I - J Bios, Goodspeed's History of Tennessee

 Not responsible for typos and errors. Please check the original Goodspeed before adding to your genealogical record as absolute proof --- and then remember that the family only told what that wanted the public to know.

Robert N. IRVINE, merchant, of Dresden, Tenn., was born in 1828 in Buckingham County, Va.   His father, Samuel Irvine, was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was born in the same county and State as his son, in 1802.  He was also a merchant and held county offices for upward of twenty years.   His father, Walter Irvine, was a native of the Emerald Isle, and when a young man came to the United States and became a merchant of Jamestown,Va. Samuel, in I824, marred Catherine Jones and in 1833 came to Weakley County, Tenn., and followed merchandising.  He became the owner of 500 acres of land, and as he was a man of fine intellect and business capacity, was elected clerk of the circuit court of Weakley County in 1844, and held the office until his death in 1868.  He was highly honorable in every respect and led an exemplary and useful life.  His wife was born in Nottoway County, Va., in 1808, and died in 1882.  After Mr. Irvine's death she married James McDaniel, who is also dead.   There were six children in the Irvine family, three of whom are living: Benjamin D., a miller, of Dresden; Samuel, who farms the old homestead, and our subject, who was educated in the neighboring schools and Dresden. At the age of twenty he    began clerking in Dresden and at the age of (twenty) five years he and a brother bought the general merchandise store of Isaac Winston and began business for themselves. In 1856 Robert N. purchased the entire stock of goods, but in 1861 moved to Paducah, Ky., where he remained until 1865, when he returned to Dresden and reopened a store, and here has since remained.   April 20, 1853, he married Nannie Winston, who was born in Virginia June 11, 1835, and by her became the father of five children: Clarence B., Annie (wife of Dr. R. R. Winston), Walter and William G. (who died December 14, 1879, while attending the literary department of the Vanderbilt University at Nashville and Mattie Lee.  In 1858 and 1859 he was engaged in the manufacture of tobacco, and the two following years ran the stage line from Hickman, Ky., to Camden, Tenn.  Since 1876 he has dealt in leaf tobacco.  He is a Democrat and Mason, and his wife and two daughters are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

Clarence B. IRVINE, livery man and native of Dresden, Tenn., was born February 26, 1855, son of Robert N. and Nannie (Winston) Irvine. Clarence was reared and educated in Dresden and in addition attended one year at the Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, which was under the management of Gen. Bushrod Johnson and Gen. E. Kirby Smith.  At the age of sixteen he began clerking in his uncle's (P. B. Winston's) dry goods store at Brownsville, Tenn., and after one year's service there began clerking in Clarksdale, Miss.   During the centennial year, he with a party of his friends took a pleasure trip to Philadelphia and visited many places of interest in the Northern and Eastern States, going as far as Canada.  In 1877 he entered into partnership with his father in the grist and saw-mill business, three miles south of Dresden. T he following year he purchased his father's interest and carried on the business on his own responsibility.  In 1883 he sold out and in 1884 established a livery and feed stable.  In 1885 he purchased a stable of J. A.. and J. P. Gibbs, and since then has had complete control of both stables.  November 12, 1884, he married May Pryor, who was born near Paris, Tenn., in June, 1862.   She is a member of the Christian Church.  Mr. Irvine is a Democrat in politics and cast his first presidential vote for Hancock.

