Adair County Biographies
KENTUCKY: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin &
Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887, Adair Co. JAMES W. BEARD
was born in Green County, Ky., August 17, 1831, and is the eighth in a family of
nine children, born to Isaiah and Diodema (Mann) Beard, natives of Greenbrier
and Culpeper Counties, Virginia. Josiah Beard was born February 24, 1790, and in
1798 came with his parents to Kentucky. The family, numbering seventeen,
including servants, accomplished the entire journey over the mountains on
pack-horses, and first halted for a short rest at Crab Orchard, Lincoln County,
where there was a settlement and a fort; thence journeyed to Carpenter's
Station, in the same county, and from that place to a point on the Green River,
two and a half miles below the mouth of Casey Creek, in what was then a part of
Green, but is now Adair County. Here the father located several thousand acres
of wild land, and improved several hundred, on which he resided for many years.
He gave away from time to time large bodies to friends and acquaintances, to
induce them to settle near him. He also built on the Green River, near his home,
the first grist-mill in Adair County. In this wild country young Josiah grew to
manhood, early becoming inured to the hardships and privations incident to
pioneer life, soon acquiring great skill as a hunter and trapper. Wild game of
all kinds abounded on every hill and in every valley, and the numerous streams
were filled with excellent fish and frequented by every species of water fowl.
Josiah was married at the age of twenty-two years, and soon after moved to what
is now Taylor (but then Green) County, Ky., where his father-in-law gave him
wild land near the present village of Mannsville. There he improved a farm on
which he resided for many years. In 1836 he sold this farm and bought another
near Columbia, Adair County, upon which he remained until 1856, when he retired
from active business and made his home with his son, James W., until his death,
February 25, 1866. For many years he was a major in the old state militia, and
he and his wife were members of the Christian Church. He was also an old and
bright member of the Masonic fraternity, having held numerous official positions
in his lodge, and was buried with the honors of his order. His father, Samuel
Beard, was a veteran in the Revolution, and after he came to Kentucky became a
noted hunter. Late in life he moved to Tennessee, and settled near Jackson,
where his death occurred suddenly from heart disease. Mrs. Diodema (Mann) Beard
was born October 4, 1792, and died May 19, 1882. Her father, Moses Mann, was
also a native of Virginia and a Revolutionary veteran. In the latter part of the
last century he came with his family to Kentucky, also accomplishing the entire
journey on pack-horses, and first settled in what is now Marion County, on the
Rolling Fork, where he entered wild land and improved a farm upon which he
remained several years. While living on this place he was appointed a Government
scout, and he and a man named Coppage were for several years engaged in hunting
and Indian fighting from Rolling Fork to the Cumberland River. Just before he
engaged in hunting and Indian fighting, however, he had a son, a nephew and a
hired man shot and scalped by the savages, while fishing on the Rolling Fork.
Later his associate, Coppage, was also killed scalped while on one of their
expeditions. After these occurrences he swore vengeance on the red men, and
pursued them with unerring rifle to the end. He was one of the most noted and
successful hunters in the country, and paid for several thousand acres of land
through his skill with the rifle. About 1806 or 1807 he moved to Green County,
where he located some 6,000 or 7,000 acres of wild land on Robinson's Creek,
improved a large farm and became quite wealthy. There he resided until his death
in 1843. He was for several years extensively engaged in the manufacture of salt
in connection with farming and stock raising. He and his wife were life-long
members of the Old School Presbyterian Church. James W. Beard received a good
English education in youth at the common and select schools of the county, and
at the Columbia Male and Female College. At the age of twenty-two years he
bought a partially improved farm on Casey Creek, in Adair County, to which he
has added from time to time, now owning 300 acres, well improved and in a good
state of cultivation, and is engaged in farming and stock raising. He commenced
to teach at the age of seventeen and so continued in connection with farming for
some eighteen or twenty years. In 1869 he went to Texas, returning to Kentucky
in 1871. He married, December 25, 1858, Miss Elizabeth M. McWhorter, a native of
Adair County, born March 2, 1842. She is a daughter of Richard W. and Elizabeth
M. (Southerland) McWhorter, natives of Casey County, Ky., and of Scotch and
English descent respectively. To Mr. and Mrs. Beard the following children have
been born: William H., Creed T., Mollie E. (wife of William B. Hendrickson),
Shelton C., John M., Florence R., Virgil, Herschell, James O., Sallie B., Bertha
and Eugene. Mr. and Mrs. Beard have been for years members of the Christian
Church, in which he has officiated as ruling elder for many years. He is also a
bright member of the Masonic fraternity, having been W.M. of his lodge for many
years. He is an earnest advocate of the temperance cause, and politically a
Democrat. Beard Mann Coppage McWhorter Southerland Hendrickson = Green-KY
Lincoln-KY Taylor-KY Casey-KY Marion-KY Greenbrier-VA Culpeper-VA TN TX
KENTUCKY: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin & Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887
Adair Co. WILLIAM BLAIR, M.D., a native
of Russell County, Ky., was born September 24, 1841. His father, Burton Blair,
who was born in North Carolina in 1813, was brought to Russell in infancy where
he remained during life. He was a man in moderate circumstances, owning and
cultivating his own farm. He married Miss Elizabeth Rippetoe, a daughter of
William Rippetoe, whose wife before marriage was a Miss Elizabeth Vincent. The
names of the children born to Burton and Elizabeth Blair are Emeline (wife of
Matthew Y. Leach), Albert, William, Samantha (deceased wife of Christopher C.
