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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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Henry L. Grayson comes of a family well and favorably known throughout Ouachita County, for his father settled here in 1859, and here Henry has since made his home. He was born in Hamilton County, Tenn., January 21, 1839, and is a son of John and Sarah (Frix) Grayson, the former having been born in Tennessee in 1807. He was a farmer by occupation, and for a number of years was deputy sheriff in Tennessee. In 1859 he emigrated from there to Ouachita County, Ark., and purchased 500 acres of land, to which he afterward, by industry and good management, added some 400 acres more. He was a Mason, and his wife was an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and their deaths occurred in 1881 and 1875, respectively. To them a family of five sons and four daughters were born, six of whom are now living: Mary A. (wife of William Donaldson, a farmer of Washington), Martha J. (wife of James M. Douglas, a farmer of Ouachita County), Henry L., George W. (a farmer of Clark County, Ark.), Thomas J. (a farmer of Ouachita County), and Zachariah T., who is the present postmaster of Prescott, Nevada County, Ark. Henry L. Grayson, the subject of this sketch, came to Arkansas with his parents and was married here to Miss Elizabeth Webb in 1866, his wife being a native of Tennessee, born in 1843, a daughter of Anderson and Martha Webb, also of that State. A family of four sons and four daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. Grayson: Albert S., Edward C, Virginia O., Lewis N., Eudora, Hesterly, Essie P. and Jessie E. In 1861 Mr. Grayson enlisted in Company H, Arkansas Infantry, and was in the battles of Shiloh, Missionary Ridge and numerous skirmishes, and in the first-named battle was shot through the left breast and had one finger shot off. He continued to serve until 1864, then returned home and engaged in farming and ginning cotton, which occupations have received his attention ever since. He has been more than ordinarily successful, and is now the owner of 1,500 acres of fine farming land and has 250 acres in a good state of cultivation, his principal crops being cotton and corn. He has an excellent steam cotton and grist mill combined, which has proved quite remunerative, and every enterprise which has received his attention has been attended with good results. He is now engaged in conducting a grocery store at the cross roads where he lives, and is pushing quite a thriving trade. In 1868 he was appointed tax assessor of his county and discharged the duties of this position for one year. He is a member of the R. A., and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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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

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