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 57

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 57

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and enterprising farmers of the county; is honest, industrious and a man who has the respect of all. He is the youngest son born to John and Charity Futrell, and was left fatherless when a child. The father was also a farmer and was born, reared and passed his last days in the same county.

William Ganley was a son of James Ganley, who was born in Ireland and emigrated to this country soon after his marriage, locating in New Jersey, about five miles below Trenton, on the Delaware River; afterward he moved to Philadel- phia, where he died about 1833. His wife, for- merly Bridget Doane, died in St. Louis from the cholera, as did also several of the children. They reared a family of eleven children, of whom Will- iam, our subject, was the seventh. The latter was born in New Jersey, March 17, 1827, and was reared in that State until about eighteen years of age, when he left home and came west, engaging in rafting lumber down the Mississippi from Min- nesota to St. Louis. In this occupation he con- tinued for eleven years, being the first man to take a raft of pine lumber from Minnesota to that city between the points mentioned, an industry that has now grown to one of considerable proportions. He then started for California, but passing through Cross County, Ark., became interested in the beauty of the country and stopped here, and has since made it his home. When first coming to this county Mr. Ganley embarked in the lumber busi- ness and afterward went to farming, in which he is still interested. He was married about 1852, to Martha Miles, a native of Alabama, who died in 1862, leaving five children, one of whom only is living, Bridget, still at home. Mr. Ganley now owns 600 acres of land, with 100 acres under cul- tivation, located near the Tyronza River; he has good buildings and a large orchard. He is a Catholic in religion and a Democrat in politics.

Cassius M. Gardner is a progressive farmer and stockman of Cross County, and was born about three miles east of the present village of Vanndale, in 1858, and was the eldest of seven children born to William H. and Martha A. (Ma- lone) Gardner, who were natives of Virginia and Tennessee, respectively. The former, with his

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father, was among the early pioneers of the State of Tennessee, and there received the most of his rearing. In 1854 he came to Arkansas and settled in what is now Cross County, and here he was married in 1856 to Miss Martha Malone, a daughter of Samuel Malone, one of the pioneers of Arkan- sas. Mr. Gardner purchased land for a farm and soon opened a store at a place called Pineville, and here held forth for a short time, being one of the first merchants of the place. In 1885 he sold his farm to locate in the village of Vanndale, and here he has since lived in retirement. His son, Cassius M., attended the district schools of Cross County until he was seventeen years of age, and then for a short time was an attendant of the schools of Forrest City and Wittsburg. After clerking in the postoffice of the former place for a short time he, in 1878, settled in 'Wittsburg and became an em- ploye of Block Bros. & Co. and remained with them for nearly four years. He then returned to the farm, having previously purchased 240 acres, and here built a nice dwelling-house and made many other valuable improvements, clearing forty acres, and now has ninety acres in an excellent state of cultivation. In 1887 he bought forty acres adjoin- ing Vanndale, on which he erected a handsome cottage the following year, and in the winter moved to his new home. He has a fine property and is rapidly making improvements, and, being enterprising and possessing ideas aside from the beaten track, his labors are always attended with good results. In 1885 he was married to Miss Helen Halk, a daughter of Nathan and Amelia Halk, the former of whom died in 1887. The latter still lives on her fine farm on the Cherry Valley Road. To Mr. and Mrs. Gardner have been born two children: Bertram F. (who died at the age of eighteen months) and Olive V. (who died when seven months old). Mr. Gardner belongs to Pearl Lodge of the K. & L. of H. of Vanndale.

John Graham, a very successful farmer and a member of the firm of Smith, Graham & Jones, merchants at Wynne, owes his nativity to North Carolina, where his birth occurred in 1847, and is the eldest in a family of five children, born to C. C. and Mary E. (Mebane) Graham, both natives

of North Carolina. The father conducted an iron furnace and owned iron mines in his native State, but sold his interest and moved to Arkansas in 1854. He bought a large tract of land, 1,100 acres in all, southeast of the present village of Wynne, which was a dense wilderness at the time, and immediately proceeded to clear the land, erect buildings and to make other improvements. The house now on the place was partially erected in 1854, and the modern two-story frame in 1860. As early as 1855 Mr. Graham erected a horse- power cotton gin, the only one at that time within ten miles. During the war Mr. Graham remained at home, followed farming to some extent, but was often interrupted by raids from Federal sol- diers. At the close of the war he engaged in merchandising at Wittsburg under the title of Knight, Graham & Co. Knight withdrew and the name was changed to Graham, Thomas & Co. This firm did an extensive business, and the part- ners made considerable money. In 1870 Mr. Gra- ham withdrew from the business and soon went to Memphis, where he engaged in the commission business under the firm name of Rutland, Gra- ham & Co. After two years Mr. Graham with- drew and was soon elected president of the Me- chanic and Trader's Bank in Memphis. He was