Lawless), Elizabeth (deceased wife of John Lovelace), Martha (wife of Robert
Anderson), Nancy (wife of Rubin Lawless), Harrison, Sarah Jane (wife of John
Crider), Amanda C. (died in infancy) and James T. The death of Burton Blair
occurred July 9, 1875; his widow is still living in the sixty-eighth year of her
age. James Blair, grandfather of Dr. Blair, was a native of North Carolina, a
farmer, and immigrated to Russell County, where he resided the remainder of his
life. He married Miss Nancy Day, of North Carolina. James Blair's father was a
veteran of the American Revolution. Dr. Blair in youth received a good
common-school education, and is more than ordinarily well posted in literature.
He also has an archaeological cabinet and some geological specimens. His early
life until twenty years of age was spent on his father's farm, when, October 2,
1861, he enlisted in Company B, Thirteenth Kentucky Infantry (Federal volunteer
service). He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Hough's Ferry
(Tenn.), Campbell's Station (Tenn.), the siege of Knoxville, Rocky Face Ridge
and Resaca, where he was disabled from further service, though not discharged
until January, 1865, when his company was dismissed from the service. As a
result of the wound received at Resaca, the Doctor lost a part of the radius of
his right fore-arm. When he returned home he commenced to attend school, and
taught and attended alternately for four years. He then began to read medicine
under Dr. J.M. Wolford of Russell County, and in the winter of 1874-75, attended
a course of lectures at the University of Louisville, graduating in the spring
of 1875. He then returned home and continued the practice of his profession
which he had begun before he went to college. August 12, 1869, he married Miss
Sarah A., daughter of Michael G. and Rachel (Grider) McKinley, both natives of
Russell County. He has had born to him seven children: Laura A., Lawrence C.,
Melvin E., Viantha, Frosia E., Aletha M. and Belva E., all living. Dr. and Mrs.
Blair are both members of the Separate Baptist Church. The Doctor settled at his
present location, Glenville, Adair County, in 1869, and it at that time
consisted of a house and seven acres; he has enlarged it to eighty-eight acres.
Dr. Blair has a large and lucrative practice, besides which he cultivates his
farm. Blair Rippetoe Vincent Leach Lawless Lovelace Crider Day Wolford Grider
McKinley = Russell-KY NC TN
KENTUCKY: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin & Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887
Adair Co. REV. WILLIAM A. BLAIR, a
native of Adair County and the fifth of the twelve children of William and Lucy
(Hopkins) Blair, was born July 4, 1835. His father, Rev. William Blair, born
July 29, 1803, was a minister of the church of the United Brethren in Christ.
His early education was limited, but after entering the ministry in his
thirty-second year he was a close student and an extensive general reader, so
much so that his style of delivery implied scholarship. He was first licensed to
preach in Decatur, Ind., in 1837, on trial by the quarterly conference of his
church, and in 1842 was regularly ordained in Franklin County, Ind. The last
twenty years of his life he was presiding elder of the church work of the United
Brethren in Christ in five counties--Russell, Adair, Metcalfe, Clinton and
Wayne, part of Cumberland and part of Casey. Rev. William Blair was twice
married, first to Miss Lucy Hopkins, a daughter of William Hopkins of Adair
County, and his marriage was blessed by the birth of thirteen children:
Elizabeth (who died in childhood), a second (unnamed, deceased), John, another
(who died unnamed), Dicy Jane (wife of Sydney Helm), George W., William A.,
James B., Lucy Ellen (died in her nineteenth year), Elizabeth (wife of William
H. Helm), Jesse K. Polk, Robert J., and one who died in infancy. Mrs. Blair, a
member of the United Brethren in Christ, died September 17, 1873, in the
sixty-sixth year of her age. In 1874 Mr. Blair married Mrs. Martha E. (Wheat)
Grider, of Russell County, who was the widow of Frederick Grider, and who is
at-present wife of Henry Smith, of Casey County. Rev. William Blair departed
this life, having been a minister of the gospel about forty years. His father,
Alexander Blair, was a farmer, though he also worked at shoemaking, and was a
native of Virginia. He married Miss Elizabeth Breeding, and became the father of
twelve children. Rev. William Blair received no ordinary English education in
youth and was reared to farming. He was married, February 14, 1854, to Miss Mary
Miranda Scott, a daughter of Thompson and Elizabeth (Peake) Scott, the former of
Virginia, the latter of Metcalfe County, Ky. His marriage was blessed by four
children: George Paschall (who died in childhood), Elizabeth Ellen (wife of E.H.
