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 68

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 68

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James F. Hodges in his association with the plantation interests of Lucas Township, has come to be very favorably known. He was born in North Carolina, September 29, 1846, being a son of Davis W. Hodges, a native of South Carolina, born April 10, 1825, whose father was John Hodges, a soldier in the War of 1812. Davis W. Hodges was mar- ried in South Carolina to Miss Susan J Davis, she having first seen the light of day in North Carolina in 1838. They are still living in South Carolina, where they follow farming for an oc- cupation, and are the parents of six sons and one daughter, all living. James F. Hodges is the oldest son and he and his brother Milton are the only members of the family in Arkansas. He was reared and educated in the common schools of South Carolina and lived at home till he reached

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his majority. In 1863, enlisting in Company I, of the Hampton Legion of the Confederate army, he served up to near the close of the war when he re- turned to his native State, remaining there till 1875, the time of his removal to this county. In 1879 he returned to his native State and was there married October 15, 1879, to Miss Lulu Archer, of South Carolina, born October 30, 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Hodges have a family of four children: Walter D., Eva S., Harry G. and Freddie. Mr. Hodges now controls 2,000 acres of land, acquired since 1876, and upon which he has lived since 1883. A Democrat in politics, himself and wife are earnest workers in the cause of Christianity, belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Hodges raises from 750 to 1,000 bales of cotton per year. He is an honest, upright and hard-work- ing man whom everybody respects.

J. L. Holloway is a prominent and wealthy planter of Lucas Township, who was born in Mon- roe County, Miss., September 14, 1843, being one of ten children that blessed the union of Samuel and Sophia (Mitchiel) Holloway, natives of Edge- field District, S. C. Samuel Holloway was reared and educated in South Carolina, and at the age of seventeen accepted the position of manager of his uncle's business, which he successfully conducted until his twentieth year. He then moved to Tusca- loosa, Ala., and there married, and immediately took the management of his mother-in-law's estate. He afterward bought a farm in Tuscaloosa Coun- ty, and though quite a young man, received the election of sheriff of that county, which office he filled with entire satisfaction to all concerned, for many years. In 1843 he moved to Monroe County, Miss., from there to Aberdeen, Miss., and in 1854 took his family to the latter place, where he had pur- chased a large plantation, and there remained until the close of the war. In 1848 Mr. Holloway bought a farm in Monroe County, Ark., which consisted of 400 acres in cultivation; this was owned by the family until 1862; and in 1858 he purchased a large piece of land in De Soto County, Miss., on the Mississippi River, consisting of 1,212 acres, 400 acres improved and highly cultivated. This is the family homestead, and now contains some 1,100

acres of the best of improved land, with good resi- dences, barns, etc. Mr. Holloway died at age of fifty-seven, his excellent wife surviving him thirty- one years; her death occurred in 1889. He was a leading member of the Baptist Church, in which he was a deacon many years. His wife was connected for sixty-five years with the same church. J. L. Holloway passed his youth in Monroe County, Miss., receiving his education in the schools in the village of Aberdeen, and at the breaking out of the war was about to enter college. Notwithstanding that he had made every preparation and studied diligently, and passed critical examinations, he gave up the idea, and in 1861 joined Company B, Twentieth Mississippi Infantry as a private. He was soon after promoted to the office of assistant of commissary of Stewart's corps, and held that position until the close of the war. He participa- ted in seventeen pitched battles, the first being on Gauly River, W. Va., at Fort Donelson, where he was taken prisoner and sent to Camp Douglas, Chicago, there being retained for nine months; he was exchanged at Vicksburg in 1862. His regi- ment was reorganized at Clinton, Miss., and en- gaged in various skirmishes from Jackson to Vicks- burg, the hardest fight being at Champion's Hill, and it captured over 300 prisoners from Raymond back to Vicksburg, and held them until the surren- der of that place. The regiment was not engaged in the city, but on the outskirts, and after the sur- render of that place was dismounted and sent to Jackson, and afterward to Canton, Miss., for win- ter quarters, where it remained until the following spring. Being ordered to Resaca it participated in that famous battle, and in all the engagements around Atlanta, Ga., up to the time Gen. Hood took command. After his (Hood's) defeat, Mr. Holloway returned to Tupelo, Miss., and there the troops were furloughed for ten days. At the ex- piration Joseph E. Johnston was reinstated to the command, and Mr. Holloway rejoined the reg- iment at Raleigh, N. C., remaining with Gen. Johnston until the final surrender in 1865, after which he received his parole and arrived home in May of the same year. Upon the close of the war he found to his dismay that his worldly possessions

