My Genealogy Hound

William Biship. A lifetime of hard, earnest endeavor in pursuing the occupation to which he now gives his attention, coupled with strict integrity, honesty of purpose, and liberality in the right directions, have had the result to place Mr. Biship among the truly respected and honored agriculturists of the county. He was born in Missouri, in 1818, and as his father was a successful tiller of the soil, Mr. Biship was reared to farm labor until about the age of seventeen years. In 1836, he made a visit to Arkansas, having relatives living at Osceola, which was then a small collection of log huts; but soon moved back to Missouri, where he continued to reside until 1844, when he returned to Arkansas. In this State he has since resided, and has lived in Mississippi County the principal part of that time. He first visited the county on a hunting trip, but being favorably impressed with it he located here, and has since made it his home. In 1850 he entered land, but soon sold it, and afterward settled several tracts, which he sold after making a few improvements. In 1844 there were but four families in what is now Chickasawba Township, and the township had also an Indian population of about 100. After a few years Mr. Biship made a permanent settlement on forty acres, where he has since made his home. His marriage with Miss Bryant occurred at an early date, and to them were born two children: Andrew Jackson, a blacksmith at Blythesville, and Virginia, wife of Mr. Carney, and residing in Little River County, Ark. Mrs. Biship died, and Mr. Biship took for his second wife the Widow Golden, by whom he has one living child: William Oliver, who is married and lives at home. When first settling in the county, Mr. Biship experienced many hardships and trials. He was compelled to go to Hornersville, Mo., a distance of about forty miles by water, for their meal, and the people depended but little on tame meat, and subsisted chiefly on game. About the end of 1850, there was a store started in the settlement that is now called Cooktown. Mr. Biship still resides on the original forty acres that he settled years ago, and has this wholly under cultivation. Though now quite advanced in years, Mr. Biship is remarkably well preserved, as the “ravages of time’’ have had but little effect on him. He has been a witness to the complete development of this section. He was never very active in politics, but has held the office of constable of this section, and was deputy sheriff under Sheriff Bowen.