A. B. Bledsoe, a prominent resident and farmer of the Sixteenth District, was born in Carroll County in 1829, and is one of ten children, eight still living. His grandfather was of English descent, a farmer by occupation, and is thought to have been born in North Carolina in 1771, and died about 1841. His wife was a few years younger, born in the same State and died in 1845. Her name was Elizabeth Pollard. His parents were H. C. and Elizabeth (Manning) Bledsoe; his father was born near Raleigh, N. C., in 1799, came to Tennessee when a boy, with his parents, and located in Carroll County. He married, and raised his family there, and was magistrate of the district for seventeen years. He died in 1858. Our subject's mother was also born in North Carolina, and died in 1881. Mr. Bledsoe was educated in Carroll County; in 1858 he married Nancy, daughter of John R. Shipman. She was born in Middle Tennessee in 1853, and died in 1871, leaving two sons L. R. and A. B. In 1872 he married Fannie Mabery, who was born in North Carolina in 1849, and died in 1882, leaving two children: O. T. and Adolphus. After his first marriage, he located in Carroll County, and commenced farming; in 1860 he came to Dyer County, and settled on the farm where he now lives, consisting of 350 acres of good land, one and a half miles northwest of Fayetteville, and twelve miles northwest of Dyersburg. In 1882 he married Sallie, sister of his second wife, and they have two children: Katie and Lula. In addition to farming, Mr. Bledsoe raises fine stock. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a liberal, kind hearted man.