Charles Ready was born on December 22, 1802 in Readyville, Rutherford County, Tennessee to Charles and Mary Ready. He graduated from Greeneville College and went on to study law. Ready was admitted to the bar in 1825 and started practicing in Murfreesboro. He married Martha Avoid Strong (1807-1877) in 1825 in Knoxville. They had at least eight children: Mary Emma, Charles, Joseph, Aaron, Horace, Martha, Cora Alice, and Ella Love. In addition to his law practice, Ready also served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1853-1859. He died in Murfreesboro on June 4, 1878.

John Haywood was born to Egbert (1740-1801) and Sarah Ware Haywood in Halifax County, North Carolina on March 16, 1762. Largely self-taught, Haywood was admitted to the bar in 1786. He became the state's solicitor general in 1790 and the attorney general in 1791. He was appointed as a judge in 1794 but eventually went back to practicing privately. Haywood authored several influential legal works, documenting statutes for both North Carolina and Tennessee. He moved to Davidson County, Tennessee, and in 1816 he was appointed to the Tennessee Supreme Court where he continued to work until his death in 1826. Haywood also wrote several non-legal publications, most notably his histories of Tennessee. He married Martha Edwards and they had ten children. He died on December 22, 1826. Haywood County, Tennessee is named after him.