County. Ilis father was a farmer, and made life a good success. Ile was a Republican, Our sub- ject is the eighth of nine children. He secured a liberal education in his youth, which was commenced in the country school, and finished at Sneedville, Hancock County, and Mossy Creek, Jefferson County. He was reared on his father's farm. After completing his education he taught school one year in Hawkins County, and then entered business at Rogersville as a clerk in William White's general merchandise store. He remained about one year, and then engaged in farming a short time. He then entered the Con- federate States Army, enlisting in Company E, battalion. At the reorganization of the company it was put into the Second Tennessee Regiment of Cavalry, under Gen. Ashby. The first captain was Robert Simpson, and the second was William Smith, when it was placed under Ashby. Our subject enlisted, July 8, 1861. He took part in numerous bat- tles-Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. He was captured in Bedford County, on one of Wheeler's raids. In October, 1863, he was carried to Indianapolis. Ind., and kept as a prisoner of war until March, 1865, at which time he was paroled. and after remaining in Virginia awhile, he reached his father's home in Hawkins County, April 30, 1865. He immediately commenced to engage in farming. In August, 1860, he purchased and settled where he now lives, and up to 1876 he gave his attention exclu- sively to farming. In the year 1876, in partnership with James G. Looney, he dealt in live stock, a business which was continued about four years, and the last three years they were also engaged in the mercantile business. The store at Vogel Postoffice, near our subject's residence, and on his farm, was opened up in November, 1877. Our sub- ject bought out Mr. Looney in 1881, and still continues the business. All along our sub- ject has been engaged in farming, and has made stock raising a specialty. On August 19, 1866, he married Miss Sallie J. Looney, of Hawkins County, born March 25, 1885, daughter of A. D. and Sallie Looney. They were the parents of eight children-five sons and three daughters-one daughter deceased. Our subject is a Democrat, and he and his wife are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
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