My Genealogy Hound

William D. Chase, one of the prominent millers and farmers of Elizabeth, was born in Maury (now Gordon) County, Ga., in 1839, and is the son of Hon. Dean W. and Alley (Johnson) Chase. The father was born in Pawtucket, R. I., and received an unusually good education. At the age of nineteen he was sent to Georgia to erect a spinning factory, which he operated for a number of years. He was married and spent the remainder of his days there and in Tennessee, where he manufactured cotton goods all his life. He died in Gilmore County, Ga., in 1881. He was justice of the peace many years and once represented Gordon County in the legislature. He was also for thirty-five or forty years a traveling minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and besides was an officer in the Mexican War. His wife was a native of North Carolina, and died in Gilmore County, Ga., July 8, 1886. She, too, was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her father, James Johnson, was a native of North Carolina, who died in Walker County, Ga. He was a soldier in the Mexican War. William D. Chase, the second of ten children, born to his parents, received his education in the common schools. He was reared to the arduous duties on the farm, and in 1861 Miss Adeline Sprouell became his wife. She was born in Fulton County, Ga., and was the daughter of Wilson E. and Eliza J. Sprouell, natives of Abbeville District, S. C., but who moved to Georgia, where Mrs. Sprouell died. To Mr. and Mrs. Chase were born eleven children, seven sons and three daughters now living. Mr. Chase served over four years in the Confederate Army, Company E, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, was at Cumberland Gap, Richmond, Siege of Vicksburg, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Kingston, Calhoun, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, etc. He was captured several times, the last time at Peach Tree Creek, and imprisoned at Nashville. He was afterward taken to Indianapolis, where he was at the time of the surrender. He never received a wound during his time of service. After the war he returned to the farm and in 1872 came to Fulton County, Ark. He followed agricultural pursuits for five years and then engaged in merchandising at Newburg, Izard County, for three years. This not suiting him he entered into the milling business there for six years, after which he returned to Fulton County, and continued merchandising at Elizabeth for four years. Since then he has been occupied in milling and farming and has two flour and saw, shingle and planing mills. He is also the owner of about 900 acres of land in Missouri, Fulton, Izard and Lawrence Counties. All his property is the result of hard labor since the war. He has been a Democrat in his political views all his life, and his first presidential vote was for Gen. McClellan. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Elizabeth Lodge, and is also a member of Newburg Lodge of the I. O. O. F. in Izard County. Mrs. Chase has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years.