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were almost nothing, but not discouraged he set out resolutely, determined to succeed, and he has, for the word "fail" was unknown to him. He commenced farming, and as he had never done any manual labor, of course he encountered many ob- stacles, and a man of less determined purpose might have failed utterly. After farming rented land for some time, he returned to the homestead which now belongs to himself and the other heirs, only three of whom are living out of the large family of ten children: Ira G. (residing in Oxford, Miss., and a member of the State senate), Samuella (wife of Dr. George A. Cairns, of Oxford, Miss.), and J. L. (the subject of this sketch). Mr. Holloway was married at Clinton, Miss., in 1863, to Miss Jerusha E. Mosby, daughter of John and Nancy (Smith) Mosby, na- tives of Tennessee. Mr. Mosby was a colonel in the War of 1812, and retained the title so gallantly won, during his entire life. Himself and wife were the parents of nine children, five surviving: Mrs. William Priestly (of Canton, Miss.), Matthew A., Jerusha E. (Mrs. Holloway), Mrs. Augusta Cole- man and William J. (druggist of Canton, Miss.). Mr. Mosby died in 1841, and his wife in 1861. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Holloway three children have been given: Willie (Mrs. Young of this coun- ty), Miss Elise and Corinne (Mrs. Richards of Crawford, Miss). Mr. Holloway has control of 6,800 acres of land on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River, 725 of which are under culti- vation, the rest being leased. He raises from his individual labor 100 bales of cotton, and corn suffi- cient to supply the Arkansas side of the farm. He receives for his rented land on the Arkansas side $1,325, and on the Mississippi side $800. Mr. Holloway is public spirited and progressive, and is a liberal supporter of all laudable enterprises, well deserving the confidence reposed in him by his fellow-citizens. He is a Democrat in his political views, a member of Indian Creek Lodge No. 2383, K. of H., and with his eldest daughter, a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Holloway and youngest daughter belong to the Presbyterian Church.

William M. Holmes, editor and publisher of the Marion Reform, was born in Memphis, Tenn.,

May 29, 1865, and is the son of George C. Holmes whose birth occurred in Georgia in 1834. The latter is a son of George L. Holmes, born in Mas- sachusetts, of English descent. George C. Holmes was reared in Memphis from the time he was one year old, and was married in that city to Miss Ann Frances James, daughter of James C. and Sarah (Winkford) James, originally from Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively, the former of whom was at one time Governor and United States senator of his native State. - Gov. James was a self-made man and an old line Whig and died in Tennessee in 1859. Mr. Holmes died in Memphis February 21, 1884, and his widow still resides in that city. William M. Holmes, the fifth in a family of eight children, of whom five are still living, was brought up and educated in Memphis, where he learned the printer's trade, mostly in the Avalanche office. He worked at his adopted calling for about nine years before commencing for himself and during that time rose from the lowest position to the high- est in the Avalanche office, first being office boy, and then, respectively, apprentice, compositor, proof-reader, assistant foreman, local reporter and lastly, commercial editor. In August, 1889, he came to Marion from Memphis and started the Re- form, which is a splendid success as a local news- paper, published in a manner to win the commend- ation of all. In 1885 Mr. Holmes was married in Memphis to Miss Ruby Burrow, born in Humboldt, Tenn., July 20, 1868. She is a daughter of John Burrow. Mr. and Mrs. Holmes are the happy par- ents of two children: Frank E. and Eunice. Mrs. Holmes is an earnest worker in the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church, to which she belongs. Her husband is connected with the Typographical Union of Memphis, and has been a stanch Demo- crat since casting his first vote, which was for Cleveland. He is a man of intellect and deep thought, and the Reform promises to become a re- forming power under the brilliant management of its present editor.

