USA > Tennessee > Notable men of Tennessee. Personal and genealogical, with portraits, Volume I > Part 27
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interest, and the excellent showing of products from the Cum- berland Plateau, exhibiting its vast resources of timber, coal, iron and oil, is due mainly to his intelligent and well-directed efforts as a member of the commission. On April 28, 1892, while living at Rockwood, he was married to Miss Maude A., daughter of Dr. John Wester, of that city.
JAMES W. TERRILL, principal of Terrill college, Decherd, Tenn., and one of the most widely known educators in the South, was born in Randolph county, Mo., in the year 1837. His father, Benjamin Terrill, was a native of Boone county, Ky. James W. was educated in his native state, and at the commencement of the war was engaged in teaching. Early in the year 1861 he left the school-room to become a private in Company E, Fifteenth Texas cavalry, at Fort Worth. His command served in the years 1861-62 in the Trans-Mississippi department, as a part of Deshler's brigade, and in January was surrendered at Arkansas Post. After a few months as a prisoner, he was exchanged and rejoined his regiment in Ten- nessee; was elected lieutenant, and in this capacity took part in the battle of Chickamauga. After that, he was at numerous engagements, in the Atlanta campaign and in East Tennessee, among them being Missionary Ridge, Rocky Face Ridge, Ken- esaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, and around Atlanta, where he was promoted to the rank of captain. After the war, he returned to his old vocation of teacher, and from 1867 to 1876 was connected with Mount Pleasant college, in Missouri. For the next eleven years he was at the head of the Winchester (Tenn.) Normal school. He then established Terrill college, at Decherd, and has been in charge of it since. The enroll- ment runs into the hundreds, and the character of the instruc- tion given is second to that of no institution of its class in the country. Mr. Terrill's wife and six of his children are instructors in the college, and another son, Mentor B., was for some time connected with the North Texas Normal college, a state institution.
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CHARLES EDWARD SNODGRASS, a prominent attor- ney, of Crossville, Tennessee, and ex-congressman from the fourth district, was born in White county, Tenn., Dec. 28, 1866. His parents were Dr. Thomas and Eliza Jane (Evans) Snodgrass, both natives of White county, Tenn. The father was born and reared on the farm; read medicine with Dr. Samuel Johnson; practiced in White county for many years, where he was successful, owing to great aptness and skill; studied law later in life, and was admitted to the bar; became one of the prominent and successful attorneys in his section of the state, as a member of the firm of Thomas & David L. Snodgrass. The partnership was dissolved when David L. was elected a justice of the supreme court of the state, and became chief justice of that court. Later the firm became Thomas & C. E. Snodgrass, which lasted several years. He retired from practice a few years prior to his death, which occurred in 1898, at the age of seventy-five years. He and his wife were members of the Christian church, in which he was an elder. He was a member of the state legislature frons White county several times before the war of the rebellion. David Snodgrass, the grandfather of Charles E., was a farmer, of - White county, and had a large family, of whom there is but one now living, Henry C. Snodgrass, an attorney, farmer and ex-congressman from the third district of Ten- nessee. Eliza Jane (Evans) Snodgrass, mother of Charles E. Snodgrass, is an honored resident of Crossville, Tenn., and is well preserved in body and mind, at the age of sixty-five. She is a daughter