Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 74

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

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PROMINENT TENNESSEANS

LL. D., by the Union University of Murfreesborough, Tennessee.

Prof. Graves is one of three children; he being the eldest. His sister, nee Louisa M. Graves, is now the widow of Prof. W. P. Marks, late superintendent of the Edgefield schools in Nashville. His brother. Rev. J. R. Graves, is the celebrated Baptist preacher, editor, author and polemic, now of Memphis. The family is of Huguenot descent, and it was always a custom in cach branch of the family to name its first born male Zuinglius Calvin, the name Prof. Graves bears, though he himself has departed from that rule. The most ro mote known ancestor of the family fled to America at the revocation of the Ediet of Nantes and settled in New England. The grandfather, Graves, was a mer- chant, a member of no church, and of no special note above that of an ordinary business man.

The father of Prof. Graves, also named Zuinglius Calvin, was also a merchant, and died at the age of thirty, leaving a widow and the children above men- tioned, the mother at that time being about twenty- eight years old, and, although remarkably beautiful, never married again, but devoted herself wholly to the education of her children, with results that must have been highly gratifying to her, as witnessed in their brill- iant careers. The mother, Lois M. Snell, was born in Hopkinsville, Massachusetts, daughter of Samuel Suell. a Revolutionary soldier, a manufacturer, and of New England Puritan stock. She was remarkable for her decision of character. When she had once formed a plan, she executed it. Her mind was given to all the theological questions that agitated her times, being a great reader of theological works. That her mind was of a metaphysical cast, is evident from the fact that one of her favorite books was " Edwards on the Will." Her method of training her children was to cultivate their will power by seeing that they executed any plans they had formed. She was a member of the Baptist church. and very zealous. She died at the age of seventy-eight years, and if it be true, that the good works of this life follow the saints departed, how true in her case must be the poet's words :

" Who to dumb forgotfulness a prey, This pleasing, anxious being d'er resigned , Left the warm precinets of ethereal day, Nor cast a longing, lingering look behind ? "

Prof. Graves married, in Kingsville, Ohio, July 3. 1841, Miss Adelia C. Spencer, a native of that place, born in 1821, daughter of Dr. Daniel M. Spencer, and a niece of Platt R. Spencer, author of the Spencerian system of penmanship. Her mother, are Miss Marian T. Cook, was the daughter of Erastu- Cook, a graduate of Williamstown College, a very eccentric man. spend. ing most all his time in reading Latin, Greek and the old masters. Mrs. Graves' education was completed in the Kingsville Academy, under Prof. Graves, She is familiar with French and Latin, excels as a writer and

is classed among southern poets. She is the author of " Jeptha's Daughter," and " Seclusaval, or the Arts of Romanism," of which ten thousand copies have been printed and sold. For her literary labors she has re- ceived more than three thousand dollars. She is the author of twelve volumes of Sabbath school literature, and is known as the editor of the " Child's Book," under the nom de plume of "Aunt Alice." She has. for more than thirty years, been matron of Mary Sharp College, and is professor of literature in that institution, She is one of the few women of high literary culture who is a good business manager, lays hold with her hand, and knows how to manipulate and. materialize the ad vantages and forces within her reach She owes noth- ing, and will not permit her husband to owe a cent if she can help it ; he being so absorbed in his profession, it became a necessity that she should become the finan- cier of the firm. Mary Sharp College is as much in- debted to her for its life as to Prof. Graves himself.

By his marriage with Miss Spencer, Prof. Graves has four children : (1). James R. Graves, a freshman in Dartmouth College at the breaking out of the war, whey he entered the Confederate army and lost his life at Ringgold, Georgia, in 1863, at the age of twenty-one years. (2). Florence M. Graves, a graduate of Mary Sharp College; married Henry Green, of Columbus, Georgia. (3). Zuinglius Dickinson Graves, an invalid, now thirty-six years old. ( b. Hubert A. Graves, a grad- nate of Mary Sharp College. in 1877; now a farmer in Franklin county. He was, for two years, principal of the Masonic Academy, at Wooley's Ford, Georgia.

Prof. Graves, when a student, became an investigator and made up his mind that the presentation of science. i. c., school culture, was on a wrong method, and he conecived a method by which the minds of students might become interested in the sciences, if they were presented correctly-that is, if the then mental food was cooked rightly. Having formed his plan, with him original. he entered the profession, and in his own pe- culiar manner presented the sciences in such a way that he has in his whole professional life had all the patronage he desired or could possibly attend to, both in Ohio and Tennessee He introduced the first black board ever seen in the Western Reserve. He intro duced the object method system of teaching in that section. His method may be styled tact. He insists that teachers, like poets, are born, not made. Mechan- ical teachers are not successes.

