My Genealogy Hound

N. B. Wishon is a prosperous real estate dealer and collecting agent at Newport, Ark., and was born in Phelps County, Mo., on the 12th of September, 1848, and is a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Singleton) Wishon, the former a native of North Carolina, and the latter of Kentucky. Their marriage took place in the latter State, and they afterward moved to St. Louis, Mo., when the city contained less than 10,000 inhabitants (in 1829). Here Mr. Wishon remained for about ten years, being an employee of the Wiggins Ferry Company, and acted in the capacity of engineer. In 1839 he located near Rolla, Mo., and opened a very fine farm of about 1,500 acres, and here he and his wife resided until their deaths. N. B. Wishon remained on this farm until nineteen years of age and in 1867 came to Arkansas and began clerking in a store in Jacksonport, continuing an employee of Holloway & Co., at a very low salary, until 1871. He then formed a partnership with his brothers, Frank and W. C., and the firm became known as Wishon Bros., they conducting a general merchandising establishment in Jacksonport. In 1873 they opened up a branch store at Newport, which was the first business house in the place, and was a frame structure, and this together with two cheap box houses were located in the woods. They continued at this point until 1883, then selling out to E. L. Watson & Son. Mr. Wishon then set to work to build up the town and put up a substantial brick block and several residence buildings, but for the past few years he has given his attention almost entirely to the real estate and collection business. The brothers at one time owned a fifth interest in the original town site. They own eight brick business houses, and considerable improved residence property, and unimproved town lots and several fine farms in a high state of cultivation, together with several hundred acres of fine timbered and wild lands in the county. He has held several local offices, and he and wife, whom he married in 1871, and whose maiden name was Amelia Wallace, are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and are the parents of two children: Lena and Earl H.