A. P. (DOCK) BAXTER, a native of Tennessee, was born September 1, 1844, son of James M. and Sarah R. (Grant) Baxter, both natives of Tennessee.  Our subject's maternal grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812, and for services rendered received a pension for a number of years prior to his death.  Our subject remained with his parents on the farm until he was twenty-one, and received a limited education on account of the late civil war, which broke into his schooling.  He has follower agricultural pursuits in which he has been moderately successful, the principal part of his life.  August 26, 1866, he was united in marriage to Lucinda C. Stephenson, of this county, and to this union were born four children:  William G., Effie, Mollie and Joseph C.  He and family are leading members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  He is a Republican in politics.
 

WALTER S. BEARDEN, a prominent attorney of Shelbyville, was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., January 10, 1843, being one of two children (twins) born to the marriage of Dr. B. F. Bearden and Susan M. Blake.  The father was a native of South Carolina, but lived and died in Lincoln County, Tenn.  He was a man of great learning and breadth, and was eminent in the profession of medicine.  He died in 1870 and five years afterward the mother died.  He received a good early education and at the age of fifteen began teaching as an assistant in an academy.  He entered the Emory and Henry College of Virginia and was in that school when the war broke out.  He then enlisted in Company E, Forty-first Tennessee as second lieutenant, and remained in the service throughout the war.  He was elected second lieutenant of the company upon its second organization, and commanded the company the last year of the war.,  He received three wounds, on e of which was serious.  Returning from the service he began the study of law, and in 1866 began the practice of his profession in Shelbyville, where he has made himself a leading member of the bar.   He has never aspired to political honor till this year (1886), when he was announced as candidate for chancellor of his district.  He was married, February 17, 1874, to Maggie C. Whiteside, daughter of Col. T. C. Whiteside.  He has a family of four children by this marriage.  Politically, he was reared a Whig, but is now a Democrat.  Himself and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.  He is a Knight Templar Mason and at one time was the youngest High Priest in Royal Arch Masonry of the State.  As a citizen he is well known and highly respected.
 

ROBERT B. BIGHAM, farmer and trader, was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., July 4, 1828, son of Elihu H. and Mary (Lisenby) Bigham, and of Irish descent.  The father of our subject was born in North Carolina in 1799, and his mother in Anson County, N. C., in 1805.  They were married in Rutherford County, Tenn., about 1823, and became the parents of five children, of whom our subject is the third.  The Bigham family were among the early settlers of Tennessee, having come tot he State when the father of our subject was a small boy  and settled in Rutherford County, Tenn.  Elihu H. Bigham died on the old homestead in 1873, and the mother, who is eighty-one years old is still living and enjoying good health and an unusual amount of activity for a person of her age.  Our subject received a fair education in the common schools and remained with his parents until he reached his majority.  Since then he has followed the business of farming.  During the civil ware he enlisted in the Confederate Army and was assigned a position in the commissary department under Maj.-Gen. James P. Cummings, where he served throughout the war.  Our subject has been married twice, the first time, January 21, 1851, to Miss Mary J. Hoover, who was born October 6, 1833, and who is the daughter of William Hoover.  To this union were born five children:  William L., Granville H., Samuel B., Robert L. and Sallie A.  Mr. Bigham was married the last time, February 13, 1883, to Miss Sue F. Burks, of Bedford County, Tenn., born April 13, 1853.  To this union was born one son, Roy B.  Mr. Bigham is a Democrat, a Mason, and he and his wife are members of the Christian Church.  The grandfather of our subject, Samuel Bigham, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war.  He participated in the battle of Camden, under command of Gen. Gates, where the American forces were totally defeated.  There is a $2 bill of the old Continental issue still in possession of the family and in a good state of preservation, which he received from the government in payment for services in that war.
 

