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Below is a family biography included in The History of Maury County, 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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CAPT. ROBERT D. SMITH, principal of the Columbia Atheneum. was born October 9, 1842, son of the late Rev. Franklin G. Smith. He was educated by his father, and completed a scientific and literary course with him. He served in the late war in Company B, Second Tennessee Infantry, enlisting in April, 1861. He was promoted at the battle of Shiloh to first lieutenant on Gen. Claiborne’s staff, and served with Gens. Claiborne, Polk and Walthall until the surrender, being promoted to the rank of captain during the Dalton-Atlanta campaign. He participated in every battle of the war that the Army of Tennessee was engaged in except Chickamauga, when he was sick in the hospital. At the close of the war he returned home and completed his education, having, however, made great progress in mathematics while in the service by much desultory study with members of the engineer corps of the army. He assumed management of the Atheneum after the war, which he has ever since retained, and upon the death of his mother became the principal and prime manager of the school. In 1867 he married Margaret I., daughter of Hon. James H. Thomas, of Maury County. Two sons and one daughter have blessed this union. Mr. Smith is a Mason, Knight Templar degree, and he and family are members of the Episcopal Church.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in The History of Maury County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Maury County was included within The History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford & Marshall Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Beford and Marshall Counties of Tennessee

View additional Maury County, Tennessee family biographies here

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