My Genealogy Hound

George N. Whitson is one in a family of nine children born to George and Priscilla (Vance) Whitson, both of whom were born in North Carolina and came to Tennessee in 1800. The father was a farmer by occupation and a mill-wright by trade, and was fairly prosperous financially. He and wife were members of the old Presbyterian Church, and he was living in Coffee County at the time of his death, which occurred in 1825. His wife died six months sooner. George N. was born in 1817 and when about eight years of age was left parentless. He lived with an uncle until he was eleven years of age, when he was taken charge of by the court and was bound out for a number of years to serve an apprenticeship at the tailor’s trade. Three years before his time expired he bought his freedom and began life for himself. He at once went to Nashville and was employed as superintendent of the tailoring department of the penitentiary at $50 per month, which position he held for three years. At the expiration of that time he engaged in merchandising at Middleton, Tenn., and continued about one year. He then moved to Bedford County and purchased the mill and land at the three forks of Duck River, which he operated for about four years. In 1845, while in the mill business, he married Caroline Smart, daughter of Frank and Margaret (Davidson) Smart, she was born in Tennessee in 1826 and became the mother of seven children, one of whom is dead. At the expiration of his milling career he moved to the Flatwoods country and farmed for one year, then purchased a farm in Maury County, on which he lived about seven years. He then sold out and purchased the 700 acres of land where he now lives. His farm is well improved and in a good state of cultivation, although especially adapted for stock raising. In 1861 he was conscripted into the Confederate service and remained twenty days when he was released on account of being over age. His wife died in February, 1864, and in December of the same year he married Margaret P. Neely, daughter of J. and P. (Sandy) Neely. She was born near Nashville, in 1835, and bore her husband five children, one son dead. He was magistrate in Maury County for seven years and he is a prosperous and well informed citizen. He and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He is a Democrat and of Irish descent.