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Below is a family biography included in The History of Rutherford 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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DAVID F. ELAM may be mentioned as an energetic and prosperous farmer of Rutherford County, Tenn., born in Murfreesboro, July 27, 1829, son of Edward and Rebecca (Wade) Elam, who were born in Virginia and Maryland, respectively. Edward Elam was a descendant of Daniel Elam, one of the pioneer settlers of the county, and a school teacher in his day, being one of the early educators of Murfreesboro. Edward Elam was a mechanic and farmer, and at the time of his death was a merchant of Jacksonville, Ala. He was one of the first men that ginned cotton at Murfreesboro, and made quite a fortune at that business. He was a Jacksonian Democrat. His death occurred in 1839, and the mother’s in 1858. The subject of this sketch made his parents’ house his home until twenty-one years of age. He then began for himself, and in 1858 purchased a farm in West Tennessee, but in 1865 returned to Rutherford County and purchased his present farm, consisting of 600 acres of excellent land. In 1856 his marriage to Miss Ellen P. Crawford was celebrated. They have these children: Franke E. (wife of Samuel P. Black), Edward E., Mamie (wife of Dave Miller), Annie, Wade H. and Washington E. Mr. Elam is a Democrat, and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in The History of Rutherford County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed. The History of Rutherford County was included within The History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford & Marshall Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Beford and Marshall Counties of Tennessee
View additional Rutherford County, Tennessee family biographies here
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