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Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Lauderdale 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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Dr. John J. Alston, a retired physician and prominent farmer of Lauderdale County, was born in Williamson County, August 1, 1831, and is the son of Hardaway Alston, who was born in Warren County, N. C., in 1800, and came with his parents to Williamson County, January 8, 1813, and after attaining his majority he married Rebecca P. Bradley, a daughter of Capt. Joseph J. Bradley, a farmer, and one of the pioneers of Middle Tennessee. After his marriage they settled in Williamson County, where he farmed and was a machinist until 1848, when he moved to Madison County, Tenn., and settled at Mason’s Grove, remaining until 1857, when he removed to Lauderdale County and settled near the Hatchie River, and died at his son’s (V. S. Alston), in 1876. The mother was born in Warren County, N. C., and died at the home on Hatchie River in 1858. Dr. John Alston was raised on the farm, and received a liberal education at Triune, Tenn., then read medicine with Dr. W. L. Fox, at Mason’s Grove, and attended lectures at the Memphis Medical College in 1852-53, and was a most successful physician for eighteen years, when he retired in favor of a cousin. Dr. Alston was married in Lauderdale County, May 4, 1859, to Miss Mary F. Loyd, daughter of Sydney S. Loyd, a farmer. Mrs. Alston was born in North Carolina, in 1837. No children have been born to this marriage, but they have an adopted daughter, Lee Anna Alston, fifteen years of age. Dr. Alston is a Democrat, and was made a Mason in Fuller Lodge, No. 269, at Ripley, Tenn., in 1857, representing his lodge in the Grand Lodge at Nashville for many years. In 1858-59 he was coroner in the county. In 1878 he represented his county in the Legislature. With his wife he belongs to the Missionary Baptist Church. Dr. Alston owns a farm of 767 acres of good land, eleven miles south of Ripley, on the Fulton road. It has a handsome residence on it and is one of the most desirable homes in the county, but they are at present living at Henning, where they have another pleasant home, and are prominent people socially and in the church.
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This family biography is one of 116 biographies included in the book, The History of Lauderdale County, Tennessee published in 1886 by Goodspeed. The History of Lauderdale County was included within The History of Lauderdale, Tipton, Haywood, and Crockett Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Lauderdale, Tipton, Haywood, and Crockett Counties, Tennessee
View additional Lauderdale County, Tennessee family biographies here: Lauderdale County, Tennessee
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