USA > Arkansas > Biographical and historical memoirs of northeast Arkansas : comprising a condensed history of the state biographies of distinguished citizens a brief descriptive history of the counties, and numerous biographical sketches of the prominent citizens of such counties. V. 1 > Part 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
Dr. Jefferson Davis Sibert, an eminent physician of Walcott, Greene County, Ark., was born in Ala- bama in 1858 and is the youngest of a family of six children, born to the marriage of Henry Sibert and Dorcas Edwards, who were also born in Alabama, the former being an extensive farmer and mer- chant. The paternal grandfather, David Sibert, was engaged in farming in South Carolina and was a soldier in the Indian wars. He removed to Ala- bama in 1834 and bought extensive tracts of land in the northeast part of that State, on which he : died in 1874 at the extreme old age of 100 years. The maternal grandfather, Jesse Edwards, came to Alabama and also settled in the northeast part of the State. He purchased his lands from the Indians, and was one of the most extensive real estate holders of the State. His death occurred in 1863. Henry Sibert, the father of our subject, was reared on a farm and did much to improve the large tracts of land bought by his father. At the breaking out of the late Civil War he enlisted in the Third Alabama and served throughout the struggle, thirteen months of this time being spent
in prison. His uncle, Jeptha Edwards, was a col- onel in the Mexican War, also in the late war, and has represented his county in the State legisla- ture, being a well known citizen of Alabama. After the war Mr. Sibert engaged in farming and mer- cantile pursuits, and he and wife are now residing on the old homestead in Northeast Alabama. At the age of fourteen years. Dr. Jefferson Davis Si- bert entered Andrews' Institute and finished a course of five years, after which he immediately began the study of medicine, entering the medical department of the Vanderbilt University, at Nash- ville, Tenn., in 1880, and graduating as an M. D. in 1882. In the spring of that year he commenced practicing his profession near his old home, but came to Greene County, Ark., at the end of one year. After residing here a year, he returned to his native State and practiced three years. Since that time he has permanently located at Walcott. Ark., where he enjoys a large practice, and is be- coming well known in this, as well as other counties. He has a pleasant home in the town and is highly esteemed by his neighbors. In 1887 he was united in marriage to Miss Victorine Crowley, a daughter of Capt. Crowley, whose sketch appears in this work. By her he has one child, a bright little daughter named Eleanor. The Doctor has two brothers who are practicing physicians of Alabama, and another brother who is an extensive farmer and stock raiser of that State.
Joseph P. Smelser is classed among the worthy and leading tillers of the soil of Greene County, of which he is a native, having been born in 185S. He was a son of John W. and Nancy (Clark) Smelser, who were born on Kentucky soil and in Tennessee. respectively. They came to Greene County, Ark .. on the 6th of May, 1836, and located in Cache Township, where the paternal grandfather. Abra- ham Smelser, settled on a tract of wild land and opened up 100 acres. He and wife reared a large family of children, and both died of smallpos in 1863. John W. Smelser was their oldest child. and attained his majority in this section of the country. In 1864 he joined Price in his raid through Missouri, but since the war has given his attention to farming and merchandising at Crow-
I
£
.48242 ba
and in whyi g de
By? bạn hora
2 bica
lesed Por sus mu baltts 28M edi-lo gym 0 bug anaibal e 541901990 ฝายาร์
.808
bny
eld try Bay www full woude and
£
!
gatbest
1
١٢٠
170
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
ley, he and wife being members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at that place. To them were born seven children. three of whom are deceased. Joseph P. Smelser is their fifth child and grew to manhood in Cache Township, receiving a very limited education in his youth. At the age of twenty years he began earning his own living, and was married to Miss Margaret Adams, residing on the old home place for eight years. He then came to his present location. which was then a tract of wild land, and now has fifty acres under cultiva tion, improved with good buildings, etc. Although not active in politics, he votes the Democratic ticket, and he and wife are members of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, South. They are the parents of two children: John William and Nancy Ann Delvada, who died at the age of seven years, after a brief illness of five days.
