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 95

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 95

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State, and a daughter of Richard and Matilda (Love) Crabbe. Mr. and Mrs. Dozier are the par- ents of nine children, seven living: Nina, Charles E., Emma, Grover C., James R., Nora and Mattie. Mr. Dozier held the office of deputy sheriff during the years from 1880 to 1885. He is a member of the County Wheel.

J. P. Dunham was born in Effingham County, Ill., in 1845, but was reared in Shelby County, and up to the breaking out of the late war his time was occupied in attending the common schools. He dropped his books to join the Federal army and protect the grand old stars and stripes, and was a member of the First Illinois Cavalry, but at the end of one year was transferred to the Trans- Mississippi Department, and was on detached serv- ice under Steele, and was with him at the fall of Little Rock. He went from there to Pilot Knob, and shortly after the close of the war he went to Kansas and embarked in the lumber business, and also owned and operated a saw-mill on Marie des Cygnes River. In 1875 he came to Arkansas and settled in Phillips County, where he operated a saw-mill for two and a half years, which enterprise did not prove a financial success. From that time until 1888 he owned and operated a mill in Lee County, his business partner being R. D. Griffis, who was connected with him for eleven years, or until 1888, after which they sold out to a lumber company, and Mr. Dunham has since remained its manager. He owns a good house and lot, and 13,000 acres of land on Spring Creek, and is also in the lumber business. He is a Republican, a member of the Episcopal Church, and belongs to the A. F. & A. M., being a Knight Templar, and is also a member of the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of Honor and the Knights and Ladies of Honor. He was married while a resident of Kansas, to Miss Kate Rouse, by whom he has one child, Capitola. He is a son of Hy. and Mary (Ramsey) Dunham, the former of whom was born in Tennessee and is now a resident of Shelby County, Ill., a farmer by occupation.

William P. Fleming, M. D. Among the names which give standing to Marianna and conduce to the welfare of society, is that of Dr. Fleming,

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for he not only dispenses drugs, but also deals in hardware and furniture. He was born in Haywood County, Tenn., in 1856, but was reared in Crockett County, and received his literary education in Dyersburg Institute, of Tennessee, and the Uni- versity of Louisville, Ky., graduating from the latter institution in March, 1877. He practiced medicine at Bell's Depot, Tenn., for three years, being also engaged in the drug business, but sold out in 1883 and came to Marianna, Ark., where he has since confined himself solely to the sale of drugs, his partner, Mr. Plummer, having charge of the hardware and furniture department. His store-room is 120x25 feet, and his stock of drugs is valued at about $10,000, and nets him a fair annual income. His stock of goods is quite com- plete, and it is safe to say that a call for any article will be promptly and accurately filled, for Dr. Fleming has few equals as a pharmacist. He was married in Memphis, Tenn., to Miss May Townsend, a daughter of D. H. Townsend, a farm- er of that State, and by her has the following little family: Patrick, Guy and Walter. The Doctor is a son of Jacob and Mariah (Turpin) Fleming, the former a native of Illinois, reared in Tennessee. He is now a retired merchant and land owner near Bell's Depot, Tenn., and is sixty- five years of age. His wife was born in Tennessee, and died in 1888, aged fifty years. Anderson Turpin, the maternal grandfather, was a Tennes- seean by birth.

M. H. Ford, planter and land-holder of Inde- pendence Township, is one of four children, reared by Charles F. and Betty (Hewett) Ford, his birth occurring in 1859. Charles Ford, a native of Vir- ginia, was born in 1824, of parents who were among the F. F. V's. He passed his younger days in Virginia, where he became engaged in the mercan- tile business and was recognized as a man of un- usual business aptitude. He was married in 1854 to Betty, daughter of John M. Hewett, of Ken- tucky, and to their union the following children were born: Minnie (now Mrs. Frank Govan of Mari- anna, and the mother of four children), Charlie (married to Miss Jessie Jackson, and resides at Marianna and they have three children), M. H.

