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Below is a family biography from the book,  The History of Franklin County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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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Blakely E. Moon was born in Walden County, Ga., July 21, 1839, and is a son of William B. and Emarilla M. (Brooks) Moon, both of whom were natives of Walden County, Ga. The former died in Gordon County, of his native State, in 1868, being fifty-two years old at the time of his death, and the latter’s death occurred in Henderson County, Tex., in May, 1882, aged fifty-five years. The father was a Democrat, a farmer and mechanic, and was a soldier in the Florida War, under Gen. Harrison. He was the father of five sons and three daughters, all of whom are living but one: Obedience, widow of O. F. Nichols; Joseph E., Daniel; Zylphia Jane, wife of S. A. Long; John; Sarah, wife of John Murrill; William, who died in Tennessee in 1876, and Blakely E. The latter remained with his parents until the breaking out of the Rebellion, and in the early part of 1861 went to Savannah and enlisted in Company H, of the Twenty-third Georgia Infantry, being put in the State service. His company was sent to Virginia, and while in that State he participated in the battles of Savannah and Ocean Pond, and then returned to Virginia, and took part in the battle of Petersburg. He received a severe wound in the right leg by a musket ball, and while at home in Georgia, on furlough, was captured and taken to Chattanooga, thence to Camp Chase. He was entirely without means at the close of the war, but was engaged in farming in his native State until 1869, when he located in Franklin County, Ark., where he has an exceedingly fertile and well-improved farm of 200 acres, the result of his energy and perseverance. In August 1866, he was married to Cynthia Underwood, a daughter of John Underwood, and a native of Walker County, Ga. She died in Franklin County, Ark., April 16, 1870, being twenty-eight years of age at the time of her death, and the mother of three children: Alice, now the wife of A. Jeffrey; William and an infant. In 1872 Mr. Moon was married to his present wife, whose maiden name was Josie Moore. She was born in Gordon County, Ga., in 1853, and was left an orphan at an early day. To her union with Mr. Moon seven children have been born: Charles F., Eugene, Josie, Sula, Toker, Rotie, and Abner an infant. Mr. and Mrs. Moon are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and he is a Democrat.

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This family biography is one of 163 biographies included in The History of Franklin County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Franklin County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Franklin County, Arkansas family biographies here: Franklin County, Arkansas

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