B. D. IRVINE, farmer and miller of Dresden, Tenn., is a native of Weakley County, Tenn., born October 31, 1832, son of Samuel and Catherine (Jones) Irvine.  He was educated in the neighboring schools and in Dresden, and made his home with his parents until he was fourteen years of age.  e served four years as his father's deputy.  In 1855 he and his brother R. N. and J. E. Freeman engaged in merchandising, and November 5, 1856, he married Agnes Moran, daughter of James H. and Harriet Moran.  Mrs. Irvine was born October 7, 1838, in Dresden, and became the mother of twelve children, ten of whom are living: Harry C., who is in Texas; Thomas B., who is in South America; John B., James A., Florence, Robert L., Moran, Sophia A., Forest D. and William P.   In 1857 Mr. Irvine sold his interest in the mercantile establishment to his brother and Mr. Freeman, and with T. A. Baker established a now firm, continuing two years.  He owns 450 acres of fine land, and a handsome residence in the suburbs of Dresden.   In 1880 he, C. W. Cottrell, G. S. Boyd and S. P. Scott engaged in merchandising and milling, the dry goods firm being known as Cottrell, Irvine & Co., and the milling firm as Scott, Boyd & Co.   In 1883 Mr. Cottrell bought the store, and Mr. Irvine and Mr. Scott bought Mr. Boyd's and Mr. Cottrell's interest in the mill, and from that time until the present the firm has been known as Irvine & Scott.   For the past thirty years Mr. Irvine has been one of Weakley County's enterprising business men.   He is a Democrat, and his first presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan.  In 1876 he was elected trustee of Weakley County, and served in that capacity two years.   He is a member of the Masonic, I.O.O.F., K. of H. and A.0.U.W. fraternities, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

William D. JANES. one of the successful farmers and prominent citizens of the Sixth District of Weakley County, Tenn., is a son of Edward and Piety (Berry) Janes.   He was born in Henry County, Tenn., in 1889, and is one of a family of fourteen children, only nine now living: Caroline (Mrs. B. L. Simmons), William D., Elizabeth (wife of Dr. James Revis), Savannah (Mrs. Samuel Irvin), Samantha (Mrs. Joseph Atkins), Mollie (wife of Dr. T. H. Allen), Ada (Mrs. George Laster), Ida (Mrs. W. C. McWirter) and Augusta (Mrs. George Newberry).   The father was born in the Palmetto State in 1814.   He received but a limited early education, but greatly improved it in later years by observation and study.  He came to Tennessee when about nineteen years old, and July 28, 1836, was united in marriage to subject's mother. For several years he was engaged in the mercantile business in Como.   In 1859 he moved to Weakley County, where he is at present residing on a large farm.   His wife was born in Kentucky about 1819, and moved to Henry County, Tenn., in 1820.   William D. Janes, our subject, spent his boyhood days with his parents and was educated at the New Boston Academy and also the McKenzie Academy.  At the age of twenty he took control of a mill, and is the present owner and manager.  He also owns several hundred acres of fine land, well improved and cultivated.   He is a man of undoubted integrity and good business qualifications and commands the respect of all who know him.   He is a Democrat in politics and Horace Greeley received his first presidential vote.

A. J. JEFFRESS was born in Halifax County, Va., March 28, 1838.   His parents, D. J. and  Parmelia (Davis) Jeffress, were Virginians by birth, born in 1810 and 1818, respectively, and after their marriage came to Tennessee.  The father died in 1863, and the other in 1884.   A. J. Jeffress was educated in the common schools and Bluff Springs Academy.   In 1869 he married Cora Smolley, who was born in Benton County, Tenn., 1852.   They have four children: Sammie, Jones, Mattie and Laura.   Mr. Jeffress engaged in carpentering after marriage in Martin, and remained there until March, 1886.   He built the first house ever erected in Martin.   In 1886 he purchased 180 acres of land  near Gardner, and there now resides.  He has always been energetic and economical, and a been fairly successful financially.  He is a Democrat, and his first presidential vote as cast for Breckenridge. He and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.  In April, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Thirty-first Infantry, and was at Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Missisonary Ridge, Resaca and Atlanta, Ga.   He was in captivity three months, was exchanged and returned home in March, 1865.

