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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Desha 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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Maurice W. Quilling is a native of Louisiana, born in Union Parish on January 14, 1846, being a son of Dr. Daniel K. and Mary A. (Goza) Quilling, who were born in Kentucky and Mississippi respectively, the latter’s birth occurring November 18, 1828. They both removed to Louisiana in early life, and in this State their marriage was consummated in 1845. The father became well known as a prominent physician, and passed from life near Frankfort, Ky., November 21, 1854, his wife dying May 11, 1884. Two sons and one daughter were born to them: Maurice W. and Walter W. being the only ones living. Emma F. died in 1875. Maurice W. Quilling received his education in Louisiana, and upon reaching the age of nineteen years became a salesman in a general mercantile establishment at Goza Landing on the Mississippi River, but a year later established a store of his own at that place, and has ever since been engaged in that business with the exception of a short period when he was in the stock business. He removed from Louisiana to Springfield, Mo., thence five years later (in 1872) to Desha County, Ark., taking up his abode near where he now lives. His mercantile establishment at Pendleton embraces a stock of goods valued at from $5,000 to $8,000 of a varied assortment, which cannot fail to satisfy every want of his patrons. He has also another establishment three and one half miles from Pendleton, at Silver Lake, where he does a large business also, the firm name being Quilling & Bro. He is a successful planter of the county, and is the owner of 600 acres of land besides an interest in other lands, and is cultivating 500 acres, the principal crops being corn and cotton. He is enterprising and progressive in his views, is courteous and obliging to his patrons, and as a result commands a handsome income from his business. In 1862 he enlisted in the Confederate Army in Company F, Wood’s cavalry, and was in the Army of the Tennessee, and took part in the battles of Jackson, Gainesville, Meridian and many smaller engagements and skirmishes in the cavalry service. He served from the time of his enlistment until the close of the war, and was paroled at Gainesville, Ala., in May, 1865. He is a Democrat in politics, and takes an active interest in the doings of his party, and on this ticket he was elected to the position of sheriff and served during 1884-85. He was also notary public for a number of years, and is now postmaster at Pendleton, a position he has held almost continuously for the past fifteen years. He belongs to the K of H. He was married in Desha County, June 24, 1874, to Miss Bettie Dollahite, a native of Henry County, Tenn., born near Paris August 7, 1855, a daughter of Cornelius C. and Marcilla T. (Capill) Dollahite, who were born, reared and married in North Carolina, and removed to Tennessee in December, 1859, and from there to Desha County, Ark., in 1872, where they are at present living. Mr. and Mrs. Quilling are the parents of three sons and two daughters: Maurice W., Mary D., Daniel K., Emma and Malcolm S.

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This family biography is one of 80 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Desha County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Desha County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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