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Below is a family biography included in The History of Giles County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1886.  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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FRANK G. BUFORD was born near where he now lives December 13, 1851, son of Hon. Thomas Buford, who was also born in Giles County, Tenn. He was the first president of what was formerly known as the Nashville & Decatur Railway, and was a member of the Tennessee General Assembly for a number of years. He was one of the most prominent men of Giles County at the time of his death, which occurred here in 1860. The Buford family is of English origin. The paternal grandfather of our subject was an extensive land-owner. Our subject is the fourth of seven children born to his parents. His mother, Mary Ann (Gordon) Buford, was a daughter of Thomas K. Gordon. Our subject was educated at the common schools and at the Washington and Lee University, in Virginia. He graduated from this institution in 1878, and after returning home engaged in teaching school for some years. Later he turned his attention to farming and stock-raising. Since 1876 he has been engaged in the breeding of trotting and pacing horses, but now gives his undivided attention to the breeding of pacing horses. He owns the famous pacer, “Tom Hal,” sire of “Little Brown Jug,” who has made the three fastest straight heats of any horse in America; time, 2:11 3/4, 2:11 3/4, and 2:12 1/2. Among the famous sires that have been at Rockdale Farm are “Almont, Jr.,” 2:29, sire of “Annie W.,” 2:20; “Prince Pulaski,” sire of “Mattie Hunter,” 2:12 3/4; Gen. Hardee, sire of “Thunder,” 2:22 3/4, and Buford’s “Tom Hal.” Mr. Buford is making a success in breeding pacing horses, and deserves the credit of being the first man in the United States to give his whole attention to and make a specialty of breeding pacers. In 1879 Mr. Buford married Lavina Childress, of this county, and by her has one child—Amanda. Mrs. Buford died in 1884. Our subject is a Democrat and one of the leading stockmen of Tennessee.

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This family biography is one of 95 biographies included in The History of Giles County, Tennessee published in 1886.  The History of Giles County was included within The History of Giles, Lincoln, Franklin & Moore Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Giles, Lincoln, Franklin , Moore Counties of Tennessee

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