Rosenbaum), Lucy Jane (wife of R.A. Blair) and Mary Frances. Mrs. Blair, who was
a member of the United Brethren Church, died November 6, 1885, in the
sixty-first year of her age. Mr. Blair has owned six different farms in Adair
County at different times, and at present owns eighty acres of well improved and
fertile land on Glen's Fork, worth $20 per acre. He has erected a comfortable
farm residence, barns and stables, and all necessary farm improvements. Five
years ago Mr. Blair was licensed to preach by the quarterly conference, and two
years ago he was regularly ordained as a minister of the church of the United
Brethren in Christ. James B. Blair, a brother of Rev William A. Blair, was born
January 31, 1838, in Adams County. His life-long vocation has been farming, and
his marriage occurred October 4, 1864, to Miss Arminta, a daughter of Andrew and
Ursula (Stotts) Wilson, natives of Adair County. Andrew Wilson was a son of John
and Sally (Miller) Wilson, natives of the Old Dominion. There was an estate of
$2,000,000 in litigation, which was compromised in 1883, which estate was
originally the property of Samuel Miller, of Virginia, and the heirs of Sally
Miller, who were parties in the suit, received nothing in compromise. The
marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Blair has been blessed by four children: Eldridge, Lucy
Lillian, Ursula J. and Minnie. Mr. Blair has settled two different farms, the
present place in 1873. This contains 170 acres of fertile land on Glen's Fork,
with good buildings and general improvements, and he turns his attention
principally to the raising of corn. Besides his home place he owns a part of a
farm of 110 acres, and a part of a town lot in Glenville. He and his wife are
both members of the United Brethren in Christ. Blair Hopkins Helm Wheat Grider
Smith Breeding Scott Rosenbaum Stotts Wilson Miller Peake = Russell-KY
Metcalfe-KY Clinton-KY Wayne-KY Cumberland-KY Casey-KY Adams-KY Franklin-IN VA
Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887
Adair Co. TIMOLEON and TARLETON
T. BRADSHAW, the former a native of Russell, the latter of Adair County,
are the sons of Seath and Sarah G. (White) Bradshaw. Seath Bradshaw, born
October 23, 1805, was a native of Burke County, N.C. He was the eighth of ten
children, and when only five years of age was brought by his father to Russell
County, Ky., and shortly afterward to Adair. He always owned his own farm, and
part of the time cultivated it with slave labor, being worth at one time nearly
$20,000. He departed this life March 9, 1873. He had married, in 1828, Miss
Sarah G. White, daughter of Thomas and Nancy (Abrell) White, natives of the Old
Dominion. The names of the children born to Seath and Sarah Bradshaw are Octavia,
wife of Aaron McClure; Casandra, wife of Charles F. Jones; Tarleton T.; Timoleon;
Ann L., wife of J.G. White; Charlotta W.; and Millie F., wife of T.W.
Montgomery, of whom all are living except Casandra. Mrs. Bradshaw died April 11,
1855, in the forty-eighth year of her age, and in life was a consistent member
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Seath Bradshaw, Sr., the grandfather of the
gentlemen whose names head these lines, was a native of Virginia, from where he
emigrated to North Carolina, and finally to Kentucky. He was married to Miss Ann
Lowe, a native of Virginia, and the names of their children were William, Isaac,
Isaiah, Elijah, Seath, Millie (Miller), Ann (Bradshaw), Mary (Wilson), and
Charlotte (White). Of his sons, Isaac and Isaiah served in the war of 1812, and
he himself was a Revolutionary veteran. Mrs. Bradshaw, his wife, was killed at
the age of ninty-seven, being thrown from a horse. The Bradshaw family are of
Irish origin, and sprang from one of two brothers who came from Ireland to
America. William Bradshaw, the son of Seath Bradshaw, Sr., was a man of some
celebrity in the history of the politics of this section, having served in the
Senate of Kentucky. Tarleton T. Bradshaw, born April 2, 1832, was the third of
Seath Bradshaw's children. He began life by farming with his father, and this
has since been his vocation. He had no inheritance. but at present owns about
400 acres on the line of Russell and Adair Counties, of which 75 acres are in
cultivation. He has never been married, but has kept house with his sister,
Charlotta W. Bradshaw, a number of years. Mr. Bradshaw enlisted, October 4,
1861, in Company D, Fifth Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, Federal service. He
participated in many of the prominent battles without a wound or being taken
Prisoner. He was the first sergeant of the company, and was mustered out of the
service and received an honorable discharge at Louisville, May 17, 1865. Mr.