of Sevier Evans, a farmer and merchant, of White county, who in ante-bellum days was a large slave owner. He died before the war. His father, Col. Nathaniel Evans, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war; was one of the two who rescued Governor Sevier in his trial for treason in North Carolina; was at the battle of King's Mountain, and lived to a good old age. Mrs. Eliza Jane (Evans) Snodgrass, was one of two children. The late William Evans, her brother, . was a farmer, in White county. Charles E. Snodgrass is the seventh of eleven children: David LaFayette, ex-chief justice of the state, who was on the bench sixteen years, and was a
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member of the legislature two terms; Dr. Sevier E., a prac- ticing physician, in West, Texas; William Evans, an attorney and farmer, near Pikeville, Tenn .; Charles Edward, Thomas E., died soon after finishing his college course, at the age of about twenty-five years; James Throckmorton, a member of the Southern Realty and Investment Company, of Crossville, mar- ried Miss Fannie Wirt Whitney, and has three children, Charles Edward, Mary and John; Nancy Virginia, married R. H. Swafford, now deceased, a lawyer, of Bledsoe county, Tenn .; Mary Lou, now Mrs. Vance Carrick, her husband being a farmer, of White county; Mattie E., Mrs. H. B. Hinds, residing at Rockwood, Tenn., where her husband is a farmer and contractor; Susie E., died unmarried, at the age of twenty-five years; Annie May, the wife of E. G. Tollett, a lawyer, of Crossville. Charles Edward Snodgrass was edu- ca'ted in the common schools and largely by self-effort at home; read law in the office of his father, and also in the office of his uncle, Hon. H. C. Snodgrass; was admitted to the bar in Crossville, in 1888, under Judge John A. Fite and Judge Small- man; began the practice of law there, as one of the firm of Thomas & C. E. Snodgrass; continued in this partnership for several years, with the addition of others at intervals, until the retirement of the senior Snodgrass; later became a member of the firm of Snodgrass, Robinson & DeRossett, and still later of Snodgrass, Robinson & Lansden. In 1898 Mr. Snodgrass was elected a member of the fifty-sixth Congress, on the Demo- cratic ticket, receiving 13,413 votes to 8,122 for his Republican opponent, Geo. H. Morgan; was re-elected in 1900, over John Gore, of Jackson county. This was the first elective office he ever held. He was connected with the Hon. Jere Baxter, as his attorney in Cumberland county, during the building of the Tennessee Central railroad, and later was attorney for the receiver. Mr. Snodgrass was married, June 30, 1889, to Miss Lola A. Webb, a native of Bangor, N. Y., and daughter of H. R. and Rhoda (Smith) Webb, formerly of that city, now of Crossville. Six children have been born to them: Nellie Vaughn, Robert Webb (deceased), Jonas Leslie, Lola Belle, Edgar Harvey and Elsie Virginia, the latter deceased. Both
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parents are members of the Christian church, in which Mr. Snodgrass is an elder and has for years been superintendent of the Sabbath school. The Snodgrass family seem to have taken naturally to the law, and a casual glance at the records will show that they have been eminently successful in that profession. Charles Edward Snodgrass has a rather unusual record, having served his second term in Congress about the time he was thirty-six years of age. The fact that he was elected at such an early age to represent a large district ( four- teen counties out of ninety-six) is evidence of his popularity. He is one of the leading attorneys of the state; is popular with his fellow lawyers; is genial and courteous in his manner, is a fluent and masterful speaker, and is, altogether, a citizen in whom the state has a pardonable pride.
