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BIOGRAPHIES
Izard
County Arkansas Genealogy Trails
P. H. Jeffery, farmer, Mount Olive, Ark.
Jeffery is a representative of one of the oldest and most respectful
families of Arkansas, and was born in Izard County 1851. His Parents,
Miles and Sarah (Williams) Jeffery, were natives of Missouri and
Arkansas, respectively, the former having been born in Missouri, while
on the way to Arkansas in 1818. His father, Jeohiada Jeffery, came to
Arkansas in 1818, settling on White River, near Mount olive, and was
one of the very first settlers of the county. He purchased a little
claim, improved it and accumulated considerable property previous to
his death which occurred sometimes in the 1850's. His wife originally
Miss Polly Wair, and they reared a large family of honorable men and
women, who are scatted through out the Izard County. Jeohiada Jeffery
was one of the first justices of the peace of this county after the
State was admitted. He was in the War of 1812 and was in the battle of
New Orleans,under Gen. Jackson. Miles Jeffery was reared to farm labor
and was not an educated man, although he had better advantages then
most boys that day. He was married about 1836, to Miss Williams and to
them were born fifteen children, ten of whom lived to be grown, and
eight are now living: Ambrose, Asa, Robert E, Attie, Mary, P H, Finnis
E, and R J. all of whom lived in this, Independence and Stone Counties.
Miles Jeffery represented Izard County in the legislature Two terms
before the war, in 1856 and 1858, and also filled the position of
sheriff in 1844. He was a strong Democrat, and took an active part in
politics. He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and
was an honest, upright citizen, having a host of friends. He died in
1868. The mother died in 1876, at about the age of fifty-five years.
She was an excellent woman, firm and dedicated in her views. P H
Jeffery , like his father was reared and educated in this county,
although his education was rather neglected, on account of the breading
out of the late war. When eighteen years of age, he started out on his
own responsibility; rented land, and tilled the soil for three years.
He then purchased a far of 345 acres, with twenty-five under
cultivation, and still owns this tract of land. He now has about fifty
acres cultivated, and is deeply interested in stock raising. His land
is on the White River, and is excellent for stock raising. By his
marriage, which was consummated in 1876, to Miss Carrie E. Perrin, he
became the father of five children; Henry E., Frank P, Charles E,
Richard R, and Sallie. Mr and Mrs Jeffery are both members of the
Cumberland resbyterian Church and he is a Democratic in his political
views.
Transcribed by Mary Lafferty Wilson. Source:
Biographical & History of Arkansas by Goodspeed page 950
original published 1889 .
John W
Jones, M D, is one of the oldest and best own physicians in Izard
County, Ark, and was born in Giles County , Tenn, on the 1st of March,
1832. He inherits Welsh blood from his paternal ancestors, his
grandfather Wiley and his great-grandfather, John Jones, having been
born in that country. They came to America a short time prior to the
Revolutionary War and John
took an active part in that struggle, taking sides with the colonist in
their struggle for liberty, serving throughout the entire war as
private. He afterward settled in Virginia, near the north Carlina line,
but after these two States were divided his home was found to be on the
North Carolina side, and in this State. He died near Charlotte in 1807.
Wiley Jones and his wife who was also born in Wales, removed to the
State of Tennessee at a very early day and there he reared his family
and engaged in farming being the owner of a large amount of property,
both personal and real. He died in 1827. His son Cebern was born in
North Carolina, and in his youth learned the boot and shoe maker's
trade, which business he conducted in Nashville from 1863 to 1871, his
death occurring in the late year. He was married in 1827, to Miss.
Selina W Mealor, and their marriage was bless in the birth of four
children, John W and William being the only ones now living, the latter
a farmer in Greene County, Mo. The mother's death occurred in 1837, and
Mr
Jones took for his second wife Miss Sarah Stephens, and their union
resulting in the birth of four sons and three daughters: Mary A, the
widow of James Cash; Sara A; Christina; George W; Thomas N; Newton :
Louise E.. Mr Jones and his wife were divorced, and he espoused his
third wife in Nashville, Tenn. He was of the Old School Presbyterian
Church, and in his political views was a Whig. His son, Dr John W Jones
was reared to farm life, but lived in the villages of Louisburg and
Connersville, receiving his early scholastic advantages in the schools
of those place and Jackson College, at Columbia, Tenn., whish
institution he entered when seventeen years of age, remaining one term.
