Biographical and historical memoirs of eastern Arkansas, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties named herein, and numerous biographical sketches of the prominent citizens of such counties., Part 106

Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 836

USA > Arkansas > Biographical and historical memoirs of eastern Arkansas, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties named herein, and numerous biographical sketches of the prominent citizens of such counties. > Part 106

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ARKANSAS COUNTY.

25, 1889, aged three years, one month and thirteen days. Sleep thou in Jesus, little Hattie, till He bids thee arise. Mr. Conine continued farming until 1881, when he engaged in the mercantile business with his sister, Mrs. Mary A. Fogee, and since her death, in 1887, has continued the busi- ness himself, the firm being known as G. W. and B. B. Conine. He also owns about 1,000 acres of land in different tracts in this county, of which about 200 acres are under cultivation. He is a strong Democrat and a highly respected citizen. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

David O. Crump, an influential farmer and stock raiser of Crockett Township, is a native of Tennessee, and a son of Leaton and Martha E. (Oats) Crump, natives of Tennessee and Alabama, respectively. The father was born in Williamson County, Tenn., in 1821, and removed to Alabama when a young man. Soon after his marriage he settled in Memphis, where his wife died in 1855. (She was born near Huntsville about 1826). The following year he came to Arkansas, and located almost in the woods, near Crockett's Bluff, where he improved a good farm, and where he still re- sides, living with his second wife. He was one of the early settlers of this county, and has been prominent as a citizen, having held the office of justice of the peace most of the time during his location here. He served about two years in the Confederate army during the war, in Capt. William M. Mayo's company, and was in Price's raid through Missouri as quartermaster. He was captured at home, and was imprisoned at St. Charles just at the close of the war. He has been a member of the A. F. & A. M. for several years, and was con- nected with the County Grange. David O. Crump, the only child living of his parent's family, was born near Memphis, Tenn., in 1853, and was reared and educated in this county from the age of three years. He was married on January 6, 1880, to Miss Mary L. Gamble, daughter of Richard and Mary M. (Herring) Gamble, originally from Pennsylvania and Georgia, respectively. They were married in Mississippi in 1861, subsequently removing to Arkansas County, Ark., where the

father died in 1886, and his wife in Mississippi (while on a visit) in 1870. Mr. Gamble was a prominent merchant for many years, also serving as county and probate judge of this county some time. He was, besides justice of the peace, at the time of his death, shipping and receiving agent at Crockett's Bluff. Mrs. Crump was born in Aber- deen, Miss. Since the war period Mr. Crump has lived on a part of the old homestead, now having a farm of 420 acres, with about 225 acres under cultivation, mostly the result of his own efforts. Good improvements in the way of buildings, etc., adorn the place. He is a prominent Democrat, having voted for Tilden in 1876. He is engaged quite extensively at this time in stock raising, and at present has sixty head of cattle, sixteen horses and mules, and fifty head of hogs. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Leaton Crump's father died when the son was a boy; the grandfather of David O., Samuel Oates, died in Memphis, though a resident of Alabama at that time.

G. W. Davidson is a native of Alabama, and is a son of Milus and Sophrina (Carpenter) David- son, who were of Tennessee and Mississippi birth, respectively. Milus Davidson went to Alabama when a boy, and remained there until 1851-52, when he came to this county, here remaining until his death in 1872, at the age of fifty-two years. When the war broke out he joined the Confederate army, and served in Price's raid through Missouri, being captured by the Federals, though soon after he made his escape. Mrs. Davidson died in 1885 at the age of fifty years. Of their family of chil- dren two are still living: Melissa (now the widow of J. B. Butler, deceased), and G. W. The latter, the eldest child, was born in Lawrence County, Ala., in 1845, and was reared in this county, hav- ing come here with his parents when about six or seven years old. He commenced farming for him- self at the age of twenty-one, and in 1871 bought his present farm, erecting in 1886 the mill and gin which he still owns and operates. Mr. David- son is a Republican in politics, and a member of the County Wheel, and was nominated by the Re- publicans and Wheelers as sheriff of the county.

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

His wife was formerly Sallie E. Butler, a native of Mississippi. They are the parents of four chil- dren: William M., Anna C., George W. and Guy. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Davidson was postmaster of St. Charles from 1872 to 1875. He is one of the leading farmers and millers in the community, and a highly respected citizen.

