My Genealogy Hound

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 W. Loy, among the largest land owners in Jefferson County, was born at Loy’s Cross Roads, in Anderson (now Union) County June 10, 1828, the son of Jacob and Hazy (Hill) Loy. The father was born in 1807, the son of John Loy, a native of North Carolina, who about 1782 came to Tennessee. Many feats of strength and agility are told of him. Jacob was the first born of eleven children, and grew up on the farm. He was a blacksmith by trade, but devoted himself to farming, and died in 1865, after a long and useful life. The mother, born about 1805, in Knox County, was the daughter of James Hill, and died a Christian about 1830. Our subject attended school at Loy’s Cross Roads and at Clinton. When eighteen he left the home farm, married and began for himself on a small farm, and has succeeded as a farmer. He is a self-made man, beginning with a farm worth not over $300, and now owning about 2,500 acres in this county. He has raised more wheat that any other one man in the county. He took no part during the war, and so was not raided by either side. He has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, since his eighteenth year, and has attended a number of conference meetings. He has been a local minister since about 1858, but never desired a charge. December 5, 1844, he married Mary A. George, who was born in Knox County about 1827, the daughter of Parnick George. Their children are George, born October 10, 1845; Parley, born in 1847, deceased in 1849; Louis L., born in 1851; Jacob, born in 1853, deceased in 1855; Mary L., born in 1855; Travis W., born in 1857; Marvil, born in 1859; P. H., born in 1861; Hazy, born in 1863; Martha, born in 1865; Alletha, born in 1867, and John, born in 1869. The wife is a Methodist. Our subject has been very fortunate with his family, having never had over $25 in physician’s bills to pay.

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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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