Shelby County TN Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Conley, A. B. – Obituary

La Grande, Union County, Oregon A. B. Conley, Pioneer of County, Called Beyond Another pioneer of the Grande Ronde valley answered the last call Sunday when death claimed Archie Bird Conley, of La Grande and former resident of Cove. Mr. Conley, one of the outstanding pioneers of this county, spent a long and useful life, having an important hand in the development of the county to its present stage. The deceased was 88 years, one month and eleven days of age and on January 4th, he and his wife celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary. A few days before their daughter … Read more

Biography of Samuel Sharper Davis

In considering those among Rock Island’s citizens whose activities have been directed toward developing that City’s industries, and whose foresight has been rewarded in a most substantial manner, one’s mind instinctively turns to the subject of our present sketch, Samuel Sharpe Davis. He was born February 1, 1858, at Covington, Kentucky, his parents being John B. and Anna E. (Sharpe) Davis. To this couple three children were born: Thomas B., Samuel S., and Mary. The parents were of Scotch-Irish origin. Thomas Bodley Davis, the paternal grandfather was a native of Pennsylvania. In early life he moved to Kentucky, and for … Read more

The Chickasaw War of 1739

Through the instigation of The French the war was continued between the seemingly infatuated and blinded Choctaws and Chickasaws during the entire year 1737, yet without any perceptibly advantageous results to either. A long and bitter experience seemed wholly inadequate to teach them the selfish designs of the French. No one can believe the friendship of the French for the Choctaws was unassumed. They were unmerciful tyrants by whatever standard one may choose to measure them, and without a redeeming quality as far as their dealings with the North American Indians go to prove; and their desire for the good of that race of people utterly out of … Read more

Biography of Samuel Sharpe Davis

In considering those among Rock Island’s citizens whose activities have been directed toward developing that city’s industries, and whose foresight has been rewarded in a most substantial manner, one’s mind instinctively turns to the subject of our present sketch, Samuel Sharpe Davis. He was born February 1, 1858, at Covington, Kentucky, his parents being John, B. and Anna E. (Sharpe) Davis. To this couple three children were born: Thomas B., Samuel S. and Mary. The parents were of Scotch-Irish origin. Thomas Bodley Davis, the paternal grandfather was a native of Pennsylvania. In early life he moved to Kentucky, and for … Read more

Biography of Jacob Kissel

JACOB KISSEL, junior member of the firm of Church & Kissel, began at a very early age to assume the practical duties of a business life, and by diligence, good habits, and a judicious use of natural tact has developed a character which will tell for usefulness in his day and generation. He has acquired a commercial standing which portends for him that prosperity and rank among his fellow-men vouchsafed alone to those who have worthily earned them. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1854, and is a son of Jacob Kissel who was born in Germany, but … Read more

Biography of James G. Harris, M. D.

Dr. James G. Harris, a physician and surgeon of Muskogee, who is specializing in urology, was born on the 18th of February, 1889, in Muskogee county, and is a son of P. Collins and Mary A. (Davis) Harris, who were natives of Georgia and of Alabama respectively. The father served for two years with the Confederate army in the Civil war and was taken prisoner, being incarcerated for about a year. Soon after the war, owing to the fact that he was part Cherokee, he received an allotment from the government in Oklahoma, then Indian Territory, and removed to this … Read more

Biography of Earl C. Bronaugh

Bronaugh, Earl C., one of the most prominent attorneys of the State, was born in Abingdon, Virginia, March 4, 1831. He secured his educational advantages in his native town prior to reaching the age of twelve years, when with his parents he moved to Shelby County, Tennessee. They founded a new home in the woods and endured all the privations of pioneer life at that early day. Here Mr. Bronaugh spent six years of his life, assisting his father in the support of the family, after which becoming imbued with the desire to read law he entered the office of … Read more

Biography of Rt. Rev. John Patrick Farrelly, D. D.

Farrelly, John Patrick, Rt. Rev. D. D.; Bishop of Cleveland; born, Memphis, Tenn., March 15, 1856; son of John P. and Martha Clay Moore Farrelly; early education in the grammar schools of Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky; studied classics for three years at Georgetown University, Washington, D. C.; in 1873, went to Europe, to complete classical education; graduated from the College of Notre Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium; from Namur, went to the American College, Rome, to study philosophy and theology; at the conclusion of a brilliant course received the Doctorate in Sacred Theology from The University of the Propaganda, … Read more

Biography of Nathan Adams Gibson

Nathan Adams Gibson has been an active representative of the legal fraternity in Muskogee for the past twenty-eight years and has been accorded an extensive and gratifying clientage. He is a native of Stanton, Tennessee, and a son of James K. and Rosa S. Gibson, the former a banker. His preliminary education was supplemented by study in Vanderbilt University of Nashville, Tennessee, which institution conferred upon him the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1888 and that of LL. B. on the completion of a law course in 1890. In the latter year he was admitted to the bar at … Read more

Natchez Trace

In 1792, in a council held at Chickasaw Bluffs, where Memphis, Tennessee, is now located, a treaty was made with the Chickasaws, in which they granted the United States the right of way through their territory for a public road to be opened from Nashville, Tennessee, to Natchez, Mississippi. This road was long known, and no doubt, remembered by many at the present time by the name “Natchez Trace.” It crossed the Tennessee River at a point then known as “Colberts Ferry,” and passed through the present counties of Tishomingo, Ittiwamba, Lee, Pantotoc, Chickasaw, Choctaw, thence on to Natchez, and … Read more

Biography of Albert N. Earnest, M. D.

