Dickson-Montgomery County TN Archives Biographies.....Harper, Thomas Munsey 1868 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com November 13, 2005, 8:37 pm

Author: Will T. Hale

   THOMAS MUNSEY HARPER, M. D. Gifted with a love for his chosen profession,

quick of intuition, and generous and sympathetic in his work, Thomas Munsey

Harper, M. D., of Dickson, stands in the front rank of medical men of Dickson

county, while the signal services he has rendered his community in an official

capacity make him as widely known and as highly regarded in public life. He was

born June 27, 1868, in Montgomery county, Tennessee, and is a son of Thomas

Terrill and Mary E. (Collins) Munsey.



   James Harper, the paternal grandfather of Dr. Harper, was a native of

Virginia, and at the age of fourteen years migrated to Tennessee with his

brother, locating near Southside, in Montgomery county, where he grew to

manhood, acquired land, and continued to be engaged in farming throughout his

life. He married Eliza Lee, and they reared a family of five children, the third

in order of birth being Thomas Terrill Harper, who was born July 12, 1832.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Thomas T. Harper engaged in

agricultural pursuits, in which he was engaged throughout his life, and at the

time of his death, which occurred November 28, 1889, he was the owner of the

farm on which he was born. In 1858 he was married to Mary E. Collins, who was

also born in Montgomery county, and they had a family of seven children, namely:

Stacker D., who resides in Oklahoma; William D., who is engaged in farming in

Montgomery county; Eliza A., deceased, who was the wife of R. A. Williams;

Thomas Munsey; Julia L., who is the wife of T. H. Roberts, a farmer of Oklahoma;

Minnie L., who married Henry C. Lyle, a merchant in Texas; and Samuel R., an

attorney and city judge of Lawton, Oklahoma. Thomas T. Harper was a Democrat in

politics, and served for many years as magistrate of the Sixteenth district of

Montgomery county. He and his wife were consistent members and active workers in

the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and for a long period he held membership

in the Masonic order.



   Thomas Munsey Harper received his preliminary education in the public schools

of Montgomery county, following which he entered Pleasant View High school, in

Cheatham county. He took up his professional studies in the University of

Tennessee, at Nashville, and there received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in

1891. Coming at once to Dickson, the doctor established himself in practice

here, this city having been his field of endeavor to the present time. In 1909

he was associated with Dr. Lovell, and in 1911 with Dr. Spencer, but at this

time he carries on his practice alone. By his courteous manner, sympathetic

nature and acknowledged ability he has secured an enviable professional business

and surrounded himself with a host of sincere friends, while his reputation

among his colleagues is high. He has specialized in surgery to some extent and

is official surgeon for the Nashville, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, and at the

present time is acting in the capacity of health officer in Dickson county. He

takes an active interest in the work of the county, state and American Medical

bodies, and as an intelligent man and reader is always well versed in the

current events and affairs of the day.



   On October 1, 1891, Dr. Harper was married to Sally A. Harris, daughter of

Nathan Harris of Dickson county, and three children have been born to this

union: Altha, who married James A. Majors, of this county; Ruth L., wife of Dr.

Harding, of Ashland City, Cheatham county; and Buena Vista, residing at home.

Mrs. Harper died September 1, 1900, and in 1902 the doctor was married to

Mildred Hooper, of Dickson county, who survived only until July 16, 1903. The

doctor contracted his third marriage in 1904. when he was united with Miss

Nellie Brock, daughter of J. F. Brock, of this county, and four children have

been born to them: Albert Elmo, Thomas Munsey, Jr., Sydney D., and Wilson Brock.



   Dr. Harper is a Democrat in his political views, and has been active in his

support of his party's principles. In 1911 he was a participant in the state

senatorial race. He is a member of the Alumni Association of the University of

Tennessee, while his fraternal affiliations are with the Modern Woodmen of

America, the Junior Order of American Mechanics, the Knights of Pythias, the I.

O. O. F. and the Masons, in which latter he has attained to the thirty-second

degree, being a member of Nashville Consistory No. 2. In. several of these

organizations he acts in the capacity of medical examiner. Mrs. Harper is a

member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and both she and her husband

have many friends in social circles of the city.



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