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Below is a family biography included in The History of Sumner 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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William Read Duffy, a resident of the First District of Sumner County, engaged in stock raising and farming, is a son of Michael and Cornelia (Read) Duffy, and was born in what is now Trousdale County, in 1849, being one of five children, three living: William R., Hon. Hugh C., living near Cynthiana, Ky., and Micha Ella. The father was a native of Ireland, and came with his father, Charles Duffy, to the United States when about six years old. They located in Sumner County where he was raised, and he commenced life as a merchant and general trader at Hartsville with his brother, Pat Duffy, the firm being M. & P. Duffy, and they continued the business for many years. Our subject’s father was a man of good business capacity, and at one time represented his county in the Legislature, and at the time of his death was tax collector. He died at Castalian Springs, in 1858. The mother was born in what is now Trousdale County in 1819, and was a daughter of Capt. William and Polly (Bledsoe) Read, and is still living near Hendersonville, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. She was married in 1860, to George W. Terry. Our subject was raised by his mother, but, during the war, was with his uncle, Frank Rogan, and was educated at the neighboring schools, finishing at Rural Academy. He commenced farming on his own responsibility when only seventeen years of age, and has since successfully continued, with the exception of a few years — 1876 to 1879 — spent in Texas and other Western States. Mr. Duffy owns 216 acres of a farm of 336 acres six and a half miles east of Gallatin, and it is one of the best farms in that section. He has been quite extensively engaged in stock raising in connection with his farming, and has met with success. Mr. Duffy’s first presidential vote was cast in 1872 for H. Greeley. He is a most worthy of Sumner County.

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This family biography is one of 115 biographies included in The History of Sumner County, Tennessee published in 1887.  The History of Sumner County was included within The History of Sumner, Smith, Macon & Trousdale Counties of Tennessee. View the complete description here: History of Sumner, Smith, Macon and Trousdale Counties of Tennessee

View additional Sumner County, Tennessee family biographies here: Sumner County, Tennessee

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