William F. Ferguson is the son of Hon. Austin H. Ferguson, a native of Virginia, who moved, when a young man, to Morgan County, Ala., there being married to Miss Catharine Walker. A few years later he went to Marshall County, Miss., where his wife died in 1840. In 1849, coming to Arkansas, he located in this county, and the fol- lowing year was elected representative to the State legislature from Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Counties, serving with such distinction that he was re-elected in 1851 and 1856. Subsequently he was chosen State senator from his district, composed of the counties of Arkansas and Monroe, which position he held for four years. His death oc- curred in 1884, at the age of seventy-two years. He was a member of the A. F. & A. M., and a strong Democrat in politics. William Ferguson, Sr., his father, who was of Irish descent, died in Texas, at the age of eighty-two, when the prin- cipal of this sketch was a small boy. William F. Ferguson first saw the light of day in Lawrence County, Ala., in 1836, and is the only child living of his parents' family. In 1862 he joined the Confederate army, becoming a member of what was first known as Clay's company, and after the reorganization, as Wheat's battalion, but was after- ward transferred to Gen. Fagan's escort, and served as courier until the close of the war. Mr. Ferguson was married, in 1860, to Miss Hally, a daughter of Crede P. and Mary Hally, who was born in Fayette County, Tenn. After the war he engaged in farming, has since followed it, and now owns 940 acres of land, with about 200 acres under cultivation. Mr. Ferguson is an outspoken Dem- ocrat, and belongs to the Masonic fraternity.

Capt. Leroy Ferrell, retired steamboatman and stock raiser, is a native of Tennessee, and a son of David C. and Celia (Boren) Ferrell, natives of

North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. Mr. Ferrell went to Tennessee when a young man, where he was married and made his home until 1825, then removing to Gallatin County, Ill. In 1836 he came to Arkansas, and located in the wilds of Arkansas County, eight miles from Arkansas Post, then the capital of the Territory. The country at that time was full of bears, deer, pan- thers, wolves, etc., with a few Indians as pioneer inhabitants. The swamps were covered with cane- brakes, which grew to the height of a house, and so dense that it was almost impossible for one to pass through. Here Mr. Ferrell improved one of the finest farms in that region, but it was eventually washed away by the river. He was a blacksmith by trade, at which he worked in connection with farming and hunting, the latter occupying a large part of his time. He served in the War of 1812 under Gen. Jackson, as blacksmith, and died in . 1858, when over seventy-six years of age. His wife had preceded him three years. Mr. and Mrs. Ferrell were the parents of nine children, Leroy Ferrell being the third one, and the only one living. He was born in Maury County, Tenn., in 1822, and has resided in this county since fourteen years of age. In 1842 Mr. Ferrell and an associ- ate chartered a steamboat, which they ran about one year; since that time he has been engaged in boating on the Mississippi for about thirty-five years. Since settling in this county he has been interested in farming and stock raising, and in the mercantile business to some extent. He was mar- ried, in 1850, to Miss Eleanor Smith, a native of Indiana, who died in 1868, leaving four children; one of these (Thomas B. F.) only is living. He was born in Desha County in 1851, and was edu- cated at the common schools, and later in the Business College at Memphis, Tenn., from which he graduated in 1870. He then commenced business for himself at New Gascony, Jefferson County, continuing until 1880, when he came to Arkansas Post. Here he has since carried on merchandis- ing, and also owns and operates a large cotton- gin. At the present time Mr. Ferrell and his father own about 8,000 acres of land. During the war he was repeatedly urged by his friends

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to join the Confederate army, but although born and reared in the South, he refused to take up arms against his country. This position he firmly main- tained until the close of the war, remaining at home and providing for his family and those whose supporters were in the Confederate army. Capt. Ferrell, although nearly seventy years of age, is of strong bodily health and vigor (save a slight afflic- tion of rheumatism), is of pleasant address, and a good talker.

James A. Gibson, of the firm of Gibson & Holt, the leading attorneys of De Witt, is one of the best- known men of Arkansas County. He was reared and educated in Breckinridge County, Ky., his na- tive State, and received a thorough common-school education, and, at the age of twenty entered the St. Mary's College, near Lebanon, Ky., but was obliged to give up his studies on account of his health. He then engaged in farming, and in 1861 came to Arkansas, locating in this county, where he engaged in farming until 1864. Returning to Kentucky, in 1867 he came back to this county and, locating in De Witt, commenced studying law. He was admitted to the bar the following year and has since been occupied in the practice of his pro- fession, in which he has been very successful. He is one of the leading Democrats of this county and has served his party in a number of conventions and delegations. He was a member of the Con- stitutional Convention of 1874, has been a delegate to the State Democratic Conventions since 1872, was elected alternate delegate to the National Democratic Conventions held at Cincinnati and Chicago, and has been for the past three years, and is at present, a member of the State central com- mittee. In 1881 he was a member of the Electoral College, and voted for Hancock and English, having been elected the year previous. Mr. Gibson was born in Breckinridge County, Ky., in 1837, and was a son of Hamilton and Letitia (Gilliland) Gib- son, also natives of Kentucky. They were the par- ents of three children: William F. (a resident of Austin, Ark.), John T. (deceased) and James A., the principal of this sketch, who was married while in Kentucky, to Miss Hester Vertreese, a native of Missouri, but who was reared in Kentucky. They

