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. 2, Part 62

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1044

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. 2 > Part 62

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).

James Cabell Minor, physician and surgeon,

Walnut Ridge, Ark. In a comprehensive work of this kind, dealing with industrial pursuits, sciences, arts and professions, it is only fair and right that that profession-the medical profession-on which in some period or other of our lives, we are all more or less dependent, should be noticed. It is the prerogative of the physician to relieve or alle- viate the ailments to which suffering humanity is prone; and as such he deserves the most grateful consideration of all. A prominent physician and surgeon, who by his own ability has attained dis- tinction in his profession, is Dr. Minor. He was born in Albemarle County, Va., on the 10th of October, 1858, and is the son of Dr. Charles Minor, and nephew of Prof. John B. Minor, pres- ent professor of Common and Statute Law in the University of Virginia, and the author of " Minor's Institutes." Dr. Charles Minor was a physician, and in the early part of his life practiced his pro- fession, but in later life was principal of a high school at Brook Hill, six miles north of the Univer- sity of Virginia. He died in 1861, at the age of fifty-eight years. He married Miss Lucy Walker Minor, a native of Virginia, who died in that State, at Bellevue, in 1881, at the age of fifty-two years. They were the parents of a large family of chil- dren, thirteen in all, eight now living, two in this state-Lancelot, attorney at law, Newport, Ark., and James Cabell. One brother, Charles (now deceased), was an attorney at law at Jacksonport, and at one time represented Jackson County in the State legislature. James Cabell Minor was reared in Virginia, and first took an academic course, but subsequently entered as a student the Univer- sity of Virginia, from which institution he gradu- ated in the class of 1882, in the study of medicine. Going to Louisville, Ky., he there took a clinical course at the Hospital College of Medicine. He then came to Newport, Ark., in 1883, practiced there three years, and, in 1886, located at Walnut Ridge, where he has since resided. His marriage to Miss Emma Smith occurred on the 6th of Feb- ruary, 1885, at Newport, Ark. She was born at Brownsville, Tenn., and by her marriage became the mother of one child-Lancelot Minor, Jr. Dr. Minor and wife are members of the Episcopal

802

ziedi vd .odw ,nura

„anositio-woffet sidt n moetassord

te louisa

bevom neds

wid boniato od lifan bus .omiduneos odd or andgos sylows lo

„nians goluriol id benius WAĆw 8481 xedoloO Thing pasniand id mawr vedand mid Geel ni bus iniog litan arid diw bortemot han qidprendssg

solo

sul rdiggetal bas guilsels sist ziodk gd Mas cote ich ard nt sued of Grosse noitatuges & bonne

LAWRENCE COUNTY.

809

Church, parish of Newport. He is a Democrat in politics, and has for the past six years been local surgeon for the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company.

William Park Mitchell, farmer and stock raiser, is a son of William and Sallie ( Ross ) Mitchell, of North Carolina, in which State William Park Mitchell was born on December 25, 1836. The family resided in North Carolina until 1847, when they moved to Benton County, Tenn., and settled on a farm. Here they resided, a happy family, until the father's death, in 1872, and then the mother following him in 1875. William P. re- mained with his father until his majority, and then entered into the grocery busines at Dresden, where he remained for fourteen months. He next commenced farming in Tennessee, up to the year 1870, and, thinking that Arkansas offered a better field for that business, he moved to the latter State, and settled in Lawrence County. On his arrival he bought 120 acres of timbered land and an ad- ditional 150 acres, with slight improvements upon it. He at once began to improve and cultivate his farms, and at the present time has about eighty acres under cultivation, with two fair residences and two tenant houses, besides a substantial double log house, in which he resides. He also owns a fine bearing orchard of peaches and apples. Mr. Mitchell was married in Benton County, Tenn., on July 27, 1862, to Miss Sarah F. Summers, a native of that State, and a daughter of Zachariah Summers, of Virginia. This union has given them six children, all of whom are living and in the best of health. Their names are Willis L., Zula, wife of H. D. Lawson; Emma, wife of Elijah Roberts; Anna and Maggie, both young ladies, and Katie. They have also lost three children : George, who died in his sixth year; Laura, dying at three years of age, and John, who died in his second year. Mr. Mitchell is a Democrat in politics, and is always loyal in his support of the principles and men of that party. He was appointed deputy sheriff and served in that capacity for a number of years, and is held in the highest esteem by the entire community. He has a splendid farm, a com- fortable home, and is considered to be one of the most successful farmers in Lawrence County, all