Bradshaw has a fair library and is a great reader. He is a member of the Masonic
order, and has been a life-long Democrat. Timoleon Bradshaw in youth received a
good business education in the common schools of Adair County, and his
occupation in life has been mostly in the line of merchandise. He was married to
Miss Sally Wilson, a daughter of H.W. and Agnes A. (Johnston) Wilson, natives of
Taylor County,and this marriage was blessed by the addition of four children:
Betty C., Mary G., Effie T. and William E. He first sold goods at Russell
Spring, but afterward and most of his life in Columbia, and does a flourishing
trade in general merchandise. In connection with Mr. Bradshaw's business, Mrs.
Bradshaw handles a finely selected stock of millinery, in which she does a
thriving business. The stock is worth at least $6,000, including general
merchandise and millinery. Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw are both members of the
Christian Church, and Mr. Bradshaw is one of the trustees of the Columbia
Christian College. All of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw are living
except their eldest, Bettie C., who died July 25, 1883. She was born March 4,
1863. She was a bright, intelligent girl in her youth, and at the age of
thirteen became a member of the Christian Church. Her education was very
thorough, and was completed at Columbia Christian College, where she graduated
in June 1881, and after graduation was connected with it as teacher of painting
in the Art Department, which position she held until her death. She left a large
number of friends who mourned her demise, among whom was Miss Delray Taylor, an
associate teacher in the same institution, who followed in a few brief months.
Bradshaw White Abrell McClure Montgomery Lowe Miller Wilson Johnston Taylor =
Russell-KY Taylor-KY Burke-NC Old Dominion-VA Ireland
Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887
Adair Co. REV. JAMES BREEDING, the
oldest minister in Adair County, was born in that county in 1803. His father,
George Breeding, a native of Virginia, was born in 1772, and when fourteen years
of age was brought to Kentucky where Maysville now stands. When about sixteen
years of age he was brought to Lincoln County, and 1802 came to Adair County,
where a farm was bought and deeded to George Breeding, where the little village
of Breeding's now stands. Here George remained during the rest of his life,
engaged in agricultural pursuits and left an estate of about $7,000 in land and
slave mostly. He was married three times; first to Miss Margaret Cloyd, a
daughter of James and Jane (Lapsley) Cloyd, of Lincoln County. To this marriage
were born sixteen children, of whom all died in infancy except two-Peter, who
died at age nine, and Rev James Breeding. Mrs. Breeding, during life a
consistent Christian and member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, departed this
life February, 1840, in the sixtieth year of her age. George Breeding next
married Mrs. Sally Black of Lincoln County, who, at the time of her death was a
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and left no children by her last
marriage. The third marriage of George Breeding was to Mrs. Parthenia L.
(Carter) Turk, a daughter of Benjamin Carter of Adair County. This marriage was
blessed by the birth of two children: Mary Elizabeth and Rachel Jane, wife of
R.D. Priestly, of Canton, Miss. At the time of her marriage Mrs. Breeding had
five children by her first husband. She died a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. George Breeding was called from the scene of his earthly labors May 29,
1859, leaving a large estate of 840 acres of land to his widow and her two
children, having previously given his son James 450 acres. George Breeding,
grandfather of James Breeding, was a Virginian and a farmer. He married Miss
Rachel Cassiday, by whom he had seven children: Peter, John, George, James,
Sally (Young), Elizabeth (Blair) and Levinia (Bird). He died in 1811 and his
wife in 1821. The Breeding family is of Welsh origin, the Cassiday of Irish and
the Cloyd also of Irish, which makes Rev. James Breeding three-fourths Irish and
one-fourth Welsh. Rev. James Breeding in boyhood received a moderate education
in the log schoolhouse of pioneer Kentucky, and remained at home until his
marriage in his twenty-second year to Miss Elizabeth B. Patterson, a daughter of
Richard and Martha (Barnett) Patterson, natives of South Carolina, who came to
Madison County and later to Adair, where Elizabeth was born January 13, 1807.
