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 108

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 108

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ARKANSAS COUNTY.

James M. Price, who is a man of substantial reputation hereabouts, spent his younger days on a farm in Tennessee, and was there married when twenty-three years of age to Elizabeth F. Wood- ard, a native of that State. In the fall of 1857, removing to Arkansas, he bought a farm on what is known as Big Island, on White River, three miles east of his present farm. During the war he enlisted, in 1864, in the Confederate army, in which he served as a veterinary surgeon in the artil- lery department, although opposed to the secession movement and favoring the emancipation of slaves. Mrs. Price, his wife, died in 1868, after having borne three children, all of whom are deceased. His present wife was formerly Miss E. J. Nichol- son, a native of this county, and daughter of James A. Nicholson, originally from Alabama, and an old settler here. They are the parents of the following children: Fannie A., Sallie S., James A., Joseph H., Nancy E., Charles M., Ralph C. and one child who died in infancy. Mr. Price was born in Tennessee, July 5, 1827, being a son of John S. and Sarah B. (Hughs) Price, natives of Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. John S. Price and wife started for Tennessee soon after their marriage, going by wagon, and a part of the way having to cut a way through the woods, as there was no road; they located a claim on which they made their home for the remainder of their lives. Mr. Price died in the fall of 1842, while in South Alabama on a trading expedition. He was a member of the Masonic order, and took an active part in the politics of his country. His wife died in 1866, when over eighty years of age, having reared a family of eight children. James M. Price owns a farm of 1,000 acres, under a good state of cultivation, and also owns and operates a large cotton-gin. He was engaged in the mercan- tile business until August, 1889, and was the or- ganizer of the Grange at St. Charles. He and his wife were formerly members of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church, but as there was no church of that denomination in Prairie Township, they united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Price is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Masonic fraternities. Benjamin Price, the grand-

father of the principal of this sketch was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was captured by the Tories while on Long Island, and was thrown overboard from the vessel. Instead of being drowned, as they had expected, he made his escape to shore.

N. B. Price runs a general supply store at Mount Adams, and has a trade amounting to from $30,000 to $40,000 per year, carrying a stock that would invoice $8,000. He began life for himself at the age of seventeen as a clerk, continuing to be thus employed for some time, when he went into business for himself in Hardeman County, Tenn., and later in Memphis. After remaining in the latter city until 1865, he came to Mount Adams, and has since been in business at this point, at- taining to a well-deserved reputation. Mr. Price was born in McNairy County, Tenn., in 1839, and was a son of Rev. William A. and Sarah A. (Duke) Price. The father was a native of Louisa County, Va., and when a young man moved to McNairy County, Tenn., where he married, and lived until coming to Arkansas in 1860. Settling near Mount Adams, he lived there until his death, which oc- curred in 1862, at the age of forty-seven. His wife died in February, 1889, at the age of sixty- eight. Mr. Price was a local minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and a member of the A. F. & A. M. N. B. Price was married in March, 1863, to Miss Emma Cooke, who died in 1865 or 1866, leaving two daughters. He was married the second time about 1868 to Miss Mollie E. Mil- ligan, daughter of Rev. L. H. and Lovinia Milli- gan, and a native of Mississippi. Her father was a Baptist minister, and died in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Price are the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters. Mr. Price owns 13,000 acres of land, largely under cultivation, and in- cluding an extensive stock ranch. He has ac- quired all his property by personal industry and business ability, and deserves the success to which he has risen. He has two brothers living: Will- iam M. (one of the most extensive stock and real estate men in Arkansas County) and Bryan (who is in the store with the principal of this sketch). Mr. Price has been postmaster of Mount Adams

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since his locating at this place. He is a member of Euclid Lodge No. 130, A. F. & A. M., and of Reynolds Chapter No. 147. Mr. Price is probably the oldest and most successful merchant in Arkan- sas County; he does a large retail and wholesale business, and is conceded to be a representative business man of the State. Mrs. Price is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but was formerly a Baptist.

