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 34

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1026

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 34

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).

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

the successful business mien of Rector. been a large speculator in land. and in addition to his farm, runs a stave factory and saw-mill. His farm comprises about 4.000 acres, and he has 2,200 acres in Greene County, besides consider- able land in other districts, all of which is the re- sult of his own labor. He was married to Miss Permelia L. McNiel, a daughter of Neil MeNiel. She was born in Clay County, Ark., and she and Capt. Allen are the parents of five children: Mary L., James B., Minnie A., Myrtie, and Charles A. In 1872 Mrs. Allen died, and Mr. Allen then mar- ried Nancy O. McNiel, a sister of his first wife. Their children are: George M., Gertrude, Harry P., Carrie, and Leonard W. Capt. Allen has never been a political man, the highest office he ever held being that of notary public. He is one of the best known men in the county. and is a member of the I. O. O. F., the Knights of Pythias, and the Masonic fraternity, and has long been con- nected with the Missionary Baptist Church.

Joshua Bare, farmer and stock raiser of St. Francis Township, is a fair sample of what can be accomplished by industry and perseverance. Al- though starting life with a limited amount of this world's goods, he is now one of the substantial farmers of the county, and is the owner of 240 acres of land in the home place, with 160 acres cleared, on which he has good buildings. Aside from this he is the owner of another tract of land in the township, one and a quarter miles from the home place, consisting of 160 acres of timber land. He also possesses some 320 acres in the St. Francis bottoms, with about 100 acres cleared, and has an interest in 205 acres of other lands, all the result of industry and good management. Mr. Bare was born in Crawford County, Ind., Decem- ber 13, 1833, and is the son of Jacob Bare and Nancy (Copple) Bare, the latter of German descent. The father was born in Virginia but was reared in Indiana. After marriage he settled in Crawford County of that State, where he followed farming until about 1843. when he moved to Illinois and settled in Jefferson County. He resided there up to 1868, when he came to Arkansas, and located in what is now Clay County. Here he died in Feb-

He has ruary, 1877. He served as sheriff and deputy sheriff in Indiana, and was quite a prominent man. Joshua Bare was reared in Jefferson County, Ill., and came to Arkansas in 1855, locating in Clay County, but what was then Greene County, and entered eighty acres of land. He then bought eighty acres near Brown's Ferry. resided there about fifteen years, after which he sold this, and bought the place where he now lives. He has been four times married; first, to Miss Susan Williams; then to Nancy Brown, who bore him one daughter, Peggy A., wife of John Nettle: his next marriage was to Mrs. Nettle, a widow, who bore him four children: Clarissa (wife of Wiley Thomas), Joshua, Bettie and Arabella. Mr. Bare's fourth marriage was to Mrs. Marietta Sarver, a widow, and the daughter of Jacob Sarver. Three children were born to this union: Jacob, Mattie and John Harry. When Mr. Bare first came to the State it was a comparative wilderness, and for about eleven winters he was engaged in trapping. He has killed bear, wolves, wild cats, lots of deer, turkey and small game. He would average about $200 worth of furs annually at that business. Mr. Bare has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for thirteen years. Mrs. Bare belongs to the Christian Church. An interesting volume might be written of many of Mr. Bare's hunting expeditions, but space will permit mention of only the following: In 1867, one of his neighbors, Billy Maner, a single man, had struck camp some seven miles south of where our subject lived, in a wild locality on Old River. Mr. Bare went on one occa- sion to spend the night with him. but found the unsuccessful hunter without food. Starting the next morning with a determination to return only after he shot something, he traveled some distance, occasionally seeing game which could not be se- cured. Later on, while not far from camp, he killed two wolves, and being of a humorous dispo- sition, the thought was suggested to pass off this meat upon the unsuspecting Billy as venison. Bringing a portion of the animal to headquarters (together with a squirrel), and assuring him that a large buck had been killed, the mess was eaten by the victim of Mr. Bare's joke. with a casual

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remark as to its toughness, etc. Subsequently the truth was told. Imagination rather than words can picture the result of such a revelation. In 1876 a three-days' hunt was indulged in by Mr. Bare, two of his nephews and a little negro boy. Starting with a cart and a yoke of oxen, they drove into a bottom farm, proceeding horse-back until about a mile from their camping ground, when fresh bear tracks were discovered. Before very long an effort to secure bruin was commenced, and proved fruitful. While waiting for help to remove the animal (which weighed about 400 pounds) a large buck was killed by Mr. Bare. These furnish but mere instances of his good fortune with the gun and rifle.