The marriage of James and Elizabeth Breeding has been blessed by the addition to
their family of eleven children: Jane C., wife of John M. Nunn, of Missouri;
Francis M., of Bowling Green, Ky.; George W.; Richard P.; John c., architect, of
San Antonio, Tex.; David C. (deceased); Jackson E., dentist of San Antonio;
Sarah Ann, deceased wife of R.A. Baker; Margaret Susan, deceased wife of Dr. C.W.
Williams; James A., dentist in Glasgow and Samuel K., a Methodist minister. Rev.
Mr. Breeding, after marriage, settled on the 450 acres given him by his father,
where he has farmed ever since. He built a large two-story frame residence and
good out-buildings on his farm, and increased his 450 acres to 1,000 acres, but
at present owns only 350 acres in the home tract. Besides farming he worked
twenty years at wagon and cabinet work and house carpentering, and a great deal
of the furniture in his house he made. On July 27, 1834, he was licensed to
preach the gospel by the quarterly conference, and has never failed to preach on
any Sunday that he was able to travel. Fifty-two years has his voice been heard
proclaiming the "Glad Tidings," and in the course of his ministry he
has married 250 couples and attended to the funeral obsequies of nearly 500
persons. All of his children have grown up to be useful and respected members of
society and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; one of them, Samuel, is
an itinerant minister. Mr. Breeding voted for Gen. Jackson in 1824, and for
sixty-two years has voted the straight Democratic ticket. Breeding Cloyd Lapsley
Black Carter Turk Priestly Cassiday Young Blair Bird Patterson Barnett Nunn
Baker Williams Jackson = Lincoln-KY Madison-KY VA MS SC TX MO
A History of Kentucky Baptists From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 800
Biographical Sketches, J. H. Spencer, Manuscript Revised and Corrected by Mrs.
Burilla B. Spencer, In Two Volumes. Printed For the Author. 1886. Republished By
Church History Research & Archives 1976 Lafayette, Tennessee. Vol. 2, p 205.
[Adair County] WILLIAM BUSBRIDGE was a
preacher in Zion Church in Adair county as early as 1812. To this church, and
occasionally at other points, he preached acceptably some ten or twelve years.
He preached the introductory sermon before Russells Creek Association at Brush
Creek in 1828. But, about 1830, a painful bodily affliction so impaired his mind
that he ceased from preaching, although he lived several years afterward.
Busbridge = none
Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887
Adair Co. LIEUT. NATHAN G. BUTLER
was born in Adair County, March 25, 1828, within 400 yards of where he now
resides, and is the eldest of twelve children, eleven of whom are yet living,
born to Champness and Amanda S. (Cheatham) Butler, the former a native of Adair
County, Ky., and the latter of Virginia. They were of Welsh and Irish descent
respectively. Champness Butler was born March 10, 1799; was engaged in
agricultural pursuits all his life and died on the homestead where he was born
(which he also owned after his father's death), June 9, 1867, in his
sixty-eighth year. He and wife were devoted members of the Christian Church. His
father, John Butler, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Maryland,
and was born in 1769. While yet a young man , during or soon after the
Revolutionary war, he immigrated to Kentucky, first settling in the upper part
of the State in the blue-grass country, where he was married. Soon after that
event he moved to Adair County, then a part of Green, where he bought wild land,
and improved the farm upon which he resided until his death, in 1839, in his
seventieth year. During the war of 1812 he was the captain of a band of scouts
on the frontier, and during the Black Hawk war commanded a company in the
militia. Mrs. Amanda S. (Cheatham) Butler, was born May 1, 1805, and departed
this life September 3, 1883. Her father, Edmund Cheatham, was born and reared in
Virginia, where he was also married and engaged in agricultural pursuits. In
1808 he came to Kentucky, first settling in Cumberland County, but afterward
removing to Adair County, where he resided until his death, in 1836, in his
seventy-second year. He was a life-long and zealous member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. Lieut. Nathan G Butler received his early education at the old
field schools, but has since acquired a practical business education. He has
always lived on or near the old home farm in Adair County, one-third of which he
now owns, in addition to other lands amounting in the aggregate to nearly 200
acres, and is successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. In the fall of
1861 he helped to recruit Company B, Thirteenth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry
(Federal), and at the organization of the company in the following October was
elected first lieutenant and served as such until July 11, 1864, when he
resigned on account of failing health. He participated in the battles of Shiloh,
Perryville, the siege and battles of Knoxville, Resaca, Kenasaw Mountain,
Atlanta and many other engagements. Lieut. Butler has been twice married; first,
October 5, 1864, to Miss Myra S. Smith, a native of Adair County, born June 23,
1832. She was a daughter of Nathan and Charity (Callison) Smith. To this union
were born two sons: Nathan C. and William R. (deceased). Mrs. Myra Butler died
April 7, 1871, a devoted member of the Christian Church. Mr. Butler next
married, November 9, 1875, Miss Susan Conover, also a native of Adair County,
born July 12, 1835, a daughter of Peter T. and Joann (Rucker) Conover, who were
of German and French descent respectively. One daughter has blessed this union,
Mary Tildon. Mr. and Mrs. Butler are members of the Christian and Baptist
Churches respectively. In politics he is a Democrat. Butler Cheatham Smith
Callison Conover Rucker Tildon = Green-KY Cumberland-KY VA MD
Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887, Adair
County. WILLIAM J. CALLISON is the
second of seven children born to James and Mary L. (Miller) Callison, and was
born March 7, 1851. James Callison, a native of Adair County, was born
September, 1826, and his life-long occupation has been farming, in which he has
been successful, owning and cultivating at present 300 and 400 acres of land. He
was united in matrimony to Miss Louisa Miller, on March 3, 1847, the sixth of a
family of eight children born to Nathan and Rachael (Vannoy) Miller, natives of
Adair County. The names of the children born to the marriage are George L.,
Annie V., wife of James Butler; Bruce M., Elizabeth R., Mattie B., wife of T. T.