of which he has accumulated by his own good judgment and industry. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Mitchell also of the Agricultural Wheel, being president of the local Wheel.

J. E. Moore is a firm believer in the soil upon which he was born, having remained in this county since his birth. His occupation is that of farming, but he is also an exponent of the advantages of a good. education, and finds time for instilling knowl- edge in the minds of Lawrence County's future men and women. He is the son of William Moore, one of Arkansas' pioneers, who is now residing near Powhatan, and his mother was Miss Martha A. Judkins, of Tennessee, who met, and was united to her husband, in Arkansas. Ten children were born to them, five boys and five girls, and three have since died. Those living are Henry A., Joseph E., Nathaniel A., Robert C., Margaret I., Leonard H. and Laura C. Lizzie, Susan A. and Clara S. are deceased. Mr. Moore received the first rudiments of his education in the common schools of this county, and studied the higher branches at Irwin's Institute. After being thor- oughly equipped for the duties of a school teacher, he went to Big Lick, in 1882, and opened up his first school. He has since then followed that pro- fession, with steadily increasing success, holding two terms each year. He was married, in 1887, to Miss Josephine Childress, a daughter of Col. R. A. Childress, one of the old settlers of Independ- ence County, and a hearty old gentleman, in his seventy-eighth year. Mr. Moore is a member of the Baptist Church, and his wife of the Presby- terian. He is an active politician.

John H. Morgan is a Georgian, and was born in Walker County, that State (now Catoosa County), in the year 1838. He is a prosperous farmer of Morgan Township, and is a son of Henry Morgan, of Georgia, who was killed in a distressing man- ner, in 1864, by being thrown from an unruly mule. The elder Morgan came to Missouri with his family, in the year 1856, and settled at a point in Wayne County, about ten miles from Greenville, the county seat, where he farmed and cultivated the land, until the time of his death. His wife,

niloint)' ussoll Jo

urod maw Hledalii

nonrott: od bovont

A'odlat odi lonu

mins bos Ovar

ses Jedi sol pfeil

1401 In boa piel eid TERT

Twelveor ed doitw nt oppod yol

us. afull fart to ellen vovry sarl noron aidit we m bus amphit en mody to Us noblido xia sjedT . lined 10

visting Cilon

odw 997091) xos Jeof oals ovid vedT amy wadide porto , Brust pussy dixie aid at bois ant al Delh odw fudot ban legs lo WO'T 2.2.1 pedia eid ni layof Ls Jedt ni bovien bus Thisods o în Joalltoo» bor

ivad! 'ni blod et bris finiciuo al bon entod eldatrol 0009199

810

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

Polly (Blackwell) Morgan, of Georgia, died in about 1877. John H. Morgan is the fourth of ten children, and was in his sixteenth year when his parents came to Missouri. He attained his manhood in Wayne County, and in 1858 returned to Georgia, where he established himself in the grocery business. In 1862 he answered the call for men, and enlisted in Company A, of a Tennes- see regiment, and fought under Captain White, until the close of the war. He afterwards went back to Missouri, and was there married to Miss Surilda Smith, of Wayne County, but a native of Hamilton County, Tenn. The couple have eight children living: Henry H. D., Joseph L., George W., Savanah J., William Jackson, Tennie C., Martha S., Laura Alice. They have lost three children, namely: John Morgan, born September 28, 1869, died September 7, 1886; General Robert Lee, born November 28, 1885, died March 15, 1889; and an infant daughter, who died, when eight days old, March 4, 1872. Mr. Morgan and his family came to Arkansas in 1869, and settled in Independence County, at a place some ten miles south of his present residence, where they lived until the year 1881, when he moved to where he now is. He and his wife are members of the Free Will Baptist Church, and are earnest workers in the religious field.

