Page 116 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

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JEFFERSON COUNTY.
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pal of this sketch. and Mrs. '3. A. Robinson, of I Westall remained in his native State until nine.

Florence, Ala. Young John was educated at teen years of age, and in 1861 enlisted as a pri-

,Davidson College, in North Carolina, and was yet vate in the First Indiana Cavalry, serving for over
1attending school in April, 1863, when his youth- three years. or until the end of his term. He was in
1ful ardor was fired by the tales of Southern gal- a number of noteworthy engagements, principally

lantry on the battle-field, and he cast aside his ; those of Fredericktown, Helena, Little Rock, Pine

books to shonlder a musket and keep step in the I Bluff, and a great many skirmishes. He received

Iranks of the Confederate army. He joined Com- his discharge a t Indianapolis in 1864, and after-

pan! H, of the Thirty first Alabama Cavalry, and / ward returned to his home, where he remained

took part in a great many engagements, never but a short time, when he removed to Illinois and

faltering even when near the cannon's mouth, nor located in Wabash County. There be followed

allowing his enthusiasm forthe cause he undertook farming until 1870, when in Augnst of that year

to be dampened by the heaviest shower of leaden ; he moved to Arkansas, and settled at Pine Bluff,

Ihail. After the war he turned his attention to ! then a small village of about 300 inhabitants.

mercantile life a t Selma, Ala., and continned in Here he engaged in the grocery business on a small
Ithat branohuntil 1871, when he moved to Arkan- ! seale, and on the same place where his present

sas and located in Lonoke County, where he com- large brick store building now stands. He enjoys
menced farming, and has met with the best suc- j a large trade, and is one of the substantialbusiness

cess, owning about 1,100 acres of the best land to men of Pine Bluff. On the property adjoining hie
stme he has built a @ residence, and is a l o the
1b e b n n d in the State. February 27, 1871, he was owner of about fifteen teuelnent houses, the returns
of which form a a m f o ~ b l iencome. Yr.westall
married to Miss Virginia A. Pettus, a daughter

1of John J. Pettus, ex-Governor of Mississippi, by
Iwhom he has had two children, John.!I and Car- was married in Pine Bluff, Ark. in 1863, to Miss

rie who are yet living, and three who have died: I Mary E. Edwards, originally from Georgia. Her
William A., Alice M. and an infant daughter. ! father settled in Arkansas in 1801. To Mr. and

IMr. and Mrs. Wnedon are members of the Presby- ' Mrs. Westall have been born eight children: ,

terian Church, and take a deep interest in religious Sarah, Anna (wife of Alonzo McDonald), William, i
and educational affairs. I n politics the former. is a David, Millie F . , Mary E., J o ~ e p hand Benjamin.
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Democrat. He is one of the most popnlar men in Mr. Westall has been a member of the Primitive
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the community as well as one of the most enter. Baptist Church for twenty years, in which he is
,priming. On his arrival in Arkansas he was com. also an elder. He was ordained a minister about
paratively poor, bnt seeing the productiveness of ! 1874and now has chnrge of three churches.

the country, and knowing what his abilities were Col. McH. Williams, a prominent planter and

capable of developing, he remained. one of tbe men who have done much h a r d ad-

Rev. Daniel Westall, grocer and dealer in hay, vanoinp the interests of Jefferson County, was

corn, oats, etc., Pine Bluff, Ark., is well knownto 1 born in Nashville, Tenn., on August 28, 1831, and

:the many readers of this volume. He owes hie is a son of Wiloughby and Nancy D. (Nichole)

nativity to Vanderburgh County, Ind., where his Williams, natives of Davidson County, Tenn. I n
birth oacurred December 31, 1840. His father, ; early days the f a t h ~wr as a merchant, and as an

James W~atall,was a native of England, who example of the primitive state of affairs a t that

/emigrated to America and settled in Indiana at an period, he was the only business man who conld

early date. He was there married to Miss Kesiah boast of an entire hogshead of sugar in that sec-

,Barker, a native of North Carolina, and this happy / tion, his trade allowing him to keep a larger stock

union lasted anti1 1848, when Mr. Westall closed I than his competitors. He was noted as an influen-

his eyes to the scenes of this world. His widow tial politician during his life, but would never
married again, and diedabout 1853. Rev. Daniel , accept any public office except that of sheriff,

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