David A. Smith. In the space allotted in this volume it would be impossible to give a detailed account of the career of this gentleman, but it is only just to say that in his walk through life his course has been marked by honesty, industry, and a manly, independent spirit. His birth occurred in Middle Tennessee on the 8th of July. 1826, and he was the eldest in a family of twelve children born to Stantford and Margaret (Tassey) Smith, who were natives of North Carolina and Alabama. respectively, and with their parents removed to Tennessee at an early day, where they met and married. In the fall of 1825 they came to Greene County, Ark., and bought a tract of 160 acres of land which was in a wild state, and on this they located, improved it, and resided here until 1876, when the father died. His wife's death occurred on April Sth, 1874. David A. Smith was reared to manhood on this farm and, besides be- coming familiar with the details of farm work, learned the carpenter's trade of his father, fol- lowing this occupation in Tennessee and also after coming to Arkansas. He came to the latter State at the same time of his parents' removal and bought 160 acres of wild land on Sugar Creek, on which ; he erected buildings, set out orchards, and cleared forty acres. After making this his home for abont fifteen years, he sold out and purchased his present
property on Crowley's Ridge, which consists of 225 acres of land, 100 of which are under cultiva- tion. He has cleared forty acres himself and has made other improvements. which goes to make his home one of the most valuable in the country. He does general farming. raising corn, the smaller cereals, and cotton. He also has a good apple and peach orchard. During the intervals between the farming seasons he has worked at the carpen- ter's trade, and has built most of the better class of houses in the township, among which are the residences of Capt. Crowley and Mrs. Boyd. Mr. Smith was married on the 6th of January. 1858. to Miss Margaret Pevehouse, a native of Arkansas. by whom he became the father of six children. four of whom are living: William W. C., Sarah Ann, who died at the age of twenty years; Mary Elizabeth, who died when one year old; Logan L. R., Susan Cansada, wife of G. B. Harris, a resident of the county; and James A. Smith. In 1879 Mr. Smith lost his worthy wife, and in 1879 he wedded Mrs. Cothren. He is quite an active politician and has served as bailiff of Greene County. He is a patron of education and is at present a director of his school district.
Simpson Smith. In former years the life of the farmer was considered a laborious one, but in this progressive age, with such improvements in machinery, he can do his work with half the dis- patch or labor as in the time of his father, and in fact works but little if any harder than the aver- age man who strives to make a living. Besides all this he is independent, which is one of the much sought-for conditions of life. Mr. Smith is one of the successful farmers who have kept thoroughly apace with the times, and has reached the condition of life mentioned above. He was born in Benton County. Tenn .. in 1833, and is the son of William and Elizabeth (Lewis) Smith, na- tives respectively of South Carolina and North Carolina. William Smith came .with his parents to Tennessee when a small boy. settling in Maury County for some time, and then moved to Benton County, where he passed the remainder of his days. He was a farmer and trader by occupation. He volunteered in the war under Gen. Jackson.
71
นาย
1039
draadtlA
hoW muillett e quivil womanod w to apol vD
hf -lif 03
noed an
٠٠
=
the ayed bulient Inmy to farverigual Justspol H and united ,bus arun ald ne bondawn of mast to alistols sils.iftiw bailingaf jpri
best of
G. W. Hurley. JACKSON COUNTY, ARKANSAS.
171
GREENE COUNTY.
Mrs. Smith was born in 1798, and died May 13, North Carolina. who came to Benton County, Tenn., with their parents when children. They were married in that State after growing up, and there the father followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1877 at the age of fifty-six years. The mother died in 1862 at the age of forty years. In their family were seven children, six of whom are still living: Irvin G., Disa (now Mrs. Smith), Harvey, Jonathan. Berry H., Thomas W. and Simpson. Harvey died at the age of eighteen years. Irvin G. Smith attained his majority on a farm in Tennessee. and when of age commenced for himself on the home place, where he remained until 1861, when he enlisted in the Confederate army, Forty-ninth Tennessee: the regiment was captured at Fort Donelson and taken to Chi- cago. Mr. Smith was sick at this time and was at home. As soon as able he went back to the army, joined the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, and served until the close of the war. He was captured at or near Johnsonville, Tenn., and was put on a parole of honor. He participated in the Okolona, Miss., battle, was also in the battle of Yazoo City, Bolivar, Tenn., Johnsonville, Tenn., and in a number of other engagements. After the cessation of hostilities Mr. Smith returned to Tennessee, re- sumed his farming interests, and thus continued un- til 1873 when he came west to Arkansas and located 1889, on the old home place in Tennessee. She was a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Their family consisted of eight children, six now living: Angeline, Ellen, Eliza- beth, Simpson, Mary and Thomas J. Those de- ceased died in infancy. Simpson Smith grew to manhood on the home place in Tennessee, and at the age of fourteen years began working for him- self as a day laborer. After this he worked on the railroad for two or three years, then farmed for some time, and when the war broke out he en- listed in the Confederate army, Company I, Forty-ninth Volunteer Infantry, and served three years. He was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Port Hudson and Jackson, Miss. He was taken prisoner twice, first at Fort Donelson, and was carried to Chicago, where he was retained seven months and three days, and was then exchanged. He then returned to the South, entering the Southern army in the same company, re-organized and consolidated with the Forty-eighth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, and was captured at Port Hudson, but was soon afterward paroled, when he returned home and resumed his farm work. He remained in Tennessee until 1881, when he came to Arkansas and settled on his present farm in Greene County. He had first moved to Arkansas in 1854, but later returned to the home-place, in Greene County, three miles southwest of where where he was married, in 1856, to Miss Ellen Erp, a native of Benton County, Tenn. The result of this union was the birth of nine children, seven now living: William, Mary, Belle, Caldonia, John, Augustus, Scott. Doy, Daniel Lee and Vency. Those deceased were Porter and an infant un- named. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in which he is a deacon. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., is a Democrat in politics, and takes an active part in all public enterprises. He has a fine farm. with 170 acres under cultivation, and is one of the leading farmers of the county.
