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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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Samuel Henry. Nowhere within the limits of Little River County, Ark., can there be found a man who takes greater interest in its agricultural affairs than Mr. Henry, or who strives more continually to promote and advance this interest. He is the only survivor of ten children born to James Henry and wife, nee Nancy Keeney, both natives of Tennessee. The father was a farmer and miller by occupation, and followed these pursuits in his native State all his life. The mother passed to her final home in Texas, in 1884. Samuel Henry was born in Tennessee in 1823, and remained at home until he had attained his twenty-first year, obtaining his education in the common schools of his native State. In 1844 he moved to Georgia, and there made his home for four years, but in 1859 he came to this State, settling in what was then Sevier, but is now Little River County, where he has ever since made his home. At that time this State was rather sparsely settled, and most of the inhabitants were of the class that it takes to open up and improve a country—of a hardy race— pioneers of Tennessee and Alabama, who as those States settled up had moved to this then new State. The majority of them depended largely on hunting for a living, and at that time there was but very little farming done. On coming here Mr. Henry took up eighty acres of land, to which he has since added the balance of 900 acres, with about 150 acres under cultivation. This land is located on the Red and Little Rivers. In the latter part of 1862 he enlisted in the Confederate cause, joining Hunter's battalion, and was assigned to the Western Department under Gen. Cable, but never took part in any battle. He surrendered at Marshall, Tex., and immediately after returned to his home. At that time he owned eighty acres of land, and this he set about cultivating without anything to farm with. Since then he has added the remaining portion of his fine large farm. His marriage to Miss Martha Simerly was celebrated in June, 1844, and their union has been blessed in the birth of six children, two of whom died while quite small. They are: Mary C. (deceased wife of Robert E. Coleman, of this county), Nancy K. and Hester M. (at home), and J. W. (a farmer of this county). Mr. Henry is one of the leading agriculturists of this locality, taking an active interest in politics, and casts his vote with the Democratic party. He aids with his support and encouragement, the upbuilding of schools and churches, as he does, in fact, all things tending toward the welfare of the community. He has served as justice of the peace of his township for eight years.

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This family biography is one of 38 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Little River County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Little River County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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