Subjects of Perrin, Battle & Kniffin 1885 Biographies
From: Kentucky, A History of the State. Perrin, Battle & Kniffin. 2nd ed.,
1885, Webster Co.
JAMES C. WILLIAMS was born May 20, 1824, in what is now Webster County, and
is a son of Stephen and Lucy (Curry) Williams. The father was born in
Christian County, was a saddler, and died in 1832, aged forty-five. The
mother was a native of Kentucky, born in Union County, and died in 1853.
Our subject, at the age of twenty-five, settled on his present farm,
consisting of 400 acres, 200 of which were in the old homestead. Mr.
Williams now owns one of the best improved farms in this locality, all of
which he has secured by his own management, and attention to business. He
was married, in 1854, to Nancy K. Kuykendall, of Union County; this union
has been blessed with three children, one son and one daughter living. Mr.
and Mrs. Williamson [sic] are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church.
J.A. WILLINGHAM was born in Fulton County, Ky., in 1858, son of P.M. and
S.D. (Milner) Willingham, and is of Irish-English lineage. The paternal
grandfather of Mr. Willingham was the Hon. A.H. Willingham, who was many
times elected to the Kentucky senate; died July 28, 1882. The parents of
our subject are natives of southern Kentucky. J.A. was educated in the
Louisville schools and in 1875 began the general merchandise business at
Curdsville, Ky., where he remained only a short time. He then came to
Sebree and continued the same business. The firm is known as P.M.
Willingham & Son, and has a capital of about $13,000 invested in the
business in Sebree. They make a specialty of dress goods and ladies' fine
shoes. Mr. Willingham is a Democrat, and is one of the leading young
business men of Webster County.
BUSH D. WINSTEAD, of Webster County (deceased), was born in Hopkins County,
Ky., in July, 1837. Soon after the formation of Webster County, he was
elected circuit clerk, which position he held one term, he being the first
circuit clerk of the county. He also held the office of deputy sheriff.
He was engaged in merchandising in Clay, and at the time of his death he
was merchandising at Vanderburgh. He died January 17, 1867. He was
married January 20, 1858, to Judith A. Ruby, who was born in Hopkins, now
Webster County, September 3, 1839. This union has been blessed with six
children - five sons and one daughter. Mrs. Winstead owns a farm of 106
acres where she resides, two miles and a half north of Dixon. Her son,
Finis, superintends the management of the farm.
HENRY H. WISE is a native of Jefferson County, Ky., was born January 26,
1832, and is a son of Henry and Rachael (Russell) Wise. He is the eighth
of a family of fifteen children and is of Scotch-German descent. His
father was a native of the territory that now composes Indiana, and was
born in 1800. His mother was a Kentuckian, born in 1801. They came to
what is now Webster County in 1853, and here his mother died in 1855, and
his father in 1869. The paternal grandfather of subject was a native of
Germany, came to this country in very early times and took an active part
in the Revolutionary war. When H.H. had gained his majority he came to
Webster County and made settlement near where he now resides, and in 1861
removed to his present place. He owns 330 acres of well-improved land, and
raises stock, grain and tobacco. Mr. Wise was married, December 21, 1857,
to Miss Abigail Orsburn, a native of Henderson County, Ky. To them have
been born eight children: Samantha A., Delia A., Arrend J., Henry B., Sarah
C., Mattie F., Lillie M. and Daisy D. Mrs. Wise died February 10, 1883;
she was a consistent member of the General Baptist Church for many years,
having joined that denomination in 1858. Mr. Wise has been a member of the
same church since 1855. He is a Democrat.
OLIVER C. WOMACK was born November 12, 1812, in Rutherford County, N.C. In
November, 1815, the family came to Union County, Ky., where the father died
about 1827. Oliver C. then commenced to learn the carpenter trade, which
he followed about four years. He then took up the blacksmith trade and
followed that about eighteen years; since that time he has been engaged in
farming. In 1861, he came to his present farm, which consists of 164 acres
with about ninety-six acres in cultivation. He was married, August 9, 1832
to Easter Mooney, of Hopkins County; she died in 1844, leaving five
children - two sons and three daughters. His second marriage was in 1846
to Mrs. Wagner of Hopkins County, who died in 1852, leaving two children -
one son and one daughter. His third marriage was in 1860 to Elizabeth J.
Wilson, of Webster County. This union has been blessed with six children,
of whom four are living, two sons and two daughters. Mr. Womack is a
life-long member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
JOHN J. WOODSON was born in Hopkins County, Ky., June 3, 1839, a son of
Samuel S. and Mary G. (Cox) Woodson, natives of Virginia and of English
descent. Samuel S. Woodson, at the age of fifteen, in 1825, removed with
his parents to what is now Hopkins County, but was then a part of Henderson
County. There his father, Samuel Woodson, bought wild land near
Madisonville, and improved a farm, upon which he resided until his death.
After attaining his majority Samuel S. Woodson bought a partially improved
farm in the western part of Hopkins County, upon which he resided for some
eighteen years. He then came to Webster County and bought a farm near
Providence, upon which he resided until his death in October, 1864, in his
fifty-fourth year. He was also quite extensively engaged in the tobacco
business. He was a member of the S. of T. and he and wife of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church. John J. Woodson, was employed on the home
farm until he was eighteen years old, after which he attended school for
about two years. He then engaged in the general mercantile and tobacco
business at Providence for some four years, and then in the stave business
for two years. He next followed the carpenter's and painter's trades for
some seven or eight years. In the fall of 1879 he again engaged in the
general mercantile trade at Providence, where he has since been doing a
flourishing business. He was for several years a magistrate. He was
married in February, 1865, to Miss Georgia A. Dudley, a native of Caldwell
County, Ky.; four sons and three daughters have blessed their union. Mr.
Woodson and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He is
also an earnest advocate of the temperance cause, and in politics is a
Democrat.
JOHN D. WYNNS was born in Hopkins County, Ky., November 18, 1848, a son of
John D. and Sarah A. (Bruce) Wynns, natives of North Carolina and of
English descent. John D. Wynns, subject's father, when a boy, came with
his parents to Hopkins County, Ky., where he was married and where he was
mainly engaged in farming all his life. For several years he owned a steam
saw and grist-mill, which he operated in connection with farming. He was
for several years a justice of the peace. He died in October, 1857, aged
thirty-six years. He and wife were members of the United Baptist Church.
Our subject, after his father's death, remained on the home farm with his
mother until he was fifteen years old. He then farmed on shares for about
five years, and in the early part of 1870, bought a farm of his own between
Providence and Nebo, Hopkins County. In the fall of 1872 he went to
Kansas, where he located a claim, but in 1873 returned to Kentucky and
engaged in the grocery and hardware business at Providence about a year.
He then engaged in the drug business at that place and has since carried on
that business. For the past five years his brother, George W., has been a
partner in that business, which is conducted under the firm name of J.D.
Wynns & Bro. They also carry a line of hardware and groceries, their
entire stock amounting to about $6,000; their annual sales about $15,000.
Mr. Wynns was married, October 6, 1875, to Miss Eliza G. Givens, a native
of Hopkins County Ky. Four daughters have been born to them - all living.
Mr. and Mrs. Wynns are members of the United Baptist Church; he is also a
member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has held several official
positions, and has advanced to the Royal Arch degree. He is a Democrat.
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