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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clay County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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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Dr. C. C. Symonds. There are always, in the profession of which this gentleman is a member, some individuals who become eminent and command a large patronage, and among these deserving of especial recognition is Dr. Symonds, who is a skillful physician and surgeon. He was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., February 15, 1829, and was the fourth in a family of five children born to the marriage of Shubel Symonds and Mary Baker, natives of Rhode Island. They were early pioneers of Syracuse, N. Y., where the father followed tilling the soil, and resided for a number of years. He died in Allegany County, of the same State, in 1853, at the age of seventy-six years. His excellent widow still survives him, and resides at Flora, Ill., having reached the advanced age of ninety-three years. Dr. C. C. Symonds attended the common schools of Cayuga County, and after attaining a suitable age, began the study of medicine. May 4, 1832, he was married to Miss Sally Ann Sawyer, and soon after moved to Allegany County, N. Y., and in 1857 to Clay County, Ill., where he practiced medicine, and was also engaged in merchandising and shipping grain. In 1878 he emigrated to Corning, Clay County, Ark., where he has since been devoting his time to the practice of medicine and surgery. He assisted in incorporating Corning, and has been one of the foremost men in building, up the town, being now a member of the city council. He has always been interested in educational advancement, and is independent in his religious views. He has never been very active in politics, but casts his vote with the Republican party. He owns a good farm in the western division of Clay County, besides other property. He and wife are the parents of the following children: Harriet (Mrs. Loppins), residing in Clay County, Ark.; Amanda (Mrs. Marrow), residing in Madison County, Ind.; Ida (Mrs. Noble Stacey), whose husband is a druggist at Du Quoin, and Marenous, who is married and resides with his parents. Mrs. Symonds was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., and is a daughter of Ebenezer and Laura (Smith) Sawyer, also natives of New York State. The father was a sturdy tiller of the soil, and remained in his native State until his death, in 1854, his wife having died in 1844. The Doctor has three brothers: Syrenous, who is married and resides in Cortland County, N. Y., seventy-three years of age; John S., who is married and lives at Flora, Ill., of which place he is a prominent resident (he represented his county in the State legislature, and is now inspector of the Southern Asylum), and Marenous, who resides in Sedgwick County, Kas., near Wichita, and is engaged in farming.

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This family biography is one of 124 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clay County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Clay County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Clay County, Arkansas family biographies here: Clay County, Arkansas Biographies

View a map of 1889 Clay County, Arkansas here: Clay County, Arkansas Map

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