W. F. Barnes, undertaker and furniture dealer, of Corning, Ark., has been in business here since August, 1888, when he purchased his stock of goods of Mr. Bishop and continued at that stand until June 1, 1889, when he moved to his present location. His establishment is a two-story frame building, 40x20 feet, now under process of erec- tion, which will, when finished, be commodious and substantial. Mr. Barnes' success in this line has been due to his energy and enterprise, and his establishment is now one of the leading concerns of this kind in the county. He was born in Law- rence County, Ill., in 1856, and was the eldest in a family of eight children born to John and Jane (Thompson) Barnes, who were Kentuckians by birth, but emigrated to Illinois in their youth, where they grew to maturity and met and married. The father settled with his parents in Lawrence County in 1826, and afterward became a successful farmer and teacher of that region, following these occupations for many years in that State. He died in 1885, but his widow is still residing in Illinois. The paternal grandfather was an early settler of Illinois, where he also makes his home. Mr. Barnes was early inured to the duties of farm life, and during his youth also attended the common schools of Lawrence and Wabash Counties, Ill. He engaged in farming for himself in . that State and was married there in 1882 to Miss Ella P. Price, a native of that county. Her parents, Jo- seph and Hannah (Dart) Price, were born in Ohio

and Kentucky, respectively, and are now residing in Illinois. In 1887 Mr. Barnes came to Corning. Ark:, and until 1888 worked at the carpenter's trade, but has since been engaged in his present business. Politically he is a Democrat, and always supports the principles of that party. He belongs to the K. of H. and the I. O. G. T., and he and wife are members of the Methodist Church. They are the parents of two children: Opal V. and Verna D. Mr. Barnes has done well financially, is the owner of some valuable town property, and predicts a bright future for Corning.

Zachariah T. Bearden was born in Montgomery County, Tenn., September 29, 1849, and is the son of John and Prudence (Majors) Bearden. John Bearden was born in Montgomery County, Tenn., and is of Irish-English parentage. He received a fair, common-school education. later followed farming and emigrated to Clay County, Ark., in 1851. The county was called Greene County at that time, but was afterward changed to Clay. At that early day there were but six families in an area ten miles square, and all the hardships and priva- tions incident to pioneer life were experienced by Mr. Bearden. Schools were taught on the sub- scription plan, and church was held about once a month in old log cabins. Mr. Bearden was a slave owner but generally preferred white labor. He was the owner of a large farm, but was broken up dur- ing the war. He died May 10, 1888, being seventy. six years of age. During life he was never an office seeker, but was elected by the people, with- out solicitation, to the office of county treasurer. Mrs. Bearden was also reared in Tennessee, grew to womanhood there, and was married in that State. Nine children were the result of this union: Rich- ard E., Isom K., Judge H., Zach. T., Samuel J., Susan U., William J., Robert W. and Mary E. Mrs. Bearden died in this county, August 16. 1877. Grandfather and Grandmother Bearden died in Tennessee; she was a native of North Carolina. Grandfather and Grandmother Majors were na- tives of West Virginia, and at an early day emi- grated to Tennessee. Zachariah T. Bearden came with his parents to Arkansas when two years of age, settling in Greene County, and there remained

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assisting his father on the farm until twenty-one years of age. His educational advantages were rather limited, but by self study he became a well informed man. At the age mentioned he began business for himself by hiring out at a cotton gin by the day, and later followed clerking. He then bought a tract of land and carried on agricultu. ral pursuits for nine years. January 2, 1873, he married Miss Elizabeth Harber, a native of Dyer ; County, Tenn., and the daughter of G. A. Har- ber. The fruits of this union were five children, ! four now living: Drewy D., George O., John S. and Ethel M. The one deceased was named Dora L. Mr. Bearden engaged in the mercantile busi- ness at his present stand in 1882, building the sec- ond house in Rector, and has been occupied in merchandising ever since. He is also interested in a large timber business. He carries a stock of merchandise valued at about $3,000, and also buys and exchanges cotton. He is a Democrat in his political views. Mrs. Bearden is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