JOHN A. SHELLITO, attorney and promoter of mining companies, Crossville, Tenn., was born on a farm six miles northwest of that city, July 1, 1878. His parents are Robert C. and Mary J. (Parsons) Shellito. The paternal ancestors were from County Antrim, Ireland, and the maternal an- cestors were residents of Cumberland county, Tenn. Robert C. Shellito was born in September, 1847; came to America in 1863; settled at Pine Hill, N. Y., where he remained one year, being employed on the farm of Col. A. J. Pettibone; they removed to Crawford county, Pa., in 1868, where the father rented a farm and the younger members of the family assisted him in carrying on the place, and came to Cumberland county, Tenn., in 1871. There the father bought a moderate-sized farm, engaged in farming, stock-raising and dealing in stock, which he has suc- cessfully followed since. He now owns 700 acres of fine farm- ing land, and deals in and raises stock on a large scale. He is well and favorably known over much of Middle and Eastern Tennessee, where his thrift and sterling qualities have gained
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for him the respect of all with whom he has come in contact, and he is numbered among the worthy and substantial farmers of the state. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, hav- ing joined it when a boy. The grandfather of John A., also named Robert, assisted in building the first railroad ever built in the world, that running from Glasgow to Edinburgh. He engaged in farming, after coming to this country, and died at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. He was married, in Ireland, to a Miss Curry, and they had eight children, of whom Robert C. . is one. She died in Ireland, and after coming to America he was again married, this time to Anna Ervin, of Pennsylvania. They were the parents of three children. On the maternal side, Mary J. Parsons, the mother of John A. Shellito, was born in 1858, her parents being John and Hila ( Baker) Par- sons, natives of North Carolina, who came with their parents to Tennessee in an early day. John Parsons was a farmer, and died at middle age. His wife, Hila, was the daughter of Jeremiah and Julia Baker, the former of Holland Dutch descent and the latter of Scottish ancestry. Hila Baker Parsons was a member of the Baptist church, and died at the age of seventy- six years. She and her husband were the parents of four children, all living, of whom Mary J., the mother of the subject of the sketch, was the second. Robert C. and Mary J. Shellito are the parents of the following children: Eva, now the wife of C. M. Greenlee, of Rensselaer, Ind .; Ellen, a teacher in the public school and also a milliner; John A., the subject of this sketch; Mattie, wife of Henry M. Donley, a stave and lumber dealer, and Louise, a student at school. John A. was educated in the common schools and at Pleasant Hill academy, where he completed a collegiate and academic course of study in 1898. He taught school for a year, but, having no liking for the work, took up the study of law under a preceptor for a year, then entered the Southern Law college, at Nashville, and completed his course in 1900, receiving the degree of LL.B. He then opened an office in Crossville, and, although in prac- tice but a short time, has a large and growing clientage. His- practice extends to all the county, state and Federal courts, but
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ne does not enter into general practice, confining himself to land title, corporation and civil suits. Mr. Shellito's mining interests consist in developing coal properties by drilling and drifting to determine their value, and in forming companies to develop and operate them. In this line of business he has been eminently successful. He transacts business with capitalists of Pennsylvania, New York, Chicago and other points in the coun- try, and, notwithstanding his youth, has won their confidence and support by his straightforward ways and thorough knowl- edge of the business. He has much mechanical genius, which comes into play on occasion, as he rarely sends for a smith or machinist to repair broken machinery. In all such repair work, whether it be in wood or iron, he is entirely at home, and is what might be termed a natural machinist. He is a close student, a good lawyer in his line of work, and a worthy and well-to-do citizen.
JOHN B. THOMISON, a farmer and miller, of Mulberry, Lincoln county, Tenn., was born in that county in 1843. His father, William Thomison, was one of the leading farmers in the county. The great-grandfather of John B. Thomison was killed in battle while serving in the Continental army during the Revolutionary war. In his boyhood the subject of this sketch attended the common schools, where he received a good rudi- mentary education, and at the time the Civil war commenced he was taking the preparatory course for entering Union col- lege, at Murfreesboro. He laid aside his books and enlisted in the Mulberry Rifles, which company was mustered into the Confederate service as part of the Eighth Tennessee infantry, commanded by Col. Alfred Fulton. The regiment served under Lee, in the Cheat Mountain campaign; was then for a time stationed at Port Royal and other points in South Carolina : was ordered to Corinth, and took part in the battle at that place; then returned to Kentucky and Tennessee. At Mur- freesboro Mr. Thomison was wounded in the right arm, and was captured by the Federal forces. His arm was amputated and he was sent to Camp Morton, at Indianapolis, Ind., where he was held a prisoner until the following spring. After the
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war was over, he engaged in farming, and in 1884 became interested in the milling business. Since then he has success- fully conducted both lines of occupation. In 1867 he was married to Cordelia M. Kimbrough, and to this marriage there have been born the following children: James H., William C., Hubert H., Ethel. Bradley and Evelyn. Mr. Thomison is a modest, unassuming gentleman who makes friends by his uni- versal kindness and his good nature. As a business man, he possesses excellent qualifications, being quick to grasp a prop- osition and just as quick to apply the remedy to a difficult situation. He is widely known, and few men in the county are more generally liked than the "one-armed miller of Mulberry."
