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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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John David Carne, clerk of the Gibson County Court, was born in Henry County, Tenn., April 3, 1842, son of John D. and Nancy (Barnard) Carne, natives respectively of South and North Carolina. They were married in North Carolina, and came to Tennessee between 1833 and 1835, locating in Henry County, where he practiced medicine until 1850, when he removed to Gibson County, and took up his abode seven miles east of Trenton. Here he farmed and practiced his profession until his death, May 28, 1865. The mother died in September, 1860, having borne seven children, only four of whom are living. The father’s second wife was Jane A. Alexander, who still survives him. Our subject was reared on a farm and secured a good academical education, graduating from the Bluff Springs Seminary in 1861. A year later he joined the Confederate Army, serving in the Forty-seventh Regiment Tennessee Infantry. He was seriously wounded at Shiloh (being shot through both knees), and disabled for further service. After sufficiently recovering from his wounds he began teaching school in Gibson County, and followed that occupation irregularly until 1878, when he made the race for county court clerk. The returns showed but two or three votes difference between himself and his principal opponent, but owing to some complications in regard to declaring the successful candidate, Mr. Carne relinquished his claims to the office. He was elected to the office, however, in 1882, and has discharged the duties of the office very successfully up to the present time. Mr. Carne was re-elected to the office of county court clerk without opposition August, 1886, for four years. He is a stanch Democrat, a Mason (Knights Templar degree), a K. of H. and a member of the Presbyterian Church. In 1861 he married Mary P. Simmons, who died in June, 1875, leaving three children: John W., Nannie May and Emma. In 1876 Mr. Carne married Sarah A. Hale, and by her is the father of six children: Lena J., Mattie D., Mary Lou, Elizabeth S., Douglass B. and Arthur N.

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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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