Cheatham County TN Archives Biographies.....Nave, John J. 1860 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com November 13, 2005, 10:06 pm Author: Will T. Hale JOHN J. NAVE, of Ashland City, Tennessee, a lawyer by profession and a former representative in the Tennessee state legislature, is by character and abilities one of Cheatham county's most capable and prominent men. He was born in Fannin county, Texas, January 3, 1860, but while not a native of Tennessee he has spent almost his whole life in this state and is a descendant of two of the very early pioneer families of middle Tennessee. Josephus Nave and Eliza A. (Balthrop) Nave, his parents, were both born in Robertson county, Tennessee, the former in 1832 and the latter in 1839. The father went to Texas in 1856 and resided in that state fifteen years, during which time he served the Confederate cause nearly three and a half years during the Civil war as a member of a Texas company. He was a blacksmith by trade and also followed farming. In 1871 he returned with his family to Tennessee, locating first in his native county of Robertson but removing from thence in 1874 to Cheatham county, where he spent the remainder of his life, passing away on November 11, 1907. He was a blacksmith at Pleasant View, Cheatham county, for a number of years, but later in his career he bought the flour mill at Henrietta, the same county, and was its owner and proprietor at the time of his death. He was a son of Joel Nave, a Virginian by birth, who came to Tennessee when a boy with his parents. The latter spent his industrial career as a farmer and blacksmith in Robertson county and was accounted a successful man for his day. Eliza A. Balthrop Nave, the mother of John J., is a daughter of John Balthrop, who was born in North Carolina and came to Tennessee at a very early day, locating in Dickson county. Mrs. Nave, a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, is yet living and resides with our subject. John J. Nave was the second of eight children born to these parents and is one of seven now living. His early childhood was spent in Texas, but the most of his school years were passed in Cheatham county, Tennessee, where he acquired his education in the village school of Pleasant View. Having finally decided on the legal profession as his line of useful endeavor he prepared for it by reading law under W. K. McAlester and George E. Sea at Ashland City and was admitted to the bar in 1891. He at once began the practice of law at Ashland City, where he has since continued alone except for a short period during which he was associated with J. C. Wilson. He is now admitted to practice in all the courts and during the twenty years or more of his professional labors he has built up a representative clientage and a lucrative practice in his community. In 1887 Mr. Nave was joined in marriage to Miss Jeraldine Heathman, daughter of James Heathman, who was born in Montgomery county, Tennessee, and who was there engaged as a farmer and cabinet worker. Mr. and Mrs. Nave have one son, James J. Nave, Jr., who is now attending school. Mrs. Nave is a member of the Presbyterian church, while Mr. Nave is affiliated with the Christian denomination. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Junior Order United American Mechanics, and has filled all of the executive offices in the local lodge of each of these orders. Politically he is a Democrat and in 1903 served as a member of the Tennessee state legislature. While identified with that body he served as a member of the agricultural committee, the corporations committee and of other important committees and all of these duties he carried out in accord with his inflexible sincerity of conviction and purpose, making his public service one of usefulness to his state and of credit and honor to himself and those he represented. Each step upward on the ladder of success Mr. Nave has made by dint of his own persevering effort, for he started absolutely at the bottom of the ladder with but those resources within himself upon which to rely. The position he has attained as a successful lawyer and as a prominent and esteemed citizen is the reward of his own merit and represents his own true worth. Additional Comments: From: A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities by Will T. Hale Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1913 File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tn/cheatham/bios/nave312nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/tnfiles/ File size: 4.9 Kb