are the parents of nine children: William H. (a graduate of the Louisville University of Medicine, of Kentucky), Sallie (now Mrs. Crockett), Albert, Blanche, John, Nannie, Benton, Claude and Tee. Mr. Gibson has been engaged in the mercantile business until a few years ago, since when he has devoted all his time to his profession. He entered into partnership with Robert P. Holt in 1882. They have an extensive real-estate business in con- nection with their law practice, and have now on hand over 100, 000 acres of fine lands for sale. Mr. and Mrs. Gibson are members of the Baptist Church, in which they take an active part. He is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has taken the Royal Arch and Council degrees, and is also a member of the I. O. O. F. and has been Grand Master of the State and Grand Representative of the Sovereign Grand Lodge.

A. J. Gunnell was the eldest son in a family of ten children born to Benjamin and Caroline (Ayers) Gunnell, natives of Virginia and South Carolina, respectively. They were married in Jefferson County, Ala., in 1828, and in 1835-36 moved to Tippah County, Miss. The father was a black- smith by trade and was a soldier in the War of 1812, dying in 1852, at the age of sixty-five years; his wife passed away in 1885, at the age of seventy- seven. He was a son of Nicholas Gunnell, a Vir- ginian by birth, and a soldier in the Revolutionary War, who died in Georgia, at the age of ninety- eight. The father of Caroline Ayers, William Ayers, was born in South Carolina, and died near the place where Birmingham, Ala., now stands. He was of Irish descent. A. J. Gunnell first saw the light in Jefferson County, Ala., in 1829, being reared on a farm, and while never having had an opportunity to attend school, he has improved his spare moments and is a well-read man. In 1853 he came to Arkansas and located on the farm on which he still makes his home, consisting of 400 acres; at that time it was wild land covered with timber, but now 120 acres are under cultivation. In April, 1861, Mr. Gunnell joined the Confeder- ate army, as a member of the First Arkansas In- fantry, in which he served until the battle of Shi -. loh, when he was wounded and received his

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discharge and returned home. After his recovery he joined Company E of the Thirty-first Arkansas Infantry. He was made first lieutenant, and served until June, 1865, participating in some of the hard- est fought battles of the war. After the war he returned home to find all of his property destroyed and left nearly without a home. He was married in September of the same year to Miss Amanda Luckett, daughter of John L. and Mary Luckett, originally from Kentucky and Tennessee, respec- tively; she was born in Mississippi. They are the parents of six children: Katie (now Mrs. Jones), Benjamin T., John Nicholas, Winfield D., Callie and Emma. When Mr. Gunnell came to this county it was impossible to raise hogs on account of the wolves and bears. The country was full of game of all kinds. He is now one of the leading men of this community and a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, as are also his wife and two eldest children.

Jacob H. Hagler owes his nativity to Tennessee, being the son of Elcania and Martha (Sthudeed) Hagler, natives, respectively, of Tennessee and Kentucky. The father was a tailor by occupation, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After his death, which occurred in 1844, his wife immigrated to Arkansas with her children and lo- cated in this county, where she lived until her de- mnise, in 1864. They were the parents of eleven children, only two of whom are living: Robert (a resident of Howard County), and Jacob H. (our subject). The latter was born in Henry County, Tenn., September 13, 1835. He was reared prin- cipally in this county, and was married February 24, 1859, to Miss Louisa Slaughter, of this State, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Slaughter. They have had six children: Mary J. (deceased), William J. (deceased), John L., Joseph E. (de- ceased), James E., and Marcas N. (deceased). The two sons living, John L. and James E., re- side at home and are helping their father on the farm. Mr. Hagler entered the Confederate ser- vice in 1862, and participated in Price's raid through Missouri, taking part in a number of hard-fought battles; he was wounded at Swan Lake by a ball passing through his wrist; was also

taken sick at Pilot Knob and then received his dis- charge, after which he returned home and en- gaged in farming. This occupation he has since followed. He owns 1,000 acres of land, of which there are nearly 200 acres under cultivation, all ac- quired by his own industry and economy, as he started out in life with only $75. He and wife are members of the Baptist Church, and take an active part in the affairs of that denomination.