William M. Price has been a resident of Arkan- sas County, Ark., since 1860, having been born in McNairy County, Tenn., in 1846, the second of four children born to William A. and Sarah A. (Duke) Price, natives of Goochland County, Va., who moved to Tennessee in 1838, and in 1869 to Arkansas County, Ark., settling on a farm on the White River bottoms. Here his death occurred in 1864, his wife's death succeeding his in 1888. William M. Price was fourteen years of age when he came to Arkansas, and after assisting his father on the home farm, he engaged in agricultural pur- suits for himself. continuing for two years, or until the opening of the war. In 1863 he enlisted at Monticello, Ark., for the remainder of the war, and was assigned post duty with Col. Crockett, serving in the capacity of acting-adjutant until the close of the war, when he was paroled at Little Rock and returned home, and again resumed his farming duties, making a crop the same year. In 1886 he engaged in the general mercantile business at Mount Adams, continuing with success until 1885, controlling the largest trade of any general mer- chant in the county. Since 1877 he has been en- gaged in the stock business, and not only raises stock, but buys and ships also, and has, without doubt, the largest herds of any one man in the State. He makes a specialty of raising blooded Hereford and Durham cattle, and also has a mag- nificent horse, a blooded Clydesdale and Cleveland Bay. His stock-farm is one of the finest on White River, and comprises about 7,000 acres of land, about 300 acres of which are under cultivation, de- voted to grain and cotton, the latter averaging one bale to the acre. In addition to attending to his extensive farm, much of his time is given to the real-estate business, which has proven very profit-

able, and he has made some of the largest deals of any one man in the State, buying 12,000 acres of land at one time. He owns 20,000 acres of land in Arkansas County, which is for sale. Socially, he is a member of Euclid Lodge No. 130, A. F. & A. M. He was married in this county May 3, 1873, to Miss Sallie L. Crockett, a daughter of Col. R. H. Crockett, and by her has the follow- ing family of children: Mabel (attending Gallo- way College), William Mack, Cecil C., Herbert and Ernest (attending the Stuttgart Normal In- stitute). Mr. Price has always been interested in the advancement of schools, and is giving his chil- dren the best advantages to be had. He is presi- dent of the college board.

Benjamin F. Quertermous began life for him- self at the age of sixteen as a farm hand. In 1857 he came to Arkansas and located in Arkansas County, and two years later was appointed deputy county clerk, which position he held until the open- ing of the war, when he enlisted in the Seventh Arkansas Battalion, being made third lieutenant of Company I. After the battle of Shiloh he was transferred to the Trans Mississippi Department, and was promoted to first lieutenant of the Twen- ty-sixth Arkansas Infantry, participating in the battles of Prairie Grove, Pleasant Hill and a num- ber of others. When peace had been declared he returned home and again served as deputy clerk until the reconstruction. In 1874 he was elected to the office of clerk of the court and was re-elected in 1876. In 1880, after a successful official career, he engaged in the mercantile business at Crock- ett's Bluff, where he has since lived. Mr. Querter- mous was born in Meade County, Ky., in 1841, to the union of John W. and Elizabeth (Roson) Quer- termous, of Kentucky and Virginia birth, respect- ively. John W. Quertermous was born near Louisville, Ky., in 1796. They removed to Ark- ansas in 1859, and located in this county, where he died in 1867, and his wife four years later. The principal of this sketch was married in 1884 to Lillie Cannon, daughter of D. S. and Josephine Cannon. She died in 1885, and in October, 1888, Mr. Quertermous married a sister of his first wife, and who is the mother of one daughter. Mrs.

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Quertermous is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Her husband has always voted the Democratic ticket, and cast his first presidential vote for Greeley in 1872. He has been very suc- cessful in business; starting on a small capital, he now carries a stock of over $5,000, and has a trade which will aggregate $16,000 per annum.

John W. Scott, who ably represents the prom- inent merchants and stock dealers of Arkansas County, is a native of Ohio, where his parents lo- cated on coming to this country from England. Launcelot and Jane (Clark) Scott, had a family of ten children. After emigrating to America, in 1831, they first stopped at Pottsville, Penn., but a year later chose a home in Ohio, where they lived until their deaths, that of the father occurring in 1852 at the age of fifty years, and the mother in 1888 at the age of sixty-seven. Mr. Scott was a coal oper- ator by occupation, and was an educated man, holding the position of school director for a num- ber of years in the Buckeye State. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. John W. Scott was born in Athens County, Ohio, on September 26, 1838. After having re- ceived a good education at the common schools of his native county, he attended the Ohio University, and was married on May 16, 1868, to Elizabeth M. Brett, who died September, 1879. The follow- ing year le removed to Arkansas and settled in Arkansas County, where he shortly after became acquainted with and married a Miss Kingsberry. She died in August, 1885, leaving two children, Martha J. and John D., both living. He mar- ried his third and present wife, Ormitta Couch, on December 3, 1885. To them three children have been born, but only one survives, Hallie M. Mr. Scott is one of the leading merchants of Bayou Meto, and also owns a fine farm of eighty acres, mostly under cultivation. He is highly respected as a prominent and influential citizen of his town- ship, enjoying the utmost confidence of the citizens, as is shown by the fact of his having held the posi- tion of justice of the peace for five years, and elected school director of his district, and is the present postmaster of the village, serving in this capacity for nearly two years. He is a member of the Ma-

sonic order, and he and wife are connected with the Baptist Church.

