Tullahoma Tennessee

Biographical Sketch of William M. Fariss

William M. Fariss, M. D., a leading citizen and physician of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Franklin County, Tennessee, April 22, 1834, and is the son of William and Martha (Clardy) Fariss, natives of South Carolina. The father died in 1861 and the mother in 1874. Both were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Our subject was brought up on the farm and attended the public schools. In 1854 he began the study of medicine at Winchester, with Dr. Wallace Estill as preceptor. Later he attended several courses of lectures, and in March 1858 graduated from the medical department of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of S. J. McLemore

S. J. McLemore, a pioneer of Tullahoma, was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, December 29, 1822, and is the son of S. J. and Martha (Whitaker) McLemore, natives of North Carolina. The father died in 1825 and the mother in 1880. Our subject reared on the farm, remained there until his marriage to Margaret J. Ward in 1841, when he removed to Nashville and entered the produce business. In 1851 he came to Tullahoma. He sold goods until the civil war and after the close of the same entered the livery business. In 1876 he began merchandising, continuing at that … Read more

Biography of Hon. John F. Thomas

Hon. John F. Thomas, real estate agent and a prominent citizen of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, April 17, 1828. His father, Joshua Thomas, a native of North Carolina, died while our subject was a small boy. At the age of eleven years our subject was bound out to Joshua Gore, but ran away and returned to his mother. His advantages were limited, but through his own efforts he acquired a good education, and when twenty three years of age began teaching school. In 1851 he removed to Coffee County and taught a school on Duck River, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James F. Ward

James F. Ward, member of the livery firm of Ward Brothers, of Tullahoma, was born in Moore County, Tennessee in 1859, and is the son of Noah Ward, a native of Moore County. Reared on the farm of his parents, near Lynchburg, Tennessee, our subject attended the public schools of the neighborhood. At the age of eighteen he began for himself, and came to Tullahoma in 1880, where he worked at different occupations until 1885, when, with his brother, R. H. Ward, he purchased the livery stable, which they are now conducting. Politically he is a democrat, and is regarded … Read more

Biography of James G. Aydelott

James G. Aydelott, lawyer and one of the most prominent citizens of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Hickman, Kentucky, November 3, 1845, and is the son of John D. and Sarah (Grizzard) Aydelott. The father was born in Rutherford County, Tennessee, in 1818, and died at Hickman in 1852. The mother, born in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1827, is the daughter of James Grizzard, the pioneer merchant of Tullahoma. When a small boy our subject removed with his mother to Tullahoma, where he has since resided. While a man of good education, his attendance at public school did not exceed three … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. W. Booth, M. D.

A. W. Booth, M. D., a prominent citizen and leading physician of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Bedford County, Tennessee, in 1858, and is the son of J. B. and Elizebeth (Vannoy) Booth. Our subject was reared on the farm, and educated in the public schools. In 1879 he began the study of medicine, and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1881. The same year he began practicing in his native county, but soon removed to Tullahoma, where he has since lived and succeeded in building up one of the best practices in the town. October 29, 1884, he was married … Read more

Biographical Sketch of G. S. Deakins

G. S. Deakins, farmer, of the Thirteenth District of Coffee County, Tennessee, was born in Marion County (now Sequatchie) Tennessee, in 1832, and is the son of William and Sarah (Richards) Deakins, natives of Tennessee. The father died in 1848 and the mother in 1836. Both were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Reared on the farm with a common school education, he also attended Burritt College at Spencer, Tennessee, and later, Emory and Henry College of Virginia. Having entered the law school of Lebanon (Tennessee) University in 1860, the civil war caused him to enter the confederate service, in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of F. E. Cunningham

F. E. Cunningham, proprietor of the Tullahoma Distillery, and a prominent citizen of Tullahoma, was born in Bedford County, Tennessee, September 15, 1852, and is the son of M. T. Cunningham, a native of Pennsylvania. The father died in 1874. Our subject was reared in Bedford County, and educated in the town schools. At fourteen years of age he entered the store at Flat Creek as clerk, remaining there until four years later he was appointed United States revenue storekeeper, in which he was engaged about four years. In 1876 he purchased and conducted a distillery in Coffee County, but … Read more

Biography of Timothy S. Givan

Timothy S. Givan, editor and proprietor of the Tullahoma Messenger, one of the prominent weekly papers of Middle Tennessee, was born in Hardin County, October 8, 1845. He is the son of James M. and Mellona (Needham) Givan, both of whom were born in Kentucky, the former November 4, 1811, and the latter September 19, 1819. The parents, married October 9, 1834, had ten children born to them, six of whom were boys, and of these our subject is the youngest. The mother died April 4, 1854, and in 1856 the father married Rachael Clark. He died October 5, 1859. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H. P. Dewey

