My Genealogy Hound

John G. Warfield, sheriff and collector, Arkansas City, Ark. There is probably no man within the limits of Desha County who is deserving of more credit for the interest he has taken in its behalf than Mr. Warfield, and the brief facts here presented indicate to more than an ordinary degree the relations which he has borne to the county’s development. He owes his nativity to Washington County, Miss., where his birth occurred in December, 1841, and is the fourth child born to the union of W. P. and Maria (Griffith) Warfield, the father a native of Kentucky, and the mother of Mississippi. W. P. Warfield came to this State in 1843, settled in Desha County, and was engaged in tilling the soil. He also followed the same pursuit in Mississippi, owning at the time he came here a large plantation near where Geeville, Miss., is now located. He opened up a large plantation in the northern part of this county, and cultivated the soil until the commencement of the war, when he lost all his negroes. This prevented him from continuing his planting, and in 1867 he moved to near Boonville, Mo., where he resided with his daughter until about 1879, when he moved to Louisiana and died at the home of his son in that State. John G. Warfield, the fourth of nine children—seven sons and two daughters—was reared in Desha County, and was educated by a private tutor at home. He subsequently attended school at Lexington Transylvania University, and was there for some time. From 1858 to 1859 he attended military school at Nashville, Tenn., and in 1861 he enlisted in Company C, Second Arkansas Regiment of Infantry, commanded by Gen. Hindman, and served in the Army of the Tennessee during the entire war. He entered the service as third lieutenant, was promoted to first lieutenant immediately after the battle of Shiloh, and was placed on staff duty with Gen. D. C. Govan. He was afterward promoted to the rank of captain, and with the exception of the battle of Franklin, participated with the Army of the Tennessee in all the principal engagements. He was twice wounded, first, at the battle of Shiloh, in the right leg, and at the battle of Lovejoy’s Station received a severe wound in the right arm. The army was surrendered at Salisbury, N. C. Mr. Warfield tried to get to the west side of the Mississippi River, but was captured and paroled at Augusta, Ga. He returned home in 1865, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He had studied law previous to the war, and after peace was declared he resumed his studies, and was admitted to the bar in 1879 at Watson, the old county seat. However, he did not devote his entire time to his legal practice, after being admitted, but still continued to till the soil. Mr. Warfield has served as deputy sheriff of his county for two years, and in 1886 was elected the first time to the office of sheriff. So well did he fill this position, and so great was his popularity, that he was re-elected in 1888, filling the office to the satisfaction of both parties. He was married in 1869 to Miss Nettie Blackburn, daughter of C. H. and Fannie (Hail) Blackburn. C. H. Blackburn came to this State from Kentucky in 1854, settled in Desha County, near Laconia, and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits. Mr. and Mrs. Warfield are the parents of three sons: John, Horace, and Henry. The eldest is clerking in Memphis, Tenn., and the other two are at home. Mr. Warfield is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was a member of Morning Star Lodge No. 3, the third lodge organized in the State, and the first at Arkansas Post.