John W. JETER, stock raiser, farmer, and a prominent citizen of Weakley County, Tenn., was born in North Carolina, January 12,1831, son of Samuel and Ann (Brasfield) Jeter, natives of North Carolina, born in 1801 and 1797, and died in 1835 and 1853, respectively.   The father was a farmer, and when about twenty years of age was united in marriage to Ann Brasfield, by whom he had eight children, two of whom are living: Robert E. and our subject.   They came to Tennessee in 1831.    John W. was reared by his mother.  He was educated in the neighboring schools and at Dresden, and the year he was twenty-one years old, taught school, and on the 3d of March, 1853, his marriage with Dr. G. D. and Mrs. Simm's daughter Ann, was celebrated.   Of the five children born to them there are living William S., Frances Ella (Mrs. S. E. Young), and Ann C (Mrs. Henry Finch).  Almost from the date of his marriage, Mr. Jeter has resided on his present farm, which originally consisted of 100 acres, but now amounts to 628 acres of well cultivated and improved land.    Mr. Jeter is a Democrat, and in 1870 was elected to the office of magistrate, which he filled six years.  He has been a member of the Masonic eternity since he was twenty-one years of age.   In May, 1863, his wife died, and in December of the same year he wedded Sarah E. Young, by whom he is the father of six children: Lorissa T. (Mrs. Samuel Shannon), George W., John B., Robert Lee, Lulu and Ethelbert J.    Mrs. Jeter was born in Granville County, N. C., in 1837, and her parents, William K. and Lucy F. Young, were both born in North Carolina.  The father died in 1855, and the mother is now residing in Weakley County.

A. JOLLEY was born in Wilson County, Tenn., in 1827, being one of nine children born to H. B. and Martha Jolley, who were born in North Carolina and Wilson County, Tenn.,  respectively.  The father's birth occurred in 1805.   He was a farmer and moved to Wilson county in his youth and afterward married in that county.   He removed to Weakley county, about 1849, and resided in that county until 1864, when he moved to Illinois, and died in that State two years later.    The mother was born a few years later than her husband and departed this life in l865.   Our subject was educated in the district schools near his home, and about 1849 married Miss Mary J. Caraway, daughter of L. C. and Martha Caraway.    Mrs. Jolley is a Wilson County Tennessean, and was born in 1829.    The following family of children have been born to them: R. F.,  E. B.,   J. W.,   Paralee (wife of I. E. Elliott), L. C. and Josephine.    Soon after his marriage, Mr. Jolley located on the farm where he now lives.    His farm consists of about 150 acres of valuable land, well improved and well cultivated.   Mr. Jolley is a man of energetic habits and is well versed in business  life.   From 1860 until 1865 he was constable of his district, and in 1876 was chosen magistrate and has held the office up to the present time.    He is a Democrat and Mason and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

William C. JONES (deceased), is a son of Israel and Margaret (Connor) Jones, and was born in Henry County, Ky, in 1805.   Israel Jones was born in Virginia, and at an early day moved to Kentucky and there resided until 1825, when he came to Weakley County, Tenn., and was one of the few men who assisted in making the first settlements. William C. was married December 24,  1839, to Vaginia (Bondurant) Bayliss, who was born in 1814, in Kentucky. Soon after marriage Mr. Jones bought property near Dresden. His wife died October 19, 1857, and December of the following year he married Sarah Bondurant, daughter of Hillary and Unity (Terrell) Bondurant.    Mrs. Jones was born in 1828, and is the mother of two children: Hillary B. and Maggie (Mrs. E. J. White, of Fort Worth, Texas).   Mrs. Jones' grandfather, John Terrell, was the original owner of the land on which Dresden is now located.  He was one of Weakley County's first white settlers and lived for some time where the court house now stands, and afterward where Mr. W. C. Scott's home now is.   The first court ever held in the county was held in his sheep pen.  Our subject owned about 1,000 acres of land and although not a rich man, he left his family in good circumstances.   He died in March, 1886.  His wife and son Hillary have since lived on the home place, which is under the skillful management of the latter, and are doing well.  Mr. Jones was a Democrat, but previous to the war was a member of the old Whig party and was a Presbyterian in religious belief.