Page 87 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

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HISTORY O F ARKANSAS.

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I to matnrity, and four still survive: Sam C. (a Jackson War; he died in 1851, in Hardin Conn-
prominent farmer of thincounty), WiUiam P., Mrs. ty, Tenn. His wife (who died in the same year)
Rhoda Franklin (of Jefferson Connty), and Mrs. , was formerly Miss Mnry Bfnnda, of Tennessee
Julia Busby (wife of Maj. Benjamin Bushy, a , birth and bringing up, born in 1800. The sub-
wealthy planter of the same county). William P. ject of this sketch, the fourth in a family of eight
was educated in Jefferson nnd WhiteConnties. butt children, first saw the light of day in Lawrence
a t sixhen years of age,he left the schml-room to County, Tann., in 1820. There he was reared,
take the agency of his brother-in-law's (B. F. and at the aga of ~~ineteecnommenced the battle
Busby) bnsiness. He assumed these dllties for of life for himself, following farming till 1860.
five years, and at the end of that time, purchased I n 1853 he went to Texas, but returning soon after
320 acres of land, and commenced farming on hi. ' to Pike County, Ark., he carried on a milling bus-
own aecount. At the present time he is the owner iness till 1800, when he came t o Pine Bluff. At
of and controls 1,000 acres of land, all of it being ; the beginning of the war he was captured there
under cultivation, and is one of the most solid by the Confederates. and tried for treason; on

men in Jefferson County, a substantial reward to being released by his friends he joined the Union
his energy and industry, when it is considered army under Powell Clayton, as captain of scouts,
that after the war the family were left without a having 117 men under his charge, in which capa-
remnant of their fortune, and William was wm- city he served till the close of the war. Mr.

pelled to start with nothing in the world but his ! Mnrphy has held various offices in Pine Bluff for

intelligent mind and enterprising spirit t o aid him. sixteen years, serving as constable, and for seven
On October 28, 1885, he was married to Mrs. years as marshal. I n 1883 he removed from Pine

Mariah (Beauclaire) Tidwell, a charming widow, Bluff, and has since been occupied in running a
and a daughter of Mr. Thomas Beauclaire. This saw-mill and also a general store. He also has a

lady was born in Tallahassee County, Miss., and. farm well nnder cnltivation, and at present is post

by her marriage with Mr. Motes became the master a t this place. Mr. Mnrphy is a member

mother of two children: Walter and Benjamin. of Post No. 44, of the Q. A. R., a t Pine Bluff,

She also had two children by her first marriage: and is a stanch Republican and very active in pol

Charles and Henry, all of them living. Both itics. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal

parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal ' Chnrob, South, having built a neat little church

Church, South, and in politics Mr. Motes is a edifice in Macon. An extensive experience in

strong Democrat. Fortune has rewarded him for travel over tho Northern and Eastern States, has

his perseverance, and he is now one of the most given him liberal information in regard to these

successflil planters and traders in his section, the ' sections. Mr. Murphy's first wife wnfi Melinda

'business he does amounting to from %10,000 to I Pnybm, of Hardin County, Tenn., whom he mar-

$15,000 annnally. He is a highly esteemed and ried in 1817. She was born in 1829, and in 1858

popnlar citizen, and con~mands considerable; in- i died in Pike County, Ark. To this union were

h e n c e in bnsiness and social affairs. I born four children: John W. (deceased), Louisa

Capt. J. W. M. Murphy is well known as one (deceased), Anna (wife of Lorenzo Weaver), and

of the leading men of his township, llaving Josephine (wife of Rev. John McCoy, of this

founded the town of Macon Station. where he now : State). I n 1802 Mr. Murphy married Miss Eliza-

resides. His grandfather, Edward Mnrphy, came betb Roberts, of Virginia nativity, born in 1829.

Ifrom Ireland when a young man, and settled in who came to Arkansas with her parents in 1849.

,Tennessee, dying a t the age of 101. His father, . To them have been horn three sons: James P.,

Archibald Murphy, was horn in 1791, in an In- Archie and Martin Luther, all deceased. M1.s.

-dian fort in Sevier County, Tenn., and was the 1 Murphy is a member of the Baptist Church.
youngest of three brothers who served in the I Arthur Murray, editor and proprietor of The
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