Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 54

Author: Speer, William S
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Tennessee > Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee > Part 54

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By his marriage with Miss Rhea, Judge Rodgers has

seven children : (1). California-" Callie,"-born in Santa Cruz county, California, February 17, 1869. (2). Addie M., born in Loudon, July, 27, 1871. (3). Samuel Rhea, born October 8, 1873. (4). Mary Bell, born Octo- ber 7, 1875. (5). Annie E., born June 20, 1877. (6). 42 William Arthur, born November 17, 1879. (7). Minnie, born April 12, 1882; died March 27, 1883.

Judge Rodgers began the work of his life in a strug- gle and has long since won a fair success, and besides being a useful citizen, has never failed to give a word of encouragement and a smile to men in trouble to drive away a pang, and given many men a push to help them up. When he left college he was one thousand dollars in debt. He was not born great, but has won recogni- tion by hard toil and struggle. and a disposition to do good and diffuse happiness around him. He has risen to the honors of his profession, and financially is in a fair condition.

Judge O. P. Temple, for many years Judge Rodgers' law partner, and one who knows him well, by request, has furnished the following estimate of his character : "Judge Rodgers possesses a clear, level, well-regulated intellect. fle is thoroughly of the strong, practical, common sense order. He is not brilliant uor sparkling, but always cool, deliberate and comprehensive, and eminently judicial in tone. Having an almost insting, { tive sense of justice, it is easy for him to apply the prin- ciples of law in every case coming before him. He has moral courage also, without which there can be no safe judge. But few judges have been so near universally popular and acceptable. It is impossible to do exact justice, and decide property rights against men, how- ever just the decision, without making enemies, few or many. Judge Rodgers has, perhaps, made as few as any judge ever on the bench of the State. On the bench he is mild and gentle, never noisy, abrupt or scolding, but a soft word always commands silence and obedience. There is never any wrangling in his court, and yet no judge so gentle, in the preservation of order. The moral tone of Judge Rodgers is, perhaps, his most conspicu- ous trait of character. This is in the highest state of development and activity, To do right seems to be his first and highest aim, not as a means of popularity, but from principle and for the love of right. His conscien- tiousness is great, ahnost intense. Added to this, na- ture blessed him with a kind heart, a serene temper, happy, joyful spirits, and a large, sympathetic heart, full of charity and good will toward all. Withal he is firm, sincere and truthful. He does not wear all these qualities as a cloak to win popularity, but they are the real manifestations of his nature. If asked the secret of the success of Judge Rodgers as a public man, I should say his conscientiousness, truthfulness, justice, and fidelity to duty and friends, combined with energy and fine sense."

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CAPT. JAMES M. GOODBAR.

MEMPHIS.

AMES M. GOODBAR was born in Overton county, J Tennessee, May 29, 1839, and lived there until he was eleven years of age. His father then moved to White county, Tennessee, where he lived on a farm adjoining the town of Sparta until he was eighteen years of age. Like many of the men who have become successes he did not have the benefit of a college course, but received his education in private schools. His last teacher was William H. Marquess, formerly of Nash- ville. Young Goodbar's father was a merchant in the town of Sparta, and being about the store from his early youth, he, too, naturally acquired a taste for merchan- dising, and determined to make that his calling. In 1857 he went to Nashville and began his career as a clerk for Bransford, Me Whirter & Co., wholesale dry goods merchants, beginning with a salary of four hun- dred dollars a year. With this firm he remained till 1859, when its name was changed to A. J. Mc Whirter & Co., and with the new firm he remained till 1860, his salary having been in the meantime increased to one thousand five hundred dollars a year. In 1860 he went to Memphis with Thomas 1. Bransford, who had been the head of the firm by which he was first engaged, and his son, Maj. John S. Bransford, now of Nashville, Ten- nessee. They there engaged in the wholesale boot and shoe business. Mr. Goodbar had been in business long enough by this time to learn the methods of business men, and though he had but little capital he was taken as a partner by Mr. Bransford on account of his busi- ness capacity, and the firm of Bransford, Goodbar & Co. was formed. They continued in a very flourishing business for a little more than one year, and then closed up their house on account of the war.

Early in 1862, Mr. Goodbar entered the Confederate service as a lieutenant in the company of C'apt. George Carter, of the Fourth Tennessee regiment of cavalry, Col. John P. Murray commanding. He served in Ken- tucky, Tennessee and Georgia, and surrendered with Gen. Dibrell's command at Washington, Georgia, in May, 1865. He took part in the battles of Murfrees borough, Perryville, and all the ether fights of Bragg's Kentucky campaign, in 1862. In the latter part of that year he was made quartermaster of his regiment with the rank of captain, and served in that capacity until the regiment was reorganized during the summer of 1863, when he was assigned to duty in the commissary department, where he served till the close of the war.

