J. M. MEADOWS, general
merchant of Dresden, was born in Bedford County, Tenn., in 1834 and is
a son of E. G. and Jane (Thompson) Meadows. The former was born in
North Carolina, in 1813, and came to Tennessee in his youth, locating in
Bedford County, where he followed farming for some time. After marrying
in Rutherford and residing in Dickson County, he finally located in Weakley
County, where he now resides. He became the father of eight children,
all of whom are living: Caroline
(wife of W. C. Hicks, who resides in Obion County); J.
M., our subject; Sabrina (Mrs. Bryant James), James P., Ann (Mrs. Thomas
Hatcher), Nancy (Mrs. Benjamin Bowers), William (who resides in Fulton,
Ky.) and Thomas. Their mother was born in Virginia, in 1816, and died in
1881. J. M. Meadows was educated in Dickson County, Tenn.,
and after attaining his twenty-first birthday, hired out as clerk in a
dry goods store in Dresden, and worked for J. W. Hays & Bro. for about
six years. During the late war he bought a stock of goods and began
business for himself at Locust Grove (now Greenfield) Tenn., but soon came
to Dresden, where he has since resided. He has followed merchandising
the greater part of the time since the war, and since 1881 has been located
at his present place of business. In November, 1861, he married Miss
A. A. Thompson, a native of Weakley County. They have three children:
Emma (Mrs. T. A. McElwrath), Charles P. and Nettle. Mr. Meadows is
an energetic and honest business man of Dresden and has been a life-long
Democrat in politics. His wife and children are members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church South.