My Genealogy Hound

WILEY B. RUDOLPH was born March 9, 1817, in Montgomery County, Tenn. He is the fifth of seven children, five boys and two girls, born to John and Margaret (Welker) Rudolph, natives of North Carolina. The grandfather, John Rudolph, was born in Germany, and was a soldier in the Revolution. The father of our subject emigrated to Tennessee about 1800, and was with Gen. Jackson at the battle of Horse Shoe in 1812. Wiley B. Rudolph was reared on the farm, received a common school education, and in 1833, moved, with his parents, to McCracken County, where his father died in 1842, at the age of sixty-two years. Wiley B. lived in McCracken County until 1874, when he came to Ballard County, Ky., and settled on 1,000 acres, where he now lives, and which he has given to his children, with the exception of 150 acres, which he still retains. Mr. Rudolph was married in July, 1837, to Jane Lynn, of Montgomery County, Tenn., daughter of Andrew and Nancy (Smith) Lynn, natives of North Carolina, and of English origin. To this union were borne eleven children: David C., Martha A. (deceased, she was married to D. M. Rudolph), William M., John W., Nancy A. (now Mrs. Hedges), Vinecia (deceased), M. H., Felix G., Jemima A. (deceased), Marrietta R. and Finice N. Mrs. Rudolph died in September, 1859, a member of the Presbyterian Church. Our subject was next married in September, 1861, to Mrs. Nancy H. Stephens, a native of Montgomery County, Tenn., and daughter of W. R. and Sarah (Bevell) Lee. This union was blessed with eight children: Melissa B. (now Hague), Jefferson (deceased), Hillin B. (deceased), Mattie M., Sarah M., Minnie, Robert D. and Cora L. His second wife died in June, 1878, a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Rudolph’s third marriage was on December 16, 1880, to Martha J. Hall, of McCracken County, Ky., daughter of William and Malinda (James) Hall, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively, and of Irish and German and Welsh and Irish descent. Mr. Rudolph is a member of the Presbyterian Church, also of the Masonic fraternity; Mrs. R. is a member of the Baptist Church. J. W. Rudolph enlisted in Company B, Third Kentucky Cavalry, April, 1864, and was engaged in the battles of Harrisburg, Guntown, Oxford, Athens, Alabama, Sulphur Trestles and Pulaski. He took the oath of allegiance after his return home in 1865.