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 71

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 71

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J. L. Smith could hardly be other than one of the leading and prosperous citizens of Crittenden County, because he is a son of Col. J. F. Smith, a worthy resident of this community. Born in Mc- Nairy County, Tenn., in 1863, he lived in that State till twelve years of age, when he came to Arkansas with his parents and has since remained here. Most of his education was received in the common schools, and in 1881 he commenced business for himself as a merchant at Marion, and in 1884 began farming on the island where he now lives. He was married to Miss Lillian

Brooks, who was born in Tipton County, Tenn., in 1888, the daughter of James and Matilda Brooks, the father being deceased, but the mother is still living. To this young couple has been born one child, named Brooks Franklin. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Smith cultivates about 550 acres of land. Polit- ically he is a Democrat, and is a young man of rare abilities. At the rate in which he has so far pro- gressed he will have amassed a large fortune before he passes out of his prime.

J. W. Stewart is a shining light in and a credit to the medical fraternity. A native of Tennessee, his birth occurred in 1867, he being the fourth in a family of five children born to James R. and Ellen J. (Thomas) Stewart, natives of Tennessee and Mississippi, respectively. James R. Stewart was a merchant of Shelby Depot, now Brunswick, Tenn., and for many years was identified with prominent business houses of that place. Previous to his mercantile career he engaged in farming in the same county, and was quite successful. His death, in 1878, was sincerely mourned by his numerous friends and acquaintances. Mrs. Stewart is now residing in Brunswick, Tenn., with her daughter, Addah, the wife of E. E. Beaty; E. N. also resides in Brunswick; and besides these children there are Ana F., James W. (subject) and Lulla. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are of English descent. Mrs. Stew- art traces her ancestry back to the Lords of Eng- land. Her maternal Grandfather Mccullough was a lord of no slight prominence in England. James WV. Stewart was reared and educated in Shelby County, Tenn., until eighteen years of age, leaving home at that time to enter the Memphis Medical Hospital and College. He graduated from that institution in 1887, commencing his practice the same year in this county. His modest little sign would scarcely have attracted the passer-by, but his reputation as a physician and surgeon preceded him, as his brilliant college career and the com- mendation from the faculty were his passport to his present lucrative practice. His success is truly phenomenal. and would compare favorably with others who have practiced for years. Dr. Stewart purchased an interest in the firm of Williford &

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Whitaker, in 1889, that establishment now being known as Stewart & Co. The business amounts to $8,000 annually, and is rapidly increasing.

Mrs. Margie Strong. Among the enterprising and extensive farmers and fruit growers of Crit- tenden County will appear the name of Mrs. Strong, who is the wife of J. L. Strong, and daughter of William and Elizabeth (Barton) Dickson, all of Alabama. Mr. Dickson was one of the prominent men of Alabama before the late war and deeply interested in the progress and prosperity of this State. He was connected with Brinkley, Green- law, Tate and others, the original projectors of the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad, and with these gentlemen he purchased large tracts of land in this and adjoining counties, doing as much or more to advance the interest of the county and State in which he lived than any other man; and he is remembered with the kindest esteem for the in- dustries that he put on foot, and which will live as monuments to his public-spirited efforts. Among the finest and most productive of the many farms owned by Mr. Dickson is the one upon which his daughter now lives and does business. Mrs. Strong was married to J. L. Strong in 1863 and in 1867 they moved to Tulare County, Cal., where they re- mained for thirteen years. Mrs. Strong has one brother, Barton, residing at Dickson, Ala., on the old homestead and one sister, Loutie, now Mrs. T. H. Ward, of Memphis, Tenn. Mrs. Strong's farm consists of 1,200 acres of land, of which there are 500 acres in cultivation. She is greatly interested in the culture of fruit, especially peaches and pears, of the former of which she has an orchard of fifty acres and an extensive orchard of the latter. From a statement by Mrs. Strong con- cerning the profits of fruit culture on Holly Grove farm, as her place is called, valuable information is gained. Besides the peaches and pears spoken of she has quite an extensive apple orchard, but does not find this branch of business as profit- able as peaches, which she says can be grown more successfully here than in any other country in which she has been, with the exception, perhaps, of California. The profits of peach culture are certain and large. The orchards of Holly Grove