WILLIAM BLACKBURN, a well-to-do citizen of this county, was born in Tennessee May 30, 1831.  His parents, Robert and Lucy (Ferguson) Blackburn, were born in the Old Dominion February 5, 1796, and June 25, 1799, and died December 28, 1874, and September 6, 1865, respectively.  They were married in 1818, and to their union were born five daughters and two sons.  Three of the children are yet living.  Our subject has spent the greater part of his life on a farm and has followed farming from early boyhood.  In 1859 his marriage to May M. Sutton was celebrated.  She was born in Tennessee December 1, 1840, and is the daughter of John and Jane (Marr) Sutton.  Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn have four children born to their union, as follows:  Lucy J., born March 4, 1860; Elizabeth, born December 20, 1861; John born June 13, 1864, died May 5, 1883; and Martha, born November 28, 1866.  Our subject's farm consists of 270 acres of good land.  He deals quite extensively in tobacco, and although he began life a poor boy, he has accumulated considerable property.  He has been a member of the Baptist Church for twenty years and his wife for over thirty years.  In politics Mr. Blackburn is neutral.
 

JOHN N. BLACKWELL is a son of James Blackwell, and both are native Tennesseeans.  The Former was born October 5, 1828.  The mother's maiden name was Delilia Darnall; she was a native of Illinois.  John N. has farmed for himself since attaining his twenty-first year.  He is a self-made man, and has accumulated a comfortable competency by his unaided efforts.  In 1853 he was united in marriage to Miss Martha Wood, a native of Bedford County, and daughter of W. M. and E. Wood.  This union resulted in eleven children.  The following are those who are living:  William N., John A., Thomas J., Samantha A. (Mrs. C. A. Shaw), Samuel J. and Charity D.  Mr. Blackwell is an honest and respected citizen.  He was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Company G, Thirty-second Regiment Tennessee Infantry, in 1862.  He was captured at Tullahoma in 1864 and took the oath of allegiance and gave bond for his appearance.  He is, politically, a Democrat.
 

BENJAMIN W. BLANTON, a leading merchant of Wartrace, was born November 22, 1835, in Rutherford County, Tenn.  He is the fifth of ten children born to Benjamin and Martha (Farmer) Blanton, natives, respectively, of Virginia and Tennessee, and both of English descent.  In 1818 the father of our subject immigrated to Rutherford County, Tenn., and partly on ho his farm was fought the battle of Murfreesboro.  During the battle his dwelling-house and other buildings were used as a hospital for the Federal Army, and the farm was completely devastated.  In 1865 he sold this farm and moved to Unionville, Bedford County, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1885.  The mother of our subject died in 1869.  Our subject was educated at Asbury Academy, near Murfreesboro, and at the high school in the latter place.  He remained with his parents until reaching his majority, and then followed railroad bridge building until 1873, when he went into the mercantile business at Wartrace, where he still remains.  He carries a large stock of goods and does a very successful business.  In 1871 he married Miss F. E. Bray, of Lincoln County, Tenn., and the fruits of this union were three children:  Lula, Annie and Robert Lee.  Mr. Blanton is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows’ fraternities, and , with the exception of three years prior to the present year, he held the office of mayor of Wartrace ever since 1873.  He is now president of the Wartrace Male and Female Institute, also of the Wartrace Hollywood Cemetery, and a member of the board of education, of Wartrace.  He is secretary of the Democratic Executive Committee, of Bedford County, and he an family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
 

EUGENE BLAKEMORE, the genial postmaster of Shelbyville, was born July 28, 1852, at Lewisburg, Tenn., being a son of George W. Blakemore, a native of Lincoln County, Tenn.  The father read medicine in his native county, and commenced the practice of this profession at Flat Creek, Bedford County.  He afterward practiced in Shelbyville for a time, and then removed to Lewisburg.  He then again returned to Shelbyville, where he died in 1874.  The mother of Eugene was Cassie E. Winston, a native of Marshall County.  The father was married three times; his last wife is now living in Tullahoma, Tenn.  Eugene was reared in Shelbyville, and had the advantages of the schools here.  He married at the age of twenty, and engaged in farming near Shelbyville for four years.  He then removed to Shelbyville, and for two years ran a dray line; he then farmed another year, and then bought and ran a grist-mill at Shelbyville for six months.  After this he engaged in the livery and mule-trading business for three years, doing the leading livery business of the place.  He sold out that business in 1884, and has since been farming and trading.  He was appointed postmaster March 29, 1886, and has filled the office with efficiency.  He was married, in 1872, to Miss Ludie P. Newton, a daughter of James S. Newton, deceased, a farmer of this county.  Two children have been born to this union, viz; Frank N. and Eugene W.  Mr. Blakemore and wife are members of the enterprising and respected citizens of the county.
 

