My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Dyer 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.

* * * *

Dr. Eli A. Cole, physician and farmer, of the Ninth District, was the son of Andrew and Sarah (Wilkes) Cole, and was born in Gibson County in 1824, and is one of eight children, seven still living, five in Dyer County, one in Gibson and one in Obion County. The father was of Irish ancestry, born in Pennsylvania in 1789. When a child his parents moved to North Carolina, and afterward to Williamson County, Tenn. When he was twenty-two years old he married Mrs. Sarah Crafton (nee Wilkes), and moved to Gibson County and in 1838 to Dyer County and bought 400 acres of land in the Eighth District, and died in 1866. Mrs. Cole was born in Virginia in 1785 and died in 1854. Dr. Cole was educated in Dyer County and engaged in farming and teaching until 1850, when he commenced reading medicine under Dr. J. M. Northum, of Gibson County. In 1852 he entered the Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati. After one course of lectures he located in the Eighth District of Dyer County, and practiced medicine until 1865. In 1856 he married Miss Isabella Hall, daughter of Wilson and Sarah Hall, and six children were the result of their marriage, three now living: Dr. Jefferson D., of Newbern; Benjamin M. and Robert L. In 1865 Dr. Cole purchased a farm in the Ninth District, where he has since resided and carried on an extensive practice, being one of the most successful physicians in Dyer County. His farm consists of 318 acres, four miles east of Newbern. Mrs. Cole was born in North Carolina, in 1826, and died in 1874. Both Dr. and Mrs. Cole belonged to the Missionary Baptist Church.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 128 biographies included in The History of Dyer County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Dyer County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee

To view additional Dyer County, Tennessee family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.