farm have been bearing only three years. The net receipts for the first year were $159.34 per acre, the second year $103 per acre and the third year $136 per acre. Mrs. Strong gives valuable facts from her experience as to the relative ben- efits of budded and seedling trees. She finds the "Beatrice" the most profitable early peach on account of its uniform size and freedom from rot; also that all budded fruit bears fitfully, some years bearing heavy crops and some light; that they are also subject to rot. Her experience demon- strates seedling fruit to produce the best returns, because they are healthier and bear uniform crops, gradually increase and do not rot. The profits from seedling trees in 1889 was $232.36 per acre after deducting every conceivable expense. Mrs. Strong is the largest individual shipper to the Memphis markets and when the people there want the choic- est fruit they seek out the package that bears the label "Holly Grove Farm." She is also a large shipper to the New Orleans market. The trees are grown and now ready to extend her peach orchard to 100 acres and the pear orchard to ten acres. She finds pear culture profitable also. She plants only the Leconte and Keiffer pear and they net $170 to $400 per acre. Mrs. Strong has origi- nated twenty-four varieties of peaches on her farms and she will plant the entire increase with these, with the exception of the "Early Crawfords." She deserves the greatest praise for the large busi- ness which has sprung up under her own super- vision. If one-half the men were as enterprising and energetic the world would be enriched and improved many fold.

A. R. Strong, one of Crittenden County's young men of note, and a merchant at Crawfords- ville, is a native of Louisiana, born in 1859, and the son of A. R. and Elizabeth (Shaw) Strong, originally from New Jersey and Louisiana, respect- ively. The father went South when a young man and commenced dealing in timber, having gone South for his health from New York, where he had been keeping books. At the time of his death, which occurred in December, 1858, he had been a farmer for ten years. Three months after his death his wife gave birth to A. R. Strong, our

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subject, who attained his majority in Louisiana, where he received his education in the common- schools. In 1876 he commenced business for him- self on a farm in Mississippi, and continued for two years, returning to Louisiana, and taking up the same occupation there. Since 1881 he has been occupied in merchandising, going into busi- ness for himself in 1886, at Kilbourne, La., and following it till he came to Arkansas in January, 1889. He is enjoying a substantial trade at Craw- fordsville, aggregating upward of $15,000 the past year, besides having a large business at his old place in Louisiana. Mr. Strong was married to Miss Mary Hill, a native of Chicot County, Ark .; they are the parents of three children: Merrietta, Julia and Creola. Mr. and Mrs. Strong are mem- bers of the Baptist Church, and he belongs to the K. of H. of this place. Mr. Strong's short ac- quaintance in this county has made him many warm friends, who will share with him in the success which is inevitable if he pursues his present course.

George T. Stull, M. D. Prominent among the citizens and the well-read and educated men of Crittenden County appears the name of Dr. Stull, who was born at Nashville, Tenn., in 1820. He is the son of Samuel and Rachel (Mathias) Stull. The grandfather, Zachariah Stull, was one of three brothers, of German descent, that came from Mary- land, being among the first settlers of Marengo when Nashville was but a stockade, in about 1780. Soon after this two of the brothers were killed by the Indians. Zachariah Stull was an industrious farmer, and died near the place of his settlement, leaving two children: Samuel and George; the former of whom died in 1826, the latter in 1851. These two sons followed farming for an occupa- tion, and Samuel was a surveyor and did consider- able work on the government surveys of Alabama and Tennessee. He was a great lover of home,

and was devoted to his fireside. His motto was, "Pay as you go," to which he adhered very rigidly and never went in debt. He was strict, but honest in all his dealings, and it is said that if he owed a dime he was not easy till it was paid. The mother was connected with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was a devoted Christian. She died