COL. GEORGE W. BOUNDS was born in Scott County, Va., September 25, 1818.  His parents and grandparents were natives of the same State, and his maternal grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier.  Our subject learned the saddler's trade, serving an apprenticeship from thirteen to twenty years of age.  He then worked at his trade in Estillville a short time, and came to Tennessee in order to vote for Gen. Harrison, as the right of suffrage was extended only to those who were householders or freeholders in their native State.  He worked at his trade about six years, and then joined Col. Haskell’s regiment, and served in the Mexican war as orderly sergeant and then as second lieutenant, participating in many of its bloodiest battles.  He was mustered out of service but at the call for more troops he again joined and was elected lieutenant-colonel of the Fifth Tennessee Regiment, which was independent, George B. McClellan being colonel.  During a shore time while the latter was sick our subject acted as colonel in his place.  He was discharged at Memphis in July, 1848.  At the breaking out of the civil war he was not in sympathy with the Southern cause, and although he was forced to join a company of militia, he was honorably discharged at the reorganization of the army.  He then held aloof from the army as far as it was in his power to do, it being wholly against his will or desire to take up arms against the Government.  Since the war he has voted the Republican ticket exclusively.  He was married, November 18, 1853, to Mary A. Pope.  Their union has resulted in six children:  James C., born September 23, 1854, and died March 23, 1876; Bettie, born April 30, 1856, wife of Thomas Joyce; John, born November 14, 1857; Fannie, born June 21, 1859; Ann, born July 3, 1860, and died April 23, 1878, and June, born July 6, 1863, and died July 13, 1863.  Our subject has been a successful man throughout life, and was considered a brave and faithful officer and soldier in the Mexican war.  He is a substantial citizen of Bedford County and a man of influence.
 

F. M. BOWLING, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Bowling, was born eight miles east of Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tenn., September 23, 1847.  He resided with his parents near Bradyville, in the same county, till ten years old, then removed with them near Murfreesboro, where they are (1886) living.  The first twenty years of our subject's life were spent upon the farm, devoting his leisure time to study, and caring for his disabled father and four brothers and one sister.  In January, 1868, he entered Union University at Murfreesboro, Tenn., and remained there until June 12, 1873, receiving the degree of A.M.  Previous to this he had chosen teaching as his profession, and in August, 1873, he took charge of a large school at Leeville, Tenn., and after successfully conduction it to its close he accepted a position with Prof. J. E. Nowlin in the Masonic Institute, Hartsville, Tenn., and afterward became a partner with him in the school.  While in this school, August 26, 1874, he wedded Miss Susan E. Sanders, daughter of Jesse B. and Mary A. Sanders, who resided near Murfreesboro.  To them were born three children:  Herbert Manly, born July 9, 1875; Edna Frank, born June 29, 1877, and Mary Myrtle, born May 23, 1882.  Mr. Bowling and Prof. Nowlin dissolved partnership by mutual consent, and in January, 1876, he took charge of Unionville High School, where he is now (1886) living. He has been principal of the school ever since, with the exception of the spring term of 1881, when he was associated with Prof.  B. F Hooker, as joint-principal of Milan college, Milan, Tenn.  He has devoted himself earnestly and faithful to the cause of education and has taken part in many educational enterprises in the hope of elevating his chosen profession, and has been called upon to fill prominent positions in different education institutions in the county. He follows no text-book in particular, but selects the best methods from different books.  He joined the Missionary Baptist Church in the fall of 18665, and takes a deep interest in Sunday-school work, and is now superintendent of the Unionville Sunday-school, which has an average attendance of ninety-five.  He is also a strong supporter of temperance.

