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Below is a family biography included in The History of Wayne County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1886. 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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James T. Shields is a native of Maury County, Tenn., born in 1825, son of William B. and Mary D. (Ramsey) Shields, born in Georgia and North Carolina, respectively. The father was a farmer, a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a Democrat. He came to Wayne County in 1851, and here died in 1872. His wife died in 1860. Our subject was married, in 1847, to Martha D. Old, a daughter of Henry S. and Eglantine (Stone) Old. She was born in Tennessee in 1830, and is the mother of three children: Mary E. (deceased), Francis E. A. and Virginia I. Mrs. Shields died in May, 1884. Our subject remained at home and assisted his father on the farm until twenty years of age. After his marriage he located in the northern portion of Giles County, where he remained three years, and then moved to Wayne County. In 1863 he located on the farm of 500 acres where he now lives. He became a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1865, and is a Mason of Lodge No. 127. He is a stanch Democrat in politics.
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This family biography is one of 76 biographies included in The History of Wayne County, Tennessee published in 1886. The History of Lawrence County was included within The History of Lawrence, Wayne, Perry, Hickman & Lewis Counties of Tennessee. View the complete description here: History of Lawrence, Wayne, Perry, Hickman and Lewis Counties of Tennessee
View additional Wayne County, Tennessee family biographies here: Wayne County, Tennessee
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