(the subject of this sketch) and William (unmar- ried, the deputy clerk of Lee County). Mr. Ford immigrated to Arkansas and later on came to Lee County, where he purchased a large amount of property and became very popular, being considered as a public-spirited and progressive man, always ready to lend his substantial support to anything for the growth and eventual good of the county. He died in 1867 in Lee County, and his wife fol- lowed him about five years later. They were mem- bers of the Christian Church and highly respected by all who knew them. M. H. Ford passed his boyhood days in Arkansas, Kentucky and Quincy, Ill., his education being completed at the Gem City Business College of the latter place. Soon after he came to Arkansas and in 1881 was appointed marshal of Marianna, which position he held with creditable distinction for seven years. After re- tiring from office he engaged in farming and now has about 320 acres of good land on which his resi- dence is situated, and in addition to that has over 1,000 acres, with a total of 600 acres well improved and under cultivation. Mr. Ford was married in 1885 to Miss Carrie Foreman, of Independence Township, Lee County, Ark., and to their union three children have been born: Twins (deceased) and Carrie Louise. Mr. Ford is a Democrat in his political views, and in secret societies is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias (charter member) and the Knights of Honor. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and his wife a communi- cant of the Episcopal Church.

Col. John I. Foreman, who was born in North Carolina, in 1829, was one of two children result- ing from the union of William S. and Elizabeth E. (Williams) Foreman. The father's birth occurred in 1806, in North Carolina, where he became iden- tified with the most prominent and wealthy plant- ers of Pitt County, also belonging to one of the first families of that State. He was married in 1828, to Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Williams, an eminent physician of North Carolina, who served as surgeon in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Fore- man died in 1836, leaving to a young widow the management of his large fortune, which was willed without condition to her. She again married, her

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second husband being E. B. Freeman, clerk of the supreme court of North Carolina for many years. Mrs. Freeman having received a large fortune from her former husband, turned her attention to the education of her two sons, both of them being sent to Princeton, N. J., and graduating from the prominent college of that place. She closed her eyes to the scenes of this world in 1848. In 1851 John I. was elected to the legislature, from Pitt County, N. C., in which he served two years, and had he chose to remain, could have occupied a most enviable position in the political field. This, however, he did not care to do. Having previ- ously paid a visit to Eastern Arkansas, he concluded that that was the place for his future home, and in 1853 he came to what is now Lee (then Phil- lips) County, to join his brother, who had immi- grated to the State a year previous, bringing with him into the primeval forest a vast number of slaves and other property. He had purchased a large tract of land, and by the help of the slaves soon brought it from its embryo state, to that of cultivation. This property was equally enjoyed and shared by the two brothers, where they lived in great contentment until the breaking out of the war between the States. During that time they added much to their wealth, and became widely recognized as the most prosperous and popular planters in the State. They were known far and near for their generosity and support to all educational enterprises, and in fact to all movements that betokened the good and growth of the county. When the war was declared, John Foreman believing the South to be right, as a leader of the people with whom he lived, raised a company of soldiers for the Confederate army, and was attached to the Second Arkansas, Govan's regiment. Being transferred east of the Missis- sippi, he fought in the battle of Perryville (Ky.), and then returned to the Trans-Mississippi Depart- ment, where he was attached to Gen, Marsh Walker's staff. He was with this command at the date of Gen. Walker's death, in a duel with a well- known general. After this Mr. Foreman was not in active service, and at the closing of hostilities he returned home to find that his plantation and

all his valuable property had been destroyed by the ravages of war. Let it not for a moment be sup- posed that his great loss overpowered him, for he set to work with redoubled courage and a deter- mination to succeed, and a few years witnessed the recovery of his fortunes, and an addition to his property lost. Here in this vicinity he lived for many years, occupying a warm place in the hearts of the entire community, by whom he was hon- ored and revered, as a leading and popular citizen of this county. A mean action or an unkind word was something perfectly foreign to his loyal and generous nature. His death, which occurred in 1879, was sincerely mourned by all who knew him, and his work, which was of a lifetime in doing good to man, well deserved its reward in the com- mendation, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." Col. Foreman was married in 1855 to Miss Arabella Armstrong, of New York City, a daughter of William and Martha Armstrong, early settlers of that city, where her father died in 1834. Her mother then immigrated to Tennessee, and then to Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Foreman had eight children: William H., Robert L. (M. D.), J. I., Jr., E. W., Jane, Arabella, M. K. and Bessie.

