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 58

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 58

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Hon. T. E. Hare is an eminent lawyer of Cross County, and by virtue of his ability as a jurist and his victories at the bar is eminently worthy a prominent place among the leading members of the legal fraternity. He is systematic and exact in all things and counts as worthless, all knowledge that is not accurate, and in his defense of the right is bold and unyielding. He was born on land now occupied by the village of Vanndale and was the third in a family of five children born to Thomas P. and Olivia B. (Turbeville) Hare, natives, respectively, of North Carolina and Vir- ginia. In 1851 they came to Arkansas and settled on a large tract of land, comprising 1,000 acres, in Cross County, all of which was in a wild condi- tion but this he began immediately to improve and clear, and proceeded to build him a home in the then almost wilderness. He succeeded in clearing about 200 acres of land and put it under cultivation and in addition to his farm work his time was con- siderably occupied in preaching the Gospel, be- coming well known in both capacities. His death occurred February 23, 1883, his estimable wife still surviving him, a well-preserved and intelligent old lady. T. E. Hare, their son, spent his youth on his father's woodland farm and in addition to receiving the advantages of the common schools he entered and graduated from the University of Mississippi, at Oxford, leaving that institution in 1873, he being only nineteen years old at the time, the youngest of his class. After teaching

Cross and other counties, becoming so well and favorably known that, in 1878, he was elected to the legislature from Cross County and was re-elected in 1880. While a member of this body, he introduced a railroad bill extending the charter of the Helena & Iron Mountain Railway soon after the road was built from Knobel to Helena. He was a member of the Judiciary committee during this time and was the youngest member of the house. In 1884, he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago, and was the youngest of this body also. In con- nection with his practice of law, he makes loans of foreign capital, of which he invests about $1, 000 to $5,000 per month, and in every enterprise in which he engages he meets with splendid success. He owns an excellent farm of 120 acres, of which seventy-five are under cultivation, and is president of the Vanndale branch of the American Building & Loan Association. October 28, 1880, he was married to Miss Mary D. Shelton, of Haywood County, Tenn., and by her has one child, Thomas Shelton, born June 15, 1883. Mr. Hare belongs to the society of the K. & L. of H.

Edward Harris, one of Smith Township's suc- cessful farmers, is a native of the State of Georgia, and a son of W. M. and Lucinda Scaggin, also originally from that State. W. M. Harris moved to Mississippi in 1840 and in 1859 to Crittenden County, Ark. Three years later he came to this county, where he died in 1876. His wife survived until 1879, leaving at her death eight children, three of whom are living. Edward Harris was born in 1832 and remained with his parents until their demise, passing his youth in a manner similar to the early days of other boys. In 1881 he was married to Miss Mary Anderson, daughter of William and Timby Anderson, all natives of Ala- bama. Mr. Harris enlisted in the Confederate army, in 1862, in the Twenty-third Arkansas In- fantry and served throughout the war, his career as a soldier being one to which he may refer with pride. Himself and wife are the parents of two children. Mr. Harris owns a fine farm of 222 acres, with about thirty acres under cultivation.

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He is a member of the Masonic order. His wife belongs to the Baptist Church.

Augustus W. Hinton, who came to Cross Coun- ty in 1852, is a son of Samuel H. and Mary M. (Walton) Hinton, natives of North Carolina. The former became engaged in the mercantile business at the age of twenty-one, and in 1834 moved to Fayette County, Tenn., where he bought land and commenced farming. In the fall of 1835 he was married, eleven children being born to himself and wife, five of whom are still living: A. W. (our subject), Almira J. (the wife of Edward Hare), Samuel G., G. W. H. and Ella (wife of W. P. Beard). In 1852 Mr. Hinton took up his residence in this county and bought a quarter section of land in Mitchell Township, with 100 acres under cultivation, upon which he resided until called away by death, December 25, 1866, at the age of fifty-two years. He had held the office of justice of the peace in Tennessee, and discharged the du- ties of county judge of Poinsett County before the division of that and Cross County. Mrs. Hinton died in July, 1887. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A. W. Hinton was born in 1837, and was fifteen years of age on coming to Arkansas. He returned to Macon, Fayette County, Tenn., in 1854, and attended school, and three years later entered Andrew Col- lege, at Gibson County, Tenn. Coming home the following year, he was married to Miss Mary E. Akins, daughter of William and Sarah C. (Kimble) Akins, natives of Alabama, and who were the par- ents of twelve children, four now surviving: Mary E. (who was born in March, 1836), Isabella (the wife of Samuel G. Hinton, a brother of A. W.), Ervin P. and Lettie W. (wife of S. G. Cun- ningham). M. Akin was a member of the "S. T. & H. M.," and both he and his wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church. The former was quite a successful farmer, and was the owner of some twenty or twenty-five slaves. He died in 1859, and his wife in 1866. Samuel Hinton pos- sessed about seventy-five or one hundred negroes at the time of the war. A. W. Hinton joined the Confederate army in 1862, in the Twenty-third Arkansas Infantry, and afterward joined the cav-

