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Below is a family biography included in The History of Franklin County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1886.  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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DAN LENEHAN, one of the leading merchants of Decherd, Tenn., was born October 17, 1839, in Winchester, Tenn., being a son of Peter and Narcissa (Champion) Lenehan. The father was born in Dublin, Ireland, and when about nineteen he immigrated to America. In a short time he found his way to Franklin County, Tenn., in the very early settlement of the county. He taught school here for many years, but afterward engaged in farming, which he continued till his death, at the age of ninety, in 1878. The mother was a daughter of Daniel Champion, one among the first settlers of the county. She died a few months before the father’s death occurred. The subject of this sketch remained with his parents to about the age of eighteen, when he lived with his grandfather, Daniel Champion for a time. He went to Illinois and taught school and worked on a farm for about two years. He afterward returned to Franklin County; in 1861 enlisted in Company I, Turney’s First Tennessee Regiment, Confederate Army, and served throughout the war. He had three brothers in the same company with him, only one of whom returned from the service alive. He also had a brother in the Forty-fourth Tennessee, who safely returned. Coming from the war our subject taught school and clerked a while. In 1870 he established his mercantile trade, which he has continued successfully ever since, carrying a stock of about $6,000, and transacting annually about $12,000 worth of business. He was married, December 23, 1869, to Miss Susan Featherstone, the result of this union being three children, viz.: Richard, Pearl and Thomas. Mr. Lenehan was bereft of his wife May 13, 1882. He takes an active interest in politics, acting with the Democratic party. He is a moral and enterprising citizen of Franklin County.

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This family biography is one of 83 biographies included in The History of Franklin County, Tennessee published in 1886.  The History of Franklin County was included within The History of Giles, Lincoln, Franklin & Moore Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Giles, Lincoln, Franklin , Moore Counties of Tennessee

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