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Below is a family biography included in The History of Obion 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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James Graham Smith, a prominent lawyer of West Tennessee, was born in Chester District of South Carolina, September 18, 1828, son of Alexander Smith, a farmer of South Carolina, who was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1796, and immigrated to America in 1819. In 1836 he moved from Chester District, S. C., where he had located on coming to America, and came to Tipton County, Tenn., where he resided until his death in 1870. He was married to Esther Graham, who was born in South Carolina in 1797. She was a daughter of James Graham, who was a Revolutionary soldier under Francis Marion, and who died in Tipton County, Tenn., in 1837. Mrs. Smith died in the same county in 1864. Of her four children our subject is the eldest. He was educated at the old field schools and academies of Tipton County, and in 1850 went to Mississippi, and taught school there for some time, continuing the occupation there and elsewhere for about eight years. In May, 1853, he came to Troy, Tenn., and took charge of Westbrook Academy, and continued teaching at that place for five years. He began the study of law in 1853 under Judge S. W. Cochran, and was admitted to the Obion County bar in 1857, but did not begin the regular practice of his profession until June, 1859. Since that time he has been actively engaged, and now practices in Obion and the adjoining counties and the supreme court at Jackson, Tenn. Throughout this section of the State Mr. Smith is highly esteemed, not only for his professional ability, which is of a high order, but also for his personal integrity and worth. He is a Democrat, and his first presidential vote was cast for Pierce. Since 1865 he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity, Western Sun Lodge, No. 88. He is of Scotch-Irish descent, and in 1854 united his fortune with that of Miss Sarah E. Allen, of Tipton County, Tenn., born in May, 1884. They have six children: Mary Wallace, Fannie B., William A., Dora A., Luther A. and Fitz James. Both husband and wife are members of the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church.

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This family biography is one of 179 biographies included in The History of Obion County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Obion 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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