alry under Col. McGee. He was taken prisoner at Port Hudson, on July 12, then walked home, a distance of 700 miles, and was paroled a short time after, subsequently joining McGee's regi- ment of Arkansas Cavalry, and serving until the cessation of hostilities. Upon returning home, in June, 1865, he found his family in very desti- tute circumstances. He then resumed farming on his mother-in-law's land, and worked a part of it for three years, until his father's death, when he took charge of the old homestead, in 1881, purchas- ing his present farm of 160 acres, with seventy-five acres under cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Hinton are the parents of nine children: Almira A. (deceased), W. T., S. W. I. (deceased) and Sarah M. W. (twins, Sarah is wife of J. B. Bullard), Helen H. O., Mary E. (deceased), Susan C. (deceased), Solomon R. and Robert E. (also deceased). Mr. Hinton is a very successful farmer, and has one of the best arranged farms for stock of any one in the county. He has been a school director for the last thirteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Hinton and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the former also belongs to the County Wheel, and is a leading Democrat of the county.

Rowland R. Hodges, though comparatively a newcomer in Cross County, is conceded to be one of its prominent farmers. He was born in Ken- tucky in 1845, and is a son of Edward and Lou- rena (Mullens) Hodges, also Kentuckians by birth, the family having come originally from Virginia. Edward Hodges owned a large plantation in Ken- tucky and one-third of twenty or more negroes. He was born in 1812 and was married in 1838. A strong Republican, he was a member of the Bap- tist Church, and died in November, 1888, in the same county in which he was born. Mrs. Hodges' birth occurred in 1822; she died in 1886, having become the mother of eight children, seven of whom are now living: R. R. (our subject), Rebecca (wife of John Taylor), Joshua, Stephen, John, Ca- leph and Sarah A. (wife of John Sturgill). Row- land R. was reared and educated in the "Blue Grass " State, and at the age of twenty-one com- menced farming for himself on rented land. The following year he purchased 130 acres of land,

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

where he remained until 1876, then removing to within fifteen miles of Louisville and engaging in the saw-mill business, which he continued for two years. He then became associated with a man by the name of Vickers, as foreman, in the manufact- ure of wagons, but the business did not prove successful, and in 1881 he entered the employ of a firm in the manufacture of wagons at Owens- boro, Ky., where he continued four years also as foreman. Previous to this he had come to Arkan- sas in 1880 and entered 160 acres of land in Craig- head County, whither he moved his family. In 1885, resigning his position at Owensboro, he joined his family and then moved to Cross County, purchasing the grist-mill and cotton-gin which he still owns, and is also operating a saw-mill started about the same time. Mr. Hodges was married in 1867 to Mrs. Martha M. McHargue (nee Miller). They are the parents of five children: Hiram H., James S., E. R., David E. and Nannie B. In 1863 Mr. Hodges joined the Federal army and en- listed in the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, serv- ing to the close of the war in Gen. Burnside's command. He participated in the battles of Straw- berry Plains, Perryville (Ky.), and a number of skirmishes. Himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Hodges belongs to the I. O. O. F., is an enterprising citizen, and highly respected.

O. J. Hodge, an agriculturist of prominence and a man thoroughly alive to the interests of his county, started out in life at the age of twenty-five years with $500, which was given him by his father, and which he invested in a small farm in Georgia, his native State, where he remained until 1883, when he removed to Alabama and bought a farm in Marshall County. In 1886 Mr. Hodge again moved, this time to Cross County, Ark., where he purchased his present farm, consisting of 570 acres, with 225 acres under cultivation, for which he paid about $5,500 and which is now said to estimate some $7,000 or $8,000. The subject of this sketch was born in Georgia September 20, 1850, and was the son of S. M. and Martha Hodge, originally of Georgia. Mr. Hodge was a farmer by occupation, and in connection with his

