My Genealogy Hound

A. M. Crow is engaged in the real estate and loan business at Arkadelphia, Ark., and is a native of Clark County, having been born on December 6, 1833, to James H. and Emily (Wells) Crow, the former a native of Missouri, and the latter of Clark County, Ark., born in 1815. The maternal grandfather, Jacob Wells, settled here about 1811, locating on a farm about sixteen miles southwest of Arkadelphia, being one of the first settlers of this county. The region was very wild and unsettled at that time, but Mr. Wells' farm was of fine black soil, and as he was a thrifty and energetic farmer and stock-raiser he became wealthy. He died in this State. The paternal grandfather, Walter Crow, moved from Missouri to Arkansas in 1818, and also engaged in tilling the soil near Arkadelphia. He was also successful in his operations and resided in Clark County until his death in the seventy-fifth year of his age. James H. Crow was a small boy when brought to this State, and in his youth he received the education and rearing of the average farmer's boy. During the late Civil War he was mayor of Arkadelphia, and also held the positions of justice of the peace, county judge, sheriff, a member of the House of Representatives in 1848, and of the State Senate in 1850. He was a very prominent politician, a man well known and esteemed by all who knew him, and as a farmer he was very successful. He died in the month of October, 1865, his wife passing from life in 1878. Out of a large family of children born to them six are now living. John W. died at Bowling Green, Ky., while serving in the Confederate army, and another son, Jacob, was also in that army. A. M. Crow, the immediate subject of this sketch, was reared on his father's farm, and received his education in the common schools. Upon reaching the age of twenty-four years he came to Arkadelphia, Ark., and after attending the schools of this place for some time he engaged in saw milling, being thus employed for about six years. In 1870 he embarked in his present calling, and was the first man to engage exclusively in this business in Southwest Arkansas. He controls about 10,000 acres of private lands, and is agent for the St. Louis & Iron Mountain Railroad, having about 200,000 acres in his charge. He is doing an enormous business, and represents Shattuck & Hoffman of New Orleans, Jarvis Conklin Mortgage Company of Kansas City, Little Rock Trust Company, and the Southern Trust Company, of Memphis, Tenn. His marriage to Miss Abbie M. Mendenhall took place in 1862, and by her he became the father of eight children: Ida B., Fannie, Albert, Lena, Mamie, Jim T., Charles and J. Stanley. Mr. and Mrs. Crow are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he also belongs to the Masonic fraternity. He is one of the progressive citizens of Clark County, and for over half a century has witnessed her development. He has always been careful, prudent and economical, but not in the least penurious, and those who know him best recognize in him a good friend and an honorable upright man of business.