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Below is a family biography included in The History of Marshall 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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REUBEN BILLINGTON, son of James and Sarah (Walker) Billington, was born March 23, 1823, in what is now Marshall County, and while receiving a common school education, worked on a farm. Like a dutiful son, he remained on the farm until twenty-one years of age, and a year later began the duties of a farmer, and has followed that calling up to the present time. It 1845 he married Matilda Wallace, who was born February 2, 1825, and four children were the result of their union: Malissa (wife of Charles Jones), William K., Amanda M. (wife of C. J. Farris), and Thomas J. Mr. Billington is a stanch Democrat, and after a year’s faithful service in the late war in Col. Haynes’ company, he was discharged on account of failing health. He owns a farm of 190 acres, and gives considerable attention to breeding stock. His parents were born in North Carolina; the father in 1792 and the mother in 1793. They came to Marshall County, Tenn., when young, and after their marriage always followed agricultural pursuits. Of their nine children seven lived to be grown, and five are still living. James Billington served for some time in the war of 1812; was magistrate and a Democrat. Mrs. Billington died in 1862, and he two years later. Both our subject’s grandfathers were Revolutionary soldiers.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in The History of Marshall County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Marshall 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 Marshall County, Tennessee family biographies here

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