On the death of Rev. Dr. Joseph Eaton, he was elected chancellor of the Union University at Mur freesborough, and has been called to at least fifteen other places, but he kept his ese single to this one in- stitution, thus developing a staying power which is a principal factor of his success. He has given ten thou- sand dollars of his earnings to the institution to pre- serve it. He has given his life and bi earnings to his college.

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PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.

In religion he is a Baptist. At the age of nineteen, he was licensed to preach, but having a talent to be a teacher, he felt more called to be a teacher than to be a preacher. Consequently, he has always refused to be ordained, as he felt he could do only one thing, though during his licentiate he has delivered perhaps hundreds of sermons. In politics he is Democratic. but has never held political office, his eye being kept single to his pro- fession.

Prof. Graves is a man of medium height, weighs one hundred and fourteen pounds, has a benevolent and au- thoritative expression, without the appearance of either timidity or arrogance. He is a man of intensity of will,

clearness of purpose, and a tireless worker. The wonder has been expressed that a man of his age can do so much work and enter with spirit into the studies of- young people. Perhaps his enthusiasm and longevity may be set down as cause and effect. As a class, the greatest students, e. g., jurists, are the longest lived men in the world. Is it not the mens sana that pre- serves the corpore sano ? When the mind gives way to despair the body sinks. When business men retire on their wealth they die of ennui. Mental activity in the direction of public benefaction leads to long life-a deduction which this single instance, in the absence of facts to the contrary, clearly supports.

CHARLES R. VANCE, ESQ.

BRISTOL.

C' HARLES R. VANCE, the prominent and well- known attorney of Bristol, who is descended from leading East Tennessee families on both sides, was born at a place called Cherokee, in Washington county; Ten- nessee, August 22, 1835. From infancy until fourteen years of age, he grew up in Jonesborough. and then his father, a physician, moved to Kingsport, and there the son was reared, alternately working on the farm and going to school. In 1856, he entered upon the study of law under Hon. Thomas A. R. Nelson, read under him until 1858, when he was licensed to practice by Judge D. T. Patterson and Chancellor Seth J. W. Luckey, and began to practice in the courts of the First judicial circuit, embracing the counties of Hawkins, Greene, Sullivan and Washington, his office being at Kingsport. Shortly after admittance to the bar he ran for the office of attorney-general of his district against Sam Powell, but was defeated by a small majority.

He continued to practice law until the war broke out, when he entered the Confederate army as a private in company K, Nineteenth Tennessee regiment, but not being able to do field duty, was appointed agent for the First congressional district. to make out the claims of citizens for forage taken by the Confederate soldiers. About twelve months before the close of the war, he was appointed by the Confederate secretary of war, under an act of the Richmond Congress, agent for mak - ing out and reporting the claims of citizens for property taken or destroyed by the Confederate armies. In this position he continued until the close of the war, when he was indicted for treason at Knoxville, on account of his connection with the Confederate army, but the case was dismissed upon payment of costs.

When Mr. Vance began life as a young lawyer, he did so on one hundred dollars, which he borrowed to purchase a library. By 1861, he had made enough to

buy a residence in Bristol for one thousand five hun- dred dollars, got it paid for, but during the war, in 1863, was compelled to sell the property to keep it from being damaged by the Federal soldiers. He sold it for ten thousand dollars in Confederate money, which he in- vested in tobacco at Lynchburg, had the tobacco shipped to Bristol, just before the Stoneman raid, and the soldiers of Stoneman's command helped themselves to it, and so it was all lost. When he resumed business as a lawyer, after the war, he was five hundred dollars in debt. Having located at Bristol, he again began practice in the same counties as previously, and with the addition of Washington and Scott counties, Vir- ginia, and in th . Supreme court at Knoxville. He has continued there ever since, engaged in no other business. From 1871 to 1877, he was attorney for the East Ten- nessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad, for the counties of Sullivan, Washington and Carter. He now owns a residence in Bristol, one hundred and forty acres of good farming land within a mile of that town, and is in independent circumstances

Prior to the war, and until the reorganization of po- litical parties, Mr. Vance was a Whig, but after the close of the war, he espoused the cause of Democracy. The only active political work he did, however, was in the campaign of 1880, when he canvassed the First con- gressional district for Hancock and English. He was a member of the board of aldermen for Bristol from 1870 to 1877. He became a Mason in 1862, in Shelby Lodge, Bristol, and has taken the Chapter degrees. He joined the Presbyterian church at eighteen years of age; has been an older in the First Presbyterian church, Bristol, since 1871; was a delegate from Holston pres- bytery to the general assembly in New Orleans, in 1876, and was superintendent of the Sunday-school for six years, ending January, 1855.

