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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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George Henry Thompson is prominent among the successful agriculturists of the county, and among those deserving special recognition for their long residence in this county, being a member of one of the earlier families. His parents, Daniel A. and Matilda E. Thompson, natives of Tennessee and Alabama, respectively, came to Arkansas in 1850, settling in Calhoun County, where they continued to live until the death of the mother, about 1879. The father is at present, living in Grayson County, Tex. He was engaged in the War of 1836; he also enlisted in the late war in 1861 and served about one year. The subject of this sketch was born December 15, 1844, in Jackson County, Ala., and was principally reared in Ouachita County, Ark., to which place his parents moved in 1853, when our subject was but nine years of age. He received a limited education at the common country schools, and began doing for himself at the age of twenty-one, choosing as his occupation in life, farming. He now owns 140 acres of good land, forty of which are under an excellent state of cultivation, and always raises good crops. He was married, October 3, 1866, to Miss Isabella H. Means, a daughter of Andrew N. and Elizabeth H. Means, who moved from St. Clair County, Ala., and settled in Calhoun County, Ark., in 1853. Mr. Thompson enlisted as private in the late war, in 1862, in Company G, Third Arkansas Cavalry, under Capt. Winburn, and served under him for eighteen months, when Capt. Winburn was killed. His place was taken by Capt. Dumar, under whom he served until the close of the war. Mr. Thompson participated in the battles of Chickamauga and Atlanta, Ga. In the latter battle he was slightly wounded in the body and was sent to the hospital for a short time, but after recovering went back to his old command and was in the battle at Thompson Station; also the battle at Savannah, Ga. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Farmers’ Union, also of the State Grange. He is a stanch Democrat, but does not take an active part in politics. Both Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, the former joining in 1867, and the latter at the age of twelve. Mr. Thompson takes a deep interest in the welfare of his county, is a good farmer, and is a general favorite with his neighbors.

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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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