farm owned a grist-mill. He enlisted in the Fed- eral army in the late war and was married in 1844. He was a Democrat in politics and belonged to the society of the A. F. & A. M. His death occurred in 1888, at the age of sixty-five years. His wife still survives him and lives at the old homestead. They were the parents of seven children, five of whom are still living: Josephine (widow of H. C. Christian, of Georgia), Samuel A., O. J. (our sub- ject), Martha (wife of Robert Gordon), Annie (wife of T. E. Zellmer). O. J. Hodge was mar- ried December 28, 1873, to Miss Mary E. Harkins. They are the parents of eight children, five living: Nora Addie, S. J. T. (deceased), O. J., Mattie, Ida, T. J. and R. G. Himself and wife belong to the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Hodge has 170 acres of land in one field, which is now all under cultivation, and a depot or shipping station on his property of the Iron Mountain & St. Louis Railroad, which runs on the west line of his farm. Mr. Hodge is a self-made man, having made all that he is worth, except the $500 given him by his father. He belongs to the A. F. & A. M., and is a member of Sincerity Lodge No. 116, of Clinton, Ga.

Newton P. Johnson, an energetic young farmer, and a native resident of Cross County, is a son of Lemuel Johnson who was born in Alabama, near Tuscaloosa. The latter, upon immigrating to Ar- kansas, settled in St. Francis County, and later moved to Cross County, where his death occurred in 1867. He was married twice, his second wife, Mary Ruminor, being the mother of Newton P. Mrs. Johnson was of German and Irish descent, her father having been born in Germany and her mother in Ireland. She died in 1875, leaving nine children, two of whom are living. Newton P. Johnson came upon the stage of action in Cross County on January 23, 1853, and lived with his mother until her death. He was married in 1879 to Miss Rozella Ferguson, whose birth occurred in Shelby County, Tenn., in 1861. Her father, William Ferguson, was a native of Tennessee and a hardware merchant of Memphis. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of two children: Charles F. and Lola F. The former owns 450 acres of

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land, sixty acres comprising the farm on which he lives, and he has over 100 acres under cultivation. He also has three shares in the old homestead. In connection with farming he is occupied in the tim- ber business quite extensively. Mr. Johnson is a strong Democrat. His wife is a member of the Baptist Church.

William W. Johnson, member of the firm of Johnson & Hamilton, merchants, Wynne, Ark. As a man of business Mr. Johnson's name is co- extensive with Cross County and the surrounding country. He owes his nativity to Holly Springs, Miss., where his birth occurred in 1858. He passed his youthful days among relatives, attending school at Neophigan College, near Spring Falls, Tenn. but left this school in 1872 to attend Bethel Col- lege, Mckenzie, Tenn. He left this school in 1876 and then engaged with Clark, Johnson & Co., merchants at Memphis, remaining with this firm at their stores at Clarkson, Crittenden County, Ark., for thirteen years, at first as clerk, then book-keeper and for the last five years as man- ager of the entire estate of 4, 700 acres, all under cultivation. Mr. Johnson left this firm in 1855, came to Wynne, Ark., and here opened a gen- eral store, as Johnson & Williams, which con- tinued one year, after which the title was changed to W. W. Johnson & Co., which was succeeded in 1888 by the present firm of Johnson & Hamilton. This firm carries a stock of goods valued at $7,000 and do nearly a cash business. Mr. Johnson was married in 1881 to Miss Hattie B. Forgey, a native of Tennessee, and they have three children: Julia, William and Charles. Mr. Johnson is a Knight of Pythias (belonging to Lodge No. 52) and also a member of Memphis Lodge K. of H. He is the youngest of three children born to the marriage of M. J. and Fannie S. (Cole) Johnson, natives of North Carolina and Louisiana, respectively. The maternal grandfather, L. H. Cole, during all his business life was engaged in slave trading. He was also extensively engaged in farming, owning large tracts of land in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. M. J. Johnson moved from North Caro- lina to Tennessee in 1848, and he and his father started a carriage factory, the first in Memphis.

He, in connection with a brother, ran a stage line, in those early days from Memphis to Jackson, Tenn., and they also built the first hotel, which they named the Boone Hotel. This building is still standing. The paternal grandmother, Mary B. Boone, was a granddaughter of the celebrated Daniel Boone. M. J. Johnson moved to Arkansas in 1859, as agent for his father-in-law, who was speculating in land, and started to open a large plantation about seven miles south of Crit- tenden County at the breaking out of the war. They then left Crittenden County and did not re- turn for several years. During the war they pur- chased a large plantation known as Rosborough Island, for which they gave $16,000, there being 1,320 acres there, and which, owing to a de- fective title, was wholly lost. In 1874 they re- turned to the old place, which was then running wild, and this he practically recleared. They now have about 300 acres under cultivation in a tract of 450 acres. This all belongs to William W. Johnson, but is occupied by his parents at the present time.