Dr. Albert N. Earnest, a surgeon of Muskogee, is numbered among the native sons of Oklahoma and his record as a successful member of the medical profession stands in contradistinction to the old adage that a prophet is never without honor save in his own country. Dr. Earnest was born near Webbers Falls, in Muskogee county, September 13, 1890, and is a son of J. T. and Ellen (Carlisle) Earnest. The mother is one-fourth Cherokee and was born in Texas, of which state the father is also a native. He came to the Indian Territory when a boy with his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of P. T. Adams

P. T. Adams of Tustin, was born in Shelby County, Tennessee, November, 1834. His father, Peter Adams, was a native of North Carolina, and moved to Texas in 1833, back to Tennessee again, and in 1839 to Texas the second time, where his children were brought up. The subject of this sketch passed his youth herding cattle, much of the time on horseback. He served during the war in the Confederate army, two years in James M. McCord’s regiment, and then until the close of the war, in General Bankhead’s brigade. Politically Mr. Adams is a Democrat, well informed upon … Read more

McKenzie, Huela Van Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Huela Van McKenzie, 79, of Baker City, died Dec. 27, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Care Center. A memorial service will be scheduled later. Huela was born on Feb. 11, 1926, at Plant City, Fla., to Hulon and Gladys Hamilton Van. After graduating from high school, she attended Florida Southern College at Lakeland, Fla., where she studied music. In June 1948, she married Robert McKenzie at Memphis, Tenn. They moved to Pendleton in 1950. She was a housewife and the mother of five children. Huela later worked in Portland as a receptionist at Physicians and … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jenny Greer

Person Interviewed: Jenny Greer Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Florence, Alabama Age: 84 Place of Residence: 706 Overton Street, Nashville, Tennessee “Am 84 y’ars ole en wuz bawn in Florence, Alabama, ’bout seben miles fum town. Wuz bawn on de Collier plantashun en Marster en Missis wuz James en Jeanette Collier. Mah daddy en mammy wuz named Nelson en Jane Collier. I wuz named atter one ob mah Missis’ daughters. Our family wuz neber sold er divided.” “I’se bin ma’ied once. Ma’ied Neeley Greer. Thank de Lawd I aint got no chilluns. Chilluns ez so bad now I can’t … Read more

Biography of Walter S. Ezell

Walter S. Ezell. Contributing to the prestige of the City of Wichita as an educational center are a number of well ordered business and technical institutions, and prominent among the number is the Wichita Telegraph College, which was founded in the spring of 1912 by its present owner and manager, Walter S. Ezell, who as a mere boy had manifested a distinct predilection for the art of telegraphy and who contrived to pass much of his time in the telegraph office of the railway station of which his father was agent in the City of Memphis, Tennessee. As an expert … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Vowell, M. D.

Dr. Charles W. Vowell, a leading representative of the medical fraternity of Washington County, has followed his profession in Porum since 1906 and his pronounced ability has won for him an extensive practice. He was born in Collinsville, Grayson County, Texas, in January, 1870, and is a son of James J. and Josephine (Choate) Vowell, both of whom were natives of Missouri. The father was a veteran of the Civil war, serving for three years with a Missouri regiment as a member of the Confederate army under General Robert E. Lee. He devoted his life to the occupation of farming … Read more

Biography of Ward Smith

Ward Smith, secretary of the Hunter-Robinson Milling & Grain Company and manager of the grain department, was born in Tullahoma, Tennessee, May 22, 1888. His father, Dr. J. Crittenden Smith, was a native of Columbia, Tennessee, and is now in business in Chicago. His father, Dr. T. C. Smith, is still living in Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee. He and his immediate ancestors in the two preceding generations were physicians. The Smith family comes of English lineage. J. Crittenden Smith was united in marriage to Ella Ward, a daughter of John H. Ward, a wholesale furniture dealer of Nashville, Tennessee. He came … Read more

Oliver, Henry William – Obituary

Henry Oliver Dies At Milton Home Henry William Oliver, 85, a former school teacher and Seventh Day Adventist minister in Wallowa County, passed away Monday, Feb., 23: at his home in Milton following a long illness. He had resided in Milton for about ten years and had lived in Oregon since 1884. Mr. Oliver was born near Memphis, Tenn., on Aug. 10, 1863. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon from the Adventist church in Milton and burial was in the College Place cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Jessie Oliver at the home; two sons, J. Paul Oliver … Read more

Shelby County, Tennessee Cemetery Transcriptions

Tennessee Cemetery records are listed by county then name of cemetery within the Tennessee county. Most of these are complete indices at the time of transcription, however, in some cases we list the listing when it is only a partial listing. Civil War Table of Contents – TNGenWeb (hosted at Tennessee and The Civil War) Following Cemeteries (hosted at Shelby County, Tennessee Tombstone Transcription Project) Bethlehem Cemetery Bethuel Cemetery Brooks Cemetery Calvary Cemetery Calvary Cemetery Egypt Baptist Church Cemetery Elmwood Cemetery Elmwood Cemetery #2 Elmwood Cemetery Elmwood Cemetery Elmwood Cemetery Embury United Methodist Church Cemetery First Settlers Cemetery Forest Hill Cemetery … Read more

Biography of Hon. Benjamin Franklin Dowell

HON. B.F. DOWELL. – Benjamin Franklin Dowell was born in Albemarle county, Virginia, on the 31st of October, 1826. He was named for an uncle of his grandmother on his father’s side. She was a daughter of John Franklin and a niece of Benjamin Franklin, the statesman and philosopher. Mr. Dowell’s father and mother were natives of Virginia, and were born and brought up within one mile of each other. His mother’s maiden name was Fannie Dalton, a woman of rare culture and refinement. The Dowells were originally from England; the Daltons were from the Scottish Highlands. As a child, … Read more