in this office for about four years when he resigned and engaged in the brokerage business. During his residence in Memphis he erected a number of dwellings, also some business houses and was an active business man up to the time of his death, which occurred August 18,1886. In Mr. Graham's life we can trace the active and successful business man. In fact, few men in the early history of our country have shown a greater knowledge of how to carve their fortune from the rough elements of the times. He was esteemed as one of the most progressive, intelligent and energetic business men of the community, and was in every way a worthy man and citizen.

""Tis ever wrong to say a good man dies".

He always lived a correct life and was one of the leading members of the Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis. John Graham was reared to farm labor and attended the common schools at

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home until 1858, when he attended school at Greensboro, N. C. Subsequently he was under the instruction of a teacher at a private school and remained there until the breaking out of the late war. In 1863, when only sixteen years of age, he enlisted in Company A, McGee's regiment caval- ry, and for a year operated in Eastern Arkansas. In 1864 he joined Gen. Price in his Missouri raid, was in the battle of Pilot Knob and in all the bat- tles until West Port, when, holding the field until Price could escape with the wagon train, our sub- ject was captured, taken to Kansas City and later to Fort Leavenworth, where he was held in captivity, and after some time was removed to Camp Morton, Ind., and here retained until the close of the war, being released about June 1. He immediately started for home and made the journey from Memphis on foot. He at once took charge of his father's farm. In 1866 he went to Mebaneville school, remained there one year and then came home, residing with his parents for one year. From there he removed to the bottoms, en- gaged in agricultural pursuits for himself and there remained three years. Following this he took charge of the old homestead, while his father went to Memphis, and tilled the soil for five years, after which his father gave him an interest in the place, on which he erected a dwelling and there re- sided. At the time of the father's death he bought out the heirs and moved back to the old home- stead. Since then he has cleared about sixty acres and now has 500 in a fine state of cultivation, and on another tract near by he has sixty acres under cultivation. He moved his gin to the home place, has a good dwelling, orchard and is con- sidered one of the best farmers in the county. He is quite extensively engaged in stock raising, princi- pally mules, and has been very successful at this, raising some of the largest and finest mules ever seen in the State, and as good as any from Ken- tucky or in fact, any State. He seeds down a large part of his farm to improve and fertilize the soil. He raises large crops of cotton and corn and is a prac- tical, as well as a scientific farmer. His farm em- braces about 600 acres under cultivation, lying on the west slope of Crowley's Ridge, and presents a

magnificent view, for, from his residence, nearly every acre is spread out like a picture before the eye. He was married in December, 1870, to Miss Jennie Allen, a daughter of Abijah Allen, one of the early settlers and prominent farmers of St. Francis County. Eight children were the result of this union: Mary C., Charles C. (died at the age of three years), John M., Abijah Allen (died at the age of three weeks), Jennie Clay, Willie Vernon (died at the age of three years), Carey Osceola and James Franklin. Mrs. Graham is a member of the Presbyterian Church. In 1888 Mr. Graham joined with his partners in the large mercantile firm at Wynne. He is the leading spirit in all move- ments pertaining to the good of the country, and is not only a leading farmer, but is a member of the leading commercial firm in Cross County.

G. W. Griffin is a successful farmer, and is the proprietor of the Vanndale livery stable. He was born in Georgia in 1839, and was the eldest in a family of six children born to Tilam M. and Eliza- beth (Raspberry) Griffin, the former a blacksmith by trade, who, in 1854, came to Arkansas, and settled one mile east of the present village of Vann- dale, where he began following his trade, his es- tablishment being the first of the kind in this sec- tion of the country. Here he died in 1856, his wife's death having occurred in Alabama, prior to the coming of the family to Arkansas. G. W. Griffin acquired a fair knowledge of the English branches in Tennessee and Alabama, and after his father's death, when only eighteen years of age, he took charge of the blacksmith shop, and contin- ued this business without a break until the opening of the war. He enlisted in Capt. Martin's Com- pany, Fifth Arkansas Regiment, Trans-Mississippi Department, and was in the battles of Greenville, Prairie Grove, Jenkins' Ferry, and Pleasant Hill, and also in a number of minor engagements, serv- ing in the cavalry for some time. After his return from the war he farmed for one year, then opened the shop at the old stand continuing there until the spring of 1882, when he moved to the village of Vanndale, and engaged in business there. In 1860 he bought a small tract of land comprising five acres, added five more in 1867, and two years

