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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ouachita 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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Francis M. Cross, an old settler, and a highly respected farmer of Marion Township, is a native of Tennessee, born in Greene County, that State, December 31, 1809, a son of Shadarack and Margaret (Frances) Cross, natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively, the former a farmer by occupation, dying in Tennessee in 1841, and the latter dying in 1833, at the age of fifty, both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The father was born in 1784, a son of Henry and Lydia (Morris) Cross, natives of Maryland, of Scotch-Irish descent, and was the father of eight children, but two of whom survive, the subject of this sketch and Andrew Jackson Cross, a resident of Texas. Mr. Cross, the subject of this sketch, was married in Tennessee in 1834, to Miss Susan Amanda Parr, born October 28, 1815, a daughter of William and Dolly (Johnson) Parr, natives of Virginia, and immediately after his marriage moved to Western Tennessee and engaged in farming until 1844, when he came to Arkansas and located in this county, where he entered a tract of wild land. In 1853 he purchased his present farm of 200 acres, which was partially improved. He now owns 280 acres of land, which he devotes chiefly to corn, but raises some cotton. Mr. and Mrs. Cross have had eleven children, seven of whom are now living, viz.: Pleasant M. (known as Plas. Cross, a merchant of Senter), Ferdinand (a farmer of this township), Emeline (now Mrs. Harwell of Louisiana), Fanny (unmarried, and living at home), Sophia (now Mrs. Crawford of Magnolia), Micaber (a merchant of Pine Bluff) and Frank (a broker of Pine Bluff). Mr. Cross is a prominent Democrat of Ouachita County, and takes an active part in politics of his county. He held the office of county treasurer for two terms, from 1878 to 1882, and has also served as justice of the peace several times before and once since the war. Both he and wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Cross is a member of the Masonic order, and is one of the well-known men of Marion Township, is highly respected and takes an active interest in all work for the good of the community.

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This family biography is one of 91 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ouachita County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Ouachita County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Ouachita County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

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