in 1844, leaving four children, two sons and two daughters: Isaiah (the youngest of the children, was killed at the battle of Atlanta), Mrs. Charlotte Scott (died at Nashville, in the winter of 1888), Mrs. Elizabeth Ledbetter (died ' at Nashville, in 1871), George T. Stull (the subject of this sketch) is the oldest of the family and is the only male member now living. He grew to manhood in Ten- nessee, where he graduated from the Nashville University, in 1842, and later cultivated a farm from the time of his graduation till 1848, when he went to the Philadelphia Medical College. After his graduation from this college he practiced in New Orleans for four years. Going from New Or- leans to Fayette County, Tenn., he gave his atten- tion to the profession till the close of the late war, when he moved to Memphis, where he engaged in buying notes, bonds, building, etc. ; he remained in that city till 1883, then came to Crittenden County, Ark., and settled on the place where he now lives, adjoining Crawfordsville. Dr. Stull was first married to Elizabeth Williams, of New Or- leans, who died in Fayette County, Tenn., on New Year's day of 1856, leaving one child, a girl, now deceased. In 1861 the Doctor was married to Sally Goode, of Giles County, Tenn., who died in 1870, leaving one daughter, Parmelia G., now the wife of W. S. Graham, of Forrest City, Ark., where he is engaged in general merchandising. Dr. Stull was married to his present wife, Mrs. Addie B. Pamphlin, of Memphis, Tenn., in 1880. He has entirely given up his profession since moving to Memphis, and devotes his time to his land, which he rents. He is a man of extensive travels, and is one of the best read men in the county. He spends his winters in the South and his summers in the North. He takes great interest in his gardens, orchards and vineyards.

Wilsie W. Swepston, a leading planter and gin- ner of Crawfordsville, was born February 9, 1848, in Vinton, Ohio, and is the son of John and Asenath (Darby) Swepston, originally of Virginia and North Carolina, respectfully. They came to Arkansas April 1, 1859, when our subject was eleven years old, and located at the Fifteen-mile Bayou in this county. Here the father ran a saw and grist-mill,

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and was engaged in that business at intervals till 1868, when he was elected county clerk, and held this office for four years, and officiated in the same capacity several times afterward, and was holding the office of county sheriff at the time of his death. He took an active part in political matters in Ohio, as well as in Arkansas. He was not in favor of the secession of the States, so did not participate in the war. He filled some position of responsibility and trust most of the time after the reconstruction till his death; he was a conservative Republican in politics. His wife worshiped with the Christian Church, to which she belonged, and died in 1868, being the mother of ten children, of whom seven lived to be grown and six are still living. Wilsie W. Swepston is the second son, and attained his majority in this county, where he commenced life for himself by raising a crop on shares, on the Don- egan Island, and in 1877, opened a general store at Marion and remained in this business for two years, when he came to Crawfordsville and followed merchandising till 1882. He has since been occu- pied in cultivating his farms, of which he has sev- eral, all in a good state of cultivation. In 1888 he built a gin on the Bald Knob Railroad, with the capacity of twenty-five bales per day, which is the largest and best equiped custom gin in the county; he uses the Thomas press and the Sailor system of elevating. He also has plenty of storage-room for cotton and cotton seed in connection with his gin. He was elected justice of the peace in 1888, getting every vote in his township, and has held this office for two years, and has never paid any attention to politics, but has given his time ex- clusively to his farms and gin. Mr. Swepston was first married in 1880 to Miss Ida H. Haley, of Mem- phis, Tenn., who died the same year. In October, 1882, he was again married to Mary W. Denton, a native of this county. The fruits of this marriage were four children: Edith, Pierre, Lee St. Clair and Io. Mr. Swepston is a very energetic worker in educational matters, and has been a live and active member of the school board for the past nine years, being elected on this board when the town had neither funds nor buildings, and by close and strict adherance to business they now have two nice

school buildings, and a good corps of teachers. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and the K. of H. He always votes the straight Democratic ticket and is opposed to the sale of intoxicating liquors.

Lafayette Swoope, M. D., needs no formal in- troduction to the many readers of this volume, but in compiling the biographies of the principal citi- zens of Crittenden County, his name should not be omitted. Born in Augusta County, Va., in 1835, he is the son of Washington and Eliza (Trent) Swoope, natives of Virginia. Washington Swoope was a prosperous farmer, and came from one of the F. F. V's. He and his wife reared a family of nine children, seven of whom are now living: Dr. W. M. (living at Buckingham Court House, Va.), Mary M. (wife of Col. Forbes, of Virginia), Eliza M. (Mrs. William Carr), Sarah A. (Mrs. Col. G. W. Hull, of Virginia), Mariah A. (wife of Gen. Edward C. Cornington, residing in Virginia), Fran- cis M., Bowling R. and Lafayette. Mr. Swoope died in 1870 and his wife in 1873. Lafayette was educated in the schools of Virginia, and at the age of eleven years entered the high school of Stanton, Va., attending when fourteen years old the high school at Lexington, Va. When fifteen he took a course at the Baptist College, at Richmond, Va., and about four years later became a student of the University of Virginia, at Charlottesville. He then took up the study of medicine, and subsequently entered the Richmond Medical College, from which he was graduated with honors. He embarked upon the prosecution of his chosen profession at Rich- mond, and at the time of his removal to Courtland, Ala., in 1860, had built up a comfortable practice. After one year's residence in Courtland, he moved to De Soto County, Miss., and located where Star Land- ing now is, then called Old De Soto Front. In 1861 Dr. Swoope joined the Confederate service, as lieutenant in Company I, Sixteenth Alabama Regi- ment (Wood's Brigade). After the battle of Mills Springs he was promoted to a captaincy, participa- ting in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro and numerous engagements of minor importance. He received his discharge at the battle of Murfrees- boro, on account of inability to serve, caused by exposure and a wound received at Shiloh. Re-

