NELSON WADE, a leading citizen and merchant of Fairview, was born in northeastern Todd County, Ky., March 23, 1825, and is the third of ten children-seven boys and three girls-nine living, born to Brunt and Easter (Carr) Wade, natives of Virginia and Todd County, Ky., respectively. The father was of Welsh-English and the mother of Irish descent. Subject’s grandfather Wade was a native of Virginia; his grandfather Carr, of Ireland. Subject’s father was born in 1793, and served one year in the war of 1812. When he became of age he emigrated ‘to Todd County, Ky., where he rented land and engaged in farming and teaming, and succeeded in accumulating 100 acres of land. He died in 1867. Subject’s mother was born in 1797, died March, 1883; she drew a pension of $8 per month after her husband’s death. These parents were members of the Presbyterian Church. Our subject’s advantages for an education were poor. He attended school in all about two years. He was reared on a farm and lived with his parents till he was twenty-two years of age, when he commenced to learn the cabinet trade, which business he has followed ever since. He started in Elkton, where he remained two years; thence came to Fairview in 1850, where he has remained in the business ever since. Mr. Wade has made life a success; commencing with nothing, he has by industry succeeded in accumulating, till he now owns .a good furniture store, business lot and blacksmith-shop, also a good residence and twenty-five acres of land at Fairview. He has been Trustee of the village of Fairview for the past fourteen years, and has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for twenty-five years. On May 25, 1854, he was married to Miss Susan E. Smith, daughter of Zachariah and Sarah D. (Snelson) Smith, of English extraction. This union was blessed with four children: Emma L. (deceased) who married Rev. M. A. Maxey, Walter D., Thomas H. and Richard Lee. Mrs. Wade died May, 1877; she was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Wade’s second marriage was December 15, 1881, to Miss Mittie V. Evans, daughter of Hugh V. and Martha (Dunaven) Evans, of Hopkinsville; her father was born in Birmingham, England; her mother in Christian County, Ky.
