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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Izard 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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William Davis is one of the old and highly honored residents of Izard County, and during the many years devoted to agricultural pursuits in this region he has become well and favorably known. His farm comprises 252 acres, of which eighty acres are under cultivation, and it is well improved with good buildings and orchards. Some portions of his land are under laid with minerals and are considered very valuable. He was born in Campbell County, Tenn., in 1815, and is a son of James Davis, who was born in Kentucky. The latter received a liberal education in his youth, and gave his attention to the occupation of farming. He served in the War of 1812, was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church, and after his marriage to Miss Sallie Cushenbury, of Tennessee, he removed to Kentucky (in 1829), where he purchased land and reared his family of six sons and six daughters: Patsey, Nancy, Baxter, George, Anna, James, Ursula, William, Ferroby, Joseph, John and Emanuel. William Davis, the immediate subject of this sketch, was married to Miss Bethenia Dobbs, of Kentucky, in 1835, but her death occurred in 1858, she having borne a family of eleven children, eight of whom survive: Mary A., James, Emanuel, Ferroby, Simon, Mark, Ollie and Nancy. In the latter part of 1858 Mr. Davis took for his second wife Harriet A., the daughter of Isaac Bettis, of Izard County, Ark. This union resulted in the birth of twelve children, seven now living: William A. Baxter, Rufus M., Martha E., Anthony W., Tennessee and Minnie L. Their son, Rufus M., was married in 1888 to Miss Julia Cunningham, of Izard County, and they reside on the homestead with Mr. Davis. They have one child, Willie. The family attend the Missionary Baptist Church, of which Mr. and Mrs. Davis have long been members.

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This family biography is one of 98 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Izard County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Izard County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Izard County, Arkansas family biographies here: Izard County, Arkansas Biographies

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