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PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.

Mr. Vance married, in Sullivan county, Tennessee, ! October 16, 1860, Miss Margaret J. Newland, who was born on Reedy creek, Sullivan county, at the old New- land homestead, March 28, 1838. Her father, Joseph Newland (now dead ), was born on the same place, of a : Virginia family of Irish and Scotch blood. He was a farmer and large land owner, a magistrate, an active worker as a member of the Presbyterian church, and was noted for his Christian piety. Mrs. Vance's mother, are Rebecca H. Anderson, is the daughter of Isane An derson, of Scott county, Virginia, and sister of Joseph R. Anderson. the Bristol banker, in whose sketch, else- where in this volume, will be found a full account of the Anderson family. Mrs. Vance was educated partly at an academy on Reedy creek, but finished her educa- tion at Abingdon, Virginia. At an early age, she joined the Presbyterian church, at Blountville, under the min- istry of Rev. Daniel Rogan, from which time she has lived a devoted and consistent Christian life. In her girlhood, she was educated in all the domestic duties, is an economical manager, conscientious and strict in the performance of duty, and enforces that principle in her family, and relies devoutly upon earnest prayer to Al- mighty God. She has taught her children the cate- chism with diligence and regularity, and is an active worker in the church and a teacher in the Sunday- school. By his marriage with Miss Newland, Mr. Vance has five children : (1). James Isaac Vance, born September 25, 1862; graduated at King College, Bristol, in 1883, and has just completed his course of' theology in the Union Theological Seminary, Hampden- Sidney College, Virginia. (2). Joseph Anderson Vance, born November 17, 1864; graduated at King College, in 1885, and is also preparing for the ministry, in the Theological Seminary, Hampden-Sidney College, Vir- ginia, having just passed his first year in the same. (3). Charles R. Vance, jr., born October 1, 1867. (4). Mar- garet J. Vance, born December 9, 1869. (5). Rebecca M. Vance, born January 20, 1874.

Mrs. Vance's brothers and sisters are: (1). Martha Newland, who married William A. Dooley and is now living on their farm on Reedy creek, Sullivan county. They have four children, Joseph, Earnest, Rebecca, and Nellie: (2). Isaac Anderson Newland, married Miss Mattie Lewis, of Georgia, and is now farming in Scott county, Virginia. (3). Ellen A. Newland, now wife of Prof. James P. Doggett, of King College, Bris tol. They have five children, Eliza, Hallie, Fannie, Jo- seph and Maggie Nell. (1). Joseph M. Newland, mar- ried Miss Jude Leslie, and is now living on his farm in Sullivan county, Tennessee. (5). Samuel A. New- land, who has recently married Miss Helen Brown, of Sullivan county, Tennessee, and is living with his mother of the old homestead, Sullivan county. (6). Fammie A. Newland, married Cain Ponce, a farmer and cabinet maker, Sullivan county. (7). Robert Newland, who has recently married Miss Bettie Welford, of Sul

livan county, Tennessee, and is living with his mother. (8). Eliza B. Newland, married William P. Duff, a farmer in Lea county, Virginia.

The history of the Vance family dates back beyond the times of James the First of England, and is of Scotch Irish descent. The Tennessee Vanves are re- lated to the Vances of North Carolina. Three brothers came to this country from England, Patrick, David and William. From Patrick Vance the Tennessee family is descended. Patrick Vance was a physician, and graduated at Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a native of Ireland, but came to America from England, and settled in Campbell county, Virginia. His son, Wil- liam K. Vance, grandfather of Charles R. Vance, sub- ject of this sketch, was born in Virginia, and married Miss Keziah Robertson, daughter of Charles Robertson, prominent in the early history of Tennessee as a pio- neer, who made large surveys on the Holston, Nola- chucky and Tennessee rivers,and was a brother of the Secretary of State of Franklin. (See Ramsey's History of Tennessee). William K. and Keziah Vance left eight children, viz .: Dr. James H. Vance, father of the subject of this sketch; Charles R. Vance and Mona Vance, both of whom died in early life; David G. Vance, who died in Georgia; Dr: William N. Vance, now a prominent physician at Bristol, where he settled in 1866; Patrick HI. Vance, who died in Cincinnati during the war; Caroline Vance, married P. M. Craig- miles, a banker at Cleveland, Tennessee, and died there in 1883, leaving two children, Walter and Gus- sie; Keziah Vance, married Dr. O. P. Herndon, of Barboursville, Kentucky; Harriet Vance, married --- Thornton, and is now living in Arkansas; Susan Vance, married James S. Patton, and died in Kingsport, leav- ing two children, William and Florence, the last named being dead.

