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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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Robert F. Dedman, county judge of Calhoun County, and a prominent farmer of this section, was born in Alabama, in 1850, the second in a family of seven children born to Richard D. and Parmelia A. (Marshall) Dedman, natives of Alabama, in which State the father followed farming, until 1850. He then moved to Arkansas, settling in Dallas County, where he bought and entered some 600 acres of slightly improved land. He at once commenced an extensive scale of improvement, and soon had a good place, has cleared 150 acres, and has as good a farm as there is in this section today. He still resides on this place. The mother died in 1877. Our subject was reared on the farm, attending the common schools until the age of twenty years, when he commenced farming for himself. In 1870 he married Miss Mary F. McDonald, who came to Arkansas in 1854. In December, 1871, he came to Calhoun County, and bought forty acres of land, and donated eighty acres more, this was in the woods, and our subject at once went to work to clear and improve. He lived on this place sixteen years, and during that time erected good buildings, and made a comfortable home. He served as justice of Locust Bayou Township, from 1878 to 1886. In November of 1888, he moved to Hampton, where he purchased a residence, and six acres adjoining the town. He has always been active politically, and in the fall of 1888, was nominated for county judge, on the Democratic ticket. He polled every vote in Locust Bayou Township, and was elected by a large majority. He is now serving in this office with great integrity, and is very active in improving roads and building bridges. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Dedman, were born seven children, viz.: Mary Parmelia (wife of W. J. Bird, who resides in Ouachita County), Robert Henry, Alice Elizabeth, William Berney, Delia, James Richard and Hugh Asa. The family are members of the Baptist Church.

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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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