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Below is a family biography included in The History of Weakley 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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Alpheus D. Finch, M. D., of Dresden, was born in Weakley County, in 1849. His father, J. M. Finch, was of English descent, born in Granville County, N. C., in 1824. He was brought to Tennessee when about two years of age. He married Melissa Montgomery, in 1848, and followed the occupation of farming. He is now one of the oldest citizens of Weakley County, and is highly esteemed for his many good qualities. In 1878 he was elected county court clerk and held the office four years with credit to himself. In 1882 he moved to Gleason Station and there now resides. His wife was born in 1831, and became the mother of the following children: Alpheus D., Benana, Cornelia E., J. Bruce, Ella, Lillie May, Zula and Emma Hite. Our subject’s grandfather was a farmer and carpenter by trade, and erected the first jail and assisted in erecting the first court house in Weakley County. He was one of the first magistrates of Weakley County. He and wife returned to North Carolina, their native State, on a business trip about the year 1842, and while they were returning, the carriage in which they were traveling upset at night and both were thrown out and killed. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. Our subject, Alpheus D., received an academic education in the Gleason Masonic Institute, was elected valedictorian of his class in 1870, began the study of medicine in 1871, and entered the medical department of Nashville University in the fall of 1873, where he remained for one session. In 1874 he went to Howell County, Mo., but the following year returned home and located in Obion County, where he did a successful practice for six years. Owing to ill health he abandoned practice, and in 1881 came to Dresden and opened a drug store. In the fall of 1884 he returned to his former alma mater and graduated as an M. D. in February, 1885. In May of that year he resumed his practice, in which he has been very successful. He is a Democrat, a member of the Methodist Church and of the orders of I. O. O. F. and Masonic fraternities. In November, 1875, he married Laura A. Terrell, who died in September, 1876, and in July, 1878, he wedded E. Augusta Jones, who was born in 1854. From this marriage there is one son, Carl D.

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This family biography is one of 108 biographies included in The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Weakley County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee

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