Dr. James HI. Vance (father of Charles R. Vance), was born at Greeneville, Tennessee, educated at Tus- culum College, under President Doak, and took his medical degree at Transylvania University, Lexing- ton, Kentucky. He first practiced at Greeneville; then at Cherokee, Washington county, two years; next at Jonesborough, fourteen years, and then moved to Kingsport, where he is now living on his farm, at the age of seventy-six. He is a leading East Tennessee physician, a man of excellent memory, of fine intellect, and extensive information on scientific, literary and po- litical subjects. He is a Presbyterian and an Odd Fel. low ; during the war was a conservative Union man, and since the war a Democrat. His wife was Miss Jane Sevier, who has borne him eleven children : (1). Charles R. Vance. (2). Maria C. Vance, now wife of Rev. John R. King. Leesburg, Virginia. (3). Anna Elizabeth Vance, who died at the age of six years. (4). Keziah Vance, unimarried, at home. (5). James N. Vance, who graduated at King College; completed his theological course at the Union Theological Seminary,

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Hampden-Sidney; was married to Miss M. Foster Tad- lock, daughter of Rev. J. D. Tadlock, D. D., and presi- dent of King College; was installed pastor of a church in Mississippi; and died December 29, 1881. (6). Wil- liam V. Vance, a lawyer at Union City, Tennessee ; married Miss Fannie Miller, of Hawkins county. (7). Nannie V. Vance, ummarried, at home. (8). Joseph Vance, who married Miss Mattie M. Fain, of Hawkins county, Tennessee, and now resides with his father; there have been two children born of this marriage, viz., James Foster Vance, who died in early infancy, and Charles Rutledge Vance, who is living. (9). Jen- nie Vance, ummarried and living with her parents. The other two children of Dr. James HI. Vance were sous, who both died when only a few days old.

On his mother's side, Mr. Vance is descended from the famous Sevier family. His maternal great-grand- father, Capt. Robert Sevier, was a Revolutionary sol- dier, and was killed at the battle of King's Mountain. He was a brother of John Sevier, the first governor of Tennessee. He left two sous, Valentine and Charles Sevier. Valentine Sevier was bound out when a boy, but afterward was taken as a clerk into the store of a Mr. Jones, at Jonesborough, where he lived for a num- ber of years; and afterward went into a store as clerk for Mr. Deaderick, remaining with him until Deader- ick made him his partner and opened a store at Greene- ville. Here he remained until he was elected clerk of the circuit court at Greeneville, a position which he continued to hold by re-elections for forty years. He was twice married. His first wife was a Miss Dinwid- die, of Greene county, by whom he had twelve children : (1). Jane Sevier, who became the mother of Charles R. Vance, and died at her home near Kingsport, March 1, 1886. (2). Robert Sevier, educated at West Point, served a while in the United States army, and afterward moved to Missouri, where he died. (3). Charles Sevier, died in Mississippi, leaving two children, Thomas and Nan- nie. (4). David Sevier, was clerk and master at Greene- ville many years; married a daughter of George W.

Netherland, Sullivan county, and settled on a farm at. Kingsport, where he now lives. (5). Dr. William R. Se- vier, graduated in New York and practiced medicine at Jonesborough until his death, in 1883; married Miss Martha Ellen Cunningham, daughter of Dr. Samuel B. Cunningham, an eminent physician at Jonesborough, and the first president of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad. (6). James Sevier, was a mer- chant at Rogersville for a number of years; moved to Jonesborough, where he has been for many years pro- prietor of the Washington hotel. (7). Edward Sevier, who married a Miss -- , and who resides at Ashe- ville, North Carolina. (8). Joseph Sevier, married Miss Nannie Broyles, of West Tennessee, where he resided until the war broke out, when he entered the Con- federate army as a member of Wheeler's cavalry, and while reading his regiment, in the absence of its com- mander, fell in an engagement in Georgia. (9). Ke- ziah Sevier, now the widow of George Jones, a mer- chaut at Greeneville. (10). Isabella Sevier, died the wife of Dr. F. A. MeCorkle, at Greeneville. (11). Elizabeth Sevier. died the widow of Rev. Whitfield Cunningham. (12). Susan Sevier, ummarried, now living at the age of seventy, with Dr. James H. Vance's family, at Kingsport.

