My Genealogy Hound

Gaston P. George, merchant and farmer, Poplar Bluff, Ark. Mr. George is not only a successful agriculturist, but is a man of good business experience, progressive in his ideas, and well understands how to suit the desires and wishes of those buying of him. He owes his nativity to this State, his birth occurring in Union County April 7, 1847, and is a son of Hosea and Althena C. (Poole) George, the father born in Virginia and the mother in Alabama. The parents moved to Arkansas in 1854, bought land in Union County, and there the father farmed very extensively, having 3,000 acres of land under cultivation at one time. In 1857 he moved to Ashley County, on Bartholomew Bayou, and there carried on his former occupation on just as an extensive scale. There he resided until his death in 1859. The mother died on June 1, 1878. They reared a family of three children, two now living, a daughter, now the wife of W. T. Harris. Gaston P. George had but little chances for an education as the country was thinly settled, and when but fourteen years of age, or in the latter part of 1861, he enlisted in Capt. Clark’s company, the Thirteenth Arkansas, Claiborne’s brigade, and operated on the west side of the Mississippi River. He was the youngest member of the company, and he and his captain are the only members of that company now living. He was in the battles of Columbus (Ky.), Shiloh, and was on the Kentucky raid, but was discharged for being under age. He came back home, attended school about six months, and when Clark was sent out to raise another company from Ashley and Chicot Counties, our subject joined this company and was in the cavalry. His command was disbanded and he was at home at the time of the surrender. After the war he went to Covington, Tenn., attended school for two years, and after returning home engaged in farming on the home place. This occupation he has continued ever since. He owns and controls about 1,000 acres of land in two places, 640 acres his own, and 250 acres under cultivation on the home place and 125 acres in another. Mr. George was married in September, 1868, to Miss Josie A. George, daughter of Washington George, and they have six children—five sons and one daughter: G. Percy, B. F., Joseph, Norwood, Sue and Clarence (who died at the age of five years) Mr. and Mrs. George are members of the Methodist Church. Socially Mr. George is a member of the Masonic fraternity and K. of P. He is Democratic in his political views.