My Genealogy Hound

S. M. Courtney, merchant, Arkansas City, Ark. Eminent success achieved through honorable endeavor, affords one of the greatest sources of pleasure to him who, in a retrospective view of life, traces his progress by such tokens as deserve admiration and esteem. Such an enjoyment is afforded in the fullest measure by S. M. Courtney, who is the son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Hardin) Courtney, the father a native of North Carolina, and the mother of Georgia. Stephen Courtney came to this State in 1856, from Woodbury, Meriwether County, Ga., and settled in Drew County, near Collins Station, and engaged in tilling the soil. He was the owner of quite a number of slaves, cleared about 300 acres of land, and there remained until 1872, when he moved three miles north of Collins, Ark., on another farm of 320 acres. There he resided until his death, which occurred on July 10, 1885, at Woodbury, Ga., while on a visit to his sister, Mrs. July Redding. He was buried by the side of his parents and sisters. He was twice married, first to the mother of our subject, who bore him nine children, seven of whom still survive and are named as follows: Ellen (wife of G. B. Bullock), J. S. (resides near Collins), Mary (wife of Thomas R. Cole), Emanuel, W. A., S. M., M. E. and I. Simeon Courtney, (wife of W. T. Tool, of Monticello, Ark.). The mother of these children died February 14, 1879, and in 1880 Mr. Courtney was married to Mrs. A. M. West, who is still living and resides in Illinois. Emanuel Courtney, our subject’s grandfather, was a native of Wadesboro, N. C, emigrating thence to Georgia in 1823. He had only two brothers, Stephen and Jackson. S. M. Courtney was educated in the common schools of his native county, and at the age of twenty-one years commenced business for himself as a merchant at Troy, Drew County. He was there engaged in the general mercantile business for three years, and then removed to Collins Station, where he conducted the same business for the same length of time. From there he moved to Monticello, but at the end of one year returned to Collins, and continued there for eight years. In May, 1887, he formed a partnership with R. D. Crenshaw, which continued for one year, and then Mr. Courtney bought out his partner’s interest, and in 1888 the firm of Courtney & Ogburn was formed. They do a general mercantile business of about $65,000 annually. Mr. Courtney was married in 1875, to Mrs. E. E. Tool, daughter of Dr. J. H. Ogburn, and the fruits of this union have been six children—five sons and one daughter: Stephen O., Harry E., Mamie B., John G., William W. and Eugene. Mrs. Courtney is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and also a member of the Ladies’ Missionary Society at Arkansas City. Dr. J. H. Ogburn, Mrs. Courtney’s father, was a native of Clarksville, Tenn., but emigrated from there to Clark County, Miss., about 1845. He married Miss Caroline Howze, who was a native of South Carolina. The fruits of their union were: Eugenia E., Nickolas, Bell, Mary E., C. J. and William M.