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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Cross County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  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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T. B. Smith, of the firm of Smith, Cole & Davis, of Cross County, is a native of Northern Alabama, a son of W. H. and Minerva (Levesque) Smith, who also came originally from that State. The father moved to Arkansas in 1854 and located in Poinsett (now Cross) County, where he bought and entered a farm of 640 acres. He served in the Indian War of 1836 for a short time, and was married in 1842-43, being the father of ten children, five of whom are still living: W. A., T. B. (our subject), Ophelia (wife of J. W. Perkins, of Jonesboro), Ala, (wife of E. P. Fulenwider, of Jackson, Mo.), and Laura (wife of J. M. Puryear, of Jonesboro). Mrs. Smith was a member of the Methodist Church, and died in 1879, her husband surviving until 1884. He was a very popular man and served in several local offices. T. B. Smith was reared on a farm and educated in the subscription schools of this county, also attending the school of Covington, Tenn. He afterward engaged in farming on his father’s land and also on a rented farm until 1876, when he bought a place containing 240 acres. This original amount has been increased until he now owns some 2,000 acres, having about 400 acres under cultivation. Mr. Smith was married in 1874 to Miss Bettie Levesque, daughter of Capt. J. M. Levesque [whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work]. They are the parents of three children (two living): Nannie B., Rufus (deceased) and Morris. Mr. Smith is the largest farmer in the county, cultivating over 1,000 acres, and is also extensively engaged in the saw mill business, having an interest in two mills with Messrs. Cole and Davis. Their output will be some 2,000,000 feet yearly from each of the two mills. He is also interested in a steam-gin, in connection with one of his saw-mills. His brother-in-law, Mr. W. T. Levesque, is associated with him in the gin. Mr. Smith has served as a member of the county court, and is at present county commissioner, and it was under his management that the present court house was built. For this attractive and useful public structure he deserves great praise. Mr. Smith is a member of the A. F. & A. M. His connection with the affairs of Cross County has caused him to become widely known, and the faithful manner in which he has deported himself in the discharge of public duties has redounded greatly to his own credit and the benefit of the community.

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This family biography is one of 103 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Cross County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Cross County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

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