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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Bradley 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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Dr. J. W. Martin, merchant, Warren, Ark. Dr. Martin is one of the pioneers of Bradley County, and during his eventful life has probably experienced more hardships than any other man in the county. He was born in Harrison County, Va., on June 8, 1819, and was the son of James and Edith (Wilson) Martin, natives of the Old Dominion, where they passed their entire lives. The father was of English descent, and a farmer by occupation. They reared a family of twelve children to maturity, and six are now living. Both grandfathers were soldiers in the Revolutionary War, and James Martin had in his possession a pair of forceps which his father used in pulling the teeth of the soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Dr. J. W. Martin is the eldest living child born to his parents. He was reared and educated in his native State, remained on the farm until he was twenty-one years of age, and subsequently began the study of medicine under Dr. Clark, of Parkersburgh, Va. In 1844 he emigrated to Arkansas, came down the river to Lake Providence, thence on horseback to his designation. He located at Warren, the territory then consisting of Drew, Ashley, Cleveland and Calhoun Counties, and in the winter of 1845 he took a course of lectures in medicine at New Orleans. He began practicing in Warren in 1846, and continued at this until 1868, when he embarked in the mercantile business, which he has since carried on. During the four years of the war his practice was all charity, and he was obliged to turn his attention to his present business. The firm is now Martin & Goodwin. The Doctor has been a citizen of Bradley County for over forty-five years, and although he has been through a great deal of exposure, etc., he has lost but few days’ business on account of sickness. He is the owner of considerable real estate, and is a wide-awake businessman. He was married, in 1849, to Miss Mary E. Franklin, by whom he has had twelve children, eight now living: Columbia, Edgar, Charles, Alfred, Anatolia, Benjamin, Edith and Willis. The Doctor and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

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This family biography is one of 64 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Bradley County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Bradley County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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