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Below is a family biography included in The History of Rutherford 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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DR. JAMES W. DAVIS, a prominent and well-known physician of Rutherford County, Tenn., and a native of this State, was born September 22, 1821. His parents were William H. and Mary (Broughton) Davis, natives respectively of North and South Carolina. The father was one of the early settlers of the county, came here in 1804 and engaged in farming. He was a Democrat, holding the office of magistrate in his district for twelve years. His death occurred in June, 1852. The mother died in 1830. Our subject was a country boy, and received a good classical education. He taught school in this county for two years and then began the study of medicine, and afterward attended lectures at the medical department of the Louisville College, graduating at this institution at the sessions of 1850 and 1851. He then returned to this county and began the practice of medicine at which he has ever since been engaged. His reputation as a learned and skilled physician is well known. Mr. Davis did not take an active part in the late war but his sympathies were with the South. In 1860 he was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary J. Weakly, a native of this State, and to this union were born four children (only one of whom is living): James W., Mary E. (deceased), Samuel L. (deceased), and Sue H. (deceased). Mr. Davis is a Democrat, and himself and family are leading members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been an elder for upward of eighteen years. He is a prominent citizen and a good man.

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

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