Capt. J. M. Phelps, senior member of the firm of Phelps Bros., general merchandise, was born in McNairy County, Tenn., July 17, 1841. His father came to Arkansas when twelve years of age, and located at a point near Dardanelle, in Yell County. Four years later he went to Northwest Missouri, where he remained a year, and then came back to Randolph and Greene Counties. He entered into mercantile life at Gainesville; thence to Southern Missouri, and from there to Lawrence County, Ark., in the latter part of 1860. His son, Capt. James M., received only a common school educa- tion in Tennessee and Arkansas, but his natural aptitude made up for any loss in that direction. When war was announced he was a resident of this county, and first joined the Seventh Arkansas In- fantry, Company F, in April, 1861, Joseph Mar- tin, captain. He was discharged in February. 1862,

and returned home, where he remained until Hind- man's call for volunteers, and, in April, 1862, he was captured, after having raised a cavalry com- pany in response. That entire summer was spent by him in prison at St. Louis, Chicago and John- son's Island. In 1862 he was exchanged, and joined Tim Reeves' company of Missouri cavalry, and served with them until the spring of 1864, when he raised a cavalry company, which he com- manded until he surrendered, June 6, 1865, Com- pany F, Fourteenth Missouri Cavalry. At the close of the war he returned to Lawrence County, which has been his home ever since, and embarked in farming and merchandising. Later on he spent three or four years traveling through Texas and Mexico, and in the spring of 1876 came to Walnut Ridge and established the business of Z. Phelps & Sons (J. M. & A.C.). The firm continued under that head until the year 1880, when it was merged into Z. Phelps & Son (J. M.). The present firm of Phelps Bros., was started up in 1884, with J. M., A. C. and Z. C. Phelps as partners. They do a heavy business in general supplies, their transactions in 1888 amounting to $125,000, and are one of the largest firms in their line in the county. J. M., the eldest, has practically retired from active busi- ness. Capt. Phelps owns probably 1,500 acres of land, divided into several fine farms, and, in conjunction with his father and brother, has a great amount of other lands in Lawrence and ad- joining counties. He is a member of the Knights of Honor, and the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Com- mandery of the Masonic order, belonging to Hugh DePayne Commandery at Little Rock; is a mem- ber also of the Methodist Episcopal Church. South. This year (1889) he was a delegate to the district conference at Corning. He is a Democrat in politics, and was mayor of Walnut Ridge for several years. In 1864 (February 18th) he was married to Miss Victoria Kinian, of Lawrence County, Ark., whose father, Hensen Kinian, was a pioneer settler of Lawrence County. They have had one child, Virgil D., a little boy, who died in November, 1876, aged about nine years; and, hav- ing no other children of their own, the Captain and his wife are rearing a neice, Jessie Vinson.

........

Buik from Lostanswer ed couder cmod Loummer hoe J'ai both 1

au sudw migros)

Lu tów

Bedandurs bang .3

GuiD .002E .88

&I doubt

old urod ent

has nuyriøl 0 asad'I To

380

tomy aci areniand /2008 8881

3 liler bevil

etril es lo yd

10.

Lunf gilt lo vrebanor

980 8

só beiß odw .

