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Below is a family biography included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889. 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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Judge Samuel A. Cordell, county and probate judge of Benton County, Ark., is a native of Cedar County, Iowa, born November 3, 1854; son of Jacob A. and Margaretta (Singrey) Cordell. The father was born near Chambersburg, Franklin Co., Penn., December 2, 1817, was of German descent, and a carpenter by trade. He was married in his native State, and here resided until his wife’s death in 1849. He then moved to Morrow County, Ohio, where he married Margaretta Singrey in 1854, moved to Cedar County, Iowa, where the subject of this sketch was born. The following year he moved to Noble County, Ind., and in 1860 to Andrew County, Mo., and in 1864 moved to Nodaway County, Mo., where he resided until 1871, when he moved to Benton County, Ark., and in June, 1888, went to Los Angeles, Cal., where he now resides. The mother was born August 12, 1828, in Morrow County, Ohio, and was of Swiss origin. She died September 30, 1882. Their family consisted of six children, four now living. Judge Samuel A. Cordell received his education in the district schools of Benton County, was reared on a farm, and there remained until twenty-three years of age. He then engaged in teaching, and followed the teacher’s profession for nine terms, all in Benton County. During his teaching he took up the study of law, his preceptor being Hon. Samuel W. Peel, now a member of Congress from the Fifth Congressional District of Arkansas. October 1879, Judge Cordell was admitted to the bar, and immediately entered upon his practice at Eureka Springs. At the end of five months he returned to Benton County and located at Rogers. July 22, 1880, Judge Cordell married Miss Rosa Spencer, who was a native of the State of Ohio. She died January 18, 1882 and November 4, 1883, the Judge married Miss Alice King, nee Sikes, daughter of B. F. Sikes, and a native of Bedford County, Tenn. In 1886 Judge Cordell moved to Bentonville, where he has since resided. In 1886 he was elected county and probate judge of Benton County, and re-elected in 1888. He was city attorney of Eureka a short time, and was also city attorney of Rogers one year. He is a Democrat in politics, casting his first presidential vote for S. J. Tilden, in 1876, and he and Mrs. Cordell are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, he being one of the stewards of the same.
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This family biography is one of 240 biographies included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published in 1889. For the complete description, click here: Benton County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps
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