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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