Dr. Thomas E. Prewitt

Dr. Thomas E. Prewitt, a leading and skillful physician and surgeon of Grand Junction, was born July 31, 1838, in South Carolina, of which State his parents were also natives. His father, James Prewitt, was born November, 1797, and moved to Hardeman County in 1845, and there died in 1875. His wife was Elizabeth Hill, born in 1804 and died in this county October, 1869. The grandfather Prewitt’s name was David. The maternal grandfather was an Englishman by birth and an extensive agriculturist of South Carolina, where he resided for many years. Our subject is the sixth of nine children. He was raised on a farm, attending the schools in the vicinity. At the age of nineteen, he entered Bethel College, at McLemoresville, Carroll County, where he continued for three years. He then returned home and began the study of medicine with his brother, Dr. N. H. Prewitt. In 1859, he began a course at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Penn., and graduated at the University of Nashville, February, 1861. The spring of the same year he began practicing at Grand Junction. Soon afterward the late war broke out, and with others, he entered the Fourth Tennessee Infantry, Confederate service. In a short time he was made surgeon of artillery, and the spring of 1862 was assigned surgeon of the Twelfth Tennessee infantry, which he retained until the surrender. After peace was restored he went to Arkansas, locating in Drew County, where he remained until 1875, when he moved to present place of residence, forming a partnership with his brother. Dr. Nathan Prewitt, who was medical railroad inspector, employed by the National Board of Health. Dr. Thomas E. Prewitt was surgeon of the Illinois Central Railroad, and inspector of the State and National Boards of Health during the yellow fever siege of 1879, and is now director of the board of health at Grand Junction, which position he has filled for past eight years. He is one of the most popular and successful physicians and surgeons in the county, and has performed some wonderful operations within most favorable results. He is of good social standing, highly respected, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and prominently connected with the Masonic order and K. of H., also a stanch Democrat. July 1866, the Doctor wedded a daughter of Judge Dudley Dix Daniel of North Carolina, Miss M. E. Daniel. To this union seven children were born, five of whom are living: Dudley, James H., Malcolm Lee Roy, Bennona F. and Thomas W.

Source: “The Goodspeed Publishing Co., History of Tennessee, 1886”