Page 117 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)
P. 117
4
-
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
. --~ .. . . .. . ... .. -. .- -- -
which position he filled for several years. During near Nashville, Tenn.), Mary J. (widow of R. C.
the earlier years of his life he wae a colonel of i McNary, who was during his life a wealthy mer-
State militia, and at one time prasident of the chant of Nashville), Mack H. (principal in this
State Bank. I n 1846 he purchased large land in- . sketch). Wiloughby (a prominent attorney and
teresta in the State of Arkansas and commenoed ' planter in JeffersonCounty, residing a t Pine BlnR),
farming on an extensive scale, and was also a large Mrs. Ellen W. Lewis, (wife of Marion W. Lewis,
!slave owner before the war. On that occasion he a well known financier of Louimille, Ky.), Nannie
removed with all his slaves to Texas, and after the . W. (wife of Col. C. A. Nichols, of Pine Bluff).
war was over he brought them back. giving them Those deceased are Dr. R. N. Williams (who was
the liberty of his plantation and acting in a noble , during his life an eminent physician), and Andrew
manner. When he firat started in life his financial ! J. (a.commissioned officer under Gen. Forrest, and
condition was somewhat a t a low rtbh, but his won- killed in battle near Franklin, Tenn.) Mack H.
derful ability and bnsiness tact placnd him among Williams was educated at the University of Ten-
the foremost men of the day. Before the war he ! nessee, and after graduating in 1847 immediately
Iweot on the security of other people to the extent turned his attention to planting. Being endowed
of 8125,000, and as is usual in slmb cases, was like his father with fine business tact, quick per-
never repaid, but in a magnanimons spirit he ' ception and shrewdness, he also acoumulated con-
)turned aside the question of their ungratefulness siderable wealth, and is now one of the most pros-
and never once protested against such contemptible ; perous as well as highly respected oitizens of
eonduck He wes a son of Wilonghby Williams, a / JeRerson County. I n June, 1850,he was married
Inative of Virginia, who was a commissioned oflicer to Miss Jane Bogy, a daughter of Mr. Euos Bogy,
in the American army during the Revolution. a brilliant politician and representative of his
This famous general, Andrew Jackson, and the / county in the legislature. This lady died a year
junior Wilonghby were warm personal friends and after her marriage, leaving one son, John B., now
Jackson was his ideal of a man, and it was to him a well known planter of JeRemn County. I n
1that Mr. Williams owed a great deal of his success. 1852 Capt. Williams was married to Miss Sarah J.
Col. McH.Williams' father died in 1882 at the : Young, a daughter of Col. R. H. Young, of Trim-
)age of eighty-six years, and the mother's death ble County, Ky., but this wife died in 1806, again
occurred July 4, 1844, a t the age of thirtysix I leaving him a widower. Four children were born
years. The Williams family originally came from to the second marriage, of whom three are now liv-
England and settled in Virginia a number of years ing: Alice J. (wife of Virginius Murdaugh, a promi-
before the Revolntion, while the Nichols family / nent merchantof Bankhead,Ark), Richard Y. and
were natives of Tennessee. Capt. John Nichols, I Robert H. (both well known planters of Jefferson
the father of young Williams' mother, was a gal- I County). The one dead is Nancy M.. who was the
lant soldier in the War of 1812, and later in life ! wifeof Lanier Tanner, residing near New Orleans,
a prosperous farmer in his native State and a de- , La. This daughter was born in 1855 and died in
voted member of the Presbyterian Church. Col. , 1881. In June, 1886, Capt. Williams was married
Williama' father was an aid to Gen. Dowdson ' to Mrs. SamneUa K. Young, formerly of Pulaski, ,
during the Civil War, and was with Gen. Lee at Tenn., who has been a devoted wife. The Colonel
Cheat Mountain during the same period. After / is prominent in Masonic circles and a member of
the war he turned over his agricultural interests the Knights of Honor. I n politic^ he is a Deruo-
Ito hie son Mack, who has conducted them in an i crat, but is honest and liberal iu hie political views.
enterprising manner ever since. The father died Before the war he owned over 100 slaves, all of
in Louisville, Ky., and the mother in Nashville, , whom he lost after that event. The Colonel was a
Teun., and of eight children born to them, two 1 heavy loser by that struggle, bnt his unbounded
are also dead. Those living are John H. (a farmer ! energy and grit soon placed him on his former
$7 B
f T