After the surrender of the Confederate cause he re- turned to Memphis and resumed the wholesale boot and shoe business in company with J. R. S. Gilliland in the firm of Goodbar & Gilliland. After a few months they associated with them in the firm Mr. Goodbar's uncle, J. b. Goodbar, and continued under the same firm name till 1876. Messrs. Goodbar & Gilliland then

sold out to J. L. and A. B. Goodbar, and the firm then became Goodbar & Co. In July, 1878, Mr. Goodbar again purchased an interest in the firm and continued with them until July, 1883, when, in company with A B. Goodbar, he bought out the interest of J. L. Good- bar and admitted as partners William L. Clark and J. Hi. Goodbar. The firm is now composed of these members.

Mr. Goodbar is a stockhholder and director of the Planters' Insurance company, and has also been a stock- holder, director and vice president of the Mercantile Bank since its organization.

Mr. Goodbar has always been a Democrat, but pre- ferring to concentrate his energies upon his business has usually taken little part in politics. He took an active part in the movement to abolish the old city govern- ment of Memphis and substitute for it the taxing dis- triet mode of governing, and by his efforts contributed no little to the planning as well as the execution of this movement, so important to Memphis. When the citi- zens of Memphis, driven to desperation by the condition of their city government, held a public meting to dis- euss the propriety of abolishing it, he was one of a committee of seven appointed to prepare a new form of government to be recommended to the Legislature. This committee drafted the present form of government, which was adopted by the Legislature, and has become a noble municipality. After the new government was adopted Mr. Goodbar was elected a member of the board of public works, and thus had the opportunity of helping to carry out the plan which he had assisted in forming.

Capt. Goodbar was married, September 10, 1867, to Miss Mary E. Morgan, of Hernando, Mississippi. Her father, JJudge John HI. Morgan, was originally from Lincoln county, Tennessee, and during the early days of Memphis, resided there and was mayor of the town. He was a cousin of Hon. John M. Bright, of Fayette- ville, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Goodbar's mother was Miss Edmondson, of Lin- colu county, Tennessee, Mrs. Goodbar's three brothers were all officers in the Confederate service. Col. W. E. Morgan and Capt. John H. Morgan both fell at the battle of Murfreesborough. Her third brother, Hon. J. B. Morgan, now of Hernando, Mississippi, served through the war as colonel; was several times wounded but recovered, and after the war engaged in the prac- tice of law, and was elected chancellor of his district. To this union have been born four children : (1). Wil- lie Morgan Goodbar, born August, 1868. (2). Mamie Oliver Goodbar, born July, 1872. (3). Jennie Edmond- son Goodbar, born January, 1875, died in July follow- ing. (4). James Bright Goodbar, born July, 1881.

Mrs. Goodbar is the happy possessor of a disposition

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that makes her popular with all who know her, and wins for her a large circle of friends. She has been a member of the Presbyterian church for many years. Capt. Goodbar has been a member of this church for ten years.

Capt. Goodbar's father, William P. Goodbar, a native of Overton county, Tennessee, died in October, 1878, at the age of sixty-eight. He was a successful merchant for many years. He served as sheriff of Overton county for two terms, and as clerk of the circuit court for two terms. After moving to White county he was president of the branch Bank of Tennessee, at Sparta. He was a man of great energy, sound, practical judgment, fine business capacity, and accumulated a very comfortable estate, which was, however, invested principally in slaves and was swept away by the war.

The Goodbar family is of English descent. Joseph Goodbar, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came from Virginia to Tennessee, and was one of the carly settlers of Overton county. Several of Mr. Goodbar's uneles were prominent and successful merchants in dif. ferent parts of Middle Tennessee. His only brother, Joseph Hl. Goodbar, entered the Confederate service as major of the Sixteenth Tennessee regiment, commanded by Col. John 11. Savage, and died at Morristown, Ton- nessee, in 1862, of disease contracted while in the service.

Capt. Goodbar's mother was Miss Jane MeKinney, daughter of Henry MeKinney, a farmer, of Overton county, and a descendant of a family originally from North Carolina, who settled in Overton county at an early day. She died in 1867, at the age of fifty-five years. She was for many years a member of the Cum- berland Presbyterian church, and was an earnest, pious Christian woman.