John W. Stephen is a native of this county, and a son of Henry K. Stephen, who was born in Cocke County, Tenn., on November 6, 1809. Re- moving to Clark County, Ill., he was married there to Sallie Sanders, of Indiana, and later came to Arkansas County, Ark., in January, 1844, where she died leaving one daughter, Charlotte E., wife of J. H. Merritt. He was married the second time to Amanda Maxwell, also a native of Indiana, in 1848. Upon locating in this county Mr. Ste- phen was engaged in the practice of medicine for sixteen years. He also held the office of county sheriff several years, and was a prominent man of the community. He died in April, 1881. His wife still survives him, and is the mother of six children, four of whom are living: Sarah Angeline (now Mrs. McGahhey), Joseph E., John W. and Katie J. (now the wife of E. H. Childers). John W. Stephen was born on June 11, 1858, and was married to Annie McGahhey, in July, 1881. They are the parents of five children: Normly, Arcola, Lenoire, Melissia, John L. and Lecil B. Mr. Ste- phen owns 364 acres of fine farming land, of which 125 acres are under cultivation; he also has a good cotton-gin. He is a member of the County Wheel and of the County Grange, in which he has held the office of Secretary. He is the present postmas- ter of De Luce, and has discharged the duties of this position for two years. He is a prominent Democrat in his county, and a highly respected citizen. Mr. Stephen's father, Henry K. Ste- phen, was a member of the Christian Church at the time of his death. Politically a Whig during the life of that party, he was afterward a Demo- crat.

Brian M. Stephens, intimately associated with the affairs of this county as farmer, ginner and stock raiser of Crockett Township, was a son of Dr. Brian M. Stephens and Julia Ann (Earnest) Stephens, natives of Virginia and Tennessee, re- spectively. They lived in the Old Dominion until our subject was about nine years of age, then mov- ing to Tennessee. Dr. Stephens was also a son of Brian M. Stephens, a wealthy Virginia planter,

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who was a son of one of the early colonists of that State. Brian M. Stephens, Jr., was born in Fred- erick County, Va., in 1839, as the second son of a family of ten children, three of whom are still liv- ing. He received a good common-school educa- tion, and had just entered Washington College, Tennessee, at the breaking out of the war, when, leaving his studies, he enlisted in the Confederate army, in Company A of the Third Tennessee In- fantry, known after the fall of Vicksburg as the Third Tennessee Mounted Infantry. He partici- pated in the battles of Bull Run, Perryville, siege of Vicksburg, and a number of others. In 1866 he came to Arkansas, and in 1869 was married to Miss Martha J. Ferguson, daughter of Hon. Aus- tin H. Ferguson, and a sister of William F. Fer- guson, whose biography appears in this work. Mr. Stephens soon engaged in farming near Crock- ett's Bluff, and now has a farm of 160 acres, with about 100 acres under cultivation, also owning a good steam gin. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to the I. O. O. F.

J. Harold Stillwell, of the substantial firm of H. & W. J. Stillwell, the largest mercantile house at Arkansas Post, was born in 1853, being the son of Asher H. and Caroline (Maxwell) Still- well. Asher Stillwell was born in 1819, the son of Harold Stillwell; he was a prominent farmer and stock raiser of Arkansas County all his life, and held public office at different times, including that of county surveyor. His death occurred in 1873, his wife having preceded him in 1857. Harold Stillwell was probably born in the State of New Jersey, but accompanied his father, Joseph Stillwell, to Arkansas, in 1796, when the country was under Spanish rule. Harold held the office of sheriff of the Arkansas District, after the ceding of the Lonisiana Territory to the United States, being the first sheriff ever appointed in the terri- tory of this present State. The principal of this biography was the first son in the family, consist- ing of two boys and two girls, all living. He be- gan to earn his own livelihood at the age of twenty, by clerking in a store, and in 1879 he and Mr. Champion opened up a business house at Arkansas

Post, which they continued until 1881. Mr. Still- well then retired from the business. J. Harold Stillwell and his brother W. J. Stillwell, opened a store at Arkansas Post, in 1883, under the firm name of H. & W. J. Stillwell. They also own and operate a store at Stanley, which W. J. Stillwell has under his charge. Mr. Stillwell was married in 1880 to Miss Ada Quertermous, of Kentucky origin. They are the parents of six children, three of whom are still living. He has been postmaster of Arkansas Post since 1885, and is a stanch Dem- ocrat in politics. Mrs. Stillwell is a member of the Christian Church.