R. R. Foreman, residing in Independence Township, was born in North Carolina in 1831, being the son of William S. and Elizabeth E. (Williams) Foreman. The father was also a native of North Carolina, his birth occurring in 1806. He followed farming and merchandising with suc- cess, and was married in 1828 to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Robert Williams, of North Caro- lina, a very prominent man and surgeon in the Revolutionary War, who was residing in the old North State at the date of his death. There were only two children born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Foreman: R. R. (the subject of this sketch) and John. Mr. Foreman died in Pitt County, North Carolina, in 1836, respected and esteemed by all who knew him. Mrs. Foreman was again married, her second choice being E. B. Freeman, who was for many years previous to his death, and at that date, a clerk of the supreme court of North Carolina. Mrs. Freeman died in 1848 in her native State. R. R. Foreman received his

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education in the schools of North Carolina, after- ward attending school at Princeton, N. J. In 1852 he came to Lee (then Phillips) County, and lo- cated on a farm about three miles from Marianna, this farm consisting of 360 acres, besides a large amount of property in another portion. He was married in 1853 to Frances C. Williams, a daughter of Dr. R. F. Williams, of North Carolina, a prom- inent physician who died in that State in 1852. To Mr. and Mrs. Foreman two children have been born: Elizabeth L. (born in 1861) and Mary C. (born in 1866, now the wife of M. H. Ford, of Lee County). Mr. Foreman is a member of Lodge No. 171 of the Masonic order at Marianna, of Chapter No. 54, and also a K. of H. For some years he was Worshipful Master and a charter member of the Blue Lodge, and also High Priest of the order. Mr. Foreman and family are mem- bers of the Episcopal Church. He is a man who takes a great interest in the growth of the county, and is lending his substantial support toward gain- ing this end, and especially is he interested in educational and religious matters, to which he con- tributes liberally.

G. F. Foster, M. D. Noah Foster, a native of Tennessee, was born in 1809 and passed his younger days in the schools of that State. In 1833 he moved to Panola County, Miss., where he met and married Miss Lodiska Spaulding, daughter of a prominent planter, Gideon Spaulding. Mr. Foster settled in Mississippi, where he and his wife are now residing. He has been very successful as a farmer, and is now enjoying the fruits of his in- dustry, from which he accumulated a large prop- erty. He is a Democrat and has always taken an active interest in public enterprises. To himself and wife a family of ten children were born: De- lila (now Mrs. Parker, residing in Lonoke County), Nancy (Mrs. Ruby, of Lonoke County), Elizabeth (deceased), John (dead), Thomas (living in Panola County, Mississippi, married and has a family of six children), Davis (unmarried and lives in Lee County, engaged in the mercantile business with his brother G. F., the subject of this sketch), and two children unnamed. G. F. Foster was born in Mississippi in 1847, and received a good common-

school education in the schools of his native State, afterward entering the Eclectic Medical College of Mississippi, from which he graduated in 1884. He then moved to St. Francis County, Ark., where he practiced his profession with manifest success. In 1887 he embarked in the mercantile business, and by his courteous and obliging manners has won a liberal patronage from the surrounding community. His practice is among the best and wealthy class of people, by whom he is recognized as an efficient physician, and a credit to the pro- fession. He also owns 200 acres of valuable land under a thrifty state of cultivation. Dr. Foster was married in 1884 to Miss Bradford Watson, a daughter of John and Betty Watson. Her parents were natives of Mississippi, but moved to Arkansas at an early date, about the year 1847 or 1850. To Dr. and Mrs. Foster two children have been born. The Doctor is a Democrat, and int secret societies is identified with the Masonic order, being a member of La Grange Lodge No. 108. He is a member of and an earnest worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church and lends valuable aid to all en- terprises for the good of the county.

Thomas Foster was born within one mile of La Grange, the place where he now lives, on August 19, 1849, and was a son of Golden and Elizabeth Foster, natives of Mississippi. Mr. Golden Foster moved to Arkansas from Mississippi, and from there to Texas, but came back to Arkansas in 1841, where he died twenty years later. He was a large planter and acquired some property. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were the parents of twelve children, two of whom are still living: Malissa (wife of Rev. Thomas Craig, now stationed at Desha, Indepen- dence County), and Thomas (the principal of this sketch, and the youngest in the family). There is living also a half-sister to these children, Miss Mat- tie Foster, the issue of their father's second mar- riage. Thomas Foster had three brothers in the Confederate army, one of whom was killed at Shiloh, one died from the wounds received at Gettysburg, and one while serving in the Indian Territory. Soon after the war he commenced work- ing to support his mother and sisters, and was em-

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ployed by a Mr. Lownsbery at a small salary. In 1873 he began farming for himself, and with the push and energy, which are his principal character- istics, has been very successful as a cotton planter. In 1876 he was married to Miss Vionna Hickey, a daughter of C. W. and Elizabeth Hickey, of La Grange. They are the parents of these chil- dren: Frank U., Bettie Lou, Cleola, Thomas, Mattie May, Gustavus W., and one deceased. Mr. Fos- ter, while not a member of any church, is the son of Methodist parents, and his leaning is toward that denomination. He is a member of the following secret orders: Masons, K. of H. and A. O. U. W. Mrs. Foster is a member of the Baptist Church.

