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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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THOMAS O. BETTS is a son of Thomas and Clarissa (Whittington) Betts, and was born in Davidson County, Tenn., November 21, 1834. The Betts family are natives of Pennsylvania, the grandfather of our subject moving to Nashville at an early day, and erecting the first hotel in the place. He afterward moved to Belleview and operated a grist-mill and distillery for a number of years. Our subject’s father was a tanner by trade, and owned a farm on Harpeth River. He became the father of ten children, and died in 1845. Our subject is one of five surviving children, and from early youth has shown aptitude for merchandising and has always followed that occupation. In 1875 he was married to Miss Margaret M. Burk, who is a native of Washington City. Mr. Betts began merchandising in Thompson’s Station in 1877, under the firm name of T. O. Betts & Co. They carry a stock of $8,000 and do an annual business of $13,000.
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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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