My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of East 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. F. Newman was born in Jefferson County, May 4, 1830, and is the son of Aaron and Sina (Rankin) Newman. The father was born in Virginia, in January, 1802, and was the son of John Newman, who removed to Jefferson County in 1804, and was one of the pioneers of that county, coming at a time when there were but few settlers here, and farm houses were few and far between. He was a prominent citizen, and served as deputy under Sheriff Bradford for eight years, and was also constable for a number of years. The father was a farmer by vocation, and was one of the prominent farmers of his day. He was an upright and religious man, and from his early manhood until his death was a member of the Presbyterian Church, of which he was also an elder. His death occurred in July, 1884. The mother was born in Jefferson County, Tenn., in 1804, and was the daughter of Thomas Rankin, a native of Pennsylvania, and one of the first settlers of Dumplin Valley. She was a pious, Christian lady, and a member of the Presbyterian Church, and died in March, 1833, when our subject was not quite three years old. Our subject was reared on the farm, and attended the schools of the neighborhood, and finished his education at Strawberry Plains. He has followed farming as a vocation, and has made quite a success of it, and now owns and cultivates a good farm of 350 acres. He is an enterprising and public-spirited citizen, and is always ready to help along public enterprises. He has always advocated public schools, and has all through life contributed his mite to the progress and advancement of education, and has served a number of years as school director, for which he never received a cent of pay, notwithstanding he was entitled to do so by law. He was married in August, 1852, to Martha Galbraith, who was born in Jefferson County in May, 1833, and was the daughter of James Galbraith. To this union four children were born, three of whom are now living. His wife was a member of the Methodist Church, and died in June, 1860. He was married in February, 1861, to Eliza McGuire, who was born in Jefferson County, in 1833, and was the daughter of Michael McGuire. To this union two children were born, one of whom is living. The wife was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and died in May, 1863. He was married April 2, 1868, to Mary Corbett, who was born in Jefferson County in 1848, and is the daughter of John W. Corbett. To this union eight children have been born. Both our subject and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

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This family biography is one of 938 biographies included in The History of East Tennessee published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: History of East Tennessee

To view additional Jefferson County, Tennessee family biographies, click here

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