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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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WILLIAM J. SHOFNER was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., May 3, 1819, and is a son of Christopher and Elizabeth (Jenning) Shofner, who died in 1826 and in 1845, respectively. To them were born four daughters and four sons, three of whom are yet living. Our subject resided with his widowed mother on a farm until her death, and about four years later located on his farm of 480 acres. He has been very successful in his business ventures, and has given his five married sons a good farm each. In 1846 he married Rhoda Boone, who was born May 19, 1828. She and husband became the parents of the following family: Jeptha B., born in 1847; James B., born in 1849; Christopher H., born in 1851; George F., born in 1854; William H, born in 1856; Albert, born in 1859, and died in 1861; Elizabeth M., born in 1861; Daniel W., born in 1864, and Newton M., born in 1868, and died in 1871. Mrs. Shofner’s parents were William and Sallie (Howard) Boone. The father was born in Kentucky, and is a distant relative of Daniel Boone. Her mother was born in 1803 and died in 1843. Her father then married Margaret Moore. He died in 1854 and the stepmother in 1873.
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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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