A. I. Thornburg Heath, Confederate Soldier of Tennessee

A. I. Thornburg Heath lived for most of his life in upper Sumner County, Tennessee, where he continued his blacksmithing, housebuilding, whiskey making, and fiddle playing with his sons. Perhaps the most popular of the Heath gunsmiths, A.I. was born January 29, 1837 in Jefferson County. He was named for A.I. Thornburg (1793-1883) a merchant in New Market of Jefferson County. Thornburg's relationship to the Heath family is unknown.
A.I., like his brother Daniel, settled in Sumner County. He served in the Confederate Army during the War Between The States, in Co. E, 9th Tennessee Cavalry. A.I. was wounded at The Battle Of Hartsville Tennessee, a crippling spine injury that he would carry the rest of his life. He married Martha Ann "Patsy" Johnson (1848-1926) on August 19, 1867, in Sumner County. Together they had six children. (1) Ida C. (1869-1900) (2) William Thomas "Tom" (1871-1948) (3) Raleigh Thornburg "Ral" (1875-1954) (4) Tobias Franklin "Toby" (1878-1915) (5) Alonzo Garfield "Lonnie" (1882-1963) (6) Sallie Ann (1889-1967)
A.I. was a musical man, often filling the air with his fiddle playing. A.I. died January 15, 1924, and his wife of 57 years died on the same day, two years later, and they are buried at The Sherron Cemetery in Sumner County.