My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Haywood 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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D. N. Rives, a farmer and citizen of the Third District, and also a druggist, the son of Christopher and Mary Ann (Shelton) Rives, was born in Fayette County, Tenn., in 1842; is one of seven children, six living. The father was of German descent, born in Dinwiddie County, Va., in 1814; was raised and educated in his native county and moved to Fayette County when a young man, marrying about 1836. In early life he was a merchant, then a farmer; was magistrate in his district for some time, and died in 1866. Mrs. Rives was born in Smith County, Tenn., in 1818, and died in 1879. D. N. Rives was educated in Fayette County. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Ninth Tennessee Infantry, (Confederate Army), and was soon promoted to sergeant. He was at Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro and Chickamauga; at the latter place he was captured and taken to Rock Island, Ill., and was held a prisoner until the close of the war; in the last battle he was in he lost his left arm; after he was exchanged he continued farming until 1870, when he was appointed deputy sheriff for several years; he was also a constable for two terms. In 1876 he was elected sheriff of Fayette County and held the office two years, and in 1878 moved to his present farm of 356 acres of good land, five miles southwest of Stanton. In 1884 he formed a partnership with his brother, W. C. Rives, in the drug business at Stanton, and they have the best business house in the town. November, 1877, he married Mrs. Alice Ligon, daughter of James and Alice C. White of Haywood County; they have had three children, two living: Jimnat and Alice. Mrs. Rives was born in Fayette County in 1847, and with her husband belongs to the Old School Presbyterian Church, Mr. Rives being an elder in the church. In politics he is a Democrat; his first presidential vote was cast for H. Seymour.

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This family biography is one of 82 biographies included in the book,  The History of Haywood County, Tennessee published in 1886 by Goodspeed.  The History of Haywood County was included within The History of Lauderdale, Tipton, Haywood, and Crockett Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Lauderdale, Tipton, Haywood, and Crockett Counties, Tennessee

View additional Haywood County, Tennessee family biographies here: Haywood County, Tennessee

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