Tupman; Mary L. and William J., all of whom except George L. are living. Mr.
Callison and wife are both members of the Christian Church and are living at
their farm near Columbia. Joseph Callison, grandfather of William J. Callison,
was a farmer and in moderate circumstances, dying in 1830, in the sixtieth year
of his age. He was a native of Virginia, and was a veteran of the war of 1812,
and immigrated to Adair County, Ky., while yet a young man, in the early part of
this century. He owned and cultivated his own farm of about 500 acres, which he
bought in the woods. His first marriage, about 1792, occurred in Virginia, to a
Miss Dawson, and they were the parents of nine children: Josiah, Robert, Gilmer,
William, Dawson, Charity (Smith), Susan (Stark), Polly (Browning), and Mary, of
whom Robert alone is living. The second marriage about 1825, was to Miss
Elizabeth Miller, a native of Pennsylvania, and this marriage occurred in Adair
County. They were the parents of five children: James, Margaret, wife of James
A. Browning; Charles; Phoebe and Martha, wife of John D. Mourning, all of whom
are living except Martha, who died in 1883. Joseph Callison departed this life
in 1830, and his widow, who was born in 1794, died in 1865. William Callison
received a good English education in the common schools of Adair County, of
which he is a native, and the Presbyterian High School of Columbia. After
leaving school in February, 1873, he began selling goods in a dry goods store in
Columbia, which he continued until September of the same year, when he, in
partnership with his brother, G. L. Callison, embarked in the grocery business.
This they carried on successfully about one year, when they embarked in the drug
business. This they carried on from 1874 until September 6, 1883, when G. L.
Callison died, and W. J. Callison bought his interest in the business, which he
has since carried on in his own name. January 1, 1874, he was united in marriage
to Miss Laura E. Robinson, the third of four sons and four daughters born to
William N. and Sallie C. (Stone) Robinson, natives of Adair County, Ky. Their
home has been gladdened by four children: Montie S., Carry Lee, Lula Belle and
James Robinson, all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Callison are both members
of the Columbia Christian Church, of which he is one of the deacons. Mr.
Callison is also a Mason, and in politics is a stanch member of the Democratic
party. He carries a large stock of drugs, and a stock of jewelry and patent
medicines, books, and an assortment of general merchandise, which he values at
$3,500. He enjoys a large trade and is one of the leading merchants of the
county, and is also one of the firm of Blandford & Callison, dealers in
commercial fertilizer, farmers' implements, machinery, etc., which was first to
introduce into this county the Homestead Fertilizer and Deering Twine Binder.