Sterling Hood deserves special mention as one of the oldest citizens of Tyronza Township. He was born in Limestone County, Ala, in 1818, being the second child of a family of three children

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

given to the union of Frederick and Elizabeth (Moseley) Hood, natives of Virginia, as were the grandparents. The paternal grandfather, Ster- ling Hood, was a soldier in the War for Independ- ence and the maternal grandfather was Captain William Moseley of Revolutionary fame, who went to the war from near Halifax, Virginia; he died in Alabama about 1830. Frederick Hood went to Alabama when quite a small boy and was with General Jackson in the War of 1812. He was sick at the time of the battle of New Orleans, and died in Alabama in 1836 at the age of forty years; he had been twice married, first to the mother of our subject from which union resulted three children, Sterling, William (deceased) and Robert (deceased). After the death of Mrs. Hood, in 1822, Mr. Hood was married to Betsie Bowlin, and by her was the father of five children, two of whom are still living. Sterling Hood, reared to farm life, was educated in Alabama, and at the age of eighteen years he commenced life for himself as an apprentice to a brick mason, for whom he worked three years in Decatur, Ala. He helped do the brick work on the freight house of the Memphis and Charleston railroad and was present in 1836, when the first boat landed at Decatur. After learning his trade he left Decatur and went to Yalobusha County, Miss., where he manu- factured and laid brick, but only stayed there a short time, going thence to Coahoma County, Miss., where he followed overseeing for Dr. Hob- son and his son and son-in-law for two years. Later he went to Carroll County for a short time, but in the fall of 1839 settled in Brazoria County, Texas on the Brazos River, where he engaged in keel boating cotton from the upper Brazos to Brazoria. He then was occupied as captain of a sailing vessel from the mouth of the Brazos River to Galveston, and after remaining on the vessel for some time returned to his former occupation, over- seeing, on the plantation of the Widow Whorton, close to the Brazos River. After staying here for eighteen months he left Texas in 1843 and started back to Mississippi by way of New Orleans. From that State he went to Memphis, resumed his trade and helped to build the navy yard (which was never

completed), assisting also in erecting the first house in that city, built under the hill, by Enoch Davis for a tavern; the building has since been washed away by the river. He could have purchased one acre of land near where the Gayosa Hotel now stands, for $75, but thought it a poor investment. In 1840 Mr. Hood came to this county and two or three years later bought the land upon which he now lives, consisting of 120 acres of unimproved land, now having seventy-five acres improved. Since coming here he has devoted his whole atten- tion to his land and the raising of stock. He was nearly ruined by the high inundations of the rivers in 1882 and 1883, losing over 100 head of cat- tle. When Mr. Hood first settled here there were but five or six families living on the Tyronza for a distance of fifty miles and no road to Mem- phis except a trail. What few people lived here were prosperous and happy and most of them de- pended on trapping for support. Many Indians still roamed the woods and the chiefs, Moonshine and Cornmeal, came with their tribes and hunted during the winter, but went west in summer. Also when first coming to this State Mr. Hood saw a number of the men that belonged to the Merrill clan. He was married in 1849 to Rhoda Richards of this State and a native of North Carolina, who came to Arkansas in 1839, settling where she and her husband now live. Mr. and Mrs. Hood are the parents of seven children, of whom five are living, viz .: J. W. (who resides in this county), Nancy (wife of B. F. Bush), Robert, Laura (wife of Thomas Wilkins, in Phillip's County) and Eddie at home. Mr. Hood was constable and deputy sheriff for twenty years and until he was too old to serve any longer. He is a member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church and takes great interest in public schools, churches, etc., favoring all public improvement and extending a welcome to all white emigration, from whatever country they may come to this, the land of prosperity and plenty. The early settlers of this county were compelled to go to a horse mill at Crawfordsville, and Mr. Hood erected a band mill, two rawhide bands being at- tached to levers and pulleys and run by horse power. He, Hood, is still able to ride through the

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bottoms to look after his land and stock, and is active as most men of forty-five or fifty years. He has taken very few doses of medicine and scarcely knows what sickness means either in himself or family.

