My Genealogy Hound

Dr. James M. Head, Sr., a practicing physician of the Tenth District, was born in Sumner County, Tenn., in 1818. He is one of the twelve children born to Henry and Elizabeth (Sandford) Head. The father was of English descent, born in Albemarle County, Va., in 1770, and came to Tennessee about 1804. He leased and located on a farm, one and a half miles from Cairo, where our subject was born. Ten years later he moved two miles north of Castalian Springs, where he purchased a 300 acre farm. He died in 1855. His wife of Scotch origin, born in Albemarle County, Va., in 1777, and died in 1873. The subject of this sketch received his literary education at the Rural Academy, Sumner County, and remained with his parents until his eighteenth year. He then began the study of medicine with Dr. M. D. D. F. Sharpe. Two years later he attended a five months’ course of lectures at the Transylvania Medical College, Lexington, Ky. After several months’ practice he returned to the college, and graduated in the spring of 1841. He came home and bought a farm of fifty-three acres, upon which he now resides. In 1841 he married Bathenia P. Branham, who was born in 1825, and died in 1885. Eight children were born to this union, two of whom died in infancy, and six are yet living. Those living are Milton E., a member of the Christian Church—he married Elizabeth Yager about 1868; Flora, married Dr. J. L. Vertress in 1869; Altie is a member of the Christian Church. John Brodie is an M. D. He married in 1871 Miss Virginia Perkins. Henry O. was married in 1877 to Sallie Wilson of New Orleans. James M., a lawyer, of Nashville, married in 1885 Miss Minnie Chewy of that city. Our subject enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861, as surgeon of the Thirtieth Tennessee from Sumner County. He took part in the battle of Fort Donelson, and was captured. After six months’ imprisonment he was released. He was afterward in the battles of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and many minor engagements. He returned home in 1863, and since which time his attention has been given to farming and his professional duties. He has an extensive and lucrative practice, and is recognized as one of the most able physicians in the county. He lost considerable wealth by the war, owing to the emancipation of the slaves. He now owns 600 acres of valuable land. His first presidential vote was cast for James K. Polk. He has always been a stanch Democrat. He was a member of the P. of H., Greenwood Lodge, No. 24. He was Master of lodge and overseer of State Grange. No man in the county is more widely known, or respected than Dr. Head.