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BIOGRAPHIES
Izard
County Arkansas Genealogy Trails
Transcribed
by Anna Newell
Lee A. Bland, farmer, Melbourne,
Izard County, Ark. Personal popularity, it cannot be denied, results
largely from industry, perseverance and close attention to business,
which a person displays in the management of any particular branch of
trade; and in the case of Mr. Bland this is certainly true, for he has
adhered so closely to farming, and helped in so many ways to advance
all worthy enterprises in this community, that he is considered one of
the representative men of the county. His birth occurred at Augusta, in
Woodruff County, Ark., and he is the son of James T. and Mary C. (Snow)
Bland, the father a native of Tennessee, and the mother of Arkansas.
James Bland came to Arkansas, at an early day, settling at Augusta,
Woodruff County, and was married January 5, 1854. He followed farming,
but also engaged in merchandising previous to the war, and was broken
up during that eventful period. He did not enlist, but was one of the
few men who assisted the wives of the soldiers. He had three brothers
killed while serving in the Confederate army. After the war he farmed
extensively until his death, which occurred January 5, 1869, when he
was killed by the State militia, serving under Powell Clayton's orders.
He was at one time quite weathy, and was the owner of some slaves. He
and his first wife were the parents of two children, Lee A, being the
only one living. Mrs. Bland died in 1858, and Mr. Bland took for his
second wife, in 1858, Miss Lucy Perry, who bore him two children, only
one living, Oliver P., who is a telegraph operator, and resides at El
Paso, Texas. Mr. Bland was only about thirty-nine years of age at the
time of his death, and his second wife followed him to the grave in
1869. In politics he was a stanch Democrat.
At the age of sixteen years Lee A. Bland (the subject of his sketch)
commenced life for himself, first as a dry goods clerk, and was then
employed for eighteen months by Campbell Bros. at Augusta. He then
farmed for about two years, after which he again returned to mercantile
pursuits, but not liking this he again returned to farming and has
continued thus occupied ever since. He first rented land, but in 1887
he bought his present property, consisting of 397 acres, with sixty
under cultivation, and has resided here since. In 1876 he abandoned his
single state and was united in marriage at La Crosse, Izard County, to
Miss Cornelia F. Helm, who bore him five children, three now living:
Ada M., born July 29, 1877; Mary J., born October 5, 1879; Effie L.
(deceased), born November 1, 1883; Nora S. (deceased), born February
17, 1886, and Willie L., born November 22, 1887. Mr. Bland has been
constable of LaCrosse Township for two years, and, like his father, is
a Democrat in his political principles. Mrs. Bland is a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. She is a daughter of George T. and Sally C.
Helm, and was born in Izard County, Ark., September 16, 1859.
Source:
Biographical & Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, c1891,
Goodspeed Publishing Co, p. 930.
Dedrick
Blevins is one of the practical and respresentative agriculturists of
this region, and from early boyhood has been familiar with the
occupation of farming, having learned the details of the work from his
father, who was a worthy tiller of the soil. He is the owner
of a
good farm of 140 acres, of which about sixty-five are under
cultivation, and his property is well improved with good buildings,
fences, etc., and is also well stocked with the necessary animals for
successfully conducting the same. He was born in Sullivan
County,
Tenn., March 20, 1847, and is a son of W. K. and Rachel (Morgan)
Blevins, who were also Tennesseeans, the former's birth occurring in
Sullivan County June 26, 1818, and the latter's on the 28th of April,
1822. In connection with his farm work the father was engaged
in
blacksmithing, which occupation he followed on his farm of 160 acres.