B. B. Biffle, sheriff of Clay County, and one of the representative citizens of this section, is a na- tive of Humphreys County, Tenn., where he was reared and where he received a fair education in the common schools. He is the son of William and Martha (Skelton) Biffle, the grandson of Nathan Biffle, and the great-grandson of Jacob Biffle, who came from Germany many years ago. To William Biffle and wife were born six children, B. B. Biffle being the eldest. He left his native county at the age of twenty-one years, or in 1879, and made his way to Clay County, Ark., where he started a store in Greenway, and, although a young man, he was the first to engage in merchandising at that place. After that, in connection with his store, he was for some time occupied in running a stave mill, but in September, 1888, he was elected to the office of sheriff, and then closed out the milling and stave business, to give his undivided attention to his official duties. He fills that position in an able and efficient manner, and to the satisfaction of all concerned. He is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, of the Blue Lodge and Chapter. For his companion in life he chose Miss Ella Turner, | man, and is one of the first teachers in the county.

daughter of Thomas Turner, of Tennessee. He and Mrs. Biffle are members of the Methodist Church.

Sylvanus Bishop, wagon-maker, painter and farmer, is a son of Stephen M. and Caroline (Bun- nell) Bishop, and was born in Crawford County, Penn., March 1, 1841. His parents were also born in that State, and in 1837 emigrated to Indiana, but, after remaining there a short time, returned to Pennsylvania. About 1844 they again came to Indiana, where they made their home until 1580, then moving to Peabody, Kas., where Mr. Bishop died in 1886. His widow still survives. To them were born fifteen children, eleven of whom are living: Jefferson, Sylvanus, Stephen W., Adeline, David, Elmira J., Merriman, Silas, Delilah, Mon- roe and Daniel S. Sylvanus Bishop attained his growth in Indiana, and in 1861 enlisted in Com- pany E, Twenty-ninth Indiana Infantry, and served until the close of the war, participating in the following engagements: Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga, Liberty Gap and others. At the battle of Shiloh he was wounded by a gun-shot in the left arm. At Stone River he was captured, but succeeded in making his escape, and, after a time, was discharged for disability, owing to the effects of small-pox, which he had contracted in the service. From that time until 1877 he was engaged in learning and working at his trade in Indiana, and then came to Clay County, Ark., and has since resided at Corning. He owns a small farm adjoining the town, which is in a good state of cultivation and well improved, and this he con- ducts in connection with carrying on his trade. In January, 1886, he was married to Miss Mary E. Ben- edict, a native of New York State, by whom he has five children: Anna M., John L., Amy W., Elsie V. and A. McDonald. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop are members of the Baptist Church, and he belongs to the Masonic fraternity. He has been a school director for about eleven years, and is interested in all public enterprises. For some ten years he was engaged in the undertaker's business, his profits amounting to about $1.500 per year. He now gives his attention to his shop, and is doing well. His son, John L., is an intelligent young

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James Blackshare. Among all classes and in wagons, drawn by oxen, being the owner of seven every condition of life where the struggle for a livelihood is going on, where will independence be found more clearly demonstrated than in the life of the honest, industrious farmer? Mr. Blackshare, who has followed agricultural pursuits for the past fifty-two years, and who has never missed a crop during the years thus spent, is a fair example of the independent tiller of the soil. He was born in West Tennessee, in 1824, and is the son of Rev. Jacob and Mary (Berry) Blackshare, the father a native of Tennessee, born in 1802, and the mother born in 1799. James Blackshare was left motherless at the age of ten years, and May 27, 1847, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Dines, who bore him five sons: William S., a member of the firm of Blackshare & Co., in the manufacturing of staves and in the gen- eral milling business, is married and the father of six children; Robert B. (deceased), left a widow and five children; Sidney A. (deceased), left a widow and five children; James T., lives on a farm near Boydsville, is married and the father of three sons, and Jacob L., farmer near Boydsville, is married, and the father of two sons and two daughters. The mother of these children died in 1857. March 14, 1858, Mr. Blackshare took for his second wife Mrs. Ruth E. Evans, of Tennessee, and in the fall of the same year he and family moved to Clay County (then Greene County), Ark., and settled on the farm where he is now re- siding, three miles northeast of Boydsville, which consisted of eighty acres, to which he added eighty more. To his last marriage were born six chil- dren, three of whom survive at the present: Mary F., wife of Dr. John J. Prince, and the mother of one daughter, resides at Bethel Station. Tenn., also engaged in merchandising; John S., a merch- ant at Rector, married and the father of one child. a daughter; Ora A., the wife of A. J. Burton, and the mother of three children. two daughters and a son, is now living near her father, where her husband is occupied in farming; Ira E., died in his sixteenth year. Mr. Blackshare came to this State with his wife and seven children in two