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turning to Virginia, he remained out of the army twelve months, at the end of which time his health had sufficiently improved to admit of his serving again, so he entered the cavalry, and continued on the field until 1863. In August, 1863, he was cap- tured on the Weldon Railroad, near the Yellow Tavern, and remained in prison at Point Lookout, Md., until the final surrender. After receiving his parole he returned to Virginia, but on Christmas day, 1865, started for Mississippi, and settled in De Soto County, resuming the practice which he had es- tablished previous to the war. In 1882 Dr. Swoope came to Crittenden County, Ark., and purchased a quantity of wild land, and at this time has about 150 acres improved, on which he produces annually about forty-five bales of cotton. He also devotes a large portion of his farm to the raising of corn and peas, owning besides this farm the southeast quar- ter of Section 5, which is wild land. Dr. Swoope in addition to being a prominent physician is very popular as a citizen. He is courteous, obliging, and one of the shining lights of society, and while not taking any active part in the politics of the day, is a strong supporter of the Democratic party and a liberal contributor and friend to all laudable enter- prises.

Dr. James C. Throgmorton, a practicing physi- cian of Tyronza Township, living near Earle, was born in Wayne County, Tenn., August 30, 1841, and is the son of Edward B. Throgmorton, who first saw the light in Halifax County, Va., in 1811, and died in this county, June 30, 1884. His par- ents were Robert and Mrs. (Crittendon) Throgmor- ton, they moving from Virginia to North Carolina when Edward B. was a child, and remaining there till he was twelve years old. Then they went to Bedford County, Tenn., and died there at a very old age. The Throgmortons are of English de- scent, three brothers having first come to this country from England, and two of them settled west and one east of Blue Ridge, Va. Edward B. Throgmorton was married in Bedford County, Tenn., to Patience West Jones, born in Tennessee in 1812, and is now living in Wayne County. Her parents were natives of North Carolina, and were of Irish origin. She is the mother of eight children,

all of whom lived to be grown, and three daugh- ters and the subject of this sketch are still living. Dr. James C. Throgmorton was brought up in Wayne County, Tenn., and received his literary education at the Clifton Masonic Academy. He began reading medicine in 1866, under Dr. Cicero Buchanan, at Waynesboro, Wayne County, and was with him until 1869, when he commenced practicing the same year. In July, 1872, he came near where he now lives, and was married March 6, 1873, to Miss Mary E. Pickett, originally of Jefferson County, Ill. In 1874 the Doctor moved to Southern Illinois, practiced there for about two years, and then returned to Crawfordsville, this county. To himself and wife have been born six children: Eudora, Ada, Clifford, Hayden, Jimmie C. and Walter E. In the fall of 1862 Dr. Throg- morton enlisted in Company G of the Seventh Tennessee Regiment, Confederate States Army, as a private; was captured at Fort Donelson and taken to Paducah, Ky., and made his escape from the Campbell Hotel on the night of April 6, while the battle of Shiloh was in progress. He then went to Corinth and again joined the command. He was in the Farmington fight, also the engage- ments at Jackson Lane, Meridian Station, Corinth, Spring Hill and Franklin, and was on the ground when Gen. Vandorn was killed; also taking part in many skirmishes of less note. He has been a stanch Democrat since casting his first vote, which was for Horace Greeley. He is a Master Mason and belongs to Lodge No. 375, at Crawfordsville, of which he has been Worshipful Master for four years. Dr. Throgmorton is a believer in Univers- alism, and is a good citizen. He is a well-to-do man and commands a practice that occupies his un- divided attention.

