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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lafayette County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  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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Joshua B. Reed. This worthy agriculturist was born in Pennsylvania on April 11, 1831, being a son of Samuel P. and Nancy (Free) Reed. The father was born in Ireland, but came with his father to America while still a boy, and departed this life in 1875, in Illinois, whither he had moved about 1870, and his death was followed four years later by that of his widow. She was born in Pennsylvania, of French parentage. Joshua B. Reed is the eldest of eleven children born to their marriage, five of whom are still living: Joshua, William (a farmer of Iowa), Ann (now Mrs. Hunter, of Iowa), Samuel (a farmer of Iowa), Agnes (now Mrs. Young, of Illinois), and Jennie (now Mrs. Beebe, of Iowa). Ho left home when a young boy and worked on a steamboat on the Ohio for five or six years; subsequently he went to Minnesota, and after remaining there two years he moved to Iowa, later to Illinois, and in 1861 to Arkansas. Immediately after coming here he enlisted in Frost’s regiment of Confederate Cavalry, in which he served until 1864, and during this time participated in a number of battles and skirmishes, among which may be mentioned Jenkins’ Ferry, Mansfield and Springfield, and during his entire service he was but once captured, and then he made his escape the following day. Immediately after the surrender he returned to this county, and in 1868 moved on to his present farm, comprising 160 acres of good land, then all unimproved, which he has since brought to its present high state of cultivation. His principal crop is cotton. His marriage to Miss Nancy Sewell took place in 1865. She was a daughter of Asa and Nancy (Mitchell) Sewell, natives of Georgia, and was born in Carroll County, Ga., on March 25, 1856. Their home has not been blessed with any children of their own, but they are rearing two orphan children—William T. Hendon (born December 25, 1872), and Julius Hendon Reed (adopted, born on November 14, 1874). Mr. and Mrs. Reed are both worthy members of the Missionary Baptist Church. In his political views the former is an Independent, and he belongs to the County Wheel. He takes an active part in all work for the good of the community, and is well known and highly respected.

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This family biography is one of 44 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lafayette County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Lafayette County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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