811

LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Abram C. Phelps, of the firm of Phelps Bros., Walnut Ridge, general merchandise and supply house, was born in McNairy County, Tenn., January 4, 1848. When six years of age he came to North- eastern Arkansas, and has been reared principally in Lawrence County. He received a somewhat limited education in his youth-a disadvantage which the majority of our substantial men at the present day seem to overcome-and worked on his farm until the year 1868. On March 7 of that year he was married to Miss Sarah Fallin, who breathed her last ten months afterward. Mr. Phelps, shortly after the death of his wife, traveled with his brother, J. M., through Texas, Mexico and the greater part of the western country. When his trip had been finished he returned to Lawrence County, and in February, 1874, was united in wed- lock to Miss Mattie Ammons. During that period he went into business with his father, establishing the firm known as Z. & A. C. Phelps, which he con- ducted for two years. The firm was then changed to Z. Phelps & Sons, and has since continued un- der that name. In 1884 he sold out his interest in the business, and went to Fort Smith, where he started a grocery, but one year later he returned to Walnut Ridge, and entered actively into mer- cantile life at that point again, and now has ex- clusive control of the firm's business. Besides his interests in the firm, he owns 660 acres of land, 500 acres of which are under cultivation. Mr. Phelps is a member of the Knights of Honor, and Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council of Masonic fra- ternity, and also of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Walnut Ridge, of which his wife is a regular attendant. They have three children: Flora, Wal- ter and Claude.

Zaccheus C. Phelps, a partner in the house of Phelps Bros., well-known merchants of Walnut Ridge, was born in Greene County, Ark., Novem- ber 21, 1858. His early life was spent on a farm, and, at the age of seventeen years, he entered the employ of his father and brother, where he re- mained three years, obtaining a thorough knowl. edge of mercantile affairs. Later on he formed a partnership with N. M. MeCarroll, under the firm name of McCarroll & Phelps, which was continued

for two years, when he bought out his partner's in- terest, and combined it with A. C. Phelps & Bros. Mr. Phelps owns 240 acres of good land, and has 130 acres of it under cultivation. He is a Royal Arch Mason, also a member of the Council, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife was Miss Mattie Brinkerhoff, of Warrensburg, Mo., whom he married on September 15, 1889, and one child has been born to them, Otis B. Mrs. Phelps' father is a minister of the Baptist denomination.

Claiborne Sullivan Pinnell, familiarly known as Uncle "Claib" Pinnell, has been a resident of Northeast Arkansas for about fifty-one years, or over half a century. He was born in what was then called the "New Purchase " of Kentucky, October 27, 1817. His father was Peter Pinnell, who removed to Franklin County, Mo., when the son was an infant, and afterward settled in Greene County, Ark., at Crowley's Ridge, where he re- mained until his death, in 1842, or thereabouts. His wife was Miss Annie Sullivan, of Kentucky, whose parents, Claiborne Sullivan and wife, nee Harvey, were South Carolinians. This couple were the parents of nine children, C. S. Pinnell being the only one living, so far as known, although his oldest brother, Louis, was living in the Choctaw Nation, I. T., two or three years ago, at the age of eighty-two years. The mother died in Law- rence County, on the Cache River, after the close of the war. Claiborne S. Pinnell was reared on a farm, and as his father always lived in a very new country, where schools were not to be found for love nor money, and teachers were few and far between, his education, as a consequence, was very limited. When nine years of age he met with a painful accident, which has rendered him a cripple all his life; a colt ran away with him one day. and, stepping into a hole, threw him off, breaking his right arm and shoulder, which has prevented him from doing any hard labor ever since. Not- withstanding this fact, he has been an active man all his life; following the plow, farming and rais- ing stock. He came to Lawrence County about thirty years ago, and bought 160 acres on Village Creek, one and one-half miles north of Walnut Ridge, and has made this his home ever since, be-

- -.

