My Genealogy Hound

R. D. Holt. Island No. 10, formerly in the Mississippi River, and the scene of a heavy artillery duel during the War of the Rebellion, was the birthplace of the subject of this sketch. There he was born in 1848, and some years later he came with his father, R. J. Holt, to Mississippi County, Ark., and settled on his present property. Here the elder Holt died in 1863, leaving a wife and five children. The mother, whose maiden name was Miss Mary Bone, was a native of New Madrid, Mo., and there she grew to womanhood. R. D. Holt and his brother John, who now lives near, took hold of the home place after the death of the father, and although there were but fifteen acres cleared at that time, they went to work and soon cleared about 100 acres, each brother owning a half interest, in addition to which they each have a farm of from eighty to 160 acres. The farm lies on Lake Como, in the southwest part of the county, in what is called the Nauvoo settlement, named thus on account of the Mormons having settled there early in the 50’s. R. J. Holt, the father of R. D., was one of them at that time, he having previously been a Methodist, and after a few years of Mormonism he returned to his old faith, in which he died. Those who adhered to the faith went to Salt Lake, and among the last to go was one Sol. Spain, who got away just before the blockade in 1861. On the property of Mr. Holt there are eleven well-defined Indian mounds, which have never been explored. The largest is about fifteen feet high, and over 100 feet in circumference at the base. This is now used as a burying place by Mr. Holt, whose father, mother, brother and sister, an uncle, a brother-in-law and his wife and two children are buried there. His brother has one child buried there, and a sister has two children. Mr. Holt was married in 1871 to Miss Sophrona Barney, of Mississippi County, and the daughter of John Barney, one of the pioneers of Mississippi County, Ark. Three children are the fruits of this union: Mary, Leroy and Mattie, all at home. Mr. Holt is a member of the Wheel.