ROBERT BRYAN CASSELL, member of the law firm of Brown & Cassell, Harriman, Tenn., was born at Lexington, Ky., July 29, 1868, his parents being John L. and Phoebe Elizabeth (Bryan) Cassell, both na- tives of Kentucky. For many years his father was a prominent banker and wholesale merchant, of Central Kentucky. He is still living, at the age of seventy-one years, practically retired from the active business cares of former years. His parents were T. J. and Sarah (Daniel) Cassell, both of whom lived to be more than three score and ten years of age, and were in their lives devout members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They had twelve children, John L. being one of the four survivors. The maternal grandfather was Col. Thomas L. Bryan, who was one of the wealthiest land owners of Central Kentucky and an uncle of the sub- ject of this sketch. Hon. Thomas L. Bryan served under Col. Johu Morgan during the Civil war and was at one time state senator from the Lexington district. Robert B. Cassell is third of a family of six children. Thomas and Dr. John B. are deceased; Henry B. is a stock raiser in Western Texas; Joseph
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B. is a physician at Harriman; and Albert is the owner of a cotton plantation in Central Texas. The subject of this sketch was educated in some of the best schools in Kentucky and the University of Virginia, from which he received his profes- sional degrees. He came to Harriman when the town was in its infancy, and has practiced law there continuously ever since. His whole time has been devoted to his profession, and he has been rewarded by a large and constantly growing clientage. In 1896 he was appointed United States commissioner for the Eastern Tennessee district, which position he has filled with great credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the national authorities. Mr. Cassell started in practice alone. Later he formed a partnership with L. D. Lilly, which was afterward dissolved by mutual consent, and in 1902 he formed a partnership with Samuel C. Brown. Their business is chiefly corporation cases, and they have a large and lucrative practice. Mr. Cassell is a member of the Christian church, of which his parents were honored members for years. He is an officer in the church, and for fourteen years has been teacher of a Bible class. He is a trustee of the American university, a Free Mason and a Democrat in politics, but non-partisan.
F. H. BURT (deceased), who at the time of his death was president of the Southern Medical Company and general manager of the Federal Oil Company at Harriman, Tenn., was born in Brown county, N. Y., May II, 1857. His parents were F. H. and Maria (Hodge) Burt, both na- tives of Massachusetts, but removed io New York some time in the forties, and there the father died, in 1889, aged eighty-one years, and the mother in 1893, at the age of seventy-six. The father, in his day, was the most successful tanner of sole leather in the United States. He served a term in the Massachusetts legislature, and after coming to New York represented his county in the legislature
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of that state. The subject of this sketch was the youngest of nine children, three brothers and three sisters of the family being still living. They reside in New York and West Vir- ginia. The eldest of the family, Capt. Frank Burt, commanded Company K, Eighty-ninth New York infantry, during the Civil war, and led the forlorn hope across the Rappahannock. He is now a resident of New York, but spends much of his time in West Virginia, where he has large oil interests. F. H. Burt was educated in the common schools, and after leaving school learned the tanner's trade, at which he worked for about four years. He then engaged in merchandizing- at Manning- ton, W. Va., for several years, after which he located at Har- riman. Here he engaged in real estate operations; in devel- oping the oil fields; in coal mining, and was one of the active men in building up the town. He was also interested in the Kentucky oil fields, where he had a number of producing wells, and was the founder of the Mayfield company. In 1902 he organized the Southern Medical Company, of which his son Ralph R .. is secretary and treasurer, with offices at Harriman and Mannington, for the purpose of manufacturing "Burt's Hair Reviver." He was married, Sept. 10, 1881, to Miss Emma, daughter of J. C. and Susan Black, of Fairmont, W. Va., and they have two children, Ralph R. and Frances, a graduate of Kemar college, of Hagerstown, Md., class of 1903. Mr. Burt died Sept. 8, 1904. He was a member of the Pres- byterian church and highly respected. Mrs. Burt is also a member of the Presbyterian church. Her home is one of the most beautiful in the city of Harriman.
