General Alfred J. Vaughan
Virginia and Mississippi
Submitted by James R Treadwell

Gen. Alfred J. Vaughan, clerk of the criminal court of Shelby
County, was born in Dinwiddie County, VA, May 10, 1830.

In 1851 he graduated from the Virginia Military Institute, and
then adopted the profession of civil engineering. Locating at St.
Joseph, MO, he surveyed the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad,
and was afterward appointed deputy United States surveyor of
California. November 6, 1856, he was united in marriage with
Miss Martha J. Hardaway, of Mississippi and to this union
there are five living children, three sons and two daughters.

After his marriage he settled in Mississippi, where he resided
until the late war broke out. He at first opposed a dissolution
of the Union, but finally went with his adopted state, Mississippi.
He raised a company in Marshall County, of that state, but they
could not be received, owing to lack of military equipments. He
then joined a company at Moscow, Tenn. and was elected captain.
He followed the fortunes of the grand army of Tennessee, fighting
gallantly at Belmont, Shiloh, Richmond (KY), Murfreesboro and Chickamauga, and rising steadily in rank and in the confidence
of his superiors.

At the bloody battle of Chickamauga he was made brigadier-
general by President Davis, on the field, for conspicuous gallentry.

In the fight near Marietta, GA, on the 4th of July, 1864, he un-
fortunately lost his leg. After the war he engaged in farming in
Mississippi. In 1872-73 he was connected with the Grange
movement, and was located at Memphis.

In 1878 he was elected, on an independent Democratic ticket,
clerk of the criminal court. In 1882 he was unanimously
nominated for the same office by the Democratic convention and
was, at the election following, again elected.

He was not a candidate in 1886. In this election his majority over
his opponent was 5,701, one of the greatest ever given for any
candidate in the county. He is a very popular officer, and is the
soul of honor and accordingly no citizen stands higher in the
estimation of the public. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and a
member of the K. of H. and the R. A., and himself and wife are
members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Memphis.
 

Linda_Welden@Vaughan-Vaughn.org

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