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

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Alexander B. Buchanan, M. D., the leading physician of this district, was born in Tennessee, May 8, 1833, son of Alexander and Mary T. (Ridley) Buchanan. They were natives of Tennessee and Georgia respectively. The father was a farmer, and owned quite a number of slaves. He was the father of eight children, and died in Davidson County, in 1835. His widow married Everett Owen, in 1846, by whom she had one child, and died in Williamson County, in 1848. John Buchanan, grandfather of our subject, was county court clerk of Davidson County for a number of years, and was also county surveyor for some time. Alexander B. Buchanan resided with his guardian, Dr. Everett M. Patterson, after the death of his parents. He attended school in Nashville until eighteen years of age, when he learned the millwright’s trade, under the instruction of Robert Currin. At the age of twenty-one he began studying medicine, under Dr. John A. Ewing, of Rutherford County, and remained with him three years, attending, at the same time, the University of Nashville, in 1854 and 1855. He graduated in 1856. He then practiced in Shady Grove, until the fall of 1856, when he attended four sessions of lectures at Nashville. He located near Humboldt, and practiced until 1861, when he enlisted in the Confederate service, Capt. Russell’s company, at Trenton. He served twelve months, and the last six months was assistant surgeon. After the regiment was reorganized, he was appointed surgeon of Ballentine’s regiment, Third Mississippi, and remained with them until the close of the war. From that time until January, 1867, he practiced in Humboldt. Since that time he has resided in the village of Rutherford, where he soon commanded a large and remunerative practice. In 1854 he married Lou. A. Buchanan, daughter of Richard G. and Ann (Murphy) Buchanan. She was born in Tennessee, in 1833, and became the mother of seven children, only two of whom are living. Owing to ill health, he discontinued his practice in 1870, and was in the life insurance business one year. He then resumed his medical practice. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and he is a Democrat. He belongs to the I. O. O. F., and has taken all the degrees in masonry, including the commandery degree.

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This family biography is one of 242 biographies included in The History of Gibson County, Tennessee published in 1887.  The History of Gibson 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

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