JOHN A. BRAMBLETT was born August 13, 1813, in Georgia.  His father, John Bramblett, was a native of South Carolina, and of Irish descent.  He immigrated to Georgia when young, and there married Miss Jennie Couch, a native of Georgia.  To this union were born twelve children, our subject being the ninth.  About 1832 John Bramblett moved form Georgia to this State, locating in in this county, near Wartrace.  He was a farmer by occupation, and died in 1861.  The mother died in the same year.  Our subject was educated in the country schools of Bedford County and on reaching his majority was married to Miss L. C. Culley,  a native of this county.  To them were born these children:  William E. (deceased), Mary J., Elizabeth F., James M., Newton A., George D. (deceased), Ada B. (deceased)., Walter T. and Idella.  Mr. Bramblett is a farmer by occupation , and has 255 acres in District No. 2.  In 1863 he was conscripted by the Confederate Government and held as a soldier six months against his will.  He then left them and returned home inside the Federal lines.  He was a strong Union man during the war and fully believed and still believes that the best friends of the South were those who adhered to the union of the States.  He is a Republican in politics, and he and wife are members of the Primitive Baptist Church.
 

JAMES B. BROWN is a son of Henry Brown, a native of Wake County, N. C.  The gather received a limited education, and came to Tennessee in 1833, locating in Bedford County where he engaged in farming.  He was married in 1830 to Miss Sarah K. Alston, whose ancestors were from North Carolina.  To Mr. and Mrs. Brown were born the following family of children:  Aley A., Comer N., S.L., L.S., J.J., A.S., J.B., Lucy F. and G.A. and one who died in infancy.  Mr. brown died at this residence near Shelbyville in 1875.  He was a member of the order of Sons of Temperance, and he and his wife, who died in 1873, were members of the Missionary Baptist Church.  James B., our subject, was born May 1, 1848, and spent his boyhood days on a farm.  He entered the United States Military Academy at West Point when but eighteen years of age, and remained there about one year.  He finished his education at the Union University at Murfreesboro, Tenn., after which he served an apprenticeship at photography, and followed that occupation three years.  He then turned his attention to farming and horticulture, and his farm is known as the "Home Nursery Farm".  He was married December 15, 1875, to Sarah J. Hix, daughter of John C. and Emily Hix, and by her is the father of five children:  Cora E., Abbie P., Maud M., Alice E. and Lula S., who is deceased.  Mr. Brown is a member of the Masonic and K. of H. Fraternities, and of the Missionary Baptist Church.
 

JAMES P. BROWN is one of the family of children who were born to the marriage of William Brown and Jane G. Goodrum.  The father was born in North Carolina in 1803, and about 1824 came to Shelbyville where he lived and died.  He was a trader in live-stock, lands, etc., and became a well-to-do and prominent citizen of the county.  He died in 1880.  The mother was born in South Carolina in 1809, and died in 1882.  The subject of his sketch was born July 30, 1838 in Bedford County.  He was educated in Shelbyville, and remained with his parents until the war.  He then enlisted in Company B, Forty-first Tennessee, and was in the service throughout the war.  Returning from the war he engaged in the pursuit of farming,  in which he continued very successfully till 1875.  From 1868 to 1871 he lived in Texas, returning from there to Bedford County.  In 1874 he went to Columbus, Miss., and engaged there in the brick-making and contracting business, and he yet continues that business here.  In October, 18813, he opened his clothing trade, and carries a stock of about $8,000.  He was married, in 1881, to Miss Kate Goodrum, a native of Forsyth, Ga.  Two children have been born to this union, viz.: Paul M. and Annie L.  Mr. Brown and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.  He is a member of the I.O.O.F.  Politically he is a firm Democrat.  He has never aspired to office, but I a worthy respected citizen of the county.
 

