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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ashley County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Joseph F. Gee, farmer and stockman, is an honorable and whole-souled gentleman, and has been one of the leading agriculturists of Arkansas since 1855. He was born in Lowndes County, Ark., December 16, 1836, and is a son of Samuel and Rebecca (Williamson) Gee, both of whom were born near Charleston, S. C, and were also married there. They removed to Alabama in 1832, making that State their home for about five years, then came to Hempstead County, Ark., moving one year later to Ouachita County. Here they made their home for seventeen years, after which they came to Ashley County and settled in the northeast corner of Extra Township, where he became the owner of a large and valuable plantation. In 1875 Mr. Gee went to Texas, where he made his home until his death, in the month of August, 1884, his wife having passed from life in Arkansas in 1866. To them a family of three sons was born: Abraham, Charles P. and Joseph F., the latter making his home with his father until he was about twenty-three years of age. He then began farming on land which he had entered, and has since never lived more than two miles distant from that place. In May, 1861, he enlisted in Company A of a Louisiana regiment, and was in the fights at Mount Elba and Milliken’s Bend, serving in all nearly four years. He surrendered at Marshall, Tex., in 1865, came home and resumed farming, being now the owner of nearly 1,000 acres of land with about 200 acres under cultivation. He was married June 9, 1858, to Miss Mary A. Simpson, of Ashley County, by whom he became the father of eleven children: William C, Johanna, Alice V., Alabama, Willie, Ida, Samuel and Lillie, living, and three children who are dead. Mr. and Mrs. Gee are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he is a Democrat, never having voted any other ticket. He is a very successful agriculturist, and as his land is fertile he raises three fourths of a bale of cotton and twenty bushels of corn to the acre, the raising of horses, mules, cattle and hogs receiving much of his attention also.

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This family biography is one of 97 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ashley County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Ashley County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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