H. P. Dewey, lumber dealer, and a prominent citizen of Tullahoma, was born in Michigan in 1838, and is the son of Cyrus J. and Maria (Beulah) Dewey, natives of the Green Mountain State. The father was born in 1812 and died in 1864, and the mother was born in 1813 and died in 1853. Both were members of the Old School Presbyterian Church. Our subject was raised in Washington County, Michigan, and educated in the public schools and at Monroe College, Michigan. He farmed and attended school alternately until the fall of 1862; he became a member of Company … Read more

Biography of George W. Davidson

George W. Davidson, one of the oldest and most prominent citizens of Tullahoma, and a member of the Coffee County Bar, was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, June 21, 1826, and is the son of Joel and Elizebeth (Henry) Davidson. The father was born at Beon’s Station, Granger County, Tennessee, in July 1799 and died in August in 1848. The mother was born in Hillsboro, Orange County, N. C., January 5, 1800, and died in November 1883. Both were members of the Old School Presbyterian Church. Our subject was reared on a farm, and received a limited education. He learned … Read more

Biographical Sketch of G. R. Crane

G. R. Crane, druggist and a prominent young citizen of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Manchester, Tennessee, November 26, 1858, the son of Dr. William and M. A. (Alexander) Crane. At the age of two years he with his parents came to Tullahoma, which has since been his home. He acquired his education in the public schools, and has added much thereto by his practical experience. He began life for himself when but fifteen years of age as a clerk. At the age of twenty-one he began in the produce business, and continued in this for one year, when he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. W. Yates

J. W. Yates, merchant and a prominent young citizen of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, August 24, 1855, and is the son of James and Mary A. (Walters) Yates, natives of England. The parents came to America in 1855, and our subject was born three days after their arrival in Cincinnati. The parents are members of the Episcopal Church, and are citizens of Coffee County, Tennessee. Our subject received a good education in the public schools, and followed it with several courses in bookkeeping. In 1882 he came to Tullahoma and engaged in business, and is at present … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Emmett Russell

Emmett Russell, one of the young businessmen of Tullahoma, was born in Bedford County, Tennessee, November 26, 1866, and is the son of W. F. Russell. He was reared in his native county, near Shelbyville, and attended the common schools. In 1881 he came to Tullahoma and entered the store of Carroll Bros, as clerk, and remained with them for three years, when he accepted a similar position with R. Wilson. October 1, 1886, he engaged in business for himself, opening a fancy and family grocery store, is meeting with success, and has built up a splendid trade. In politics … Read more

Biography of Joel B. Smith

Joel B. Smith, a pioneer of Tullahoma, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, September 12, 1829, and is the son of Joel M. and Charlotte (Bateman) Smith. The father was a native of North Carolina, born in 1797, and died in 1861. He was treasurer of Nashville, and United States pension agent, appointed to that office by President Van Buren. He was also proprietor of the Nashville Union, the pioneer newspaper of the capital city. The mother was also born in Nashville in 1805, the daughter of Henry Bateman, an early settler of Nashville. She died in 1876. Both were members … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James H. Rutledge

James H. Rutledge, merchant, and a prominent young citizen of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, November 13, 1855, and is the son of Samuel Rutledge, a native of North Carolina. Our subject was reared on the farm, receiving his education in the public schools. In 1876 he began farming in his native county, and continued until 1882, when he came to Tullahoma, and with his brother, R. F. Rutledge, engaged in the grocery business; they have since added clothing, furnishing goods, and a boot and shoe stock. Mr. Rutledge was married in 1876 to Ida Roughton, a … 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

Biographical Sketch of George N. Carter

George N. Carter, jeweler, dealer in watches and silverware, and a leading young citizen of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, in 1859, and is the son of James Carter, a native of Virginia. He father immigrated when quite small with his parents to Bedford County, Tennessee, where, in 1830, our subject’s grandfather, grandmother, and five children were burned to death in their residence, the house having been set on fire from a stove. Reared in the town of his birth, he attended the public schools. In 1878 he succeeded his father in the jewelry business at Tuscumbia, continuing … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H. P. Maynard

H. P. Maynard, a progressive young citizen of Tullahoma, and member of the firm of Maynard & Sons, wholesale and retail dealers in general merchandise, was born in Wisconsin in 1864, and is the son of I. F. Maynard, a native of Vermont, and born in 1815. With his parents at the close of the war, our subject came to Tullahoma, where he has since resided. He acquired a good education in the city schools, and has added much thorough practical experience. For a number of years he was employed by his father as clerk, but in 1884 was admitted … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. B. Conley

A. B. Conley, merchant, and a prominent citizen of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Rutherford County, Tennessee, November 7, 1847; the son of A. W. Conley, a native of Tennessee. Our subject was reared on a farm in what is now a part of Crockett County. He acquired his education in the common schools and in 1867 began the study of medicine. He attended the Eclectic College at Cincinnati, Ohio, the medical department of the University of Louisiana at New Orleans, and graduated in 1884 from the American Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati. From 1871 to 1880 he practiced in … Read more