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Below is a family biography included in The History of Fayette 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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Charles H. Havens, a prosperous and energetic citizen of Hickory Withe, was born October 22, 1844, in Germany, and is a son of Henry D. Havens, and is one of two sons, both living. The parents were both born and married in Germany. Our subject’s mother died when he was an infant. The father afterward married Dora Copeman, and in 1849 came to America and settled in Saline County, Mo., where he remained until he died in 1878. By his last marriage two sons and two daughters were born, all living, and their mother is living in Kansas. Our subject remained at home until sixteen years old, then went to Vernon County, Mo., and in 1860 went to Texas, and at the commencement of the war enlisted in the Seventh Missouri Infantry (Confederate Army) at Little Rock, Ark. He was taken prisoner in 1864 at Waverly, Mo., and held as a prisoner until the spring of 1865, when he was exchanged at Richmond, Va., and at the close of the war located in Shelby County, Tenn., where he engaged in farming and milling in connection with cotton-ginning until 1880, then moved to his present location at Hickory Withe, where he started a grist and cotton-mill, and soon added a saw mill and planing-mill and has done a large and prosperous business with all. In 1868 Mr. Havens married Matilda Ophelia Teal, a native of Shelby County, Tenn. They have had three sons and five daughters. One son and one daughter died. In politics he is a Democrat. Mr. Havens and family stand well in the community and are greatly esteemed for their good qualities.

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This family biography is one of 77 biographies included in The History of Fayette County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Fayette County was included within The History of Fayette and Hardeman Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Fayette and Hardeman Counties, Tennessee

View additional Fayette County, Tennessee family biographies here: Fayette County, Tennessee

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