C. P. Jones, M. D. Prominent among the names of the leading physicians of Cross County, and, indeed, of Eastern Arkansas, appears that of Dr. C. P. Jones, of Cherry Valley, who was born, reared and educated in Northern Mississippi, and during his boyhood days worked on his father's farm. In 1879 he entered the Medical Department of the Vanderbilt University, at Nashville, subse- quently returning to this county, where he had been teaching school for two years, previous to starting upon his collegiate course. Commencing at once his practice, he continued until 1882, when he en- tered the Memphis Hospital and Medical College, and graduated the following year, later locating at Cherry Valley. He has since been very successful in his career as a practitioner, building up an envi- able patronage. Dr. Jones was married, in 1882, to Miss Nannie C. Stafford, daughter of W. B. and Mattie (Bowers) Stafford, of Tennessee nativity, both of whom are living in Poinsett County. Dr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of three children, but one is deceased; Heber and Zellmer survive. Dr. Jones commenced in the

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drug business in 1886, in which he is still engaged in connection with his practice. A stanch Demo- crat, he is very much interested in politics. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Doctor was born in Mississippi in 1851, being the son of Harden and Mary C. (Caruthers) Jones, who came originally from Ten- nessee and South Carolina, respectively, and who were married in the former State about 1836. Mr. Jones moved to Marshall County, Miss., at an early day, and from there to Pontotoc County, where he lived for twenty-nine years, dying in 1885, at the age of seventy-two years. Himself and wife became the parents of eight children: C. P. (our subject), A. J., Taylor, D. D., James N., Frances C. (wife of James Johnson), Clementine B. and Evilee. Mr. Jones served in the Florida and Indian Wars in 1836.

W. A. Jones, merchant, Wynne, Ark. Among the prominent business houses of Wynne, one de- serving of special mention in connection with the dry goods and grocery line, is the firm of Smith, Graham & Jones. This firm has assumed a posi- tion in the mercantile community creditable to themselves, and of benefit to the city. Mr. Jones was born on his father's farm, known of old as the William Strong Place, a fine farm in the southern part of Cross County, on the St. Francis River, in 1854, and is the only living member of a family of six children born to William A. and Mary J. (Gran- bery) Jones, natives of Virginia and North Caro- lina, respectively. The father came to Tennessee in youth, clerked for a few years, and then bought an interest in the same store. He continued at this business until perhaps thirty-six years of age, when he moved to a farm near Memphis, and tilled the soil for a few years, then, with the proceeds of the sale of this farm, he bought a fine piece of prop- erty partly in each St. Francis and Cross Counties, on the St. Francis River, and consisting of about 1,200 acres. This is one of the historic places of this neighborhood, being situated on the old mili- tary road running from Memphis to Little Rock, and was conducted as an hotel by Mr. Strong. At the time of Mr. Jones' purchase, Mr. Strong had about completed a large house, which Mr. Jones

immediately proceeded to finish, and it stands to- day as one of the best houses in the county. Early in the settlement of the place, Mr. Strong had con- ducted a large store, and for some time it was the county seat of St. Francis, while Arkansas was still a Territory. Mr. Strong was the first post- master, and this was the only postoffice for miles around. Mr. Jones purchased this place in 1848, and immediately instituted extensive improvements in the way of clearing land and farming. At the time of his death, which occurred in December, 1860, he was the owner of about 500 acres under cultivation, over 300 of which he had cleared him- self. Mr. Jones was a member of the legislature, from St. Francis County, and a member of the State senate from this district, at the time of his death. He introduced a bill to form a new county; this was passed, the new county was added and named Craighead, while the county seat was named Jonesboro in his honor. While a citizen of Ten- nessee he was also a member of the legislature of that State, and after becoming a resident of Arkan- sas he was one of that State's worthy and esteemed citizens. He was a self-made man, and, although his educational advantages were limited, he carved his way to social and political eminence, and leaves a name and memory that is revered by all. His son, W. A. Jones, passed his youth on the farm, attending country schools, until about sixteen years of age, when he went to Tennessee, where he attend- ed school for eighteen months. After this he re- turned and assumed the management of the farm, which he conducted successfully until 1886. The mother died in 1887. His sister, Mollie C. (Jones), wife of L. N. Rhodes, had been living with him, and died in 1883. Mr. Jones left the farm in 1887 and engaged with Hamilton, Smith & Co., at Wittsburg, for the benefit of the experience to be derived. On January 1, 1888, the firm of Smith, Graham & Jones was formed, and in February they moved their business to Wynne. This firm carries a large stock, and has a well-assorted class of goods, with a rapidly increasing business. Mr. Jones is a member of the K. of H. and Levesque Lodge No. 52, K. of P. His life is another example of the self-made men of this section; his father