Upon leaving the school he learned the harness marker's and saddler's
trade, but after following this occupation two years he came to
Arkansas in 1855, and settled in Independence County, where he was
engaged in teaching school following this occupation in Polk Bayou and
afterward in Searcy County. During his days of pedagoguing his leisure
moments were devoted to the study of medicine with the view to making
it his calling through life, and in 1860 he entered upon his practice
containing until the opening of the rebellion, when he joined the
Confederate forces as a private, and after serving one month was
promoted to the position of assistant surgeon and filled the position
three years. He took in a number of battles, Pea Ridge, Iuka, and
Corinth being among the number. He was taking prisoner at Port Hudson,
but after being kept in captivity for six days he was paroled and
returned to Searcy, County, Ark, where he again resumed the practice of
his profession. In 1865 he located at Evening Shade, and after teaching
school for twenty months he again entered upon the practice of
medicine, being in partnership with Dr. Hill, but this connection only
continued a short time. He moved to near La Crosse in 1868, but in 1873
he came to Izard county and settled on the old Langston place, where he
remained seven years. He purchased his present property at
the end of that time, and by adding forty acres now has a far
comprising of 100 acres, with about twenty acres under cultivation.
Prior to the war, in 1861, he attended the Medical College, of St.
Louis, MO., but owing to some disagreement between Prof. McDowell and
some of his German and Irish students the institution was closed. Dr.
Jones is a member of the A F & A M, the I O O F, and in his
political views is a Democrat. He was married in October 1866 to Miss.
Martha Taylor, of Izard county, and by her is the father of ten
children: Mary F, wife of Robert Guest; John W; Cebern S; James T;
Margaret J; Samuel T; Wiley N; Martha C; Nancy A and George H. Mrs
Jones is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Dr Jones is a
physician of acknowledged merit, and an excellent proof of his ability
is shown in the extended territory over
which he goes to alleviate the sufferings of the sick.
Transcribed by Mary
Lafferty Wilson. Source: Biographical & History of Arkansas by
Goodspeed page 951 original published 1889 .
Prof. Michael Shelby Kennard is principal of the
Collegiate Institute at La Crosse, Ark, an institution established by
him in 1868, which has become noted as an excellent business training
school, and is largely patronized by the best youth of which the State
of Arkansas can boast. Prof. Kennard was born in Sumter County, Ala.,
in 1833, and is the sone of George W. Kennard, who was born in
Williamson County, Tenn, in 1801, which State he made his home until
1821, at which time he emigrated to Alabama. Up to this date, owing to
his services being required on his father's farm, he received a limited
education, but in 1843 he began studying for the Baptist ministry in
his adopted State, was ordained in 1847, and in 1852 emigrated to
Arkansas, and located in Batesville, where he continued to resided
until his death, which occurred in May, 1864. He was an earnest and
faithful minister of the Gospel, and his influence in the Baptist
denomination was widely felt. He was a member of the Masonic order for
some thirty-five years. He was married in Perry County, Ala, in 1828,
to Eliza Hopson, a daughter of Bluford and Nancy
Hopson, whose death occurred in Batesville, Ark., in 1860. They had two
children: Octavia C and Michael S. The latter, the subject of this
sketch, had the best advantages in obtaining an education that his
State afforded. He graduated with honor at the University of Alabama in
1852, at the age of nineteen, and some years after received from the
institution the degree of A M. In Sept, 1852, he was married in Sumner
county, Tenn., to Mary E Saunders, daughter of Joseph P and Ellen D
Saunders, of that County. In 1852-1853 he was engaged in teaching in
Louisiana and Mississippi, part of the time as private tutor in the
family of Gen. Minor, of Natchez, Miss. In 1854 he removed from
Mississippi to Arkansas and settled at Batesville, where he spent two
years teaching, in the meantime pursuing the study of law. He was
admitted to the bar in 1856, but soon abandoned the law to engage in
the newspaper business. From 1857 to 1861 he was the
editor and proprietor of the Independent Balance, a newspaper published
at Batesville. When the war broke out he join Sweet's Cavalry regiment,
and served as adjutant, with the rank of major, and participated in the
many skirmishes, until January, 1863, when he was severely wounded in
the head by a fragment of a shell, at the battle of Arkansas Post, and
was made a prisoner of war. At the close of the war he determined to
devote the remainder of his life to teaching, and engaged in the work
of that profession again, at Batesville, but in 1868 he moved to
LaCrosse, where he stated above, he established the Collegiate
Institute. He has been the principal of the same since that time. With
the exception of five years spent in Bradley County Ark. He is a member
advanced to the Council, and has filled the offices of Worshipful
Master and High Priest of the Royal Arch Chapter. In earlier days he
was a follower of the Whig Party, but since the disruption of that
party has been a stanch Democrat. His children are as follows: Mary E,
wife of T B, of La Crosse, Ark.; George S, who was first married to
Miss Maud Cunningham, a daughter of Hon. J F Cunningham, but after her
death in 1884, he married Miss. Annie Collins of Van Buren, Ark.; he is
a graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, at Louisville,
Ky., and is now pastor of the Baptist Church at Bentonville; John F,
who married Miss Mary Watkins, a daughter of Dr. O T Watkins, is
engaged in the mercantile business at Fort Smith, Ark; Ralph E, who
married Miss. Henry Lee Powell, a daughter of Judge R H Powell, of the
fourteenth judicial district, is a druggist at LaCrosse; Joseph A
married Miss Carrie W Hunt, a daughter of Dr O T Hunt of La Crosse, and
Edward L; Ruth and Robert S are still unmarried.