Mrs. MARY A. (CLARY) BROWN was born September 14, 1816, in North Carolina, daughter of William and Nancy (Wright) Clary, both natives of North Carolina.  Our subject is the elder of two children born to her parents.  May 23, 1834, she married J. R. Brown, a native of East Tennessee,  born May 10, 1811.  He was a tailor by trade, and worked at this profession about twelve years.  He was married in Madison County, Ala., and while in that State was engaged in these different occupations: Tailoring, merchandising and farming.  In 1850 he immigrated to Tennessee, and engaged in the merchandise business at Unionville, and continued there several years.  He then engaged in the saw-mill business, but at the same time continuing his farming interests, and was engaged in the latter business at the time of his death, which occurred January 22, 1875.  He was an exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. To our subject and husband were born thirteen children, seven of whom are dead.  These living are Nancy J., William C., Lucinda C., James P., Thomas D., and Joseph E.  Our subject is a woman of considerable influence in this section.  Her son, Thomas D., is living with her, superintending the farm.  He is a local minister for the Methodist Episcopal Church.
 

T. G. BUCHANAN, senior member of the firm of Buchanan & Woods, was born March 25, 1852, in Lincoln County, Tenn.  His father was T. W. Buchanan, who moved to this county before the war and to Shelbyville about the close of the war.  He was an extensive merchant of Shelbyville.  In 1878 he was joined by the subject of this sketch, and the firm was then known as T.W. Buchanan & Son.  He died November 4, 1884, leaving a family of five children and their mother, Sarah (Davis) Buchanan.  T.W. Buchanan was a very prominent citizen of this county.  He was a director of the National Bank, a director of the Sylvan Mills, and was prominently connected with the school interests of Bedford County.  He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a liberal supporter of all charitable and benign institutions.  The immediate subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and received a good early education.  He clerked in his father's store five years previous to entering the firm (1878).  Since then he has been very successfully engaged in merchandising.  The firm now do a yearly business of about $50,000 and carry about $25,000 stock of dry goods, clothing, hats, caps, boots and shoes, gents furnishing goods, etc.  Mr. Buchanan is a director in the Sylvan Mills, and owns about 1,000 acres of land.  He married, in 1878, C. S. White, born in this county.  She is a member of the Presbyterian Church.  Mr. Buchanan is an enterprising and influential businessman of Shelbyville.  J. A. Woods, junior member and buyer in the firm of Buchanan & Woods, was born November 8, 1861, near Wartrace, Bedford County, being a son of George B. Woods, who was a merchant of Shelbyville.  The father was born in Coffee County, and in his childhood moved to Bedford County, near Wartrace, where he lived till 1863 when he came to Shelbyville.  He was president of the Bedford County Temperance Association; he was also identified with the school interests of the county.  He married Miss Margaret Clark, who became the mother of three children, J. A. being the eldest. The father died August 12, 1880, and the mother is now living.  J. A. was reared in Shelbyville, and clerked in his father's store.  After his father's death he engaged with T. W. Buchanan & Son as salesman and buyer, continuing in that capacity till January 1, 1884, when he entered the firm of Buchanan & Woods.  He is a member of the Y.M.C.A., and takes an active interest in Sunday-school work; he is now assistant superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday-school here.
 

JOHN S. BUTLER, clerk and master of the chancery court of Bedford County, was born in Rutherford County, Tenn., March 13, 1832, being one of nine children raised by William S. and Nancy E. (Campbell) Butler.  The father was a native of North Carolina and came to Shelbyville in 1816, and till 1830 pursued the carpenter's trade.  In 1819 he removed to Rutherford County, where he married the mother, and followed farming after 1830.  He died in 1873; the mother is still living.  The subject of this sketch engaged at the age of eighteen on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, occupying various positions, among which were, conductor, telegraph operator, ticket and express agent, remaining in that employ for eleven years.  He enlisted in Maney’s First Tennessee Regiment, Confederate States Army, and was captain on the first and second organization of Company F.  He was appointed military superintendent of telegraph lines in 1863, of Bragg’s division, and served in that capacity throughout the remainder of the war.  After the war he lived one year in Nashville as agent of the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad.  In 1866 he came to Shelbyville and engaged at farming and saw-milling and still continues farming.  He was elected magistrate of the Twenty-first District about 1876, and September 5, 1883 was appointed to his present office.  Politically he is a Democrat.  In 1866 he was married to Mary A. Sims, a native of this county.  Four children have been born to this union, viz.: Nancy J., Laura, Mary and John S.