My Genealogy Hound

G. W. HOLIFIELD, an old settler and leading citizen of Graves County, was born January 29, 1817, in Henderson County, Ky., and is the seventh of sixteen children, five now living, born to William and Elizabeth (Copland) Holifield, natives of Chatham County, N. C. About 1820 our subject was brought to Graves County by his parents, who settled near the place on which subject now lives. The elder Holifield was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He held various town offices; was one of the petitioners for the first public road in the county, and also took part in the battle of New Orleans. He died in the fall of 1859, aged seventy-seven years, and his widow followed in 1868, at the age of eighty-two. G. W. Holifield was reared a farmer; received about three months’ schooling, and remained on the home farm until his marriage in December, 1837, to Dorcas T. Rhoden, of Hickman County, but a native of Alabama, and daughter of Jesse and Harriet (Rice) Rhoden, natives of the same State. To this union were born six children: William J.; Elizabeth S., now Saxton; John R.; Newton J.; Mary J., now Vickus, and Martha E., now Bradley. Mrs. Holifield died in the fall of 1864, and Mr. Holifield next married Mary Murel, daughter of Thomas Graham, of Graves County. To this union were born three children, of whom two are now living: George W. and Mary T. The second wife died in 1870, and for his third wife Mr. Holifield married in July, 1872, Cornelia Rodgers, a native of Christian County, Ky., and daughter of Levi D. and Susan (Forbus) Rodgers, of North Carolina. This union is blessed with one child, Lillie Dale. Our subject’s early pioneer experiences were unusual. He was at one time a remarkable marksman, and in a match with a number of Indians at Columbus beat all his competitors. He has made as much as $80 in a week from the sale, at Paducah, of the game he killed, and was with the Indians when they were removed from the Purchase. He began life without a dollar, but is now possessor of 300 acres of well cultivated land, and has given about 500 acres to his children. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was formerly a member of the Grange. During the late war he was a Knight of the Golden Circle.