BIOGRAPHIES

Clay County Arkansas Genealogy Trails

ALEXANDER, S. W.

ALLEN, J. H.

ALLEN, Capt. John J.

S. W. ALEXANDER, manufacturer and dealer in hard wood lumber, railroad ties, wagons, agricultural implements, car material, etc., at Corning, Ark., was born in Hancock County, Ind., October 17, 1835, his parents, James and Mary (Mac Michael) Alexander, and his grandparents, on both sides, being natives of Orange County,
N. C. They all emigrated at an early day (about 1828) to Indiana where they died. The great-grandfather was in the Revolutionary War, and fired the first cannon in that service. James Alexander remained in Hancock County, Ind., until the spring of 1857, when he emigrated to Polk County, Iowa, where he was living at the time of his death, in 1882. His wife died in 1872, having borne five children: John C., Julia A., Simeon W., James A. and Louisa. Mr. Alexander was a farmer by occupation.
Simeon W. Alexander, our subject, was reared and educated in his native county, and from childhood has been familiar with farm life. On reaching his majority he was married, and emigrated to Illinois, locating in Cumberland County, where he was engaged in the saw-mill business until 1859, when he removed to Polk County, Iowa, but returned to Illinois in December, 1863, and there resided until the fall of 1869. In the fall of that year he sold his mill and returned to Iowa, where he remained until 1886, being engaged in both lumbering and farming on an extensive scale. He owned 400 acres of good land, and on coming to Clay County, embarked in the lumber business, putting up a large sawmill. He still continues this business and employs a great many hands. He owns about 2400 acres of land in Clay County, some 1000 of which will make fine farming land when improved. He also has one of the best houses in the county, situated in Corning.
October 23, 1856, he was married to Miss Mary Faster, a native of Indiana, by whom he has seven children: William (in Dakota), Lucy M., Cora (wife of T. J. Conway, of Chicago), Charles W., Addie, Freddie and Edward. Mr. Alexander is a member of the I. O. O. F. and is one of the public-spirited men of Clay County, always being ready to advance the interests of the people.

Source:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, Goodspeed Pub. Co, c1891, p. 196.



J. H. ALLEN, stockman and farmer of Clay County, Ark., was born in North Carolina in July, 1828, being the eighth of nine children born to Isaac and Sarah (Hawkins) Allen, who were born in North Carolina and Virginia, respectively, the latter being a daughter of a Revolutionary patriot.  Both parents died on their home farm in North Carolina.  J. H. Allen attended the public schools for some time and remained at home until twenty-four years of age, being engaged in overseeing the farm until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he gave up this work and began operating a grist mill.  In November, 1866, he came to what is now Clay County (then Randolph County), and settled twenty-five miles from Pocahontas, in which locality he rented land for some time.  He then purchased 380 acres of wild land two miles west of Knobel, on which he immediately began to make improvements.  At the present time he has 150 acres under cultivation, well improved with good buildings, orchard, fences, etc.  He has added 120 acres to his original purchase, on which he raises a large number of horses, cattle and hogs each year.  He has devoted most of his cultivated land to corn and stock for his cattle and horses, but this year (1889) has put in about fifty acres of cotton.  He has always been quite active in politics, and has held the office of justice of the peace for ten years, and has been a school director a number of years.  In 1853 he married Miss Margaret Wagner, who was born in North Carolina, and by her had five children:  William, John, Isaac, Henry, and Albert, all of whom are dead.  In 1871 he married Miss Nancy Demaree, a native of Illinois, and to them were born three children:  Amanda, Jesse and David, all now living at home.

Source:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, Goodspeed Pub. Co, c1891, p. 196-197.


CAPT. JOHN J. ALLEN was born in Lee County, Ga., on the 2nd of July, 1841, and is the son of Edward M. and Mary J. (Knight) Allen.  The father was born in the "Palmetto State" in 1819 of Scotch-Irish parents, and was a mechanic and ginwright, making machines by hand.  He was taken to Georgia when small, and was there reared to manhood.  During the Indian troubles in the Southern States, especially in Florida, Mr. Allen participated as a private, and received in payment for his services a land warrant for 160 acres, and in 1853 chose the land on which Capt. John J. Allen now resides.  Prior to this, however, he took a trip through Texas, Arkansas, Misissippi and the Indian Territory, making the journey on horseback, a distance of 3,000 miles.  He then returned to Georgia, and the following year (1853) located in Arkansas, the nearest post-office at that time being sixteen miles distant, and the second nearest (Pocahontas) fifty miles distant.  The families of McNiel, Nettles, Wooter, Singleton, Copeland, Sexton and White, were the only ones within a radius of ten miles.  Wild animals roamed the country at will, and Indians were also very numerous.  Schools were almost unknown, and Mr. Allen assisted in building many of the first houses.  John G. Taylor, a Missionary Baptist minister, came with Mr. Allen to the State, and preached the first sermon in Northeast Arkansas.  The latter opened thirty acres of land the first year, which was heavily covered with timber.  He was a slave owner, and served for twelve months in the confederate army under Price, holding the rank of captain, when he resigned on account of his age.  He died in 1877.  His wife was born in Jasper County, Ga., about 1822, and was there married to Mr. Allen, by whom she became the mother of ten children:  William A., John J., Elizabeth J., Edward M., Thomas M., living to be grown, and the following dying in infancy:  Martha, Stapie, and two infants.  Mrs. Allen died in 1860, and Mr. Allen then married Sarah J. Palmer, who bore him five children:  Robert, Georgia L., George W., Willie, and Odus.  Capt. Allen, our subject, has resided in Arkansas since twelve years of age, but spent his entire school days in Georgia.  He was reared on the farm on which he is now residing, and remained at home until his marriage at the age of eighteen years, when he was engaged in farming until 1861.  Then he enlisted in Company H, Fifth Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war, participating in many battles:  Helena, Fredericksburg, Boonville, Lexington, Newtonia, and many others of less note.  He enlisted as a private, but was promoted to captain, and was then transferred to the cavalry, serving two years.  After coming home he engaged in farming, and in 1868 opened a mercantile establishment at Scatterville, and followed this occupation in connection with ginning for four years.  He then removed to Tilton, where he was occupied in business until August, 1888.

Source:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, Goodspeed Pub. Co, c1891, p. 197.


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