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dying when he was young, and the demoralizing effect of the war, through which he passed his youth, it would certainly seem to have some influ- ence over his future; but when he assumed charge of the large farm and the heavy incumbrance that he paid off in two years is the first exhibition of his inherited business qualifications. Since that time his life has been one of success, and now, sound and substantial, he takes his place among the lead- ing merchants of the county.

James A. Jones, one of the self-made men of Cross County, and an enterprising and rising young agriculturist, is a son of Newton and Sarah (King) Jones, natives of Virginia and North Carolina. They were the parents of twelve children, six of whom are living: Zilphia (wife of J. A. Campbell), J. A. (our subject), Mary E. (the wife of M. A. Merriman), Martin, Henry and John. Mr. Jones died in 1863. His wife still survives him, and lives with her son, John, in Woodruff County. James A. Jones was reared to farm life in Missis- sippi, and at the age of twenty-four commenced farming for himself in Cross County, where he had moved with his mother in 1873, to a farm which he rented. In 1878 he bought his present farm, consisting of 160 acres, which had at that time about forty acres cleared, but by improving and cultivating has over eighty acres in a good con- dition. Mr. Jones was married in 1876 to Lora Ann Pearson, who died in 1878, leaving one child, Washtella. In November, 1878, Mr. Jones was married to his second wife, Sarah A. Bryant, who died in 1884 and was the mother of three children, two of whom are still living: Newton and Jerome. Mr. Jones was married to his third and present wife, Missouri Griffin, on August 23, 1884. They are the parents of two children, who are still living: James T. and Lessie. On coming to Arkansas Mr. Jones had nothing. Now he owns his fine farm with good buildings and stock, and is one of the most industrious and energetic young farmers in the township.

A. Jordan was reared and educated in William- son County, Tenn., and supplemented his early training by attendance at the Bedford County Uni- versity, between the ages of ten and fifteen. The

war breaking out the university was closed, and in 1866 young Jordan was a student at the college at College Grove, Williamson County, for eighteen months. He then commenced farming the old homestead, and in 1870 moved to Western Tennes- see, where he remained until the following spring, coming thence to Arkansas, and locating in Crit- tenden County. In 1874 Mr. Jordan became a resident of Cross County, and bought an improved farm of 420 acres, where he resided some twelve years, after which he sold this place and purchased some 500 acres of timbered land, with sixty or sev- enty acres under cultivation. Mr. Jordan was born in Tennessee, in 1849, as a son of Williamson and Sarah (Davis) Jordan, natives of Virginia. Williamson Jordan went to Tennessee when a boy with his father, and settled in Williamson County, where he was married in 1844, being engaged in farming on an extensive scale and owning quite a number of slaves. There he lived until his death, in 1861. He had been twice married; first in Wil- son County, Tenn., by which union he had three children, one now living. He was married the second time in 1844, to Miss Sarah Davis, who bore nine children; of these five survive: John M., Powhattan (deceased), Adelbert (our subject), Catherine (now Mrs. Cooper, of Nashville), Addie (deceased), Samuel G. and Lizzie (now Mrs. Cap- ley). Adelbert Jordan has also been twice married. In 1868 Miss Ellen Gilliland, daughter of Samuel and Viola (Logan) Gilliland, became his wife, by which marriage he was the father of two children: Willie (deceased) and Ella V. Mrs. Jordan, who was a member of the Methodist Church, died in 1868. Mr. Jordan was married the second time, in 1879, to Miss Ada Jelks, daughter of Dr. John A. Jelks. They have had four children: Blanch I., Pearl, John A. and Robert M. Mrs. Jordan is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Jor- dan is an outspoken Democrat, and in 1875 was elected justice of the peace of this township, which office he held for fourteen years. In 1863 he joined the Confederate army, and was in a com- pany consisting of about 100 men. At the close of the war there were only six of the company re- maining. In March, 1889, Mr. Jordan purchased

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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