He died on the 3d of October, 1865, having been an earnest
member
of the Christian Church for many years, but his wife, who is a member
of the Baptist Church, still lives and resides with her son, John W.,
on the old homestead. Her family consisted of nine children,
whose names are as follows: Mary, Eliza, Nathaniel, Hilley
A.,
Thomas W., Lydia, Henry B., John W. and Dedrick. Seven of
these
children reside in the State of Arkansas, the last named child having
been reared and educated in Izard County, acquiring a fair education in
the common schools. After attaining manhood he was married to
Miss Lucy Davidson, their marriage being consummated on the 10th of
September, 1868, and to them have been born nine children, five sons
and four daughters, six of the family being still alive and residing
with their parents: David G., Emily C., Lydia F.,
Bartholomew,
Owen A., and an infant. Mr. Blevins joined the Confederate
army
June 8, 1864, and after serving under Gen. Price, was discharged in
1865. He has held the office of school director and
constable,
and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source:
Biographical & Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, c1891,
Goodspeed Publishing Co, pg. 930-931.
Charles
Henry Boatman was born in the State of Tennessee in 1844, and is a son
of John and Rebecca (Shore) Boatman, who were born in Georgia and
Tennessee, respectively, the former's birth occurring in 1786, and
their marriage in Tennessee in 1838. Four sons and three
daughters were born to them: William E., Richard, Wiley,
Lucinda,
Elizabeth J., Eliza F. and Charles Henry. Mr. Boatman was a
farmer and died in 1861, followed by his wife, whose death occurred in
Izard County in 1886. They removed to this State in 1850 and
entered 160 acres in Izard County, on which they erected a little log
cabin, which continued to be their home for a number of years.
John Boatman enlisted in the Confederate Infantry under Capt.
Thomas
Smith in 1861 and at the battle of Shiloh, he was wounded in the head.
He was also at Franklin, Nashville and Chickamauga, Tenn.,
besides
being a participant in many other hard fought battles, and served until
the war closed.
Charles H. Boatman came with his parents to this county and State, but
received a somewhat limited education in the schools of Izard County.
He was married here in 1860 to Miss Sarah, a daughter of
Henry
Hose, and of nine children born to them seven are living:
Rebecca
J, Lucinda E., Ira E., Joseph B., Franklin A., Jasper O., Lewis H. and
William W. and Andrew C., deceased. Mr. Boatman owns eighty
acres
of good land, with thirty under cultivation and on his farm he erected
a substantial frame residence, in 1885, and an addition to the same in
1888. His principal crops are corn, cotton and small grain.
His wife, who was born in the State of Tennessee in 1843 is a
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: Biographical &
Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, c1891, Goodspeed Publishing
Co, p. 931.
James H.
Bone is a native of Izard County, born on the 18th of June, 1857, and
is one of five living members of a family of ten chiildren born to the
marriage of A. W. Bone and Sarah L. McKee, both Tennesseeans, the
former's birth occurring on the 8th of October, 1826. He gave
his
attention to farming throughout life, and is now residing
on his
farm of 200 acres in Izard County, Ark., there being about seventy-five
acres of his land under cultivation. He and wife are church
members, he being a member of the Old School Presbyterian, and they are
substantial residents of the county. James H. Bone received a
good practical education in his youth, and learned the rudiments of
farm life from his father, who was a practical agriculturist, and by
attending strictly to his chosen calling he has done much to advance
the reputation the county enjoys as a properous farming community.
He is careful and painstaking in the cultivation of his land,
and
very thorough in everything connected with its management, and of the
180 acres which he possesses he has about sixty acres under
cultivation. He was married, in his native county, on the 7th
of
February 1878 to Miss Amanda M. Taylor, a daughter of Stephen and Arena
Taylor. Stephen Taylor was born in North Carolina, but moved
to
Tennessee at an early day and married there. He then came to
Arkansas, after which his wife died, and later he married Miss Arena
Hinkle, who still survives, a resident of Izard County. She
was
born in the State of Tennessee. To the union of Mr. and Mrs.
Bone
five children have been born: Fannie E., William H., Sarah
A.,
Stephen W. and Samuel J. Mr. Bone has held a number of local
offices in his township, and he has always been ready and willing to
support enterprises of a worthy character. He and wife are
members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Bone's paternal
grandfather came from Tennessee to Arkansas in 1840, and his
great-grandfather, McKee, was born in Ireland. He went from
there
to Virginia. Grandfather McKee was born in Virginia in 1801
or
1802, and moved from there to Tennessee, and in 1851 he came to
Arkansas.