கலர் கட்டு அம்மாள்ரசி 12 £

growth an mace Dinaptpa tho lo

baswgotta andhow nel

பரின் கிதம்ஐயாவிர்ஜி ஸ்ட் ஃபெ பீப்படி பெர்சி

1/ od doof

b ou nt Fors hini odd

ho oodd ww me till Thet owt fol

la as ulil sliduso

loudnoo oviaulo

doldir lo 20108 . 008

.nods /also

Myful add To yodmiom a si ogled

4.30

'tefresbee al eller aid doidw Jo .Dubist Junin VF.da

bris rej

Bad afbidw .341

Ji hwane seva multid vit ably shortand bus

bolton,don't

812

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

sides owning another farm in this county, the two aggregating 240 acres. He has hunted "bar" all over the State, and about twelve or fourteen years ago he killed the largest panther that had ever been seen in that neighborhood, measuring eleven feet from both tips. Mr. Pinnell has made a lengthy trip to Oregon, and another to Texas, but looks upon Lawrence County as the dearest spot on earth. He was married to Miss Minerva C. Rhea, a sister of M. B. Rhea, and has had nine children. Four of them grew to maturity, but all are now deceased, including the mother. His second wife was Mrs. Amanda E. (Grayles) Moore, and has had no children by this lady, although his wife has a daughter by her former husband. Mr. Pin- nell is a member of the Ravenden Springs Methodist Episcopal Church, as are his wife and step-daugh- ter, Mettie Isabelle. Grandfather Claiborne Sulli- van married his second wife in his ninety-eighth year, living two or three years afterward, showing the remarkable vitality existing in the family. He was a noted Baptist preacher in his time. Mr. Pinnell was an ardent hunter in his younger days, and has made considerable money in killing wild game and selling the hides and furs. He tanned the hide of the " painter " he killed some years ago, and made a pair of shoes out of it, which were quite a curiosity, on account of the associations connected with them.

Col. W. M. Ponder, farmer and proprietor of saw-mill, was born in Hickman County, Tenn., October 12, 1823. His father was Amos Ponder, of Georgia, one of the early settlers of Tennessee, moving to that State in the year 1800, and subse- quently to Southeast Missouri, where he died, in 1868, in his seventy fourth year. Col. Ponder's mother was Miss Nancy Dudley, of Tennessee, in which State she met and was married to his father. They were the parents of nine children, four of whom are still living. Mrs. Ponder died in the year 1879, aged about seventy-two years. The Colonel was reared on a farm in Tennessee, and received a somewhat limited education in his boy- hood days, on account of the scarcity of schools in that section of the State. He applied himself to farm work until he reached his twenty-fourth year,

when his father then moved to Missouri. Here he commenced farming and merchandising, and also dealing in produce and stock, shipping the latter to the New Orleans market in flatboats. He con- tinued in this business some four or five years, and was then elected clerk of the circuit, county and probate courts, of Ripley County, Mo., which office he filled creditably for six years. He was formerly assessor for one or two terms in that county. After his term was finished in the court, he began farming and milling on quite an extensive scale, and was rapidly approaching the highest pinnacle of success in his business, when the dread- ful news of war came to his ears. He left his in- terests and enlisted in the Ninth Regiment, Mis- souri State Guards, under Col. Lowe, of Gen. Jeff Thompson's brigade. His first battle was at Fredericktown, Mo., where he lost several relatives and friends in the fight. Subsequently he entered the Confederate army, where his bravery and knowledge of the tactics of war pushed him rap- idly to the front, being promoted from sergeant through the different grades to colonel. He held that rank and commanded the Seventh Missouri Infantry in the Confederate army and served until the surrender at Shreveport, La., about the 25th of June, 1865. After peace had been declared he came to Arkansas and bought 200 acres of land, a couple of miles from the present town of Walnut Ridge. He then went to work with a vim and energy that were truly heroic, consid- ering the fact that he was bare-footed at the time, and did not even have so much as a bed or a chair for his habitation. Two years later his perse- verance began to tell, and success was slowly but surely coming over the horizon of his adversity. He commenced merchandising and farming, and in connection with these operated saw-mills and a cotton-gin, and in 1873 he came to Walnut Ridge, and bought some of the land on which the present town site is situated. He also laid off the town of Doniphan, Mo., and was the first man to build a cabin, and sold the first yard of calico in that place. He remained in Walnut Ridge for ten years, and also laid off the town site of that place on his arrival in 1873. He built the first residence in