Capt. Goodbar had five sisters: (1). Mary Goodbar, who married the late Col. Thomas B. Murray, of Me- Minnville, Tennessse, a prominent lawyer in that part of the State. (2). Fannie B. Goodbar, who married James L. Jones, and died at MeMinnville, in 1861, leaving an infant son, Frank Goodbar Jones, now a salesman for Goodbar & Co. (3). Lou B. Goodbar, who married William L. Clark, now a partner in the firm of Goodbar & Co. (4). Clementine Goodbar, who died in 1863. (5). Miss Maggie Goodbar, now residing in Memphis,

Capt. Goodbar is essentially a self made man, and his

career has been one of uninterrupted success. Begin- ning after the war with a very small capital, he has gradually built himself up to a position of high com- mercial prominence and influence. The trade of his firm is now about six hundred thousand dollars per annum, which is believed to be the largest business done by any one house in this line south of the Ohio river, except one in Galveston, Texas. Its able and successful management gives it a leading place among the substantial mercantile firms of Memphis.

Capt. Goodbar's success, like that of all other men, has been the result of well defined principles and moth- ods, which were laid out in early life, and have been closely followed. It is no secret to state that his good fortune is attributable to economy, untiring energy and perseverance, close attention to business, and a strict adherence to a rule to deal fairly and honestly with all men. - His life is an illustration of the great advantage to be derived from concentrating one's energies upon one thing, for he has never allowed anything to divert his attention from his business, and by constant hard work he has mastered it.

Mr. W. D. Beard, of Memphis, says of him : " Mr. Goodbar has been the founder and the builder of his own fortune, In 1866 he established, in company with Mr. J. R. S. Gilliland, in Memphis, the wholesale boot and shoe house of Goodbar & Gilliland. Both were young men of small monied capital. Their busi- ness was carried on in the second story of a house on Main street. It was uppretending, but in its manage- ment Mr. Goodbar manifested those traits of character, personal habits or methods, that have since made him eminently successful in life. He was sober, economical, prompt, energetic, painstaking and the thorough master of his business. His mental equipoise then, as now, was great. A man of facts rather than of fancies, mere theory never ran away with him. To every inviting scheme or business emergency, he brought the measure of a sound, and at all times reliable, common sense, and the result is that mistakes with him have been rare. It is this conservative faculty that has made him so valu- able as an adviser. In every business enterprise with which he has been connected, where amounts of capital and action were required, whether it be an insurance company or a bank, he has been regarded as a safe counsellor

HON. F. M. FULKERSON.

ROGERSVILLE.

H ON. F. M. FULKERSON was born in Wash- ington county, Virginia, January 18, 1825. The 1

Fulkerson family came originally from Holland, the branch from which the subject of this sketch descended,

having finally settled in Virginia. His grandfather, James Fulkerson, married Miss Mary Van Hook and died in Washington county. Virginia. The father Abram Fulkerson. was born in Washington county.

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Virginia; married in that county, and removed in 1835, to Grainger county, Tennessee, where he continued the pursuit of farming; a captain in the war of 1812; was afterward a justice of the peace for a number of years, and was a man of high esteem among the people of his county. He died in 1860, at the age of seventy

The mother of Col. Fulkerson, Margaret L. Vance, was a daughter of Samuel Vance, of Washington county, Virginia, a farmer. He was a Revolutionary soldier and participated in the memorable battle of King's Mountain. The Vances, it is claimed, entered England in the fifth century with Hengist and Hora, The name was originally De Vaux, which, in Scotland, became changed to Vaus (the De being dropped), and in Ire- land it came to be pronounced and written as Vance. (See sketch of Charles R. Vance in another part of this volume). The mother of Mrs. Abram Fulkerson- was Margaret Laughlin, of a Virginia family.

Mrs. Fulkerson (mother of F. M. Fulkerson) was a devoted member of the Presbyterian church. She was a woman of marked traits of character, of excellent judgment, positive in her convictions, skilled in domes- tie duties, and exceedingly careful in the training of her children, who have felt her benign influence through life. She died in 1861, at the age of sixty eight, the mother of nine children, vix. : (1). James. (2). Mar- garet. (3). Mary. (4). Samuel V. (5). Francis M .. subject of this sketch. (6). Harrict. (7). Isaac. (8). Catherine. (9). Abram.

