CHARLES BROWN Charles Brown, a merchant of Wartburg, was born in Lammersheim, Rhine-Baiern Bavaria, Germany, at the castle of the County of Oberndorf, on September 28, 1847. He is the third of nine children born to the marriage of Heinrich Edward and Maria Josephine (Fricker) Brown. The father was born August 25, 1810, in Mannheim, Grossherzogthum Baden, and the mother was born April 10, 1817, in Wangen, Konigreich Wurtemburg, her maiden name being FRICKER. They were married in Mannheim, September 23, 1841. They left the old country August 1, 1850 and reached Wartburg, Tenn., October 3, of the same year, after a long and tiresome trip, the voyage of forty-four days on the ocean being very tempestuous. Upon their arrival here they located about four miles east of Wartburg. They afterward removed to Jacksboro, and thence to Knoxville, where they still reside.
Charles remained at home until he reached the age of eight years, when he set out to earn his own living. He lived with a Mr. METZER until he was fifteen years old. He then began to learn the tanner's trade under JOHN H. BRIENT, who had a yard near Montgomery. After completing his apprenticeship, he clerked in the store of Albert HURT for about 2 yers and worked at Clinton for a year. In 1869, in parrtnership with Mr. HURT, he sank a tanyard, which was run about two years. On December 24, 1871, he married LAURA V., daughter of John H. BRIENT, and soon after began the operation of the tannery, when he had learned the trade. This he continued about one year, after which he worked at various places, finally engaging in business with W. H. JONES at Sunbright. After eighteen months he removed to Wartburg, and entered into partnership with JOHN HALL, with whom he remained until 1878. He has since been engaged in conducting his present business. His first wife having died, he was in March, 1876, united in marriage with JULIA GARRETT, to whom have been born five children, four of whom are living. Mr. Brown is a successful business man, and is highly esteemed by the community in which he lives.
COL. REUBEN A. DAVIS COL. REUBEN A. DAVIS, chairman of the county court of Morgan County, is the grandson of John M. DAVIS, one of the first settlers of the county. The latter came from Louisa County, Va., and located in Morgan County about one mile from Melhon's Ford on Emory River, where he lived for several years. He then removed to Little Emory, where he died about 1853. He had a family of three daughters and five sons, of whom JOSEPH S., the father of our subject, was the eldest. He was born in Virginia about the year 1800, and as a boy came with his father's family to Tennessee. In 1823 he married Amanda, a daughter of CHARLES WILLIAMS, who came to Tennessee from Appomattox, Va., about 1814. They had five children, Melinda, (Mrs. Abner F. Staples), John M., Charles G., Susannah, (Mrs. Lemuel Summer), and Reuben A. The last named was born on April 12, 1833, in Roane County, near the Little Emory Iron Works. When he was only six months old his mother died, and at the age of twelve he was left an orphan. He then went to work for his uncle, at $4 per month, and continued to work for him until he reached the age of eighteen. At this time he engaged in the stock business, buying cattle in Morgan and surrounding counties, and driving them to Virginia. In August, 1863, he entered the Eleventh Regiment of Tennessee (Federal) Cavalry as lieutenant-colonel, and continued in that position until just before the consolidation of the the Eleventh and Ninth Regiments. On February 22, 1864, while leading his regiment in an engagement at Weirman's Mill, Virginia against the brigade of Gen. Jones, he received two minie-balls in his body, both of which he still carries. He was captured by the enemy and held a prisoner for a time, but finally made his escape. In 1865 he purchased the farm where he now resides, consisting of 1,000 acres, of which 300 are in cultivation. In May 1855, Col. Davis was married to Lucinda Summer, a native of the county, and a daughter of William and Clarissa (Staples) Summer. Ten children have been born to them, nine of whom are now living. They are, Virginia (Mrs. John Williams), John M., Milly A., Amanda, David K.T., William H., Charles II., Albert C., and Clarissa. Col. Davis has filled the office of county surveyer for one term, and is now serving his third term of chairman as the county court. He has been a member of the Masonic Fraternity for twenty-one years and in politics is a Democrat.
