My Genealogy Hound

D. D. Womack is a prominent mill man of Nashville, Ark., and his birth occurred in Bedford County, Tenn., December 7, 1829, being a son of Michael and Sarah (Jones) Womack, who were native Virginians. The father was a soldier in the War of 1812, was in the battle of New Orleans, and was always afterward an earnest adherent of Gen. Jackson. He moved from his native State to South Carolina, later to Tennessee, and in this State was married and reared a large family of children. After following the occupation of millwright until 1849, he came to Arkansas, and made a settlement at Mine Creek, where he made his home until his death, which took place in 1861. D. D. Womack was reared in Tennessee, attended the common schools, assisted his father at his trade, and in 1849 came with him to Arkansas, and settled in Pike County, on 160 acres of woodland. He at once began making improvements, and soon had a comfortable home, but not being contented with his first purchase of land, he continued to purchase and enter land until he became the owner of 760 acres. He cleared about 300 acres, and farmed quite extensively. He was among the early millers of this section, and in 1873 erected a steam saw and grist-mill near his farm, in partnership with B. J. Roberson, which he operated four years, after which he moved to Centre Point, and in 1877 erected the first mill at that point. This was an excellent plant, and Mr. Womack ran it until 1878, then came to Nashville and put up his present extensive works. He first built a saw-mill, and as soon as he could saw the lumber, built a cotton-gin, and a short time later put up a grist-mill, and later added wool-carding machinery and a planing-mill. He has one of the finest grist-mills in the county, two runs of stone, one for wheat and one for corn, and taken all together it is by far the most extensive concern of the kind in Howard County. In 1887 Mr. Womack separated his cotton-gin from his other machinery, and built a new cotton-gin one-half mile distant in another part of the town. This has a capacity of eight bales per day, is complete with all improvements, elevator, etc., and in 1889-90, ginned a very large amount of cotton. He and his partner also have a good mill in Pike County, and in all his experience Mr. Womack has had no accident to his machinery, and has been very successful financially. He owns one of the finest dwelling-houses in Nashville, a large store house and many lots and dwellings which he rents, has one farm of 120 acres near town, 307 acres adjoining his mill, which tracts comprise some of the most fertile land in Howard County. He was married in Tennessee, in 1848, to Miss Lydda E. Lokey, a native of Tennessee, and to them have been born eight children: Sarah E. (wife of William Hudson), Charles Watson (who is married and resides in the county), Frances Angeline (wife of W. A. Roberson), Dennis Whitmore (who is married), John Davy (who is a partner with his father in the mill), Mary Josephine (wife of Robert Sypert), Katie Ella (wife of S. D. Short), and James Michael (who was accidentally killed in a saw-mill near Nashville, in 1885). The family are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Womack comes of a family of millers, and to perpetuate the trade, has associated his son in business with him.