My Genealogy Hound

Dudley Spence, planter and ginner, Arkadelphia, Ark. There are a number of men prominently identified with the agricultural affairs of the county, but none among them are more deserving of mention than Dudley Spence, who owes his nativity to Alabama, his birth occurring in Madison County, on the 6th of August, 1820. His parents, Solomon and Frances (Caruthers) Spence, were natives of Virginia and North Carolina, born in 1794 and 1800, respectively. The father followed farming all his life, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was elected sheriff of Talladega County, Ala., in 1841, serving three years. His marriage to Miss Caruthers occurred about 1819. She was the daughter of Hugh and Nancy Caruthers. To Mr. and Mrs. Spence were born ten children, only three are now living: Dudley, Sallie (wife of A. G. Hearn, a farmer of this county), and Mary A. (widow of John W. Hoad, now living in Texas). The father of these children emigrated to Arkansas in 1849, settled in Clark County, and engaged in the hotel business in connection with farming. This he continued for a number of years in Arkadelphia. He and wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died in 1872 and 1878, re-pectively. Dudley Spence was married in 1844 to Miss Sarah A. Armbrester, a native of Alabama, born in 1824, and the daughter of Michael and Sarah (Simmons) Armbrester. In 1863 Mr. Spence enlisted in the cavalry, Company B, under Capt, Reuben C. Reed, and was in the battle of Poison Springs and Marks' Mill. He served until 1864, and was then discharged on account of ill health. He emigrated from Alabama to Arkansas, in 1846, settled in Clark County, and bought eighty acres of land. He is now the owner of 580 acres of land, and has 175 acres under cultivation. He built a steam gin and grist-mill in 1859, and this he has operated ever since. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his wife has been a member of the same for fifty years, while he has been a member for thirty years. They are much respected and esteemed by all acquainted with them. Mr. Spence is in favor of all public enterprises for the good of the county, and is a liberal donator to the same: In politics he affiliates with the Democrat party.