My Genealogy Hound

JAMES W. WHITMAN, farmer, is a son of Rev. R. M. Whitman. a native of Boston, Mass., born in 1804. When a mere boy R. AI. Whitman went with his parents to Virginia where he lived quite a number of years. They then immigrated to Bedford County, and here he married Almedia Sanders (the subject’s mother), and a native of Bedford County, born in 1815. To them were born nine children. After her death the father was married twice; first to Mrs. Jane Reed, who died in 1857, and then to Mrs. Ann Edwards, who still lives. The father died in Texas in 1873. He was an extensive farmer and stock trader, and in early life practiced medicine. He was also a preacher of the gospel. Our subject was born November 28, 1838, in the Moore fraction of Lincoln County, he was reared on the farm and received a poor education, owing to the demand for his labor at home. In 1861 he volunteered in Company K, Eighth Tennessee Infantry, Confederate Army, and went through four years of service without being wounded, and was only captured once, when he succeeded in making his escape in a few days. He served twelve months as captain of Company A, Twenty-eighth Tennessee Cavalry. After the war he went to Texas to engage in the mercantile business, where he remained ten years. In 1874 he returned to Tennessee and engaged in farming. In 1877 he married Ann E. Hutton, a native of Rutherford County, born August 14, 1841. In 1882 she died, and the following year he married Jennie P. Grigsby, of Giles County. This union resulted in the birth of one child, Robert G. Mr. Whitman is a stanch Democrat and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. His present wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has a good farm of 497 acres, and as a farmer and stock raiser has been quite successful.