J. T. Friar is a member of the Haynes' Mer- cantile Association, and was born within three miles of where he now lives, in 1844, being the fifth of six children born to J. T. and Perlyxie (Burk) Friar, natives of Tennessee, from near Knox- ville. The father removed to Arkansas at an early day (about 1830), and in addition to farming also dealt in land. After his wife's death, in 1848, he married Miss Lucretia Seaborn, by her becoming the father of two children. His death occurred in 1856. His children by his first wife now only num- ber two: Narcissus (wife of J. W. Byers) and our subject. The two half-brothers are also deceased. J. T. Friar was reared and educated in what is now Lee County, and at the early age of seventeen years entered the Confederate army, being in Capt. Dunn's company, known as the "Dead-shot " Com- pany from St. Francis County. He served east of the Mississippi River for four years, and was in the following engagements: Shiloh, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and from Dalton to Atlanta, Ga. He was also at Jonesboro, Springfield, Frank- lin, Nashville, and in numerous skirmishes. He surrendered at Greenville, N. C., and returned. home. He was wounded by a minie ball in the thigh at the battle of Shiloh, and is still troubled by his wound. He first began working as a farm hand at $20 per month, continuing until 1867, when he was married to Mrs. Frances (McDaniel) Hughes, a daughter of Arch. McDaniel, but Mr. Friar was called upon to mourn her death about one year later, she having borne him a child, who

is also deceased. In 1868 Mr. Friar purchased eighty acres of slightly improved land, and has since added 200 acres, making him one of the best - farms in the county, and in addition to this he owns some valuable town property, all of which he has made by industry and good management since the war. In 1888 he became associated with the Haynes' Mercantile Association, which is composed of farmers, and does a business of some $30,000. Mr. Friar has been careful and painstaking in the management of his farm and, indeed, is thorough in regard to everything connected with its advance- ment, as he is in every business to which he gives his attention. In 1869 he was married to Miss Martha Tipton, of Tennessee, a daughter of Ben- jamin and Mary Tipton, of that State, and by her has had eight children, four of whom are now liv- ing: Aggie, Nannie, Custer and J. T. Mr. and Mrs. Friar are members of the Baptist Church, and Mr. Friar belongs to Bethel Lodge No. 2168, K. of H.

E. F. Friend, miller and ginner, Marianna, Ark. This wide-awake and enterprising resident was originally from Alabama, where his birth occurred in 1838, and in that State he reached years of maturity, and received his education. He learned the car- riage-maker's trade, but when the war broke out he cast aside his implements of peace and took up the weapons of warfare, enlisting in the Confederate service. He participated in the following promi- nent battles: Corinth, Shiloh, all the battles of Gens. Bragg and Johnston, and during his service never received a wound. After the war he re- turned to his home, and in 1871 moved to Arkan- sas. Previous to this he was married in Alabama to Miss Mary E. Gilbert, a native of that State, and after this union he moved to Marianna, where he worked at his trade for fifteen years, being the owner of a regular carriage and wagon shop for that length of time. He had a full plant of steam machinery for his business, and after the fire had but four left. The loss was at least $3,000. After this he embarked in the ginning and milling busi- ness, and will introduce a full line of rollers for grinding by the first of the year 1890. He still owns his farm of 320 acres, and is a prosperous

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and progressive citizen. To his marriage were born six children: Anna, Ola, Brent, Julia, Matie and Samuel. Mr. Friend is a member of the K. of H. and K. & L. of H., and Royal Arcanum. He is the son of David H. and Amanda (Hendricks) Friend, natives of Virginia and Alabama, respect- ively, the father born in 1800 and the mother in 1812. The father was one of the pioneers of Ala- bama, and lived to be about eighty years of age. He was a jeweler, a silversmith and a farmer by occupation. The mother died at the age of forty- five years.