Col. John A. Thompson is worthy of mention as an influential citizen of Arkansas County. His father, Alexander Thompson, was born in Virginia in 1800, and was reared and educated in that State, but in 1826 removed to Missouri, settling in Mon- roe County. He was married in 1822 to Miss Margaret W. McKee, whose birth occurred in Mer- cer County, Tenn., in 1803-04. They were the parents of three children, John A. (the youngest) making his appearance in Monroe County, Mo., on January 23, 1831. His paternal grandfather came from Ireland to America in 1778, with two brothers, having been exiled and their property confiscated by the Crown for participation in the Irish Rebellion of that year. In 1849 Mr. Thomp- son went to California to look for gold and three years later returned with his pockets well filled. Going to Harrodsburg, Ky., he engaged in the mer- cantile business and remained until 1855, when he exchanged his business and trade for real estate in Monroe County, Mo. He was married shortly before leaving Kentucky to Miss Jennie R. Law- rence, daughter of Samuel and Eliza Lawrence. She died in July, 1856, leaving one child, which survived but two months. Mr. Thompson was married three years later to Henrietta Harrison Greenwade, also a Kentuckian. In 1856 he moved to Audrain County, Mo., where he resumed farming until 1861, when the war broke out and he joined the Confederate service, enlisting in the Missouri State Militia. He soon received a commission as lieutenant-colonel, and was assigned to the north- ern part of the State on recruiting duty, serving

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throughout the war and taking part in a number of battles and skirmishes. In 1863 he was sent to Kentucky on recruiting duty, where he enlisted several hundred men. After the war he returned to his farm, which he found in a very bad state, all of his improvements, consisting of a good dwelling house, several tenement houses, and other buildings, having been destroyed, and his two negroes set free and gone. In 1875 he sold out and went to Colorado and embarked in sheep rais- ing until 1883, when he returned to Missouri and carried on the same business. Two years later he came to Arkansas and located in this county, open- ing up a hardware store at Stuttgart; this he suc- cessfully conducted until quite recently, when he retired from active business life. Col. Thompson is a liberal donator to all enterprises for the ad- vancement of the county or State, and is one of Stuttgart's best-known citizens.

John H. Walton, M. D., who ranks among the representative physicians of Arkansas County, was born and reared here, and at the age of twenty- one commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Morgan, a graduate of the Louisville Medical University, and a very successful physician. In 1875 he entered the Louisville Medical College, from which he graduated in 1882, subsequently returning to this county, where he has since prac- ticed with encouraging success. Dr. Walton mar- ried Miss Ada Butler, a native of Mississippi, who died in 1884, leaving one daughter, Mary J. In politics the Doctor is Democratic. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Dr. Walton was born on March 24, 1853, within five miles of the place where he now lives, being the son of J. R. Walton, a resident of Austin, Lonoke County. The latter was born in Burke County, Ga., in 1813, and moved to Arkansas County, Ark., in 1835. He has lived in this State ever since and is a citizen of acknowledged worth and influence. He is a Royal Arch Mason,

Joe Webster is the son of Henry Webster, a native of England, who was born in 1813 and was married in that country, where he lived until about 1840. Then he emigrated to America and settled in Philadelphia, at which place he married his

second wife, formerly Miss R. E. Lamborn, a na- tive of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Jonathan and Rachel Lamborn. They were the parents of three sons and one daughter, three of whom are still living, two in Pennsylvania, and one, the principal of this sketch, in Arkansas. Mr. Web- ster was engaged in the manufacturing business in Pennsylvania, until his death, in 1871. His wife still survives him and is now in her seventy-seventh year. Joe Webster was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, on October 28, 1843. In 1866 he came to Arkansas and located at Pine Bluff, where he lived about one year and went to Arkansas County, where he was married one year later to Mary A. Montgomery, of Tennessee nativity, and a daughter of James G. and Rebecca J. Mont- gomery. They have a family of nine children: Effie, Frank, Della, Birtie and Edna (twins), Jen- nie, Harry, Louie and Ernest. Mr. Webster owns a fine farm of half a section of land, with forty acres under cultivation and well stocked, and is also engaged in the mercantile business. Though starting with but $500 he now carries a stock of goods invoicing $3,000, all of which he has made since coming to this State. He filled the office of county surveyor for four years, and has been the postmaster of Bayou Meto for twelve years. Mr. and Mrs. Webster are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South, in which they take an active part.