Col. William H. HalliBurton is a good ex- ample of what can be accomplished in life, when thorough determination to succeed is coupled with energy, perseverance and close application in the direction chosen. His early educational advant- ages were of a very meager description, and during a period of eight years he received but seven months schooling, but becoming desirous of im- proving himself, he began devoting all his spare moments to studying and reading, and soon be- came a thoroughly posted young man, and quite familiar with the "world of books." He was married while a resident of Benton County, Tenn., to Elizabeth C. Altom, a native of Greenville, S. C., and to them a family of seven children were born, two of whom are now living: Gulnare (wife of Dr. James B. Garrison, of Texas) and John. The mother of these children died August 20, 1848, at the Arkansas Post, Ark., where they had settled April 14, 1845, and for some months Mr. HalliBurton was engaged in teaching school, be- coming thereby well and favorably known. In the spring of 1847 he was appointed to the office of deputy sheriff, and held the position until No- vember of the same year, when he was appointed deputy clerk, and held the two offices from No- vember, 1847, to December, 1850. During these years he frequently issued process in the name of the clerk, and went out and executed the same in the name of the sheriff. In the year 1850 he was elected clerk of the circuit court, and served one term of two years. He was sworn in as deputy sheriff at the April term, 1847, of the Arkansas County circuit court, and has been present, par- ticipating in the proceedings of each term of the circuit court of said county since, excepting the March terms of 1885, 1887 and 1889, when he was

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in attendance on the legislature of the State. He was elected to represent Arkansas County in the State legislature in 1885, and was re-elected in 1887 and 1889. In 1887 he was appointed deputy treasurer and special agent for the State to go to Washington, D. C., to settle a disputed debt be- tween the State of Arkansas and the United States. He was elected colonel of the One Hundred and Thirteenth .Regiment of Tennessee Militia, in 1838. During the Rebellion he was appointed chief collector of Confederate States war tax for the State of Arkansas by the president of the Confederacy, but did not take an active part in the war. His second wife was Hannah Jacobs, who was born in Wellsburg, Brooke County, Va., and to them were born five children, three of whom are now living: Jennie (wife of David Rasure), Kate (wife of Harry Greer) and Lucinda (at home). Mr. HalliBurton is now living with his third wife, who was a Mrs. Mary S. (Belknap) Patrick, a native of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and he is a Baptist. He began the study of law when he was a young man, and in 1847 was licensed to prac- tice, and was admitted to the bar in 1852. He has been a practicing lawyer of De Witt since 1857, and has always been considered a leading member of the legal fraternity. From 1860 to 1862, he resided in Little Rock, but has since made his home in De Witt. He was born in Stewart County, Tenn., November 4, 1816, and is a son of Thomas and Lucinda (Herndon) Halli- Burton, natives, respectively, of North and South Carolina. The father inherited Scotch blood from his parents, and when about nine years of age, was taken by them to Tennessee, and from that time until 1834 he resided in Humphreys County. He was the seventh son and eleventh child of his father's family, and his marriage took place in Tennessee. He moved to Arkansas in 1845, and located in Arkansas County, where he followed merchandising until his death in 1859, at the age of sixty-three years. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and was very active in political affairs of the communities in which he resided, and while in Tennessee, was county court clerk of

Benton County, and after coming to Arkansas, held the offices of justice of the peace, county surveyor and county and probate judge. He was a Master Mason. His wife died in Humphreys County, Tenn., in the spring of 1834, having borne a family of eight children, of whom W. H. was the eldest, and is the only one now living. Mr. Halli- Burton was married a second time, and of seven children born to this marriage, two are living: Mrs. Lucinda Mock, of Louisiana, and David N., of Dardanelle, Ark. The paternal grandparents were born in Virginia, but were early residents of Tennessee, and in 1834 removed to Henderson County, and made their home with a son. Here the grandmother died in her eightieth year, and the grandfather and his son soon after moved to Mississippi, in which State bis demise occurred in 1841, he being ninety-one years of age. This old couple soon after their marriage had an orphan boy bound to them, and reared a family of thir- teen children, and besides this they reared seven of their grandchildren to maturity, making in all twenty-one children, whom they brought up. Out of the twenty -one, twenty had families before the death of the grandparents, and the youngest of the twenty-one had attained his majority before the grandmotlier's death.

