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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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William Holland Steward may be mentioned as one of the prosperous and progressive farmers and stock raisers of Benton County, Ark. He was born in Bedford County, Va., December 23, 1829, and is a son of Josiah Edwin and Mary (Signor) Steward, who were born in Virginia February 24, 1805, and March 23, 1800, and died in Indiana in 1872 and December 30, 1886, respectively. The father was a farmer, and he and wife were members of the Protestant Methodist Church. The great-grandfather Steward was born in Scotland, and came to America, serving in the Revolutionary War. William Holland Steward was taken to Indiana by his parents when quite a small boy, and was there reared, educated and married, the latter event taking place in 1852, to Miss Lydia Ellen Coonfield, who was born in Marion County, Ind., October 27, 1833. Their union was blessed in the birth of ten children: Mary A., wife of Thomas Mason; George Newton (deceased), Elmira J., wife of Robert True; John A.; Martha A., wife of James True; Isaac E., William A., James W., Theodore J. and Richard A. Mr. Steward commenced life with small means, and met with severe losses during the late war, but by industry and good management has now a comfortable competency and a good and well-cultivated farm of 120 acres. He and family worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have been worthy residents of Benton County, Ark., since 1854. Mrs. Steward’s parents were Isaac and Lydia (Epperson) Coonfield.
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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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