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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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William T. Woods one of the farmers of the Ninth District of Dyer County, is the son of Eleazer and Sarah P. (Thomas) Woods, and was born in Dyer County, in 1833, being one of four children, three now living. His father was born in Sumner County, in 1813. His grandfather, Samuel Woods, was a native of North Carolina, and after his marriage moved to Sumner County, and then to Arkansas. In 1832 Eleazer Woods married Miss Sarah P. Thomas; he then settled in the Ninth District of Dyer County, where he remained until his death in 1874. Mrs. Woods died in August, 1853, and in December of same year he married Miss Lucinda Cawthorn, who is still living. He was a kind-hearted, industrious man, highly respected. Our subject remained at home until of age, and received his education at the schools in the county. In 1854 he married Miss C. Doak, by whom he had one child, Cora, wife of Marion Morrow, of Gibson County. Mr. Woods then settled on the farm where he now lives, and which formerly belonged to his father. Mrs. Woods died in February, 1860, and December 23, 1862, he married Miss Susan A., daughter of Robert and Susan Goodlow, and they have one child, John R. Mr. Woods farm is five miles east of Newbern, on the Yorkville road. During the years of 1866-68, he was postmaster at Maxwell post office. In politics he was formerly a Whig, and his first presidential vote was for Millard Fillmore. Mrs. Woods was born in Gibson County, in July, 1842, and is an influential member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

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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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