FRANK W. WATSON, M. D., a prominent physician and surgeon, of Union City, Tenn., is a native of Kentucky, having been born in the city of Henderson, Nov. 20, 1863. His pater- nal grandfather, Daniel Watson, was a Virginian and was one of the early Kentucky pioneers. There he became a large land and slave owner, and was a prominent citizen in his day. He married a Miss Bartlett, a native of North Carolina and a near relative of John Randolph, of Roanoke, Va. Daniel Watson lived to be over three score years of age and his wife died at
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the age of sixty-nine. Of their children, Mrs. Susan McGill, of Owensboro, Ky., is the only survivor. Doctor Watson is a son of John Randolph and Martha ( Woods) Watson. The father was born at Madrid Bend, Ky., and was for many years an extensive farmer, owning a large tract of land opposite the historic Island Number Ten. In 1861 he enlisted, as a lieu- tenant of artillery, in the Confederate service, and served through the entire war without receiving a scratch. He was not a member of any church, but was a man of the highest probity, and enjoyed the esteem and respect of all who knew him. Although interested in good government, he never aspired to official position. He died, in 1869. at the age of forty years. and his wife in 1892, at the age of fifty-four. She was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was known far and wide for her good deeds. Her grandfather Woods was a major in the American army during the Revolu- tionary war, and it is through this relationship that Doctor Watson is a Son of the American Revolution. Of the six chil- dren born to John R. and Martha Watson, Mary Elizabeth, the eldest of the family, now Mrs. James A. Knox, of Orlando, Fla., and the Doctor are the only survivors. Doctor Watson was educated in the schools of Tiptonville, Tenn., the Mcken- sie institute and the Farmdale Military institute, from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Sciences, his father having received the same degree from the same institution some years before. He then entered the medical department of Washington university, of St. Louis, and graduated with the degree of M. D. from that school in 1885. In 1894 he took a post-grad- uate course in the New York Polyclinic institute, and a similar course in Chicago in 1898. In fact, he has taken several special courses since he first graduated in his profession, and takes great delight in keeping up with the latest discoveries and inventions in the field of medical science. He has a fine medi- cal library, and, what is better than a mere display of books on the shelf, he is well acquainted with its contents. His office is equipped with all the latest devices, among which is a superb X-ray apparatus, being one of the first in Western Tennessec. Doctor Watson began practice at Tiptonville, in 1885, and
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remained there for twelve years, when he came to Union. City. In both places he built up a lucrative practice and acquired a high standing, both with the public and his profession. Although he does a general practice, he devotes much of his time and attention to surgery, in which he has performed suc- cessfully a number of delicate operations. He is a member of the American Medical association, the State Medical association, the West Tennessee Medical society and the Obion County Medical society. He is now secretary and treasurer of the last- named organization and is on the committee of memoirs in the state association. He is the medical examiner for nearly all the leading life insurance companies, and is one of the progressive and skilful physicians of his county. Doctor Watson takes a praiseworthy interest in public affairs, particularly the cause of education. For some time he has been a member of the board of education, and was recently elected to succeed him- self. He was secretary and treasurer of the board when the magnificent new school building was erected. In fraternal cir- cles, he is both well-known and popular. being a member of the Masonic fraternity, a past chancellor in the Knights of Pythias, a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the college fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega. He is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Doctor Watson was mar- ried, on Oct. 16, 1886, to Miss Lillie B., daughter of J. H. and Lou (Neville) Shelton. of Tiptonville, one of the prominent families of that city. Both her parents are dead. To Doctor and Mrs. Watson were born four children : T. Shelton, now pre- paring to enter the Farmdale Military institute (and if he grad- uates therefrom he will be one of the third generation to receive a degree from the school) ; Kathleen, Melvin and Frank Walker, Jr. The last-named died at the age of nine months. Mrs. Watson, the mother of these children, joined the silent majority Oct. 14, 1902, aged thirty-six years. She was a devoted mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church and a model wife and mother. Her death was sincerely mourned by a large circle of friends, and the sympathy of these friends has been a source of comfort to the Doctor and his children in their sad bereavement.
