My Genealogy Hound

William H. Williford, an auspicious planter of Jasper Township, was born in Shelby County, Tenn., in 1856, and is the son of Henry and Celia (Taylor) Williford, who were reared and married in North Carolina. The father located in Shelby County, Tenn., in 1851, and followed farming for an occupation. He furnished a substitute during the late war, who was killed at the battle of Franklin, Tenn. Mr. and Mrs. Williford were members of the Baptist Church. The former died in 1880, and his wife in 1868. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom four lived to be grown, and of these William H. was the fifth child, and is now the only survivor. The father was married the second time in December, 1869, to Miss Pain. They have two boys, living in Memphis at present. William H. was reared and educated in the common schools of Shelby County, where he assisted his father on the farm and attained his majority. He commenced life for himself in 1878 by coming to Arkansas, and settled on a farm that was owned by his father and near the Lyon place, on which he lives at the present time. Mr. Williford was married to Miss Katie E. Lyons, who was born in this county in 1859, and is the daughter of Dr. T. B. and Elizabeth (Ferguson) Lyon. Dr. Lyon is a native of Ohio, having graduated there at a medical college, and upon coming to this State located in Mississippi County, but later moved to Crittenden County. Here he was married and followed his profession, which greatly injured his health, and from the effects of which he died in 1886, at the age of sixty-three. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was well liked by all who knew him. His widow lives on the old home place with Mr. and Mrs. Williford. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church. To Mr. and Mrs. Lyon were born three children, of whom one died when quite small; Katie E. and Hattie J. still survive. Mr. and Mrs. Williford are the parents of four children, as follows: Myrtle, Thomas H. and Willie Lee living, and one died in infancy. Mr. Williford is a member of the Baptist Church, and his wife of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a worthy and enterprising citizen. He has an elegant farm of 130 acres in cultivation and 190 acres still unimproved.