My Genealogy Hound

Alexander Futrell, farmer and stock raiser of Vanndale, Ark. Among the influential and respected citizens of Cross County, Ark., there is no one more justly entitled to representation in this work than Alexander Futrell. He was born in Northampton County, N. C, in 1830; was taught the duties of farm life when quite young and received his education in the common schools. At the age of twenty-one he came to Arkansas, settled in Poinsett County, where he was engaged as overseer until the outbreak of the war. He then enlisted in Company A, Fifth Arkansas Regiment Infantry, and was in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Nashville and Franklin, and was in ten other of the principal engagements, besides many skirmishes. He was in the battle of Raleigh, N. C, and two days later surrendered at Greensboro, N. C. He then made a visit to his old home, where he spent three months, then returned to Cross County, Ark., settling on a tract of 160 acres of wild land, one mile west of the present city of Vanndale. In 1868 he married Miss Isabella F. Lewellen, daughter of James A. and Nancy E. Lewellen, after which he removed to his new home, erected buildings and made many improvements. At the end of four years he had eighty acres under cultivation and has a pleasant and comfortable home. He raises a variety of crops and can make three-fourths of a bale of cotton to the acre and forty bushels of corn. By his marriage Mr. Futrell became the father of these children: Eddie E. (died at the age of seven years), John Lewellen, James A., Blanchard W., Mary B., Gordon C., Emma M., Ernest H., Pearl. Gordon C. died at the age of six years; Ernest H. at the age of six months. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Futrell is one of the most progressive and enterprising farmers of the county; is honest, industrious and a man who has the respect of all. He is the youngest son born to John and Charity Futrell, and was left fatherless when a child. The father was also a farmer and was born, reared and passed his last days in the same county.