Page 96 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

whom three died in infancy and three lost their Jesse W. Pitts (deceased), one of the leading

lives while fighting under the stars and bars dur- men of Arkansas, and a representative farmer and

ing the Rebellion. Albert GI. remained with his citizen of JeffersonCounty, was born in Davidson I

mother until he had reached his twenty-fonrth County, Tenn., near the city of Nashville, Odo- '

year, when he commenced in life for himuelf. His ber 12, 1831, where he continued to reside until t

first venture was at farming, and herewived $75 for twenty-one years of age. Hie education was ac-

his services the firat year. He continued to work ' quired a t the schools of Nashville. His parents

for others nntil the year 1853, when he purchased were both nativesot Tennessee. His father, Jesse

a piece of land with the money he hadearned, and B. Pitts, was born in 1706, and died in Nashville,

commenced farming on his own land. On June in 1868, and the mother of Mr. Pitts was Nancy

26 of the same year he was married to Miss ; Pitts, born in 1803, and died in Nashville in Feb-

Martha B. Moore, of Rutherford Connty, Tenn., ruary, 1889. They weremembersof theMethodist

by whom he had three children, of whom two , Church, and were eminently and highly respected.

are yet living: John B. (who is a t present man- Arriving at his majority, Jesse W. Pitts came to

aging his father's farm) and Fannie F. (wife of ' Arkansas, and engaged in planting in Jefferson

Felix Thompsonj. Mrs. Pierce was born Angust County abont five miles down the river from Pine

6, 1829, and died in Jefferson County, Ark., on Bluff, where he resided until his death, Joly 0,

Angust 19, 1872, a firmbeliever in the Methodist , 1884. His great success in life proved him to be

Episcopal Church. I n 1874 he married Mrs. Mary ' one of the b e 4 farmers and financial managers in

(Moore) Morrow, a sister of his firbt wife, and this part. of the State, and a t the time of his death

widow of John Morrow, of Jefferson County, but I be.owned abont 1,200 acres of land, of which 800

a second time the fates decreed that Mr. Pieroe ' acres were under cultivation. I n 1868 he was

shonld become a widower, and this wife died in nnited in marriage with Mrs. S. A. Jarvis, for-

1885. He ie a member of the Methodist Episcopal merly Miss Smith, daughter and youngest child of

Church, South, an upright moral man, and a true- i Anderson and Nancy (Adkins) Smith, who came to

tee in Bethlehem Church. During the war his j Arkansas in an early day and settled on a planta-

sympathies were with the Southern States, and he i tion near Pine Bluff. Here her mother died about

joined the Confederate service for a brief period, ' 1843, and her father in 1873. Mrs. Pitts has three

hnt his natural aversion to the shedding of human living children, viz. : Floyd A. and Don A. Jar-

hlood, and his horror at seeing hundreds of his vis, by her first marriage, and Nettie Pitts (now

fellow-beingsslaughtered around him, induced him the wife of Leo M. Andrews) by her second mar-

to qnit the ranks. Mr. Pierce is lookeduponwih riage. Mr. Pitts was a Presbyterian, a faithful

,the gennine respect that comestoall men of hisclm. friend and neighbor. a distinguished gentleman,
'Honesty, industry and perseverance have formed and by his death the county lost one of its best

his motto through life, and his strict adherence to oitizens.

these principles have crowned him with success. Col. Joe C. Pleasants, the subject of this sketch,

Jollu B. Pierce, who manages his father's farm, is a native of Virginia, and the youngest of eleven

conceded to be a promising young man of Jeffer. children, was of English extraction, his ancestors

son County. He was married to Miss Lnmmie having arrived on these shores with the "Pilgrim

Hi~dgens,a daughter of John A. Hndgens, of Fathera" He was born in Louisa County, Tra,

Jefferson County, whose name is too well known on April 14, 1817. He had every educational

to need any comment. Two children were born to advantage which the times afforded, and was 81-

Mr. John B. Pierce and wife: Ambrose Garland ways an eager and appreciative student, fully

and John A. (the latter deceased). They are both abreast with the progress of the period, and eager.

members of the Met,hodist Epi~copal Church, ly looking forward to greater development. He

South, and in politics Mr. Pierce is a Democrat. possessed a fine physique, being six feet four