Morris D. Williams is the efficient postmaster of Goldman Station and was born in Wales in 1825, being a son of Daniel and Elcanor (Williams) Williams, the former a native of that country and a stone mason by trade, also a farmer, stock raiser and dairyman. To himself and wife, who was also born in Wales, a family of ten children were born, six sons and four daughters, of whom eight are now living: Thomas, Robert, Morris, Abiah, John A. (ex-circuit judge of Pine Bluff, Ark.), Elizabeth (wife of William Wright, of New York), Margaret (wife of Rollin Pridard, of Dakota) and Catherine (wife of William Roberts, of Mis- souri). Mary is deceased. Daniel Williams re- moved with his family from Wales to the United States in 1829, and landed in New York, locating

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

in Oneida County of that State, where he engaged in farming and stock raising. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and died in full communion with this church in 1876, his de- mise occurring in the State of New York. His wife also belonged to that church, and died in 1880. Morris D. Williams was married in the State of New York, in 1865, to Miss Martha E. Thompson, a daughter of Abicutt and Axie Thomp- son, and their union resulted in the birth of one child: Maurice S. After the mother's death, which occurred in 1883, Mr. Williams resolved to emigrate westward, and in 1888 came to Arkansas and settled in Arkansas County, and was first en- gaged in hay pressing, being one of the leading dealers in hay in this section of the country, and this season (1889) put up about 150 tons of pressed hay. Since the election of Gen. Harrison to the presidency he has been postmaster of Gold- · man. He was a participant in the late war, hav- ing enlisted in the Heavy Artillery, Fifth New York, in 1862, but owing to poor health was com- pelled to give up service at about the end of six months. He was first lieutenant of Company I, Newport Artillery, and had circumstances permitted would have made a gallant soldier.

J. J. Woolfolk, who has been engaged in the mercantile business at St. Charles for a number of years, is a native of Georgia, and a son of Robert H. and Nancy (Beal) Woolfolk. Robert H. Wool- folk was a merchant of Augusta, Ga., and died when our subject was but one year old. His mother then removed to Alabama, and settled on a farm, but a few years later she married James N. Smith, of Mississippi. J. J. Woolfolk was born in Au- gusta, January 19, 1837, and was reared princi- pally in Mississippi. Coming to Arkansas in 1857, he was employed as clerk in a store until the break- ing out of the war, when he enlisted in the First Arkansas Infantry, and was wounded in the battle of Shiloh and captured. He was taken to Camp But- ler, Illinois, where he was confined three months, and then exchanged. After the war, returning to St. Charles, Mr. Woolfolk was again employed as clerk for some time. He married Mrs. Wakefield (nee Leonia Willis), a native of this county, and

has had a family of seven children, six of whom are living: Maggie, John J., Robert H., Sallie, Jessie and Cassa. Mr. Woolfolk is in partnership with J. Alexander in merchandising. They carry a large stock of goods, and have a trade of about $60,000 per year. He is a Democrat in politics, and a popular citizen, meriting richly the success to which he has attained. He is an extensive land owner, having several farms, most of them under cultivation, and is said to be worth $100,000. Mr. Woolfolk and wife and children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

James Word is a native of Alabama, and a son of William and Elizabeth (Bransford) Word, whose birthplace was in South Carolina. After William Word had moved to Alabama, his wife died, in 1849, and seven years later he came to Arkansas, settling near Crockett's Bluff, where he was killed in 1868, during the reconstruction. He was of English and Scotch descent, and had been a member of the I. O. O. F. for a number of years. James Word was born in Limestone County, Ala., in 1838. During the war he served over four years in the Confederate army, and participated in the battles of Bull Run, Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and a number of others. He served in the Army of Tennessee, then in Price's raid through Missouri, and after the battle of Murfreesboro was transferred to the Trans-Mis- sissippi Division. He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, and was captured in December, 1864, and imprisoned at Pine Bluff three months, following which he was taken to Little Rock, where he was held until the close of the war. Mr. Word was married in 1867, to Miss Kate Inman, who died in 1868. Two years later he married Miss Elizabeth Jelks, of Tennessee birth, who came to Arkansas with her parents in 1855. Mr. Word owns a fine farm of 700 acres, with 165 under cultivation, which he has made by his own efforts. He is one of the leading Democrats of his township, and a highly respected citizen.

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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