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later bought fifty-five acres, all of which was wild land. He has since had it all cleared, and has continued to purchase from time to time, until he now owns 331 acres, and has 100 acres under till- age. His dwelling-house and barns are in good condition, and his fences are kept in excellent re- pair, in fact he is a thoroughgoing and thrifty farmer, as can easily be seen in giving a glance at his farm. He is Worshipful Master of Arcadia Lodge No. 183, A. F. & A. M. Mr. Griffin was elected to the office of county treasurer, and served two terms by re-election. He has also held the office of justice of the peace for three years. In 1861 he was married to Miss Mary E. Snowden, a native of Fayette County, Tenn., who came with her father, W. H. Snowden, to Arkansas in 1858. This gentleman was also a blacksmith, and died in 1881. To Mr. and Mrs. Griffin was born the following family of children: Silas W. (who lived to be twenty-seven years of age, and died April 10, 1889), Susan C. (who was married, died in 1886), Sarah Irene, Nannie Izoarah, Annie, Mollie Vir -. ginia, Mattie, Charles George, Frank Lee, Hugh and one that died unnamed. Mr. Griffin is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

James O. Halk is a son of M. T. and Permelia (Stacy) Halk, who came to Arkansas from Georgia, and settled in what was then Poinsett (now Cross) County, in 1843, entering 200 acres of land in the locality known as "Crowley's Ridge." As part of his first crop he put in six acres of cotton, which was considered a large amount in that sec- tion of the country at the time. He afterward sold his farm and bought a place containing 400 acres on the west side of the ridge, where he lived at the time of his death, in 1887, at the age of sixty-three. Mr. Halk enlisted in the Confederate army during the war, and served as a private on Price's raid through Missouri. In his three years' service he was not permitted to fire a gun. Him- self and wife were members of the Methodist Church; they had a family of ten children, eight of whom are still living: James O., Flora (wife of W. L. Neal), Bettie (wife of J. N. Ables), Helen (wife of C. M. Gardner), John, Robert, Gussie

and Elsie. The last four children are at home with their mother, who lives on the old homestead. When James O. Halk was twenty years old he was presented by his father with eighty acres of fine farming land, upon which he engaged in agricult- ural pursuits and stock raising for himself, and now has some seventy-six acres under cultivation, with a good house, buildings and fences, and con- siderable stock, mostly cattle, mules and horses. Mr. Halk was married in his twenty-first year to Miss Julia Shaver, of this county. They are the parents of five children, three living: Annie, Zem- mie and Sheton. James O. Halk was born in this county in 1857, and is one of the leading young Democrats of the community. His wife is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

John J. Hamilton (deceased) is a son of The- ophilus Hamilton, one of the pioneers of this section, and who came to Arkansas in his childhood. The family came to Middle Tennessee, settled on what is now called the Bay Road in Cross County, and here John J. Hamilton spent his youth in farming pursuits, and had but limited educational advan- tages. When twenty-one years of age he left home and commenced working for himself as an over- seer on the plantation of Col. Cross, with whom he remained two years. On April 17, 1848, he married Miss Parmesia Shaver,a daughter of Charles Shaver, who was among the very first of the pio- neers of what is now Cross County. Mr. Shaver came to this State, perhaps as early as 1815, set- tled on Sugar Creek where he cleared up a good farm, and erected the first mill in this section. Soon after his arrival the Indians stole nearly all his stock. He lived on the original place, now known as Bay Village, until his death. After the conclusion of his contract with Col. Cross, Mr. Hamilton purchased a small tract of land on Otter Creek, in the northern part of Cross County, where he and his young wife moved, and began clearing up a place for a home. They remained there three years, and during that time Mr. Ham- ilton cleared about thirty acres. They then moved to a tract of 480 acres, and later bought near the first settlement. Here they remained for about ten years, during which time Mr. Hamilton cleared

