My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Jefferson 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.

* * * *

John A. Wallis. Among the most pleasing features of Jefferson County is its number of progressive men. Mr. Wallis is one of the leading citizens of this section, and was born in Morgan County, Ala., on October 25, 1832, being a son of James and Ann (Crockett) Wallis, natives of Mecklenburg District, North Carolina, and Lancaster District, South Carolina, respectively. The parents were married in South Carolina, and made that State their home for a number of years, afterward residing in Mississippi and Louisiana until 1861, when they moved to Arkansas and located in Chicot County, where the mother died the following year, at the age of seventy-two years. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a daughter of Elijah Crockett, a cousin of the celebrated Davy Crockett. Her union with Mr. James Wallis resulted in the birth of eight children, of whom John A. is now the only living representative. The elder Wallis was a very successful planter during his life, and before the war was a Whig in politics, but after that event he voted the Democratic ticket until his death. John A. Wallis was reared and educated in the States of Alabama and Mississippi. His inclinations seemed to follow commercial life more than any other occupation, and at the age of eighteen years he left home to enter business. In 1856 he came to Arkansas and located in Chicot County, and was engaged as salesman in one of the business houses at that point until 1858. He then returned home and went into the wood business at Georgetown Bend, which he followed with success until the war commenced, and his wood was burned by the Federal boats. After this experience he came back to Chicot County, Ark., and began farming, continuing until after the war, when he returned to Mississippi. In 1869 he moved to Jefferson County, Ark., and has been farming ever since, with the exception of the years 1870 and 1871, when he entered into business at Pine Bluff, and again in 1878, when he moved to his present location and commenced merchandising. Mr. Wallis also operates a steam cotton-gin and grist-mill, and is the owner of about 650 acres of land, with some 500 acres under cultivation. His business ability and his shrewdness in financial transactions and industry have placed him on an independent basis, though having started from almost nothing.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 136 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Jefferson County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Jefferson County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Jefferson County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.