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Below is a family biography included in The History of Williamson 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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HON. B. B. TOON, an old and influential citizen of Williamson County, Tenn., was born in this State August 20, 1816. His father, James Toon, was a native of Virginia, born in 1779, and in 1815 was wedded to Dorcus Dodson, a native of Virginia, born October, 1788. The father came to Tennessee in 1811 and located in West Harpeth, in this county. He fought in the war of 1812 and also in the Creek Indian war. He died in 1839, and the mother died in 1863. Our subject was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Nolan, a native of this county, born May 13, 1832, and the daughter of Stephen Nolan, a native of Virginia. To our subject and wife were born seven children: Michael M., born in 1850: Fannie D., born in 1852; James M., born in 1855; Florence M., born in 1857; William B., born in 1860; Rufus C., born in 1866, and Vera P., born in 1874. Our subject was reared on a farm, and in early life taught school in this county. In 1849 he moved to his present farm, which lies on Harpeth River, about seven miles from the county seat, and which contains 330 acres of good land in a line state of cultivation. In 1842 he was elected justice of the peace in this district, and re-elected in 1850, which office he held until 1876, with the exception of four years during the war. In 1874 he was elected to the State Legislature, representing Williamson and Maury Counties. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and he is a member of the Masonic fraternity and a Democrat in politics.
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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in The History of Williamson County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed. The History of Williamson 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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