My Genealogy Hound

William D. Leiper, the present editor of The Arkansas Meteor, published at Malvern, started upon a professional career as editor in August, 1883. He was born in Beaver County, Penn., in 1825, and was the son of Hugh and Esther (Harper) Leiper. His paternal grandfather, James Leiper, came to this country from the North of Ireland shortly after the Revolutionary War, and settled in Pennsylvania. Hugh Leiper was born in that State, in 1798. He followed farming all his life, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. The maternal grandfather of William D. was James Harper, whose parents were Scotch, and who came to this country shortly after the Revolutionary War. He was a relative of Gen. Goodlow Harper, of Revolutionary fame. He also settled in Beaver County, Penn. Mrs. Leiper was his fifth child. William D. Leiper had eleven brothers and sisters, seven of whom are still living. He graduated at Jefferson College in 1851, after which he commenced the study of law and theology as a resident graduate for two years. He then came to Memphis, Tenn., and accepted a position as principal of an academy at Stanton’s Depot, Tenn., which he held for two years and a half. He then moved to Tulip, Dallas County, Ark., in 1857, and was there put in charge of the military academy of the State at that place. He remained in control of that institution until 1860, when he resigned and went into the mercantile business, thus continuing until the year 1861. Then he enlisted as a private in the Third Arkansas infantry, Confederate army, and served until after the battle of Bull Run, when he received his discharge on account of poor health. Returning to Arkansas, he assisted in raising a company of cavalry, and was commissioned its first lieutenant. His company was then transferred to the Second Arkansas Cavalry, commanded by Col. W. F. Slemons. In 1862 Mr. Leiper was commissioned captain in the quartermaster’s department, on his staff, and served in that capacity until he was finally made major. He participated in the battles of Corinth, Coldwater, West Point, Miss., Hernando, Miss., and a number of others. After the war he was engaged in the mercantile business for two years at Tulip, his old home. He then resumed charge of the military academy again for the next nine years at that place, after which he moved to Malvern and took the superintendency of the city schools, which position he held for over four years, when he again went into the mercantile business, carrying on the same for three years. He bought out the Meteor in 1883, and is still editing and publishing this representative journal. Mr. Leiper was married in December, 1865, to Perscilla Macon, a native of Tennessee. They are the parents of five children: Willie H. (now wife of Lenard Bratt, of Malvern), Mary F., Samuel H., Macon A. and Ester A. Mr. Leiper and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and take an active part in the Sunday-school, of which he has been superintendent for the last five years; in May, 1889, he represented the church as a lay delegate at the general assembly at Chattanooga. In 1874 he was elected delegate from Dallas County to the constitutional convention, and has several times been a delegate to the State convention. He is president of the County Emigration Society, and a member of the executive committee of the State Emigration Society, and has been county examiner of schools since 1882. As a citizen it is but the truth to say that Mr. Leiper stands among the foremost of the residents of Hot Spring County. His well-known characteristics and honorable traits of manhood have drawn about him a large circle of friends, and in public as well as private circles his word is held in high regard.