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WILLIAM H. GARDNER, a real estate dealer, of Union City, Tenn., and a prominent citizen of Obion county, was born in Weakley county of that state, Nov. 24, 1840. His parents were Alfred and Mary A. (Stovall) Gardner, both natives of Robertson county, Tenn., where the father was a successful farmer and the first sheriff of Weakley county. He was a contemporary and personal acquaintance of Davy Crockett and a brother of Hon. John A. Gardner, who once opposed William T. Haskell for Congress, and whose son-in-law, William P. Caldwell, was chairman of the committee of the state senate to settle the Evans-Turney gubernatorial contest. Alfred Gardner died in 1882, at the age of seventy-six years, and his wife in 1893. at the age of seventy-three. She was a consistent mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church for over sixty years, and he, although a man of high moral ideals, a reader of the Bible, and a constant attendant at church, was a member of no relig- ious denomination. They had seven children, five of whom are yet living. William H. Gardner graduated from the University of Virginia in the class of 1859. In 1861 he entered the Con- federate service, as first lieutenant of Company H, Ninth Ten- nessee regular infantry. After serving for some time on detached duty, he took the camp fever and was for a year in the hospital. Upon being discharged from the hospital, it was two years more before he fully regained his strength and rejoined his regiment. From that time until the close of the war he was on detached duty, being paroled at Vicksburg on final surrender. Soon after the war, he located at Hickman, Ky., where he was engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1878. when he came to Union City and engaged in manufacturing. In this line he was successful until the destruction of his fac- tory by fire, in 1889, since which time he has been interested in real estate operations in Western Tennessee. Ever since becom- ing a resident of Union City he has been active in promoting
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the material interests of the municipality. For more than twenty years he has been continuously a member of the city govern- ment, except two years he served as mayor. Mr. Gardner was married, in 1863, to Miss Mary Ella Dozier, a native of Mis- sissippi, and to this marriage were born five children: William A .: Russell E., Fred D., Metta A. and Carrie Lee. The wife and mother fell a victim to the great yellow fever epidemic of 1878, and some time afterward the three boys went to St. Louis, where they have acquired prominent positions in the business world, William A. being at the head of the mercantile house of WV. A. Gardner & Co .; Russell E., owner of the Banner Buggy Company, one of the largest vehicle manufactories in the country, and Fred D., the proprietor of the largest coffin fac- tory in that city. The first married Julia Selner, a member of one of the leading St. Louis families, and they have tivo chil- dren, Albert and Robert. The second married Miss Annie Cathey, of Union City, and their children are Elsie, Russell, Fred and Rodgers. Fred married Jeannette Vosbourg, of St. Louis, and their two children are William and Dozier. Metta A. lives in St. Louis and is the widow of Mr. Travis. Carrie Lee is now Mrs. John J. Reeves, of Hally, Ark., and the mother of two children, Russell and John J. In January, 1880, Mr. Gardner was united in marriage to Mrs. Jennie White, widow of Capt. Finis White, of Paris, Tenn., a distinguished soldier of the Confederate army. To this marriage have been born three children: Mamie, Bessie and Nora, all at home with their parents. Mrs. Gardner has one daughter by her former marriage, now Mrs. Fannie Hunsaker, wife of S. G. Hunsaker, cashier of the Banner Buggy Company, above referred to. Mr. Gardner is a prominent Mason, being a member of the lodge and chapter, and the three sons in St. Louis are all Knights Templars. Mr. Gardner is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church and his wife is a Baptist.
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