JOHN HALL JOHN HALL, one of the representative and enterprising citizens of Morgan County, was born near Wartburg, April 17, 1842. His great-grandfather, SAMUEL HALL, a native of Virginia, was one of the earliest settlers on Beaver Creek, Knox County. About 1807 he removed with his family to Morgan County and entered a tract of land seven miles north of Wartburg, where he continued to reside until his death. He reared a large family of sons and daughters, all of whom were remarkable for their great height, none being under six feet. One of these, DAVID HALL, was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and the father of JOHN HALL, SR. The latter was born in 1818 and during his entire life was engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1841, he married MARY WILLIAMS, who died in 1883, preceding him to the grave only about a year. They had five children, of whom John is the eldest. He remained at home until March 9, 1865, when he was united in marriage with EMILY J. LANGLEY, a native of Campbell County, and daughter of E. LANGLEY, who was Captain of Company F, First Federal Tennessee Infantry. After marriage he engaged in farming and continued in that pursuit until 1870, when he opened a store in Wartburg, where he has since remained. Mr. Hall has held several important official positions and in all cases has discharged his duties with fidelity and ability. In 1867 he was appointed by the govenor, auditor of claims for Morgan County, and in 1874 was elected clerk of the county court, which position he filled for one term. He was then chosen to represent the district composed of Morgan, Fentress and Overton counties, in the Lower House of the General Assembly. He has also been twice commissioned postmaster. He is a member of Emory Lodge, No. 377, F. & A.M. His wife is a consistent member of the Methodist Church. They have three children; Mary, David and Frederick.
DANIEL M. KELLY DANIEL M. KELLY, a prominent citizen, merchant and farmer, is a native of Morgan County, was born April 8, 1826. He is the elder of two children born to the marriage of JAMES and MELINDA (HALL) KELLY, both natives of Tennessee. The latter was a daughter of MARTIN HALL, who came from North Carolina, and located about six miles north of Wartburg. JAMES KELLY resided on Emory River until 1840, when he went to Missouri. He returned the next year, however, and bought the farm where the subject of this sketch now resides. There he continued to live until the war. He then took up his residence on his son's farm, that he might better protect his slave property. On December 12, 1863, he was taken prisoner by bushwackers or some other lawless band and brutally murdered. His widow survived him until January 11, 1872. DANIEL M. KELLY remained at home, working on the farm until after his marriage. He then engaged in farming for himself and in 1851 began merchandising, which business, in connection with farming, he still follows. On September 29, 1843, he was united in marriage with MARY J. JONES, who died on December 5, 1877, leaving seven children: RACHAEL (MRS. CALVIN G. JOYNER), ELIZA (MRS. JAMES LANGLEY), MELINDA (MRS. LEVI BRASEL), JAMES B., DANIEL M., JR., WILLIAM C. AND SAMUEL W. Since the death of his first wife, Mr. Kelly marriet RUTH WILSON. Politically he is a stanch Democrat and socially is a member of the Baptist Church.
VICTOR LETOREY VICTORY LETOREY, one of the most progressive and enterprising farmers in Tennessee, was born in New Orleans, January 26, 1839, being the eldest of five children born to JOHN B. AND EUPHROSYNE (CONAND). The former was a native of Burgundy, France. He came to America a poor boy, but by energy and economy accumulated sufficent money to engage in sugar planting, in which business he accumulated a large fortune. In 1853, in order that he might properly educate his family, he moved to Paris, and from that time to his death, in 1875, France was his permanent residence. His wife is still living at the age of sixty-eight years. Victor, the subject of this sketch, received a liberal education. After completing a literary course, he served for about three years as sub-assistant to PEDIGO, the renowned chemist in the Government Laboratories, and also took a complete course in pharmacy. In 1866 he returned to New Orleans, and erected a seltzer water manufactory, which proved a decided success until competition drove him from the business. Meanwhile, he spent his summers with his family in Morgan County, and, being delighted with the climate and magnificent scenery, he decided to make it his permanent home. He purchased 100 acres of land about one and one-half miles east of Wartburg, to which he has since added 700 acres. It was entirely covered by a forest, and Mr. Letorey had had no experience whatever in farming, but in the short space of fifteen years he has converted this tract into one of the best improved farms in East Tennessee. In doing this he has spared neither labor nor expense and has done a work on incalculable value to the agricultural interest of the State, and expecially of the Cumberland Plateau. He has devoted the greater portion of his time to experiments in grape culture and wine making, and has demonstrated that wines equal to the best in Europe can be made in this section. His experiments in the breeding of cattle have also proved of great value. On June 11, 1868, Mr. Letorey was united in marriage with PAULINE DE BLIEUX, a native of New Orleans, and a descendant of one of the nobility of Sourthern France. To them have been born eight children, four of whom are living, they are VICTOR JR., born in 1873: DENNIS, born in 1876; HONORENE, born in 1878, and OCTAVIUS, born in 1880.
Transcribed and contributed by Julie Cromwell
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