My Genealogy Hound

S. W. Wheless is a prominent citizen of Warren, Ark., and is at the present time giving his attention to the stave business. He was born in Georgia in 1829, and was the youngest of seven children born to Sim and Elizabeth (Sturdevant) Wheless, natives, respectively, of North Carolina and Georgia. After the mother’s death, which occurred about 1830, Mr. Wheless removed to Alabama in 1847, and in 1853 settled in Mississippi, being a pioneer of both of these States, but died in the latter in 1857. The maiden name of his mother was Drake, and he was in all probability a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, the early English explorer. S. W. Wheless remained on the farm until about fifteen years of age, after which he served a three-years’ apprenticeship at the boot and shoe maker’s trade, this occupation receiving his attention up to the breaking out of the Civil War. In 1853, however, he came to Arkansas, and, in connection with following his trade, he was engaged in the timber business at. Monticello. Dropping this work, he enlisted in Company B, Monroe’s Regiment of Cavalry, Trans-Mississippi Department, and followed the fortunes of that command through all the vicissitudes and hardships, until detailed to the manufacturing department of the army, and worked at his trade until the close of the Rebellion. The only engagement of importance in which he participated was Fayetteville. Soon after his return to Bradley County, he opened a store, and up to the year 1882, was in the general mercantile business, at which time he sold out, and in 1889 began shipping staves to New Orleans on flatboats, down the Saline River. He owns several hundred acres of valuable land, besides considerable town property, which brings him in enough annually to keep him in comfort the rest of his days. In 1859 he married Miss Mary R. C. Cathey, a native of North Carolina, and a daughter of A. P. Cathey, who came to Arkansas at an early day. To their union six children have been born: Cora I. and Dixie (who died in infancy), Mary Ida (who died at the age of twenty-two years, the wife of W. N. Adkins), Walter C., Oscar W., and Lena May. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church, and Mr. Wheless belongs to the Masonic fraternity, Warren Lodge No. 33. Although not an active politician, he votes with the Democratic party, and has served in the capacity of township constable.