My Genealogy Hound

John P. Salyer was born in Floyd County, Ky., in 1846, and is a son Fieldan and Margeret (Hale) Salyer. The father was born March 11, 1805, and was a son of William Salyer, also a native of Virginia, and of Irish descent. William settled in Kentucky soon after Daniel Boone. Fieldan grew manhood on his father’s farm in Kentucky, and October 2, 1825, married and afterward farmed there until 1849, when, with his wife and seven children, he came by water to Ozark, Ark. He landed on the present site of St. Paul in May, 1849, and improved a farm upon which he lived until his death, April 14, 1880. He took an active part in church and school interests, and was an influential citizen. Margaret Hale was born in Kentucky May 25, 1810. She was reared in her native State, and, although she never became identified with a church, was good wife and mother, and a believer in the teachings of the Bible. She died December 26, 1881. She was the mother of seven daughters and one son: Mary, born June 25, 1828; Sarah, born January 15, 2832; Ursley, born April 25, 1834; Arty, born May 20, 1836; Malinda, born August 22, 1839, died April 23, 1876; John P., born January 13, 1846; Rhoda J., born April 10, 1850. Sarah (now Mrs. Harris) lives in Texas; Ursley (Mrs. Sparks), in Madison County; Arty (Mrs. Montgomery), in Texas; and Rhoda J. (Mrs. Hill), in Arkansas. They with John P. are the only children now living. He came to Arkansas with his parents when four years old. In 1861 he left home for Texas, and in May, 1865, returned to Madison County, and began farming on the old homestead, which has been his home since. When the railroad was built to St. Paul his farm marked the terminus. In July, 1887, he established his present mercantile business in St. Paul, and is now considered one of its leading and representative men. January 28, 1866, he married Rachel Estep, a native of this county, whose parents came from Illinois. Mrs. Salyer is the mother of the following children: Nancy J., born December 14, 1866, and wife of A. J. Abner; William A., born April 17, 1869, died November 5, 1888; Mary, born December 7, 1870, died August 12, 1872; John P., Jr., born November 14, 1872; Martha, born December 9, 1874; Emily E., born February 24, 1877; Harvey S., born May 19, 1879, died August 13, 1879; David C., born July 22, 1880; Cora, born September 18, 1882; Samuel N., born March 20, 1885; Garlan, born April 11, 1887. Mrs. Salyer died May 11, 1888, a member of the Methodist Church, to which Mr. Salyer also belongs.