Thomas A. Futrall, A. M., principal of the Marianna Male and Female Institute, located at Marianna, Ark., is one of the most prominent edu- cators in the South. He was born in the "Old North State," in 1842, and was educated in the best schools of the East, having been at one time a pupil of the famous William J. Bingham. About the time he finished his academic course, in 1860, a war cloud appeared above the horizon, and very soon thereafter he joined the Southern army as a volunteer, and served with distinction as an officer of Gen. John R. Cooke's North Carolina Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia during the late war between the States. He took part in all the great battles in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsyl- vania, and was paroled with the remnant of Gen. Lee's army at Appomattox Court House. At the close of the war he immigrated to West Tennessee, and established a classical and scientific school, which soon took rank with the best institutions of learning in the country, and gained for him a wide- spread reputation as a scholar and an educator, so much so, that in 1884 he was tendered his present position in the flourishing town of Marianna. Prof. Futrall has made this institution one of the most thorough and practical schools in the State, from which young men and women go out well prepared for the active duties of life. Beginning the work when comparatively young, Prof. Futrall has made teaching the business of his life, and has taught successfully for twenty-five consecutive years. In 1887, at the Chicago meeting of the National Educational Association of the United States, he was elected vice-president of the associ-

ation, and was re-elected to the same position in Nashville, Tenn., in 1889, and is now, 1890, man- ager for the association in the State of Arkansas. He is a quiet, courteous, thoroughly posted gentle- man, a ripe scholar, and is familiar with the best methods of instruction. In 1867 he was married to Miss Emma R. Headen, of Chatham County, N. C. A young family of seven interesting chil- dren, four girls and three boys, gather around the hearthstone.

Dr. J. H. Gibson, physician and surgeon. The subject of this sketch was born in Iredell County, N. C., in the year 1830. He attended the common schools of the neighborhood, and was graduated from Davidson College, a literary institution in Mecklenburg County, N. C., in the year 1853, after which he spent several years in teaching in the State of Florida. He then commenced reading medicine, and was graduated from the Medical University of Georgia, receiving the degree of M. D. in the year 1858. Subsequently entering upon the practice of his profession in his native State, he remained there until shortly before the breaking out of the late Civil War, when he came to the State of Arkansas, and located in Independence County, but the following year he enlisted in the Twenty-second Arkansas as surgeon. At the close of the war he came to Lee County, and resumed the practice of his adopted calling at La Grange, where he has since resided, and built up a large practice. In 1868 the Doctor was married to Miss Eliza Burke, a daughter of Elisha and Eliza Burke, natives of North Carolina, and who came to Arkansas in 1840. Her father represented Phil- lips County for a number of years in the State legislature. Dr. Gibson and wife are the parents of five children: Belo, Estelle, Burke, Minnie and Willie. Dr. Gibson is a member of the Presby- terian Church. He also belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and is Worshipful Master of the lodge at La Grange. His wife is a member of the Bap- tist Church. He is also justice of the peace of Richland Township, and one of the leading men of the township.

William Franklin Gill is a son of Nathaniel Y. Gill, a native of Tennessee, who made that State

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his home until 1849, when he removed to Missis- sippi, locating near Holly Springs. He was married in Tennessee to Miss Susan Bowles, also of that State. In 1854 they came to Arkansas, and en- gaged in farming on the plantation now owned by Mr. N. L. Graves, near Lexa. He was a hard working man, and a good manager, and in 1861 raised the largest crop of cotton per acre of any ever grown in Eastern Arkansas. Mr. Gill died in December, 1873, at the age of nearly fifty years. His wife was called to her long home in the same month, when forty-five years old. The paternal grandfather of the principal of this sketch, was a native of North Carolina, and of Irish descent, and moved to Tennessee when a young man, where he lived the remainder of his life, following the occu- pation of a farmer. William Franklin Gill was born near Columbia, Tenn., on January 8, 1846, being the eldest in a family of seven children, six of whom are living: William F., R. O. (also a farmer of this county), Morris (a farmer of Phillips County), John Y. (a merchant of Texas), Isaac S. (a teacher, also in Texas) and Mary P. (the wife of L. G. Howard [see sketch of William T. Howard in this work], the partner of our subject in the mercantile business in La Grange). In 1862 Will- iam F. Gill enlisted in Dobbins' regiment of Con- federate Cavalry, in which he served until the close of the war, participating in all of the principal battles in Price's raid through Missouri, Kansas and the Indian Territory. After the close of the war, he went on the farm with his father, remain- ing with him until his marriage, on November 18, 1869. Mr. Gill labored for himself on the farm for one year, and then moved to La Grange, enter- ing into the mercantile business with his father and brother, R. O. Gill. This was continued until his father died, when he and his brother conducted the trade until 1881, and then dissolved. Mr. Gill then went into business with Mr. L. G. Howard, his brother-in-law. They started with a very small capital, but their present large business demon- strates what can be done by true energy, combined with a large stock of common sense, good business management and honest dealings. He was mar- ried, on November 18, 1869, to Miss Bettie Under-

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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