W. P. Jeffries is one of the leading young farmers of Proctor Township, and owes his na- tivity to Mississippi, his birth occurring in Mar- shall County, in 1858. W. A. and Sallie M. (Moore) Jeffries, his parents, came originally from Alabama and Pennsylvania, respectively. The former was reared to farm life, and when a young man purchased land in Marshall County, Miss., where he resided for many years. In 1880 he came to Crittenden County, Ark., and settled in this immediate vicinity, purchasing the property where Mr. W. P. Jeffries now resides. It consisted of 160 acres, with very little improve- ment, though 125 acres were cleared ready for the plow. It is nearly all cleared at the present time, and under a high state of cultivation; a good frame residence and numerous outbuildings are among the recent improvements. Mr. and Mrs. "Jeffries became the parents of seven children, only two now living: W. P. and E. D. (the wife of E. M. Apperson, Jr.). Mr. Jeffries died in 1887, and Mrs. Jeffries is residing with her son, W. P. The latter was reared and educated in Marshall County, Miss., and always resided with his parents. Since his father's death he has managed his mother's estate, and has proven himself a man of unusual business aptitude and qualifications. He raises some eighty-five bales of cotton annually on his farm, and in company with E. M. Apperson, Jr., has bought a farm of 240 acres, adjoining his own homestead. About 180 acres of this farm are im- proved, in a moderate manner. On this planta- tion the yearly products are estimated at 125 bales per annum. Mr. Jeffries is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Mrs. Jeffries belongs to the ladies' depart- ment of the same order, and is a devout member of the Episcopal Church. He is always in favor of public improvements, being a liberal supporter of every laudable enterprise, and is "a man es- teemed among men."

M. J. Johnson has long been considered one of

the most prominent and respected citizens of this county. Born in North Carolina in 1827 he is the son of Devrick Johnson, a native of Wake County, N. C., who was married to Mary, daughter of Henry Boone, a brother of the noted Daniel Boone. In about 1836 Mr. Johnson, in company with his wife and son, M. J., his brother, Dudley Johnson and his family, with all of their slaves came to Memphis and settled. The father of our subject was a carriage manufacturer, and purchased a large gin-house and mill in Memphis, where he placed his factory. He had a family of four children, all sons, who lived to be grown; those surviving are M. J. and Thomas B. (who is living in Memphis). Thaddeus B. died in 1871, from disease contracted in the Confederate service, and Charles H. died in 1873 of yellow fever. While a boy M. J. John- son served a six years' apprenticeship with Mera- man & Clark, jewelers, going after he left them to Holly Springs, Miss., where he engaged in the jewelry business and four years later added a stock of merchandise. He remained here for ten years, and was married to Miss Fannie Cole, a native of Mississippi, and daughter of Lemuel H. Cole, of North Carolina. Mrs. Johnson died at her father's home in 1850, leaving two children: Julia B. (wife of L. D. Blann) and William M. (now living at Wynne). Coming to Arkansas with his wife and father-in-law, Mr. Johnson purchased over 2,500 acres of land, on a part of which he now lives, and continued on this plantation till 1884, when he moved his family to Randolph County; one year later, however, he returned to the plantation. He was a second time married, this wife's maiden name being Miss Sally A. Torian. She was a Kentuckian by birth, but raised in Nashville by an uncle. By this marriage there are eight sons, four now living: Trice, Jacob, Mat and Boyd; those deceased are: Charles W., Thomas, Aca and Dan- iel B. Mr. Johnson is very active and a strong advocate of a better school system, and is one of the county's best citizens. He was wealthy before the war, and owned large and valuable tracts of land and over 100 negroes; now he has about 200 acres of land in cultivation on which are a good residence, cotton-gin, good outbuildings and all

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other modern improvements. He is a Democrat in politics, and he and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a very reliable man, and is admired by all who know him.

Minos C. Jordan, as a leading physician of Proctor Township, deserves especial mention. He is a native of Rutherford County, Tenn., born March 27, 1843, and is the son of William Jordan, who came upon the stage of action in Williamson County, Tenn., March 4, 1801, and died October 17, 1867, in Rutherford County. The Jordan family is of English lineage, and their advent into this country was made by two brothers, one of whom settled in New York, and the other in Vir- ginia. The father of William Jordan, Johnson Jordan by name, was born in Virginia. William Jordan married Miss Sarah J. Wood, also a native of Williamson County, Tenn., born in 1819, who is now living in Rutherford County. She is the mother of ten children, of whom only five are liv- ing, three having died in infancy, and one son was killed in the late war. Minos C. Jordan, the sec- ond child in this family, was reared and educated in Williamson and Rutherford Counties, Tenn., and after attending the common schools for a num- ber of years, entered the College Grove School of Williamson County. When within ten months of his graduation the Civil War broke out, and on May 27, 1861, he enlisted in Company D of the Twentieth Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, Confed- erate States Army, being relieved from duty May 30, 1864, on account of disability, having been wounded by a ball in the right leg at that time; the bone was fractured, and' he is now a cripple from the effects of that injury. He was acting as sharpshooter near Dallas, Ga., at the time he was wounded. During his service he was engaged in the following important battles: Shiloh, Fishing Creek, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Hoover's Gap, Mission Ridge, and various skirmishes of less note from Chattanooga to Dallas, Ga. After being wounded he was sent to a hospital and remained there till Lee's surrender, when he returned to Tennessee, and in 1866 taught a term of school. In 1868 he kept books for Miles & McKinley, of Murfreesforo, Tenn., and in 1869 commenced farm-

