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Below is a family biography included in The History of Wilson 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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J. B. GRANDSTAFF, a thrifty farmer and native of the Sixteenth District of Wilson County, Tenn., was born February 17, 1831, and is one of eight children of David and Margaret (Phillips) Grandstaff. The father was born in Wilson County about 1805, and was married in 1828 and immediately began farming. He died January 1, 1852. The mother was born in Wilson County two years later than her husband and died about 1865. Our subject was educated in the schools near home and remained on the home farm until twenty-seven years of age. In 1857 he wedded Miss Arsula, daughter of Stacy and Jane (Anderson) Young. Mrs. Grandstaff was born in Wilson County in 1836. She and her husband became the parents of these children: William D., Jane, Frank, Mary and Martha. Mr. Grandstaff is a well-to-do farmer and owns about 230 acres of valuable and well improved land. He has been very industrious and by his own efforts has accumulated a large amount of property. He is conservative in his political views but on national tickets votes usually with the Democratic party. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church.
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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in The History of Wilson County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed. The History of Wilson 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
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