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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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JOHN JACKSON COMER. Samuel Comer was a native of England and came to the United States with his wife (formerly a Miss Randolph), a short time before the Revolutionary war and settled in Virginia. He served in the war against the mother country, and was subsequently killed by the Tories. Reuben D. Comer, son of Samuel Comer, was raised by a man named Abner Lea, of Johnson County, N. C. He married a daughter of Thomas Wright, who came from England to South Carolina. Her parents died when she was an infant, and she was raised by Col. Elliott Lee. After her marriage with Mr. Comer they came to Wilson County, Tenn., and became the parents of five sons and two daughters. John Jackson Comer, the subject of this sketch, was the fourth of their children and was reared on a farm and had charge of his father’s mill and cotton-gin. His early education was limited, never having attended school after attaining his fifteenth year. About this time he professed religion. A short time after he began learning the blacksmith business of the Rev. D. B. Moore, with whom he lived three years. His father at this time moved to Warren County, Tenn., and there our subject worked at his trade. He was happily married to Miss Martha P. Parker. In 1845 he was licensed to preach, and in 1853 was received into the Tennessee Annual Conference, and he has followed his calling in Hickory Creek, Bedford, Smith Fork, Mill Creek, Harpeth, Wesley and Carthage. He was appointed presiding elder of the following districts: Carthage, McMinnville, Savannah and Centerville. At the last conference he was appointed to the Unionville Circuit. In 1880 Mrs. Comer died, and after living a lonely life two years, Rev. Comer married Miss Ella Lacre. His first marriage resulted in four children: Sophronia A. (Mrs. J. P. Walton), Nannie J. (Mrs. Prof. S. V. Wall), John B., Moltie P. (died in 1880, wife of J. S. Keton). Rev. Comer is now past sixty years of age, but hopes to continue his good work many years. He is much loved and respected by all who know him and is an influential man where he resides.

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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

View additional Bedford County, Tennessee family biographies here

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