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Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Haywood County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1886.  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 H. Dancy residing in the Second District of Haywood County, was born in October, 1831, in Williamson County, and is the son of Isaac Dancy, who was born August 7, 1783, in Virginia, but moved at an early date to Tennessee, locating at Spring Hill, and was captain of a militia company of Williamson and Maury Counties. He moved to Haywood County in 1831, and located on the farm where our subject now lives, and established a post office called Dancy, that was moved in 1841 to Dancyville, still retaining the name. The first Methodist Church in this part of Tennessee, was built about 200 yards from his dwelling, and was used as a schoolhouse. John Dancy’s mother’s maiden name was Mary Lamb; she was born in Virginia, July 19, 1793, and died September 6, 1859. Our subject remained on the farm until his father’s death, in August, 1863. February 27, 1856, he married Louisa Kerr, daughter of Francis B. and Ann R. Kerr; the father was born February 27, 1801, in South Carolina, and died in Fayette County in 1885; her mother was born in Sumner County, and died August 30, 1873. Mrs. Dancy was born November 5, 1834, and they have ten children: John William, Mary F. (wife of V. M. Patton), Ella (wife of Absalom Rudd), Albert S., Alexander, Isaac Bradley, Lula, Lillie B., Emma R. and James H. Mr. Dancy is worth about $7,000, which he has accumulated since the war. With his wife he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church South; his educational advantages were limited when he was young, but he has always manifested a warm interest in the schools of his county. He is now a Democrat, but before the war was an old-line Whig.

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This family biography is one of 82 biographies included in the book,  The History of Haywood County, Tennessee published in 1886 by Goodspeed.  The History of Haywood County was included within The History of Lauderdale, Tipton, Haywood, and Crockett Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Lauderdale, Tipton, Haywood, and Crockett Counties, Tennessee

View additional Haywood County, Tennessee family biographies here: Haywood County, Tennessee

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