My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Little River 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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Oscar R. High. In enumerating the enterprising and progressive agriculturists of Little River County, Mr. High must not be overlooked, for he is acknowledged to be one of the leading men of the community. His birth occurred in Hempstead County, Ark., in 1847. His parents, Alsa A. and Betsy (Lewis) High, both of whom were Virginians by birth, had a family of twelve children, of whom he was the sixth in order of birth. The father came to this State in 1835, and chose a home in Hempstead County, and here he purchased unimproved land, which he cleared and made into one of the finest farms in that section. He was one of the first residents of Washington, Ark., and erected one of the first hotels in the place, which he conducted in connection with his farming operations. He was one of the prominent men of his section, and served in various official capacities, acting as internal improvement commissioner of Hempstead County for a number of years. He died in 1883, in his seventy-third year, a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as was also his wife, who passed from life during the war. Oscar R. High was reared to maturity in his native county, and obtained his education in the common schools at Washington. In 1863 he joined L. D. Carington's company of Texas Cavalry, commanded by Col. Ford, and served most of the time on the Gulf and Rio Grande, participating in quite a number of minor engagements. He was at the recapture of Brownsville, Tex., in 1864, which place the forces held until the close of the war. Mr. High was in the last engagement of the late war in which his side was victorious, the Confederate forces being commanded by Gen. Slaughter, and the Federals by one Gen. Brown. At the close of the war he returned home, to find his father at Austin, Tex. He stayed there for a short time, and in the fall of 1865 came back to this State, and located in this county and engaged in farming. Our subject was occupied in the dry goods and grocery business under various merchants of this place (Richmond) until 1885, since which time he has engaged in farming on Red River, in Little River County, and is numbered among the prosperous and well-to-do citizens of the county. His marriage to Miss Addie, daughter of J. C. Head, of this place, was consummated in 1880, and has resulted in the birth of four children, three of whom are still living: Rainey D., Ethel E., Clarence B. and Heller. In 1884 he was elected to the office of county treasurer, and filled that office very creditably for one term. He belongs to the K. of H., and in politics is a stanch Democrat.

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