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about 100 acres. In 1866 the commercial firm of D. Block & Co., of Wittsburg was formed, consist- ing of David and Maurice Block, and the subject of this sketch. This firm soon began to do an astonishing business for this section, their business yielding annually from $100,000 to $300,000. The partners in this business died, Mr. Maurice Block first and John J. Hamilton May 3, 1878. The latter, a few years previous to his death, with- drew from the firm, and removed to the old home at Bay Village. Here he built a cotton-gin, opened a general store and drug store, and thus was prac- tically the first business enterprise started in the place. He lived but one year after moving back. His success in business enabled him to leave a fort- une to his heirs and widow, consisting mostly of real estate in Cross County. He was very public spirited, and very active politically. He was self- made, carved his way to fortune, and mainly edu- cated himself after marriage. The result of his union with Miss Shaver resulted in the birth of ten children: Hester C. (wife of R. Block), Will- iam Boone (died at the age of twenty-four years), Obediah A., Charles M. (merchant at Wynne), David H. (died at the age of twenty seven years), J. B. (at present sheriff of Cross County), A. P. (died at the age of six years), Forest (merchant at Wynne), Effie (wife of Willis Levesque, of Cross County) and Edward (clerk at railroad office).

C. M. Hamilton, merchant, Wynne, Ark. This prominent business man, of the firm of Johnson & Hamilton, first saw the light of day near Wittsburg in 1855, and was the fourth of nine children born to the union of J. H. and P. (Shaver) Hamilton. [See sketch of J. J. Hamilton.] C. M. Hamilton was taught the duties of farm life when young, at- tended the common schools until twenty years of age, when he engaged in the drug business at Wittsburg in partnership with R. M. Smith, and continued at this for eight years. Also during this time he had an interest in a similar store at Forrest City. In 1879 he opened a general store, and for several years conducted the two establishments. In 1885 he sold the drug store, and turned his attention to the general store, which business is conducted under the firm name of Hamilton, Smith

& Co. He was very successful, and during the year 1887, he shipped about 700 bales of cotton. This firm dissolved partnership in the same year, and in July, 1888, Mr. Hamilton formed a partnership with W. M. Johnson, and opened an extensive general store at Wynne. They carry a stock valued at $6,000, buy everything a farmer has to sell, and have everything he wishes to buy. Mr. Hamilton has been married twice, first in 1878, to Miss Spraggins, a native of Arkansas, and daugh- ter of D. Spraggins, who was a pioneer of this sec- tion, a merchant at Wittsburg for a number of years, and also an extensive farmer. She died in January, 1887, and left two children: Charley and Floy. His second marriage occurred in October, 1888, and the same year he built a neat cottage in Wynne, where he now has a pleasant home. Aside from this he has two other residences which he rents, and also a residence in Forrest City. He is some- what active in politics, and votes with the Demo- cratic party. Socially he is a K. of P., Lodge No. 52, and a K. of H., and belongs to the K. & L. of H. He is a good and an enterprising citizen.

J. B. Hamilton, sheriff, Cross County, Ark. Were one to ask the leading characteristics of Mr. Hamilton as a man, the answer would come al- most involuntary that he is brave and fearless, hon- est, but unpretending, and a man who has been tried, but not found wanting, and one capable of discharging his official and private duties with competency. J. B. Hamilton was born in Cross County, Ark., in 1862, and is the son of John and Parmesia (Shaver) Hamilton. [For further par- ticulars see sketch of father. ] He passed his boy- hood days in assisting on the farm and in attend- ing the common schools, finishing his education by a course in the Commercial College at Memphis, Tenn. In 1880 he went to Poinsett County, where he was in business in Harrisburg for two years. In 1885 he started a livery stable at Wittsburg, but in 1886 moved his business to Wynne, and continued to follow this occupation in that city un- til in June, 1889, when he sold out. Mr. Hamil- ton has always taken a deep interest in politics, served as deputy sheriff for two years under Sheriff J. W. Killough, and in 1888 was elected

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sheriff and collector of Cross County. At the time of his election he was just twenty-seven years of age, and is the youngest sheriff ever elected to that office in Arkansas. Mr. Hamiliton was mar- ried December 19, 1888, to Miss Rena Cogbill, a native of Cross County, and the daughter of W. H. Cogbill, who has been a citizen of Cross Coun- ty for some time. Mr. Hamilton is a member of the K. of P., and is one of the brightest young men of the county. He is pleasant and courteous, and his abilities have been recognized by the people as may be seen from the office to which they have elected him. To his marriage has been born one child, a daughter, Margery.