Emmett B. Tolleson, a substantial planter and merchant of Lucas Township, whose postoffice is at Pinckney, is a native of this State, born at Helena, March 14, 1842, and is the son of William P. Tolleson, originally from Spartansburg, S. C., who died about 1845. He immigrated from South Carolina to Helena, Ark., near the year 1830, and was one of the early settlers of that portion of the State. A lawyer by profession and circuit judge

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of the Helena judicial district for several terms, he was an influential citizen, and as a Democrat in politics, was one of the electors of Polk and Dal- las. He was married in Helena in 1836 to Miss Nancy Elliot Williams (then the widow West) who was born in Lexington, Ky., in 1809. She died in her native town in 1885, being the mother of one child by Mr. West and three by Mr. Tolleson: W. P. (deceased), Margaret W. McConnell (who re- sides at Lexington, Ky. ) and Emmett B. The lat- ter, the youngest child, grew up in Phillips County, Ark., receiving his education at the private schools of Helena. He lived with his mother till he was grown and then commenced for himself as a planter in the county where he now lives. He was mar- ried in Memphis, Tenn., to Miss Annie Elise Har- ris, September 29, 1874. Miss Harris was born in this county in 1853 and is a daughter of James Harris, of Columbia, Tenn. He was for a time book-keeper in Memphis and afterward became an extensive planter in Arkansas. His wife was Martha Arnold of Tennessee origin, where she died. Her father, Gen. William Arnold, was a graduate of West Point and a brigadier-general in the United States army, and died in Texas about 1836, owning vast landed estates. To Mr. and Mrs. Tolleson have been born five children, all living except one, viz: Martha E., Annie Imogene, Emmett B. and Mar- guerite A. Mr. and Mrs. Tolleson own two plan- tations, 675 acres of good land, with 350 in a fine state of cultivation, upon which are usually raised 200 bales of cotton. These are superior farms, located on the Mississippi River sixty miles north of Helena and thirty miles south of Memphis, and upon one Mr. Tolleson has resided since 1852. In 1861 he joined the Confederate army, enlisting in Company E of the Third Arkansas Cavalry. He served till near the close of the war and partici- pated in the following noted battles: Jonesboro, Ga., Chickamauga and was with Longstreet at, Knoxville. He was captured at Island No. 40, near Memphis, in January, 1865, and was immedi- ately paroled, returning to his home. He is a stanch Democrat and cast his first vote for Sey- mour. Mr. and Mrs. Tolleson are members of the Episcopal Church and are highly respected.

William Vance, Jr. This much-esteemed and influential citizen is one of the most distinguished and prominent residents of West Memphis, and is of Irish birth. Born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1823, he is the son of William and Mary (Small) Vance, also of Ireland nativity, who came to the United States in 1827 or 1828, locating in New Orleans. He was a linen draper and bleacher, and lived in New Orleans till 1840, then moving back to Belfast, where he died. William Vance, Jr., was left at Belfast to be educated, after which he emigrated to New Orleans in the latter part of 1838, and commenced clerking in a wholesale grocery house. He remained with this firm for several years, then left them, and for five years kept books for one of the largest commission cotton houses in New Or- leans. Locating at Memphis he was similarly oc- cupied for the Planters' Bank a little more than a year. He then crossed the river and settled on and commenced farming his father-in-law's farm until 1856, when, the latter having died, he was made executor of the estate, and still remains as such. Mr. Vance purchased over 600 acres of land in what is now known as West Memphis, in 1869, and laid out the town of that name in 1870. He married Frances Winchester, a native of Tennes- see, who died in 1867 at the age of forty years. To this union were born ten children, of whom the following seven are still living, viz .: Robert, Hopefield, Agnes (who is the wife of H. L. Bugg), Frank E., May (who is the wife of John C. Dun- lap), Arthur and Stonewall J. The deceased are Lucy (wife of C. P. Williams, died in 1869, leav- ing two children, who died soon afterward); Will- iam (who died at the age of two years), and one in- fant unnamed. All the children are living in West Memphis except Agnes, who lives in Black Rock, Ark., and Arthur, in Memphis, Tenn. Robert and Hopefield were educated in Toronto, Canada; his three daughters were educated in Memphis, Tenn., and the other son, at home. The entire family are adherents to the Presbyterian Church, but at pres- ent are not members. Mr. Vance has received several prominent appointments from the Gov- ernor, among which are those of assessor, auditor, and circuit court clerk, all since the war. Politi-

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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