Irvin G. Smith, whose career as a farmer has been one of success and prosperity, was born in Benton County, Tenn., in 1846, and is the son of John and Fannie (Erp) Smith, both natives of
he now lives. In 1876 he moved to his present property, where he has remained ever since. He was married in 1868 to Miss Louisa Swindle, a native of Benton County. Tenn., born in 1844, and the daughter of Thomas and Mariam Swindle, na- tives respectively of South Carolina and Kentucky. Thomas Swindle went from South Carolina to Illi- nois, thence to Tennessee, where he was married in 1832, and is still living in Benton County, Tenn. He was born in the year 1814, as was also his wife. She died March 16, 1872. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After the death of his wife Mr. Swindle married Mrs. Nancy Har- ris, who still survives. Mrs. Smith is one of twelve children, eight of whom are living, born to her parents. She was reared in Tennessee, and by her marriage to Mr. Smith became the mother of
-
1
1
1
1
1
1
AH
211
1 POUR Ou 0781
Il of Roiloin's daval mont mor utbetalt Found'T bet zione') notbad ni guivil Ine al box xxl
750
gyiton uo asztal
kle bilding ile 1
bonic
idy
172
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
three children, all living: Martha A., wife of William Swindle, now residing in Greene Coun- ty, Ark. ; Walter D. and Cordal C., at home. Mr. Smith resides three and a half miles southwest of Gainesville, where he has improved a good farm and has 155 acres under cultivation. He is an active worker in school affairs, and is director in his district. He served as deputy sheriff in 1881-82- 83 and 1884 under Mr. Willcockson, and served as constable of his district to fill a vacancy. In 1883 he was elected to that position, which he held one term. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
E. T. Smith is the junior member of the firm of Smith & Son, proprietors of a lumber mill on Bark Camp Island, Greene County, Ark. The busi- ness was established in August, 1878, and is man- aged by a force of thirty-five men, the capacity being 25,000 feet per day. Mr. Smith was born on Blue Grass soil, in 1851 (Hopkins County, Ky.), and was the youngest of a family of five chil- dren of W. E. and Sarah (Hicklin) Smith, who were also Kentuckians. The father removed to Greene County, Ark., in 1885, and now resides in Paragould, being senior member of the lumber milling firm. E. T. Smith's early days were spent in following the plow and in attending the common schools of Kentucky. He was married in Hick- man County, of that State, in 1880, to Ella Leet, a native of Kentucky, and by her has an interest- ing little family of three children: Dora, Kenner and Charley M. Socially he is a member of the : Knights of Honor, and in his political views affili- ates with the Democratic party. He is enterpris- ing and industrious, and promises to become in time one of the wealthy citizens of the county.
S. J. Smith was born about two miles north- west of Paragould, Greene County, Ark., December 20, 1852, and is one of three surviving members of a family of eleven children, born to Charles C. and Millie J. Smith, who were Tennesseeans, and came to Arkansas by ox team when the country was almost a wilderness, inhabited by Indians and wild animals, the latter being very plentiful. A brother of our subject killed sixteen bear the first year. The father cleared the land upon which
Paragould is now situated, afterward moving to Buffalo Island, and still later (in 1861) to the farm of 160 acres, on which his sons, John and Joseph, are now living. He died in April, 1865, still survived by his widow, who is living in Craig- head County. When S. J. Smith first came to Arkansas his time was about equally divided be- tween farming in the summer, and hunting and trapping during the cold weather. the latter occu- pation being the more profitable. By industry and good management he has become the owner of 120 acres of land, the most of which is covered with timber, but has forty-five acres under cultiva- tion, and sixty-five under fence, improved with substantial buildings and good orchard. He well remembers the time when there were only two farms in a radius of ten miles, and can point out hundreds of acres of land then covered with tim- ber and water, which is now in dry and well cultivat- ed farms. He raises cotton and corn, also horses, cattle and hogs. He was married, in 1870, to Miss Mary F. Sypes, a daughter of Eli and Christina Sypes, natives of North Carolina, who came to Perry County, Mo., at a very early day, where the father followed the occupation of farming and blacksmithing until his death. Five of their eight children are living: Eli J., Calvin L., George W., Martha and Charles Andrew.