Valentine Sevier's second wife was a Miss Cannon, by whom he had two children: (1). Charles Sevier, who married Miss Julia Brown, and is now a hardware merchant at Bristol. (2). Henry Sevier, a lawyer, now at Greeneville.

As to Mr. Charles R. Vance's legal methods, and the manner in which he attends to business, he is every- where recognized as an honest, prompt and faithful man. He always advises a client for his best interest ; is rather brief in his speeches; speaks to the point, in simple, earnest, clear ard forcible manner ; avoids ir- relevant and immaterial issues-and in his practice complies rigidly with his promises made to fellow- attorneys. Socially, and .in all other relations of life, he is a gentleman of sterling and sturdy integrity.

JUDGE JESSE HI. GAUT.

CLEVELAND.

T HIE Gaut family of Tennessee, chiefly distinguished through its members of the bar, are the descend- ants of Irish ancestry. The grandfather, John Gaut, was born in 1760, in Ireland, and there married. He and Lutitia, his wife, and his two brothers, James and Matthew, and a sister, came over to America after the Revolutionary war, and settled near Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania. 'The two brothers came South, but of their descendants the editor finds no trace. It is probable,

however, that the Gants, of Chaleston, South Carolina, are among them. John Gaut, after remaining in Penn- sylvania a few years, moved to Washington county, Tennessee, and six years later, permanently settled on French Broad river, in Jefferson county, where he ear- ried on a tannery and farm till his death, March 5, 1833. He left nine sons, James, Matthew. Benjamin, John, William, Samuel, Joseph, Robert and George W., and four daughters, Mary, Naner, Betsy and Patsey.

Jesse A, Gauto.

PROMINENT TENNESSEANS

The sons were all farmers, and every one but Samuel lived to be seventy-five years old. Their descendants are mainly in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas. Of these uncles of Judge Jesse HI. Gant, Joseph Gaut is yet living at the age of eighty-five. He has three sons, 1 John, Rufus and S. P. Gaut, the latter an able and sue- : cessful lawyer at Cleveland, Tennessee.

James Gaut, father of Judge Gaut, was born in Washington county, Tennessee, September 19, 1786, and died February 13, 1875. He followed for many years the tanning business. . He married, in 1810, in Jefferson county; in 1820, moved to MeMinn county, where for many years he operated a tammery, but finally went to farming, which he continued until his death. lle was a man of exceeding fine morals, a strict mem- ber of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, very tem- perate in all his habits, did but little outside or specu- lative trading, and was for those times successful in

business. In politics, he was a remarkably strong Henry Clay Whig. He was in all things, a straightfor- ward, honest, plain man, forming his own opinions, to which he adhered with great tenacity. His wife, nee Miss Rosamond Erwin, was born in Jefferson county, Tennessee, August 25, 1792, an only daughter, having an only brother, Jesse Erwin, who went to Indiana and served several terms in the Legislature of that State. The subject of this sketch was named Jesse for him. Judge Gaut's mother's half- brother, Dr. Joseph Erwin, was a physician of prominence, and practiced in Texas, where he died. Judge Gaut's mother was a woman of strong intellect, a Cumberland Presbyterian, and a leader in her neighborhood in church and social matters. She died in Bradley county, July 12, 1869, having borne nine children, only three of whom survived her, namely: (1), Judge John C. Gaut, of Nashville, born February 27, 1813; graduated from the University of Knoxville, in 1837; read law one year in Athens, Tennessee, under Hon. Spen- cer Jarnagin, afterward United States senator from Tennessee ; was admitted to the bar in 1838; settled in Cleveland, in 1839, when there were only a few houses in that place, and practiced law there until 1853, when he was elected by the Legislatue judge of the Fourth judicial circuit, to fill the vacancy left by Judge Keith. Under the amended constitution of the State he was elected by the people to the same position in 1854, and re-elected in 1862, and held the office till he moved to Nashville, where he has practiced law ever since. He stands prominent among the eminent lawyers of the State, and has several times sat on the Supreme bench to try special cases. He has been twice married. First, to Miss Sarah Ann MeReynolds, near Athens, Tennes- see, in 1837, and had by her two children, John M. Gant, now an able lawyer at Nashville, and Anna E. Gaut, who married Patrick HI. Manlove, a leading Nash- ville merchant. Judge Gaut's second marriage, was on February 16, 1875, to Mrs, Sallie A. Carter, of Franklin

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Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 74

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