My Genealogy Hound

Andrew J. Bolinger, a merchant at Grant, Bowen Township, was born near Cumberland Gap, Claiborne Co., Tenn., June 6, 1822, and is a son of Fred and Polly (Hunter) Bolinger. His grandfather, Fred Bolinger, was a native of Pennsylvania, and went to North Carolina, and from there to East Tennessee, with a family of twenty children, seventeen of whom lived to maturity. He then removed from Tennessee to Illinois, and nine years later went to Arkansas, dying in War Eagle Township in 1840. His wife died soon after, in her ninetieth year. Fred Bolinger, Jr., grew to manhood in Tennessee, and came to Arkansas with his family in 1850, locating on his present place of residence. To him and wife these children were born: Andrew J., Henry H., Bethma, Emily, Isaac H., Lucinda, Hester Ann, Mary and Rachel R. Our subject remained at home until twenty-six years of age, when he married and located in 1850 where he now lives. He has been engaged in blacksmithing until the last few years, which have been spent in the mercantile business. He has been justice of the peace a number of years, and also postmaster. Sarah Newport became his wife in 1843, and has borne eight children: William H., Mary Ann, Asa M., Bethema, A. J. and Henry R. Olive and Elizabeth are deceased. Mrs. Bolinger’s father was a minister, and both Mr. and Mrs. Bolinger are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Bolinger is a stanch Republican, and during the war worked in the Government blacksmith shops.