818

ation suant to wribuy foods bes ,59 18 add savo tid ad oga

. Pontze monthly no y Billing ,

WON

bogderht soono?

ind auseitall godhe heard 3175

wd privil

Jey Oldin Brilleg bas naang " gdt to abid

8881 ,81 zado100

FreDy Atrunt sloovon wid ar 8881

Jo friet .col ort ni heib I sivil ilida 918 uroriver SUT

pod

.433.2.1-2

" milf et a suline in Al

1 £

d.03 SEE

ol ant ho hini

813

LAWRENCE COUNTY.

Walnut Ridge, and was instrumental in securing the location for the Eastern district court-house, and also largely assisted in the erection of the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal Churches. He is a member of the Masonic order and is a Royal Arch Mason, and also the ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church. The Colonel was first married, in 1846, to Miss Mary Kittrell, of South- east Missouri, and has had two children, one sur- viving, Nancy S., widow of Thomas Minton, of Walnut Ridge. Mrs. Ponder died in April, 1856, and he afterward married, in April, 1857, Miss Susan Hudspeth, of Missouri. Two children were born to them, both of them dying since. His wife died in January, 1862, and he was again mar- ried, this time to Miss Mary Montgomery, of Vir- ginia. Six children were the result of this mar- riage, of whom five are living: Andrew, Harry Lee, George W., Edgar F. and Susan. Col. Ponder increased his farm of 200 acres to 2,600, and is also president of the Walnut Ridge & Hoxie Street Car Company. He is one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Lawrence County; is a Democrat in politics, and in 1882-83 represented his county in the State legislature, and was county judge in 1873-74.

Wilson Price, postmaster and a well-known farmer and stock raiser of Taylor, was born in Union County, N. C., July 27, 1836. His parents are Valentine and Caroline (Hargett) Price, of the same State, who, a few years after their marriage, first moved to Smith County, Tenn., where they remained for three years, and in the fall of 1849 settled in Lawrence County, Ark., at a point near Smithville, where they resided until the father's death, in 1864. Wilson Price was reared and has lived in this county since his thirteenth year. He remained with his parents until he attained his maturity, and then commenced in life for himself. He was married in his twenty-second year, and located on a farm near Smithville, where he culti- vated the soil until he came to his present resi- dence, in 1876. Mr. Price has always been a man of industrious and progressive habits, and it did not take him long to obtain a fair competence. He bought land and added to his possessions when-

ever he saw a good chance to invest, and now owns over 1,000 acres of the best land in Arkan- sas, with some 300 acres of it cleared. The entire amount is comprised in four tracts, and is all sit- uated in Lawrence County. Mr. Price was mar- ried in this county on January 7, 1858, to Miss Susan Ann Davis, a daughter of Ross Davis, of Tennessee, but on October 11, 1879, this lady died, leaving eight children to survive her: Sarah Ann, wife of John Bilberry; Nile A., George L., David P., Fillmore, Charles D., Philip V., and Lutz, a young lady. Nile A. and George L. are both married. Mr. Price has also lost five children, who died in early childhood. His second wife was a widow lady, Mrs. Mary Steadman, whom he mar- ried in 1881, this lady dying in 1885, and leaving one daughter, Hattie U. He married his present wife, who was formerly Miss Nancy Rider, of In- dependence County, on July 3, 1887. Both Mr. and Mrs. Price are members of the Baptist Church, in which the former is a deacon, and they are deeply interested in all matters concerning its wel- fare. In 1885 he established a general merchan- dise store, and by his methods of doing business, soon built up a good patronage. A postoffice was opened up in his place of business in April, 1886, and he was appointed postmaster, having had charge of the office since then.

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.

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. 2, Part 62

Author: Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1044

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1044