Transcribed
by Mary Lafferty Wilson. Source: Biographical & History of
Arkansas by Goodspeed page 952 original published 1889 .
Dr. J A Kerr, physician and surgeon, Newburg,
Ark. Among the younger members of the
medical profession in Izard County, Ark., is he whose name heads this
sketch, already well established as a physician and surgeon of merit
and true worth and regarded with favor by those older in years and
experience. He is a native of this state and county, and is one of nine
children, seven now living born to John and Ann (Mennox) Kerr. The
children are named as follows: B W, resides in Izard County; J A; Mrs
Mary J Hayes of this county; Mrs Indiana Evans, of this County; John M,
of this county; R J, resides in Newburg; Mrs Maggie Stroud, wife of D J
Stroud of this county: Benjamin F, died in 1869 at the age of eleven
years, and one that died when quite young. The parents were natives of
Ireland, and the father came to America about 1842. He landed in New
York, but immediately made his way to Nashville, Tenn., where he
remained for seventeen years, and where he was engaged in the
carpenter's trade exclusively. He was there married to Miss. Mennox,
who came over from Ireland when he did, and who settled in Nashville,
Tenn. Both he and wife were orphans, and came from the old country with
an old man and his family. In 1860 they settled at Batesville,
Independence County, remained there for some time, the father engaging
in the carpenter business, and then moved to Izard County, where
he still continued his trade up to 1870, after which he embarked in the
mercantile business. In 1884 he retired to private life on his farm,
and there received his final summons, in 1886, at the age of fifty-six
years. Mrs. Kerr still survives and resides on the old homestead. Mr.
Kerr was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church of which his wife is still a member. Dr. J A
Kerr received his education in the public schools of his county until
1880, when he entered the Medical College at Louisville, and attended
regularly until 1882 when he graduated. He then returned immediately to
Izard County and entered upon practice of his profession at this place
and his reputation as a physician and surgeon, as well as in private
life, is an enviable one. The Doctor is yet a young man, as his birth
occurred in 1857, and
he was married in 1882 to Miss Emma Wood of this county. The fruits of
this union have been four children, three now living: Clarence E
(deceased): Neely T; Oscar and Roscoe (twins). Mrs Kerr was born in
1863 and is the daughter of William and Sarah (Benbrook) Wood, natives
of Tennessee who came to Izard County an early day. When Dr Kerr first
commenced the practice of medicine his financial resources were rather
limited, a horse, saddle, and bridle, and a pair of pill bags, filed,
completed his outfit. He is now owner of some 500 Acres of land, with
about 135 acres under cultivation, and is also the owner of property in
Newburg, consisting of house, store-house, office, vacant lots, and
besides plenty of personal property. He is building on his farm a rind
residence and already has a good barn and out buildings. The Doctor has
made all this with in the last ten years, and by energy and
perseverance. He is a member of the I O O F, and politically he is
Democratic. Mrs Kerr is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Transcribed by Mary Lafferty Wilson. Source:
Biographical & History of Arkansas by Goodspeed page 952-953
original published 1889 .