Their sales on fertilizer began in 1882 on a very small scale, selling from
fifteen to twenty barrels per annum, but have increased to 1,500 to 2,000
barrels in 1885 and 1886, giving perfect satisfaction to the farmers by
increasing their crop from fifty to one hundred per cent. Callison Miller Vannoy
Dawson Smith Stark Browning Mourning Robinson Stone Tupman Butler = VA PA
Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887, Adair
County. WILLIAM P. CHELF was born in
Taylor County, Ky., September 19, 1842, and is the third of six children born to
William J. and Rhoda A. (Baley) Chelf, the former a native of Virginia and the
latter of Marion County, Ky., both of English descent. William J. Chelf was born
April 19, 1818, and at the age of eight years, in about 1826, came with his
parents to Kentucky, first settling in Marion County, where the family remained
for many years. There William J. grew to manhood, was married and soon after
moved to Taylor County, where he remained about six years. He then moved to
Adair County, where he bought a partially improved farm on Casey Creek, near
Roley, upon which he remained until 1861, when he sold out and bought another
farm some three miles further down the creek, upon which he resided until his
death, May 26, 1879. For several years he was engaged in general merchandising
in connection with farming, and also in buying and shipping tobacco to
Louisville, which at that day had to be hauled all the way on wagons. For some
three or four years he also operated and owned a tanyard in connection with his
other business. He and wife were from early life members of the Christian
Church, in which he was a ruling elder for many years. He was also a member of
the Masonic fraternity. His father, Presley Chelf, was born and reared in
Virginia, and was one of the early settlers in Marion County, Ky. Afterward he
removed to Taylor County, remaining some ten years, and in his old age moved to
Adair County, where his death occurred in his sixty-fifth year in 1855. Mrs.
Rhoda A. (Baley) Chelf was born March 27, 1819. She is still living and resides
on the old home farm where he husband died. Her father, Hezekiah Baley, was also
born in Virginia, where he was educated and married, and soon after immigrated
to Marion County, Ky., being among the early pioneers. Here he remained for many
years. His death, however, occurred in Adair, at the ripe old age of eighty-two
or eighty-three years, in May, 1863, to which county he had removed only a short
time before. William P. remained with his parents on the home farm until he
attained his majority. In September, 1863, he enlisted in Company I, Thirteenth
Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry (Federal) and served until the expiration of his term
of service, being mustered out at Camp Nelson, Ky., in January, 1865. After his
return from the army he farmed on rented lands for some five years. He then
bought a partially improved farm of 125 acres on Casey Creek, in Adair County,
and adjoining the old homestead, to which he has since added other land, now
owning a well improved farm of some 475 acres. Here he has ever since been
extensively and successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits, and also in the
live-stock trade, mainly in the buying and selling of mules. The farm is not
only well improved but is also in a high state of cultivation. August 29, 1865,
he married Miss Louisa Hendrickson, a native of Adair County, born October 27,
1846. She is a daughter of Felix and Mary A. (Monday) Hendrickson, both natives
of Adair County, and of the English descent. Nine children have blessed their
union, viz: Anna M.F., Sarah A., Perry A., Mary L., Felix J. and Laura E.
(twins), Jake, Patrick and Melcenia B. (deceased). Mr. Chelf and wife are
consistent members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. Chelf
Baley Hendrickson Monday = Marion-KY Taylor-KY VA
Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887, Adair
County. WILLIAM U. CHELF, justice of the
peace, was born in Culpeper County, Va., September 25, 1830, and is the third in
a family of six children born to William M. and Judia (Burke) Chelf, natives of
Culpeper County, Va., and of English descent. William M. Chelf was born August
6, 1797; was educated and married in his native county and at an early age
learned the fulling business, serving an apprenticeship of four years, after
which he followed his trade for several years. In 1831 he came to Kentucky with
his wife and family, accomplishing his journey over the Blue Ridge and
Cumberland Gap in a four-horse wagon. He first settled at Bradfordsville, Marion
County, where he erected and operated a carding-mill which was driven by an
old-fashioned tread-wheel. In 1837 he removed to what is now Taylor (then Green)
County, and bought a farm on Robinson's Creek, some two miles above the present
village of Mannsville. There he was engaged in the cabinet business in
connection with farming until 1844, when he sold out and returned to
Bradfordsville, where he again engaged in the carding business and also in
grinding corn. This mill was also driven by a tread-wheel. In 1852 he brought in
steam power and erected a flouring mill; in 1858 he sold the mill and removed to
Green River Knob, Casey County, where he bought a farm and engaged in
agricultural pursuits in connection with the distilling business until 1863,
when he sold a part of the farm, and later made his home with his children. His
death occurred at the home of William U., at Rolla, Adair County, December 11,
1881. He and wife were members first of the Baptist and later of the Christian
Church. He was also a bright member of the Masonic fraternity and was buried
with honors of the order. His father, Elias Chelf, was also a native of Virginia
and was a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1832 he came to Kentucky and settled
near Bradfordsville, where he resided until his death, in 1836, at the age of
about eighty-five. He married Miss Katie Weaver, of Virginia. Mrs. Judia (Burke)
Chelf was born July 19, 1807, and died November 7, 1881. Her father, William
Burke, was a native of Virginia, where he was educated, married and engaged in
agricultural pursuits all his life. The Burke family were for many generations
among the first families of the old commonwealth, and also among her most
wealthy planters. William U. Chelf received a good common school education and
in early life was employed in his father's carding-mill. At seventeen he
commenced to learn the carpenter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of four
years at Lexington, Ky. He then returned to Bradfordsville, where he followed
his trade until 1856, when he engaged in the saw and grist-mill business in
Marion County until 1860, when he removed to Ohio County, Ky., where he engaged
in the same business and also at carding until November 1, 1861. He then
enlisted in Company H, Third Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry (Federal), and served
until July 25, 1862, when he was taken prisoner and paroled at Elkton, Tenn.,
while lying sick at the house of William W. Smith, where he was taken care of
and kindly treated for sixteen days. He finally reached home, but was never
again able to join his regiment, and was honorably discharged December 26, 1864.
