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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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William H. Sumners, M. D. a widely known physician and resident of Haywood County, was born April 5, 1849, in Madison County, Tenn., and is the son of Archibald and Missouri (Shevens) Sumners. The father was a native of North Carolina, born January 10, 1801, and died January 14, 1882; he came with his parents when very young to Lincoln County, Tenn., and lived there until he was grown, then moved to Madison and was successful as a farmer. The mother was born in Bedford County, Tenn., January 8, 1810, and died in August, 1874, a devout member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a woman of clear intellect, exerting a good influence upon all in her community. Our subject is the sixth of eight children. After completing his education at the Baptist Literary College, at Murfreesboro, Tenn., he directed his attention to the study of medicine, first taking a course of lectures at Louisville in 1870, then two courses at Nashville, where he graduated in 1872, then located at his home at Medon, Madison County, where he had a large and lucrative practice for eight years. In 1880 he moved to this county locating at a village called Nut Bush, eleven and one-half miles northwest of Brownsville. October 16, 1872, he married Mattie Dunaway, born in Madison County, March 27, 1852, and they had four sons and two daughters, one of each dead. Dr. and Mrs. Sumners are both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; he is a Democrat and a man of ability and influence.

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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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