My Genealogy Hound

Charles E. Stelle, merchant, Murfreesboro, Ark. The mercantile interests of this portion of the county have been ably represented for a number of years by Mr. Stelle, who is considered one of the most successful businessmen of Murfreesboro. He was born in New Jersey in 1836, and was reared in New Brunswick, where he attended the high school. In 1858 he left New Jersey and went to Missouri, where he taught school for two years. In 1860 he came to Arkansas, taught school in the Indian Territory, and in 1861 enlisted in the Confederate army at Fayetteville, serving through the entire war and surrendering in North Carolina with Gen. Joe Johnston, in 1865. The same year he returned to Arkansas and located in Union County, where he engaged in teaching school and practicing law. He was married in 1870 to Miss Lucretia Clay Askew, a daughter of Hon. John H. Askew, of Eldorado, and to them were born three children, only one, Charley, now living. Mrs. Stelle died in 1884. Previous to this sad event, in 1875, Mr. Stelle moved to Columbia County, and in 1877 to Pike County, where he settled in Murfreesboro, and engaged in teaching and practicing law. Later he engaged in merchandising with W. S. Stroope as partner, and this firm continued until January, 1890, when Mr. Stroope withdrew. Since then Mr. Stelle has continued the business alone, and carries a full line of general merchandise and plantation supplies. He also buys cotton, and is a first-class business man. He was the eldest of eight children, all of whom are living, born to the marriage of James M. Stelle and Phoebe Ann Van Sickle.