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Below is a family biography included in The History of Warren 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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B. C. Wilkinson, farmer, miller and merchant, was born in De Kalb County, Tenn., December 11, 1836, and is the son of George W. and Mary Wilkinson. The father was born in South Carolina about 1815, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. He was a farmer, a Democrat in politics, and died in Smith County, Tenn., about 1847. The mother was born in South Carolina about 1817, is still living and is a resident of south western Missouri, and a member of the Primitive Baptist Church. Our subject is the eldest of five children. He remained at home until after his father’s death when he came to Warren County and lived with an uncle — C. A. Cantrell. He remained with his uncle until nineteen years of age when he returned to De Kalb County and attended school for one year. He married Miss Elizabeth Potter, March 24, 1859. She was born May 13, 1844, and is the daughter of Thomas and F. Potter, of French descent. Nine children were the result of this union, seven of whom are living: Thomas B., William D., John F., George L., A. L., Cleveland L., and Bell; those deceased are Mary, born in June, 1863, and died when an infant, and Fatima, born in January, 1881, and died when an infant. After marriage our subject began cultivating the soil and this he has continued up to the present time. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted in the Sixteenth Tennessee Regiment (Confederate Army) commanded by John H. Savage, and in Company A, commanded by L. M. Savage, and was in the battle of Perryville and many skirmishes. At the battle of Perryville he received a wound. At Ringgold, Ga., in 1863, he was taken prisoner and remained in prison at Rock Island, Ill., until the close of the war. After his return from the war he again engaged in farming. In 1873, in connection with his farming interest, Mr. Wilkinson engaged in merchandising at Bare Branch. In 1881 he closed out his business at the latter place and came to his present location where he followed his former occupation, but also engaged in the milling business. He has 250 acres of land well cultivated and is succeeding quite well in life. He is a Master Mason, a member of the Christian Church, and a decided Democrat in politics.

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This family biography is one of 55 biographies included in The History of Warren County, Tennessee published in 1887.  The History of Warren County was included within The History of Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Warren & White Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Warren, White Counties of Tennessee

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