ing, which he continued for one year. Going to Texas, he was engaged in the cattle business for a few years. In 1874 he went to Alabama and commenced the study of medicine under Dr. A. C. Ashford, where he remained for one year, taking a course of lectures at the Medical University of Louisville, Ky. He then practiced for one year, and returned to the university, from which he graduated in 1878. From April, 1876, to Janu- ary, 1879, he practiced in Lauderdale County, Tenn., whence he moved to Cottonwood Point, in Southeast Missouri, and followed his profession until December 11, 1881. Then he found a location in Crittenden County, Ark., and has since resided here, enjoying a practice that brings him an an- nual return of $1,500 or $2,000. On January 20, 1880, the Doctor was married to Miss A. D. Mar- tin, of Holly Springs, Miss. She was born in Pem- iscot County, Mo., December 5, 1853, and is now the mother of two children: Goston M. and Will- iam A. Dr. Jordan owns a house and lot at James' Landing, on the Mississippi. He is a thorough Democrat, and has been since casting his first vote, which was for the separation and representation of the State of Tennessee in the Southern Confeder- acy. His second vote was for Jefferson Davis, for President of the Confederate States of America. He is a jovial, good-natured man, and is liked by all of his neighbors.

Samuel Keel, though occupied with his present duties as clerk of the Circuit Court of Crittenden County but for a short time, has ably demonstrated his fitness for the position. He was born in Mem- phis, Tenn., in 1847, and is the third of a family of eight children born to E. T. and Louisa C. (Grace) Keel. The father was a native of North Carolina who moved to Tennessee in 1830, settling in Memphis, where he worked in a saw-mill for a time. In 1840 he formed a partnership with I. T. Gibson and embarked in the saw-mill business which he continued for several years. About 1850 he started a soap factory, and in 1852 opened a grocery store, this receiving his attention till he died at the age of sixty-one years, of yellow fever, in 1879. The Graces, of whom Samuel Keel's mother is a descendant, settled in this county when

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CRITTENDEN COUNTY.

it was first opened, and are of Spanish origin. A Mr. Grandee who was living here at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and who was a Spanish officer, is one of her ancestors. Lake Grandee, which lies beside Marion, is named after this old settler. Samuel Keel was brought up and edu- cated in Memphis, and at the age of eighteen years commenced to clerk in his father's store, and later he was engaged with Arbuckle, Richardson & Co. In 1880 he came to Crittenden County and began planting on a farm inherited from his father, and which is situated one mile north of another very fine place of 375 acres, 200 being under cultiva- tion. Since he took charge of this farm he has made many valuable improvements, among others a fine house that cost him about $1,700, a large and modern barn, and has cleared over 100 acres. Mr. Keel has been married three times; first, to Miss Mary Avery, a native of Tennessee, who died in 1873 of yellow fever, having borne one child, also deceased. He was married to his present wife, Miss Mary Moffett, a native of New York, in 1882. Mr. Keel has taken considerable interest in poli- tics, and was elected clerk in 1888. He is a gen- tleman of winning manners and pleasant address, and all who know him are profited by the acquaint- ance of a worthy and honorable gentleman. He owns one of the finest and most productive farms in this county, which has become such by his skill- ful management. He is therefore prominent as a farmer, a citizen and a county official.

Fredrick Koser, an extensive planter of Wap- panocca Township, first saw the light of day in Germany, September 3, 1835, and is the son of Gotlep Koser, who was born and died in Germany. Our subject was left motherless when an infant, and he was reared and educated under his father's care. At the age of seventeen, having decided to try his fortune in the West, he sailed for the United States, and located at Sandusky, Ohio. In 1857 Mr. Koser was married in Tennessee to Per- melia J. Nokes, a native of Mississippi. They are the parents of four children, of whom Thomas F., who resides in Memphis, Tenn., is the only sur- vivor. Mr. Koser is now living with his third wife, who is the mother of one child, Charles C. On

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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