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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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HON. JOHN R. OLIVER, an active businessman of Franklin County, at Estill Springs, was born January 17, 1837, in Tishamingo County, Miss. His parents were R. H. and Malinda Myra (Petty) Oliver. The father was born in Franklin County, Tenn., his father having emigrated from Virginia at a very early date. The father of our subject lived in his native county all his life, except about three years, which time he lived in Mississippi. He was a very prominent citizen, having been deputy sheriff of the county. His death occurred in 1837, and the mother’s death about four years later. John R. was then reared with an only sister by an uncle, Lanson Rowe, a very prominent and public spirited citizen of Franklin County. He received his education at Irving College, Warren Co., Tenn., graduating in 1858. He then engaged in teaching as principal in the county academy at Woodbury, Cannon Co., Tenn., till the war. He then enlisted in Company E, Thirty-second Tennessee, and served in that company until the battle of Fort Donelson. Being absent from his command he was not captured with his company. He then joined Company K, Forty-fourth Tennessee. He was elected first lieutenant just before the battle of Shiloh, and acted as captain through that battle, afterward being promoted captain of the company, commanding it until after the battle of Chickamauga, when he was appointed captain of an engineer corps in A. P. Stuart’s Division, and was on detached service on Gen. Stuart’s staff until the close of the war, being paroled at Greensboro, N. C. He then resumed his profession at Woodbury, as principal of that school, until 1867, when he removed to Estill Springs and engaged in merchandising, and by thrift and energy has been very successful. He deals in railroad timber supplies and carries on farming very extensively, now owning about 1,000 acres of good land. He owns an interest in a store at Marble Hill, Moore County, and is the agent for the Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Railroad at Estill Springs. He was married, December 22, 1858, to Miss Callie McFerrin, oldest daughter of A. F. McFerrin, of Woodbury, Tenn. Mr. Oliver has a family of five children: Robert A., Joseph L., Eliza C., Myra S. and Ida M. Robert A. is married and has two children, and lives in Nashville. He is a traveling salesman. The subject of this sketch and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Oliver is a member of the F. & A. M. Besides being an active and popular business man Mr. Oliver has interested himself in the public affairs and represented Franklin County in the Legislature in 1876-77.

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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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