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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Calhoun 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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G. T. Sikes is one of the most prominent farmers of Jackson Township. He was born in Alabama in 1858, the elder of two children born to Miles and Emily (Talbot) Sikes, natives of Georgia. His father was engaged as an overseer in Alabama, to which State he had come at an early day, and where, later on, he was married. At the outbreak of the war he entered the Confederate service, and died from sickness in the fall of 1864. His wife had died one month prior. This left our subject and his young brother, John, with their grandfather, Green Talbot. Mr. Talbot was in the War of 1812, in which he served with distinction, and was always known as General. He had been sheriff in Georgia for some time, and was well-known in Chambers County. Ala. He died in 1875, and left his excellent widow in charge of our subject. She died in 1886, and Mr. Sikes takes pride in the fact, that as they attended him in his youth he supported and comforted their old age. Our subject’s youth was spent on the farm in Alabama until he was twelve years of age, when his grandparents came to Arkansas, and settled in Calhoun County, and bought a farm in Jackson Township. The educational advantages of our subject and his brother, John, were very limited. They assisted each other, and, after a time, began to teach school; one would teach while the other worked the farm. In 1883 John began the study of medicine, and in 1884 he went to Cleveland County, where he placed himself under the instruction of Dr. Tims, a cousin. He had been there only about three months when he was taken sick with typhoid fever, and died December 18, 1884. He was a young man of great promise, ambitious to secure an education, and secure a position in the world. His adoption of the profession of medicine was his own choice, with the counsel of his brother, our subject, and his brilliant youth insured a successful future, which was frustrated by his early death. At the time of his grandfather’s death the old place was encumbered, and they soon made arrangements to purchase the place, on which our subject now resides—a farm of 120 acres, forty of which are under cultivation. Our subject has put in all improvements, erected a good double house and outbuildings, did the clearing, and now has as good a farm as that section affords, and is still engaged in making further clearing. He is engaged in general farming, striving to raise everything that he needs for home consumption. He averages one-half bale of cotton to the acre, and, say, fifteen bushels of corn. In connection with his farming he still teaches school. Mr. Sikes is unmarried, and his housekeeping is attended to by an aunt, Miss Harriet Talbot, who came to Arkansas with her parents, and has always made the house of our subject her home. This sketch of Mr. Sikes will serve as a good example to all young men, he being wholly self made and educated. Mr. Sikes is a member of the County Wheel. He is somewhat active in politics, and votes with the Democratic party. Although not a church member, Mr. Sikes is an earnest worker in all church as well as school work.

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This family biography is one of 67 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Calhoun County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Calhoun County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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