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Below is a family biography included in The History of East 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 Fain Brazelton was born in New Market, Jefferson Co., Tenn., August 22, 1833, and is the son of Gen. William and Martha A. (Gillespie) Brazelton. The father was born one mile below New Market April 9, 1792. He was the son of William, who was also the son of William, a native of North Carolina. William, the father, was reared on the farm and acquired a limited education. He was possessed of a strong mind, and mastered the principles of mathematics and surveying, but did not follow the latter. Until his nineteenth year he worked with his father on the farm, and then went to live with John Fain, a merchant of Dandridge, and was by that gentleman employed in peddling goods through the country in a wagon. He became a partner of Mr. Fain in about 1815, and established a store at Mossy Creek, which at that time was the only store from Mossy Creek to Knoxville, Dandridge, Cheek’s Cross Roads and Rutledge. Two years later the co-partnership was dissolved, and he and Robert Massengill formed a copartner ship, and carried on the business until 1822, and then removed to New Market and continued business together until 1827, when Mr. Massengill retired, and our subject’s father then ran the business until 1836. He then formed a co-partnership with W. H. Moffett, and with him carried on business until 1840, when Mr. Moffett withdrew, and he ran the business alone until the breaking out of the late war. During the above time he was also engaged in extensive farming, owning and cultivating one of the finest farms in East Tennessee, embracing about 1,000 acres of land. During the militia days in Tennessee he was prominently connected with that organization, and filled positions in the same from captain to general, and from 1839 to 1847 was major-general of the East Tennessee Militia, being one of three officers of that rank in the entire State. Before the war he was superintendent of the East Tennessee & Virginia Railway, and for several years was a member of the Agricultural Bureau at Nashville. He was one of the most prominent men ever produced by Jefferson County, and his death occurring May 17, 1877, after a long and useful life, was sincerely mourned by all who knew him. The mother was born at Limestone, Washington County, near the Greene County line, May 10, 1798, and was the daughter of Thomas Gillespie, of that county. She died December 13, 1881. Previous to this union the father of our subject was married to Mary P. Reese, in 1816, who was born near Mossy Creek in about 1798, and was the daughter of Joseph Reese, and a sister of Judge William B. Reese, of Knoxville, and of Dr. J. B. M. Reese, of Mossy Creek. She died in 1826. Our subject was reared in the store at New Market, and educated at New Market and Knoxville. He remained with his father in business until 1860, and then followed farming below New Market for three years, and then returned to town. In December, 1866, he removed to his present farm near Mossy Creek. He was married in 1860 to Blanch Branner, who was born at Mossy Creek in 1842, and was the daughter of George Branner. She died in May, 1876. To this union seven children were born, three of whom are living.

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This family biography is one of 938 biographies included in The History of East Tennessee published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: History of East Tennessee

To view additional Jefferson County, Tennessee family biographies, click here

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