W. H. Sollis, a member of the firm of W. H. Sollis & Co., merchants, is one among the first business men of Paragould, having established his business here in July, 1882, when the town was in its infancy. The firm was changed to its present name in March, 1883. Mr. Sollis was born in Duplin County, N. C., July 31, 1837, and is a son of Luke and Martha (Taylor) Sollis, natives of North Carolina, but of French descent. The paternal grandfather, Abraham Sollis, was born in France, and emigrated to North Carolina at an early day. There he passed his last days. Luke Sollis was married in North Carolina, and emi- grated to Tennessee about 1840, where he fol. lowed farming until his death. The mother also died in that State. They were the parents of nine children, only one now living, W. H. Sollis, who is the subject of this sketch. He was reared and
£
evi
16: 911118
57.1m
ỐtH
10 108
[ a rien miller (solen[)
bus Ane
12
263438
173
GREENE COUNTY.
7
educated in Gibson County, Tenn., and was attending school when the Civil War broke out. He left the school room to defend his country, en- listing in Company D, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, in 1861, and served until the close of the war. He was at the battles of Belmont, Mo., Britton's Lane, last battle of Corinth, and at West Point, Miss., where he was captured and carried to Memphis, thence to Alton, and from there to Camp Douglas. He was kept a prisoner for sixteen months, and experienced many hardships during that time. He had two horses shot from under him while in ser- vice, but never received the least wound himself. At the close of the war he was paroled, after which he returned to Tennessee and began speculating in cotton. He was turned loose without a dollar and re- mained in that condition for one year, when he went to Cincinnati and obtained a position in a whole- sale clothing house as traveling salesman. He was engaged in this for about one year, after which he returned home and embarked in merchandising, which he continued until January, 1870, when he went to Memphis, Tenn., and was here interested in the commission business. This he carried on until September, 1871, when he was driven out by the yellow fever, and again his financial condition was in a very low state. He did not despair, but with renewed energy started out and was soon on a sound footing. He then decided to go to Greene County, Ark., and arrived here September 17, 1871. He located on a farm he had previously bought, and which was all that he had left, engaged in farming and this continued until 1SS2, when he resumed merchandising. He was agent for the Pomona Nursery of Tennessee for two years, and has planted more fruit trees in Greene County than any two men in it. He is the owner of 610 acres of land, with about 100 acres under culti- vation, which he improved himself. He was mar- ried in March. 1868, to Miss Louisa C. Ferrell, a native of Tennessee, and the result of this union is one child: Willie, wife of John Reeves. Mrs. Sollis is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Sollis has erected several houses in Paragould, and completed his brick store in February, 1889. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.
John R. Starnes. The growth and prosperity of Greene County, Ark., has been upon a scale commensurate with the immigration to this region in past years, and this prosperity is largely due to the members of the agricultural profession, prominent among which stands the name of Mr. Starnes. He was born in Lauderdale County. Tenn., in 1829, and there remained until 1871, having been engaged in farming for himself since 1861. Since the year 1871 he has resided in Greene County, Ark., and since 1876 has been a resident of his present farm, where he is doing a prosperous business, and besides being engaged in tilling the soil, gives considerable attention to stock raising. He was married in 1861 to Miss Eliza- beth Lacey, who was born in Henderson County, Tenn., in 1838, and is the mother of three chil- dren: Josephus, Marshall and Parlee. Mr. and Mrs. Starnes are members of the Baptist Church, of which he is an active supporter, and in his po- litical views he is a stanch Republican. His par- ents, Marshall and Sarah (Golden) Starnes, were born in Tennessee and North Carolina, respectively, in 1818, and were married on the 6th of Decem- ber, 1838. The father was reared in Tipton County, Tenn., but when a young man located in West Tennessee, on a farm, and there continued to make his home until 1871, when he came to Ar- kansas, and is now residing in Greene County on the farm on which he first settled. He is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was his wife, who died March 21, 1849. They were the parents of four children, John R. being the only one living. The father took for his second wife Parlee Johnson, on the 28th of May, 1851, and by her had twelve children, six now living: Mary J., Militia E., Martha F., Moses, Nancy P. and James. The paternal grandfather. Moses Starnes. was a Virginian. who became a resident of Tennes- see at an early day and died at middle age, having reared a large family of children.