Of these, James married Alice Armstrong, and was successively bank clerk, postmaster and hotel-keeper at Rogersville. He died in 1819. Margaret married Dr. A. W. Armstrong, of Knox county, and died in In- diana. Mary is now the widow of Archimedes Davis, of Washington county, Virginia. Samuel V. fell in battle near Richmond, in the. Confederate service. Ile was unmarried, and was judge of the circuit court at Abing- don, Virginia. at the time of his death. He served as adjutant in the Mexican war. Was a member of the constitutional convention that revised the Constitution of Virginia. He was colonel of the Thirty-seventh Virginia Confederate regiment, and served under Stone- wall Jackson. His death was deeply lamented, espe cially in southwestern Virginia, where he was greathy beloved. The two following brief letters concerning him, from the pen of Stonewall Jackson, will no doubt be read with interest :

[Gen. Jackson to Capt. James Vance, Thirty-seventh Virginia Regiment. ]

HEADQUARTERS, VALLEY DISTRICT, ! July 17, 1862. )

CAPTAIN-Your letter of the 8th inst. has been received. If your brave kinsman (Samuel V. Fulkerson) was neglected by others, he was highly prized by me, you may resteconfident, and should my report of the battle of Kernstown crer be published, those who read it will see the high estimate in which ho was held. In his death the army and myself, as well as you, his kinsman, havo sustained a great loss. I hope soon to see you exchanged.

Respectfully yours,

[Gen. Jackson to lon. F. M. Fulkerson. ] GORDONSVILLE, VIRGINIA, I September 2, 1862. }

Mr. P. M. Fulkerson :

FIR-In reply to your letter of the 7th ult., permit me to say that Col. S. V. Fulkerson was an officer of distinguished worth. I deeply felt his death, He rendered valuable servico to bis coun- try, and had he lived, would probably have been recommended by me before this time for a brigadier-general. So far as my knowl edge extends, he enjoyed the confidence of his regiment and all who knew him. I am, sir, your oh't servant,

T. J. JACKSON.

Harriet married W. P. Armstrong, of Rogersville, and has eight children, vix. : Charles, Robert, Margaret, Kate, Mary, Arthur, Samuel and William. Hattie, the youngest, remarkable for her Christian graces, died at about fifteen years of age. Isaac married Miss Cel. Roberts, and is now living at Bryan, Texas. He served through the Mexican war in the Fifth Tennessee regi . ment, under Col. George R. MeClelland. He also served through the late civil war as a member of the cel- ebrated Texas cavalry (Rangers), participating in prob- ably an hundred battles and skirmishes. He has been treasurer of his county. Catharine married B. F. Hurt, a merchant of Abingdon. Virginia, and has four children. viz. : Maggie, Nel, Floy and Katie. Abram married Miss Celevia Johnson, of Clarksville. Tennessee, and has been for years a practicing lawyer at Bristol, on the Virginia side. He was major of the Nineteenth Ten- nessee Confederate regiment, and colonel of the Sixty- third Tennessee regiment. He has been a prominent member of the Virginia Legislature; was a member of Congress from the Ninth Virginia district four years ago, and was re-elected to Congress from the same dis- triet, November, 1881. He was several times severely wounded during the war, and, was one of the prisoners whom the Federals placed under fire of the guns at Fort Sumpter. He has but one son, Samuel, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. Francis M., subject of this sketch, married, first, near Rogersville, Miss Elizabeth M. Hale, who was born May 29, 1827, the daughter of Col. George Hale, merchant, farmer and bank cashier, and once member of the Legislature. Her grandfather, Philip Hale, a Virginian, who removed to Jefferson county, Tennessee, at an early day, was of Scotch descent. Her mother was Margaret Hamilton, daughter of Joseph Hamilton, a lawyer, of Jefferson county, of prominence in his time. Her grandmother was Penelope Outlaw, daughter of Alexander Outlaw, who is frequently mentioned in the histories of Tennes- see as commissioner and holder of various civil offices. Hle was one of the pioneers of Jefferson county, and was, in many respects, a noted character in his day.

