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Below is a family biography included in The History of Bedford 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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J. C. FISHER’S ancestors were from North Carolina. His father, George W. Fisher, was born in August, 1812, and was brought to Tennessee by his parents when only four years old. George W. Fisher married Elizabeth Helm who was born in North Carolina, in 1814, and died in Tennessee in 1846. Our subject was born in Marshall County, Tenn., January 16, 1838, and is the third of seven children and of Irish descent. At the age of twenty years he began clerking for W. S. Hurst, at Hurst’s Cross Roads, Murray County, continuing two years. When the war broke out he joined the Confederate Army, Company D, Fourth Tennessee Cavalry, but after serving faithfully for some time was compelled to abandon the service to some extent. For about two years after the war he farmed and stock-traded and then engaged in the merchandise business in Verona and followed that business four years with good results, the style of the firm being Fisher & Robinson. In 1871 he sold his interest and moved to Fayetteville where he was a partner of V. S. Hurst in the merchandise business two years. The firm then divided their stock, and for three years longer Mr. Fisher followed that occupation in that place and in 1877 moved to Shelbyville. Since 1885 he has been exclusively engaged in farming. May 1, l872, he wedded Mattie Bell (daughter of G. W. and E. Bell), who has borne him six children: Oscar B., Stella (deceased), Elbert H., James D., Hugh C. and George B. Mr. Fisher has accumulated his property by his own exertions and is perhaps the most thoroughly self-made man in this section of the county. The greater part of his education has been acquired through self-exertion. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and his wife of the Christian Church, politically he is a Democrat.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in The History of Bedford County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Bedford 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

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