He participated in the battles of Shiloh and many other engagements. After the
war he returned to Marion County, where he resumed the mill business and
continued the same until 1869 when he moved to a farm near Loretto, same county,
and engaged in farming, wagon-making and blacksmithing. In 1872 he went to
Liberty, Casey County, where, for one year, he was engaged in the grist-mill and
carding business. In 1873 he moved to Rolla, Adair County, where he has since
resided, engaged in the saw and grist-mill business. Afterward he added the
stave business and in 1882 opened a grocery store and drug store, two years
later adding dry goods and general merchandise. He also owns a good farm near
the village. He was town marshal of Bradfordsville for two years, deputy sheriff
of Marion County one year, and in 1875 was elected a magistrate for Casey Creek
District, No. 7, Adair County, which office he now holds, having been twice
re-elected. He was married, December 9, 1851, to Miss Delilah H. Gartin, a
native of Marion County, Ky., born May 12, 1838. She is a daughter of Nathan H.
and Adelia (Speed) Gartin, natives of Marion and Casey Counties, Ky.,
respectively, and of English descent. Two daughters have blessed this union:
Susan M., now Mrs. J. W. Martin, and Sarah C., wife of J. W. Caskey. Mrs. Chelf
is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Chelf belongs to no church, but is a
consistent Christian and holds to the doctrines of the Christian CHurch. He was
made a Mason September 28, 1850, and has advanced to the R. A. degree. He has
been W. M. of the lodges to which he was attached several times. He is a
Republican and recognized as a party leader. Chelf Weaver Burke Smith Gartin
Speed Martin Caskey = Marion-KY Taylor-KY Green-KY Casey-KY Fayette-KY Ohio-KY
Culpeper-VA
Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 4th ed., 1887, Adair
County. JOSEPH COFFEY, Jr., cashier of
the Bank of Columbia, was born in Christian County, Ky., January 6, 1833, the
youngest of twelve children born to Joseph Sr., and Jane (Graves) Coffey, the
former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Fayette County, Ky., and of
French and English descent respectively. Joseph Coffey, Sr., was born in 1784,
and while a young man immigrated to Kentucky, settling first in what is now
Russell County, where he married, and engaged in agricultural pursuits until
1831, when he moved to Christian County, and bought wild land, and improved a
farm on which he resided until his death, in March, 1834. He was a veteran of
the war of 1812 and he and wife were life-long members of the Missionary Baptist
Church. Mrs. Jane Coffey departed this life in June, 1861, in her seventy-first
year. Her father, Thomas Graves, was a native of Virginia, and in early manhood
immigrated to Kentucky, first settling near Lexington, in Fayette County, where
he improved a farm and remained for several years. Later, however, he moved to
Russell County, where he resided until his death. He served as courier for
Washington during the entire Revolutionary struggle. Joseph Coffey, Jr., at the
age of seventeen left the home farm and settled in Columbia, where he accepted a
position in a general store, continuing in the mercantile business as salesman
and on his own account until 1871. In 1872 he accepted a position as clerk and
assistant cashier in the Bank of Columbia, and in 1880 was elected cashier of
the same, which position he still holds. Mr. Coffey has been twice married;
first September 27, 1859, to Miss Mary E., daughter of James V. and Elizabeth
(Lankford) Warden. She was born in Monticello, Wayne County, Ky., August 9,
1842, and died at her home in Columbia, November 23, 1861. She was a devoted
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Mr. Coffey next married, January
20, 1863, Miss Virginia R. Page, a native of Adair County, born June 16, 1843.
She is a daughter of W. W. and Sophia (Brawner) Page, both natives of Virginia.
Seven children have blessed this union as follows: Henry R. (deceased), William
A., John B., Robert G., George, Sophia and Joseph. Mrs. Coffey is a member of
the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Coffey politically is independent, and belongs to
no church or secret order. Coffey Graves Lankford Warden Page Brawner =
Christian-KY Fayette-KY Russell-KY Wayne-KY VA NC
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