G. W. Stevenson has attained wealth as a planter and stock raiser by honest labor, and is a gentleman who commands the respect and esteem of all who know him. He was born in the year 1831, in Giles County, Tenn., and is the youngest
To
!
om At bien prenpijany Triton -
08
5 odw otra
Joid you vil
Low 29 vonny
20-076 .7]
Jis agent gill
Www . Sca ...
loodos. o
aBw doislw ad nodly
Off to mowa ndt vi oH' di ut dom owrt 708 riley ihop egyen that trods daiw haal to
I dilod
174
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
1
in a family of ten children born to Elem and Lydia .Tennessee. He is chaplain in the A. F. & A. M., (Payne) Stevenson, both natives of the "Old North State." They were married there and at an early day moved to Tennessee, locating in Giles County, where the father opened up quite an ex- tensive farm and was a large slaveholder. He died in 1876 at the age of ninety-one years, having been a minister of the gospel for sixty-seven years, being the oldest one in Middle Tennessee at the time of his death. His wife died in 1874 at the age of eighty-nine years. The paternal grand- father was born in Ireland, and was one of the early settlers of North Carolina, and a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The maternal grand- father, also born in the Emerald Isle, was an early resident of North Carolina, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. G. W. Stevenson was reared to manhood in Middle Tennessee. and re- ceived his education in Forest Hill Academy, and Giles College, at Pulaski. At the age of twenty- one years he began teaching school, and has fol- lowed this occupation very successfully up to the present time, being also engaged in tilling the soil and raising stock. He was married in Lincoln County, Tenn., May 29, 1855, to Miss M. J. Thorp, who was born in that county, and is a daughter of Joel and Elizabeth (Osborne) Thorp, who were also Tennesseeans. The father was a wealthy planter and died in 1847, still survived by the mother. In 1861 Mr. Stevenson enlisted in Company A, Eleventh Tennessee Cavalry, and was mustered into service at Nashville, afterward participating in the battles of Corinth, Iuka, Chickamauga, and others of minor importance. He served as a scout for some time, and after the war returned to Tennessee, emigrating in 1854 to Greene County, Ark., where he is now residing on a farm of 200 acres, 123 of which are under culti- vation. He is interested in buying. selling and raising stock. He is a stanch Democrat in politics, and was elected by that party to the office of county treasurer, and also to the office of justice of the peace. Socially he belongs to the I. O. O. F., Paragould Lodge No. 13, of which order he bas been a member for over forty years, having passed all the chairs, and was grand lecturer of West
and also belongs to the Center Hill Wheel. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and are the parents of eight chil- dren, five of whom are living: Margaret Alice (Mrs. Huckabay), Louisa A. (Mrs. Dover). Will- iam Ernest, Ulpian Baker and Mollie Ann Baxter. Mr. Stevenson has been identified with the county's interests for many years, and has always been an advocate of churches, schools and temperance. He was the first examiner of Greene County.
J. R. Taylor, ex-editor of the Paragould Press. was born in Williamson County, Tenn., in 1854, and was left an orphan at two years of age. He spent his boyhood days in Humphreys County, Tenn., receiving an ordinary common-school edu- cation, and having no means by inheritance, was obliged to start out at an early age to support himself. He worked for wages on a farm six years, and in 1874 went to West Tennessee, where he spent five years teaching in the common schools of Obion, Gibson and Madison Counties. He was elected to the Academic Chair in Odd Fellow's College, at Humboldt, but failed to receive notice of such election in time to accept the position. He commenced the newspaper business at Bell's Depot in 1880, and published a paper at Dyers- burg one year. He was married in January, 1882, to Miss Lucy White, of Jackson, Tenn .. and in March. 1883, he moved to Jonesboro, Ark., where he established the Jonesboro Democrat. He was elected mayor of that city in 1886, and re- signed the editorship of the Democrat. Before the term of mayor had expired he bought the Paragould Press, and moved to Paragould. In De- cember, 1888, he sold the Press to W. A. H. Mc- Daniel, and established the Greene County Record in May, 1889. He was a candidate for State senator in 1888, but withdrew from the race in favor of Hon. B. H. Crowley, an old citizen and politician, it appearing that his age, long resi- dence and prominence with the people during the , war, and just afterward, made him a probably stronger leader of the Democratic party. Mr. Taylor served as clerk of the senate judiciary committee of the last legislature, and reported
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.