Page 137 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

--L HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

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wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and George W. Walker, of Jefferson County, is not

take a deep interest in religious and educational unknown to the many readers of the present 701-

matters. Hm. Smith's mother having died a few ume, and is a manactive in the development of the

months ago, in Indianapolis, has left a consider- community. He was born in Morgan, Ga., in 1833,

able property to be divided between Mrs. Smith his father being Thomas Walker, who when last

and her sister. Thiq added to what the Doctor heard from was a t Columbum,Ky. His mother,

and his wife already have, will place them in easy Hannah (Shepherd) Walker, died in 1883. There

c i r c n m s t a n ~for life. i were ten children in his father's family, of whom

Pleasant Tate, one of the moat prominent col- only two sisters are now living. Mr. Walker is

ored men in Jefferson County, Ark., as well as one the possessor of 138acres of the best land, which

of the most snccessful, was born in Rntherford be tills in a manner indicating thrift and energy.

County, Tenn., abont the year 1814. He remained He alsoowns a fine cotton-gin. He is a prominent

in his native connty nntil he had reached his sev- Republican, and since 1876 has served as magis-

enteenth year, and then moved to Brownsville, trate. He and his wife are members of the Bap-

West Tenn., where he resided twelve years. At tist Church. I n 1858 Mr. Walker married, in

the end of that time he located in Alabama and re- Drew County, Ark., Miss Amelia Herd, by whom

mained four years, and next lived in Mississippi he had one boy, Gus., who is living, at the age of

until the year 1869, when he came to Arkansas twenty-eight. His wife having died, Mr. Walker

and located in Phillips County. The following married Ellen Washington, March 25, 1885.

year he came to where he now resides, and by I Solomon Winfrey, another esteemed colored

hie wonderful spirit of energy and industry bas resident of Little Rock, was born in Maury County,

become a man of high standing and prosperity. Tenn., in 1833, being the slave of James Black.

Mr. T a b was owned by a dozen different masters , He was given to the daughter of his master, by

during the days of slavery, his last proprietor be- ! whom he was taken tohkanaas about 1850. Here

ing a man named Abner T a b , who was also the they remained a short while, and then returned to

,owner of Rachel, Pleasant Tab's wife. Mr. and Tenneeme. His mistress in one or two years re-

'Mm. Tate were the parents of six children: Clay- tnmed to Arkansas, where she made her home.

ton (who ie successfully farming in Jefferson I n 1863 Mr. Winkey was married to Rebeca Per-

Connty), Martha (wife of Nelson Wwdford, a ger, the slave of the late Judge Feilda, nnd he got

farmer in the same county), Henderson (who re- Mr. Watkins to purchase him tbat he might re.

sides with his father), Amanda (wife of Perry main with his family. He continued a slave of

Palm), Moses and Pleasant (who reside with their the Watkins family until the emancipation. After

father). When the elder Tate first came to Arkan. the war he commeuced work for himself as brick.

'sas he was supplied with a little money that he had mason and plasterer, nnd is now one of the leading

saved in Mississippi. His first thought then wan contractors of Little Rock, Ark. He has by hard

to increase his capital and make an independent po. work and economy not only given his children a

sition for himself in the world. How well he has good education, but has acquired some excellent

succeeded is shown by his present condition in life, property, with four housea. He is the father of

as he is the owner of about 537 acres of land, four children, two of whom are now deceased: Al-

which has no superior in the county, and is worth len k , Thomas, J. P. W. and 8 Mrs. Bush. XI.

altogether $40,000. Such a man is entitled to the Winfrey has eleven grandchildren. He is a strong

highest respect in his community, as he has proven Bepublican, and a member of the First Co~ongrega-

by his career while a resident of Jefferson County tional Church, as is also his family; he is also a
' member of the A. F. & A. M.
that his citizenship is valnable.