or eight head of cattle, six or eight head of horses, and about $200 in money. The first winter before there were gins introduced into the country, the cotton, which they picked with their fingers, was made into clothing for the family. There were no mills then except little hand mills, which were only used to grind corn, and were called corn crackers. They would crack the kernel into about four pieces. A few years later Mr. Blackshare raised a little wheat and ground it in the same mills and "sarcht it;" this consisted of a box with a muslin cloth over it, opened at one end, on which was dropped some of the meal, and then by a rocking motion the bran was forced to the top and back through the opening at the rear, while the fine flour passed through the muslin into the box. At that time their trading was done by exchanging pelting and furs for salt, sugar, coffee, etc .. at Cape Girardeau, Mo., 100 miles distant, to which place they made their trips with ox teams about once a year. Mr. Blackshare has not taken a drink of liquor of any kind, or a chew of tobacco. for over forty years, or since joining the church. and has always been willing to render aid, as far as he was able, to all laudable enterprises. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Blackshare was township magistrate for four terms of two years each, and was also county treasurer for two terms. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is one of the representative men of the county. He is now the owner of 340 acres of land, after having sup- ported his family and settled nine children at an expense of $14,000, and does not owe a cent.

W. S. Blackshare, of the milling and stave manufacturing firm of W. S. Blackshare & Co .. where her husband follows his profession and is is a native of Tennessee, born in November, 1849. and came to Clay County, Ark .. with his father. James Blackshare, when a boy of nine years. Here he grew to manhood on a farm, and in 1878 he was appointed by Gov. Garland to the office of sheriff of the county, and for two years he was county treasurer, having also tilled that office for several incumbents. He was deputy sheriff for four years, and is considered one of the leading

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business men of the county. He is the owner of about 200 acres of land on his home place, which adjoins the town of Boydsville, and has about 1500 acres in the country. and has the best buildings to be found in the county, all erected by himself. The house is a two story frame, 16 x 40, with a one story L fifty feet long and sixteen feet wide, and a porch running the entire length of the L. He also has a very large cistern under cover. He has two large frame barns, one 30 x 40, two stories high, and the other 30 x 50 feet, also two stories high, with out-sheds on the sides. On his farm on the Cache he has built another house on the same plan as his home place, and he is also building a good barn there. He was married to Miss Emily S. Cox, who lived but eighteen months after marriage, and died in 1871, leaving him a son, Arthur Lee, who is attending the home school. For his second wife Mr. Black- share married Miss Mary A. Ellis, daughter of Rev. Ira O. Ellis, who came here from Mississippi, where his father, Rev. Reuben Ellis, was an itinerant preacher in the Methodist Church, South. Mrs. Ira O. Ellis is still living in Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Blackshare were born these children : Ezra O., Annie (who is dead), Edgar M., Angie, Lena and Jennie. Mr. Blackshare belongs to the I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, into which order he was initiated about the time he was twenty-one years of age. In his political views he affiliates with the Democratic party. In 1871 he engaged in the mercantile business at Big Creek, with his father, buying out the interest of Judge Royall, paying $500 on time for the goods, and in 1878 removed to Boydsville. This business he continued until January, 1888. having in the meantime several partners; first the firm was J. & W. S. Black- share, then for eight years he was in company with his brother, R. B. Blackshare, under the firm title of W. S. Blackshare & Co., and was then with Judge Royall for three years, the firm title continu- ing the same. In 1888 he disposed of his stock to A. L. Blackshare, who now conducts the busi- ness in the same building. In connection with his seventeen years at merchandising, Mr. Blackshare

devoted some of his time to farming, and is at present junior partner of Royall & Blackshare, real estate dealers. He is a pleasant, genial gentleman, a good conversationalist, and has a host of warm friends. He is a splendid man physically, and although forty years of age does not look a day over thirty.