Source:
Biographical & Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, c1891,
Goodspeed Publishing Co, p. 931-932.
W.
L. Bramblette is a farmer of Izard County, and although his land only
amounts to eighty acres yet his farm is so well tilled that it yields a
larger income than many larger farms. He was born in Murray
County, Ga, July 8, 1851, he being one of five sons and three daughters
born to the marriage of Wiley Bramblette and Mary A. Howard, whose
birthplace was in the "Palmetto State," where they were reared and
married. A the time of the father's death, which occurred in
August, 1861, he owned about 200 acres of land in Izard County, Ark.,
whither he had moved in the year 1856. His wife survives him
and
lives with her son, W. L. Bramblette, our subject. He was a
Mason
in good standing at the time of his death. W. L. Bramblette
received the advantages of the common schools of Izard County in his
youth, and after attaining manhood was married in this county to Miss
Sarah Mosier, whose native State was Arkansas, their nuptials being
celebrated on the 27th of May, 1877, and to them were born five
children, whose names are as follows: Owen M., Minnie A.,
Arah
B., Buggie and Della C., all residing at home. Mr. Bramblette
is
a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and was president of this
organization for one year. The family are attendants at the
Baptist Church, to which our subject and his wife belong, and they are
liberal contributors to enterprises tending to benefit the community in
which they reside.
Source:
Biographical & Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, c1891,
Goodspeed Publishing Co, p. 932.
G.
W. Bray is one of the
rising young farmers of this region, and since starting out in life for
himself he has applied himself steadfastly to agricultural pursuits,
and with what success may be inferred when we mention the fact that
since 1881 he has owned a good farm of 193 acres. He was born
in
Mississippi in 1851, and is a son of William and Permelia (Aikin) Bray,
who were natives of Tennessee, but moved to Mississippi at an early
day, where they engaged in farming, and reared their family of ten
children, only two of whom are now living. Mr. Bray died in
1843,
and in 1868 Mrs. Bray and her son, G. W., came to Arkansas (Whither her
daughter Pernelia, wife of W. F. Raider had previously come), their
journey being made in an ox-cart, which they had borrowed.
Mr.
Bray now says at that time he had only $2.00 in cash, and that the oxen
were borrowed from W. Garner, and the cart from Sandford Hames.
The first two years after coming here he raised crops on
shares,
and then entered land, purchasing, in 1870, his first horse, for which
he paid the sum of $80, $30 of which he earned by picking cotton on the
bottom lands, and the balance he paid the following year. In
1871
he married Miss Alice Nail, who bore him five children: John
H.,
born in 1872; Martha B., born in 1873; William A., born in 1877; George
W., born in 1879, and Newton E., born in 1882. This wife died
in
1883. In 1881 he purchased his present property, and has
thrity
acres under cultivation and seventy-five acres improved with good
fences, buildings, orchards, etc., his building especially being in
excellent condition. This property has all been acquired
through
unremitting toil and judicious management, and he may with truth be
called one of the self-made men of the county. He always
favors
public improvement, and although he never went to school a day in his
life he is making every effort to give his children, Permelia R., Isaac
R., Mary B. and Ellen E., the advantages of which he was deprived.
Before coming to Arkansas, and for two years after, he
supported
his mother out of his wages earned by daily labor, and for this filial
care if for nothing else he deserves the respect of his fellowmen; and
when it is taken into consideration that he has manfully fought his way
up to his present position, and that he has been honest and upright in
all his dealings, words are but meager things with which to express the
admiration his conduct commands. In his political views he is
a
Democrat, and socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F. His
wife, whom he married in 1883, was formerly a Miss Docia Hames.
Source:
Biographical & Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, c1891,
Goodspeed Publishing Co, p. 932-933.
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