The first Mrs. Fulkerson was educated at Salem, North Carolina, and was a devoted member of the Pres- byterian church. She is remembered as an excellent wife and mother --- affectionate, prudent, industrious and faithful to all her trusts. By his marriage with her, Col. Fulkerson has six children, viz : (1). Margaret IL., boro March 11. 1856: educated at Rogersville and

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Staunton, Virginia. She is now the widow of Dr. F. C. Painter, formerly of Virginia, and by him has two children, Frank F. and Annie Bell. (2). Mary C., born January 15, 1858; educated at Rogersville Female Col- lege; married, May 26, 1881, to John K. Shields, a lawyer, and son of Hon. James T. Shields, of Bean's Station, and died October 1, 1881. (See sketch of Hon. James T. Shields elsewhere in this volume). ' (3). Amanda Vance, born June 24, 1860; educated at Rog- ersville Female College, in which she is now teaching drawing and painting. She was educated in these arts in the Conservatory at Boston, Massachusetts. (4). Evan Neill, born April 17, 1863; educated at Rogers- ville, Baltimore and Boston, and now principal music teacher in Rogersville Female College. (5). Kate P., born January, 1866, and educated at Rogersville Female College. (6). Hattie S., born May 4, 1863.

Col. Fulkerson was next married at Rogersville, No- vember 18, 1874, to Miss Penelope Elizabeth Neill, daughter of James K. Neill, merchant of Rogersville, and niece of Samuel Neill, banker at same place. She was born October 21, 1842, and is a grand-daughter of Samuel Neill, sr., formerly a merchant of Rogersville. Her mother was Catherine D. Hale, daughter of George Hale. Her only full sister, Mary S., is wife of James G. Mitchell, secretary and treasurer of the East Ten- nessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad company, at Knoxville. Her two half-sisters are Eva, wife of C. A. Dosser, lawyer of Jonesborough, and "Sarah, wife of John Grisham. Her two full brothers are George Il. Neill, of Columbus, Georgia, and William II. Neill, of Louisville, Kentucky. Her half-brother, Alfred "T., resides in Oregon. Mrs. Fulkerson is a graduate of the Rogersville Female College, and is a zealous member of the Presbyterian church. She is a lady of pronounced character, energetic in whatever she undertakes, and is noted for her devotion to church interests. Two chil- dren have been the result of the second marriage: (1). Elizabeth Sidney, born August 21, 1875. (2). Frank Neill, born September 17, 1877.

We return now to the principal subject of this sketch. When about ten years old, Francis M. Fulkerson came with his father's family to Grainger county, Tennessee, where he grew to the age of twenty, working on the farm and attending school. He then entered a store in Rog- ersville as clerk, on the not very princely salary of one hundred dollars a year and board. At the end of the year he found himself with but little money, though with some knowledge of business. The Mexican war breaking out about this time, he caught the volunteer spirit that prevailed throughout Tennessee, and, in 1817, entered as a private in company I (Capt. James II. Evans), Fourth Tennessee infantry (Col. Richard Wa- terhouse). He served through the war in the capacity of ordnance sergeant, to which position he was appointed soon after the organization of the regiment. The regi- ment was at Vera Cruz, Jalapa, Puebla, and the City of

Mexico, being stationed at the last named place at the time the treaty of peace was concluded.

Returning to Rogersville in 1848, Col. Fulkerson read law in the office of Col. John Netherland for about two years, when (in 1851) he was licensed to practice by Chancellor Thomas L. Williams and Judge Seth J. W. Luckey, of the circuit court. After two years' practice at Rogersville, he removed to Tazewell, Tennessee, where he practiced law about eight years, being five years of the time clerk and master by appointment of Chancellor Luckey. In 1859 he returned to Rogersville, where he has ever since resided and practiced his pro- fession. For about six years he practiced in part: aship" with Hon. John Netherland and James T. Shields, and at different times since has had as partners S. L. Ches- nutt, L. G. Walker and A. D. Huffmaster, the last named being now associated with him.

In 1863 Mr. Fulkerson was elected to the State senate, but owing to the disturbed state of the country, by reason of the war, the General Assembly failed to meet.

Before the war Mr. Fulkerson was a Democrat, dur- ing the war he was a pronounced " southern man," and since the war has been a Democrat. In 1861 he was elector for the Tenth district, on the Davis and Ste- phens ticket, but made no canvass, there being no oppos- ing ticket. In 1883-4 he represented Hawkins county in the. Legislature, having been elected by several hundred majority, notwithstanding there is a steady majority for the opposite party in the county. One term seemed to have satisfied him with legislative ser- vice and honors, since no amount of persuasion could induce him to stand for re-election, which he could certainly have secured.

In 1859 Col. Fulkerson became a member of the Order of Odd Fellows, and in 1883 of the Knights of Honor. He is now president of the board of trustees of the Rogersville Female College. He is an active mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, having joined the church at Tazewell, in 1852. He was for five years a ruling elder in the church at Tazewell, and, has been such for four years at Rogersville.

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Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 54

Author: Speer, William S Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Speer, William S
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel
Number of Pages: 1278