A. L. Blackshare, of Boydsville, another prom inent and much respected citizen of Clay County. Ark., was born in Tennessee, in 1856, and came to Clay County, Ark., in 1880. He followed agri- cultural pursuits for two years, and in 1885 bought out the stock of Mrs. Ella Blackshare, widow of R. B. Blackshare, and began business in Boyds- ville. This he continued for two years, and then sold out to J. S. Blackshare, after which he purchased the stock of W. S. Blackshare & Co., and is now engaged in that business, under the firm title of A. L. Blackshare. Aside from this he is also oc- cupied in milling and manufacturing, under the business title of Blackshare & Blackshare. In 1886 he was elected to the position of treasurer of the company, and was re-elected in 1888. Miss Ada Berton, a native of Arkansas, and the daugh- ter of Robert Berton, became his wife, and to them were born two children, one now living: Robert Bascom. The other child, Ernest, died at the age of one year. Mr. Blackshare is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

Larry Boshers. This successful young planter and stockman, of Clay County, of which he has been a resident for seventeen years, is well and favorably known to the many citizens of Kilgore Township. He was born in the State of Tennessee, in 1862, being the seventh of fourteen children of Henry and Tabitha (Stewart) Boshers, who were also originally from that State, the former being a planter by occupation, and there he died. After his death his widow came to Clay County, Ark .. and here died on her farm. in 1882. Larry Bosh- ers was early taught the rudiments of farm life, becoming still better acquainted with that calling as he grew to manhood, and is now considered one of the enterprising, thorough and reliable young agriculturists of the county. In 1880 he made his first purchase of land, which amounted to forty

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acres, in a raw state, and has since added from are named as follows: Josephine, wife of James time to time to this tract, until he now has a valuable farm consisting of 480 acres, with 175 under cultivation, the rest being well adapted to raising stock, to which Mr. Boshers gives consid- erable attention. He devotes seventy-five acres to the culture of cotton each year. He votes with the Democratic party, is a member of the Agri- cultural Wheel, and, personally, is held in high esteem by all who know him. Miss Jennie Mont gomery, a native of Clay County, became his wife in 1880, and died in 1884, having borne two chil- dren, both deceased. Her parents were Daniel and Polly Montgomery.

Giles Bowers, carpenter and builder of Boyds- ville, and one of the successful business men of that village, is a native of North Carolina, and remained in his native State until twenty-seven years of age. He was engaged in gold mining until the breaking out of the late war, when he enlisted in the Forty-ninth North Carolina Infan- try, in April. 1862, and served until the termina- tion of hostilities. He was in Gen. Lee's army, in Gen. Matt. W. Ransom's brigade, and partici- pated in the seven days' fight at Richmond, at Gen. McClellan's defeat, and was in all the fights and campaigns before Richmond. He was at the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericks- burg, and was captured at Five Forks and placed on Johnson Island, Ohio, as a prisoner of war, be- ing discharged there from June 18, 1865. He then returned to North Carolina, remaining until the spring of 1868, when he came to what is now Clay County, and, settling on a farm, tilled the soil until 1879. He is the owner of 120 acres of land, with about seventy acres under cultivation. In the last mentioned year he opened up a carpenter- shop, having learned the trade in previous years, and has erected the principal part of the buildings in Boydsville. At one time he was a member of the firm of Bowers & Toombs, and later of the firm of Bowers & Downs. Mr. Bowers also manu- factures seats and desks for church and school purposes. He has been married twice: first, to Miss Elizabeth Almond. of North Carolina, who

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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 34

Author: Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1026

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1026