My Genealogy Hound

W. S. Blackshare, of the milling and stave manufacturing firm of W. S. Blackshare & Co., is a native of Tennessee, born in November, 1849, and came to Clay County, Ark., with his father, James Blackshare, when a boy of nine years. Here he grew to manhood on a farm, and in 1878 he was appointed by Gov. Garland to the office of sheriff of the county, and for two years he was county treasurer, having also filled that office for several incumbents. He was deputy sheriff for four years, and is considered one of the leading business men of the county. He is the owner of about 200 acres of land on his home place, which adjoins the town of Boydsville, and has about 1500 acres in the country, and has the best buildings to be found in the county, all erected by himself. The house is a two story frame, 16x40, with a one story L fifty feet long and sixteen feet wide, and a porch running the entire length of the L. He also has a very large cistern under cover. He has two large frame barns, one 30x40, two stories high, and the other 30x50 feet, also two stories high, with out-sheds on the sides. On his farm on the Cache he has built another house on the same plan as his home place, and he is also building a good barn there. He was married to Miss Emily S. Cox, who lived but eighteen months after marriage, and died in 1871, leaving him a son, Arthur Lee, who is attending the home school. For his second wife Mr. Blackshare married Miss Mary A. Ellis, daughter of Rev. Ira O. Ellis, who came here from Mississippi, where his father, Rev. Reuben Ellis, was an itinerant preacher in the Methodist Church, South. Mrs. Ira O. Ellis is still living in Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Blackshare were born these children: Ezra O., Annie (who is dead), Edgar M., Angie, Lena and Jennie. Mr. Blackshare belongs to the I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, into which order he was initiated about the time he was twenty-one years of age. In his political views he affiliates with the Democratic party. In 1871 he engaged in the mercantile business at Big Creek, with his father, buying out the interest of Judge Royall, paying $500 on time for the goods, and in 1878 removed to Boydsville. This business he continued until January, 1888, having in the meantime several partners; first the firm was J. & W. S. Blackshare, then for eight years he was in company with his brother, R. B. Blackshare, under the firm title of W. S. Blackshare & Co., and was then with Judge Royall for three years, the firm title continuing the same. In 1888 he disposed of his stock to A. L. Blackshare, who now conducts the business in the same building. In connection with his seventeen years at merchandising, Mr. Blackshare devoted some of his time to farming, and is at present junior partner of Royall & Blackshare, real estate dealers. He is a pleasant, genial gentleman, a good conversationalist, and has a host of warm friends. He is a splendid man physically, and although forty years of age does not look a day over thirty.