B. F. Hamilton, Wynne, Ark. Prominent among the very successful business men of Wynne, stands the name of B. F. Hamilton, who is gentle- manly and courteous in all his relations with the public, and whose popularity is established. He was born in Cross County, Ark., in 1866, and is the eighth of ten children born to John G. and Parmesia (Shaver) Hamilton, old settlers of this county. The father died in 1879, but the mother is still living. B. F. Hamilton passed his boy- hood days in assisting on the farm and in attend- ing the common schools until eighteen years of age, when he engaged as drug clerk for Hamilton & Norton, at Wittsburg. After remaining in that capacity for a year and a half, he changed to a position in the same business for M. C. Collins at the same place. One year later, in partnership with T. A. Bedford, he began business for him- self at Wittsburg, continuing there for two years, when Mr. Bedford withdrew, and the same busi- ness was continued with the present partner. In 1887 they removed to Wynne, and started a store in the same business. In February of 1889, they sold out, and under the same firm name are con- tinuing in business at Wynne. Mr. Hamilton, though still a young man, is at present treasurer of the city of Wynne; is quite active politically, and always takes a deep interest in all things that tend to the upbuilding of the county or town. He is one of the successful and well-known citizens of the town, and comes of an old and honored family.

F. M. Hare, one of the most prominent farm-

ers of Cross County and among its old settlers, is a son of Jacob and Emma M. (Wheeler) Hare, the former of whom was a native of North Caro- lina, being married about 1826. His wife came originally from New Brunswick. Removing from North Carolina in 1832, they settled in Fayette County, Tenn., thirty-two miles east of Memphis, where Mr. Hare bought a large tract of land (some 6,000 or 8,000 acres), mostly under cultivation, and also owned about seventy negroes. He was a minister of the Methodist Church for nearly twenty- five years. Previous to leaving North Carolina (near 1830) Mr. Hare represented his county and three adjoining counties in the State senate one term. Upon locating in Tennessee he engaged in farming and the prosecution of his ministerial duties. Later, or in 1854, he moved to Arkansas and settled in Cross County, where he bought about 2,000 acres of land, and where he died in 1859. He was one of the best-educated men of the county, having acquired his learning in the leading schools of North Carolina. Mrs. Hare died in 1873, leaving a family of ten children, only two of whom are now living: F. M. (our subject) and Bettie (the widow of the late Dr. Crump, who re- sides in Jonesboro, Ark.). F. M. Hare was em- ployed as overseer of his father's slaves for a num- ber of years, and in 1861 organized a company for the army, joining the Fifth Arkansas Infantry; he was appointed first lieutenant. The regiment was commanded first by Col. Cross, but afterward was put under command of Col. Murray, of Pine Bluff, a graduate of West Point, being with Morgan in his raid through Ohio, during which Mr. Hare was captured at Buffington Island, on July 19, 1863. He was taken to Johnson's Island and kept nine months, and then transferred to Point Lookout and afterward to Fort Delaware, from which place he was exchanged and rejoined his regiment. After the war he returned home and found the farm dilapidated, the negroes set at lib- erty and fences burned. Mrs. Hare, the mother of our subject, had succeeded in fencing up some forty acres and had a small crop of corn. Mr. Hare took hold of the old place on his return from the army and remained upon it for two years, when

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he was married, in 1867, to Miss Lizzie Reid, a one term of school he began practicing law in native of Fayette County, Tenn., and daughter of William and Eda (Brown) Reid, of North Caro- lina origin. Two years later he bought the farm on which he now lives, a fine place, well under cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Hare are the parents of ten children, nine still surviving: Pearl, Eda, Emma, Nellie, Birdie, Francis, Sallie B., Thomas R. and Frederick. Mr. Hare was born in Fayette County, Tenn., in 1838, is a member of the A. F. and A. M., and also of the K. of H. He is a Democrat politically, but does not take a very act- ive part in politics. He has a fine farm of 220 acres, with eighty-five acres under cultivation and is one of the leading farmers of the township.

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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