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Below is a family biography included in The History of Dyer County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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John W. Gaulden, is a farmer and tobacco dealer, and was born in Cumberland County, Va., in 1831, and is one of a family of eleven children, six of whom are living in Dyer County. Their father, Michael O. B. Gaulden, was of Irish descent, and born in Virginia in 1801. Their grandfather, Josiah Gaulden, was also a native of Virginia. Michael Gaulden was raised at home and completed his education at Hampden Sidney College, Virginia, was a farmer by occupation, and for nearly thirty years was employed as an overseer. In 1821 he married Miss Margaret Gaulden. In 1847 he moved to Dyer County, and settled in the Sixth District, where he purchased in all 1,100 acres of land, where he lived until his death, in January, 1886, after a married life of sixty-five years. Mrs. Gaulden was also a native of Virginia, born in 1802, and is living in Dyer County. Our subject, John W. Gaulden, was raised and educated at home, and January 10, 1856, he married Miss Lucinda Ann Nooe, of Dyer County, and had three children, two of whom are living: Michael A., of Obion County, and A. V., wife of Alex L. Roney. Two years previous to his marriage he settled on the farm he now lives on, and which consists of 260 acres of productive land, with fine improvements on it, four miles south of Newbern. Mrs. Gaulden died in July, 1860, and December 22, 1864, he married Miss Margaret A., daughter of Anderson and Anna Jones, and had four children by her. Robert, Kelley, Eunice Ann, Mary Belle and John Ezra are living. When the war commenced he enlisted in Company F, Twenty-second Tennessee Infantry. He was captured near Gallatin, and taken to Louisville where he was held five weeks, then removed to Nashville, and in two weeks was paroled; he then returned home and in two months joined the cavalry, under Gen. Bell, in which he served as provost until the spring of 1864, when he was transferred to the Bull brigade, and until the close of the war was engaged in receiving provisions for the army. He has been a life-long Democrat, his first vote being cast for Jas. Buchanan; is also a long standing member of the I. O. O. F., and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Gaulden is a Missionary Baptist, and was born in Rutherford County, in 1839.

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This family biography is one of 128 biographies included in The History of Dyer County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Dyer County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee

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