Nathan M. Henderson has always been inter- ested in the welfare of the county of Arkansas, having been born here in 1848, and has ever been occupied in tilling the soil, and the manner in which he has acquired his present property denotes him to be an energetic and successful agriculturist. He is a son of James L. and Nancy C. (Henshaw) Henderson, the former a native of Georgia, born in 1825, their union taking place in the State of Mis- sissippi in 1844. In 1846 they removed from Mis- sissippi to Arkansas, and entered some 360 acres of land, but sold this property in 1858, and en- tered 360 acres more, which he also improved and of which he devoted a considerable portion to the raising of stock. He served in the Southern army during the Rebellion, and was on active duty from 1864 to the final surrender in 1865. He was a Mason, a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and died in 1867. His wife, who was born

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in Tennessee in 1831, is a member of the Baptist Church, and has been a widow for twenty-two years, residing on the old homestead. Their union was blessed in the birth of six sons and three daughters, only six of this family now living: Nathan M., Nelson H., James E., John O., Samuel A. and Nancy E. (the wife of W. F. Byers). Nathan M. Henderson was married to Miss Ruthie L. Mc- Adams, of Arkansas, in 1869, but she left him a widower, in 1875, with two children to care for: James M. and Thomas J. Mr. Henderson's sec- ond marriage was consummated in 1877, his wife being Miss Seleta J. Bunyard, of Arkansas County, and their family now consists of three children: Alonzo J., Ruthie L. and Samuel M. Mr. Hen- derson was called upon to mourn the death of his second wife in 1888, she having been an earnest member of the Baptist Church. He married his present wife, Mrs. Mary C. Hanford, in 1888, she being also a member of the Baptist Church and the widow of Christopher Hanford. Mr. Henderson owns 325 acres of land, well furnished with excel- lent buildings, and a fine apple and peach orchard, and besides attending to the duties of his farm he is also engaged in operating a grist-mill and a horse power cotton-gin. He is a deacon in the Baptist Church.

P. N. Howell, during the war, joined Company K of Col. Dick Pinson's regiment, in 1861, in the Mississippi Cavalry, serving in General Forrest's command. He took part in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg and a number of others, and was captured at Vicksburg in 1863, being taken on board of a boat bound for the Northern pris- ons, but escaping, he rejoined his command. After the war he engaged in the grocery business at Memphis, and in 1868 was married to Miss Martha E. Wadsworth, daughter of W. P. and Julia C. Wadsworth, natives of North and South Carolina, respectively. In 1878 Mr. Howell went to Marshall County, Miss., where he remained until 1881, the time of liis removal to Arkansas. Lo- cating in this county, he embarked in farming on his present farm of 160 acres, about three miles from Crockett's Bluff, where he has about sixty- five acres under cultivation. His wife died in

1876, and in 1881 he married his second and present companion, Miss E. L. Jansen, daughter of Rev. Lewis Jansen, an Episcopal minister of Louisville, Ky. Mr. Howell is a Democrat in politics, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. He was born in Anson County, N.C., in 1835, as the son of Abner and Phebe B. (In- gram) Howell. Abner Howell came originally from North Carolina. His father, Samuel Howell, who was born in Georgia, was of Scotch descent. Mr. Howell moved to Alabama in 1858, where he died in 1876, his wife surviving hím two years.

Abner L. Huffman. From this brief and in- complete view of the life-record of Mr. Huffman will be seen that his life has not been uselessly nor idly spent, for from his earliest youth he has been familiar with the details of farm work. He was born in Caldwell County, N. C., September 12, 1851, and is a son of Samuel and Henrietta (Payne) Huffman, natives of South and North Carolina, born December 1, 1824, and December 23, 1829, respectively. Their marriage resulted in the birth of three sons and six daughters, all of whom are living with the exception of one. Those living are Marion L., Abner, Mary (wife of A. T. Young), Sarah (wife of W. W. Duncan), John B., Laura (wife of H. C. Synco), Annie E. and Amanda E. Samuel Huffman immigrated from North Carolina to Missouri in 1852, settling in Hickory County, where he lived until 1863, moving then to Cal- loway County, where his death occurred December 1, 1870, his occupation through life having been that of farming and tanning. In 1876 his widow removed to Arkansas, and died there April 7, of the following year, having for many years been an earnest and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Abner Huffman was appointed postmaster of Hynum under Cleveland's adminis- tration, and still holds this position. He has been justice of the peace for the past five years, and is a man who has a host of warm friends. He owns eighty acres of good land, well improved with good buildings, fences and orchards.

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Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 836

Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 836