Rev H T King,
minister, Melbourne, Ark. This much revered and esteemed gentleman is
only one of the many citizens of Izard County, who owe their nativity
to Tennessee, where his birth occurred in 1853. He is the son of John A
King, a native of Virginia, who, when a young man was united in
Marriage to Miss. Dedama Sutton, also a native of the old Dominion. The
parents moved to Tennessee at an early day, and here the father
purchased land, which he tilled until 1856, after which he moved to
Crittenden County, Ky. He remained in that State for four years, and
then being particularly satisfied, he moved from there to Clay County,
Ill., thence to
Jefferson County, where his death occurred in 1873, at the age of
sixty-seven years. He was a member of the Christian Church. Mrs. King
still survives and resides in Baxter County, this State. She is a
member of the Christian Church, and a pleasant, agreeable woman. They
were the parents of eleven children, four now living: Nancy J, widow of
John Welch is now living in Fulton County, Ark: Sarah A., wife of G. W
Selph, resides Baxter County; Rebecca M, wife of G. W Lundy, resides in
Baxter County, and Rev H T. The father of these children was fairly
educated, and during his life time accumulated considerable property,
the principal part of which was lost during the late unpleasantness
between the North and the South. Rev. H T King acquired but a limed
education, as during his boyhood days he only attended one month of
school, and this was all the education he received until after his
marriage, when he attended school two terms. He is quite studious and
applies himself to his books t home and is probably better informed
than many who have had every advantage. He expects to attend school
during the fall and winter of this year (1889), and is now studying law
with a view to making it his profession. At the age of twenty-one years
Mr. King commenced life for himself, and at that age was united in
marriage to Miss E E Taylor, by whom he had six children, five now
living: W C; R J; Auscar and Oscar twins, and Mary L. Mrs King died in
1884, a devout member of the
Christian Church. Mr. King took for his second wife Mrs Mary a Harlin
(Conklin) a widow. She was a member of the Christian Church, and died
in 1880, at the age of thirty-seven years. By her first marriage she
became the mother of nine children, eight sons now living: James P; W
T; J H; Joe E; L D; C C; J C and Frank H. Mr King moved to Arkansas in
1876 settling in Baxter County and there remained until 1887 when he
moved to this place. He had very little means when first coming to this
county, gut he is now the owner of a fine residence with some three or
four acres of land worth about $1,000 or $1,200. He is a member of the
Masonic fraternity, R A M, and also a member of I O O F. In politics he
is a republican. He is a minister in the Christian Church, and was
ordained in 1881.
Transcribed by Mary
Lafferty Wilson. Source: Biographical & History of Arkansas by
Goodspeed page 953 original published 1889 .
K L Lacy, blacksmith and farmer, Newburg, Ark, came originally from
Tennessee, his birth occurring in 1830. Mr. Lacy has won and enviable
reputation as a farmer, and none the less is his reputation established
as a first-class blacksmith. His father, Robert Lacy, was a native of
North Carolina, born in 1793, and came to Tennessee about 1813 or 1814,
where he was united in marriage to Miss. Annie Miller, in about 1816.
He was a farmer by pursuit, and was also a minister in the Methodist
Church. After remaining in Tennessee until 1861, he settled on the
White River, in this county, but afer a residence there of only a year,
moved to Knob Creek, where he purchased a farm. There he closed his
eyes to the scenes of the world in 1870. He still continued to preach
after coming to this State, and was associated with the American Tract
Society for a number of year previous to his death. He was a Democrat
in politics. His wife was a native of Georgia, and died in 1870 at the
age of seventy-three years. She was consistent member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. In their family there were the following children: W
Mc; Mrs Mary A, wife of George Bussey; Mrs. L J, widow of John Bussey;
Kibble J. (The subject of this sketch) and James W. The paternal
grandparents were from Ireland and England, respectively. The maternal
grandfather was a German by birth, and came to this country when a boy.
He served during the greater portion of the War for Independence. At
the age of twenty years K J Lacy began learning the blacksmith trade
and at that age he commenced life for himself, doing journeyman's work
in Tennessee for fifteen years. In 1860 he came to Arkansas, and took
charge of Col. Black's farm on the White River where he was overseer of
the negroes for one year. He then went to Lunenburg, opened a shop, and
continued there until 1870. He joined the army in 1862, but was
discharged out account of disability. He was conscripted two or three
times afterward, but succeeded in being released, and was taken
prisoner one time by the United States soldiers, but was soon released
by the Confederates. In 1870 he rented a farm from Dr Watson on the
White River, and remained there for ten years when he bought a farm on
Knob Creek. At the end of four years he sold out, purchased another
farm, improved the same and built good houses, barns, etc. He made two
trades afterward, one for the farm on which Judge Grimmett now lives,
and the other for his present property. This farm consists of 100 acres
with thirty-five under cultivation, with fair house, etc. Mr. Lacy has
been twice married; first, on the 15th of November 1853, to Miss Mary E
Hairendon, and four children were the result, three now
living: William H, lives in this county; Robert F; James M and Sarah J,
wife of Ole Brown, and lives in the county. Mrs. Lacy died in 1870 and
was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr.
Lacy's second marriage was to Mrs. Martha A Womack (Wolds), and two
children have been born to them: Laura B and George T. Mr and Mrs Lacy
are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Socially he is a
member of the A F & A M and the I O O F and Encampment of that
order. He has filled the office of Worshipful Master in the Masonic
fraternity, and nearly all others of this order, and has held the
office of N G in the I O O F. He is Democrat.
Transcribed
by Mary Lafferty Wilson. Source: Biographical & History of
Arkansas by Goodspeed page 954 original published 1889 .
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