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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Pike 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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William S. Stroope, farmer, Murfreesboro, Ark. Mr. Stroope is recognized as a careful, energetic agriculturist of this community, and by his advanced ideas and progressive habits has done not a little for the farming elements hereabouts. He is a native of this State, born in Clark County, in 1820, and is the fourth in a family of nine children born to Jacob and Mary (Kidwell) Stroope, natives of Kentucky and South Carolina, respectively. The father was a mechanic and moved from his native State to Louisiana, and afterward settled in Arkansas, seven miles west of Arkadelphia, in Clark County. He then resided in different localities after the death of his wife, which occurred in December, 1849, at the age of fifty-three years, and then went to Texas, where his death occurred in 1853, at the age of seventy one years. During his residence in Clark County he became well known and universally respected. Both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which they were active workers. He was with Gen. Jackson in the War of 1812, and was discharged at New Orleans. The paternal grandfather died in Clark County, at the age of eighty-four years; he was an agriculturist, and owned a good farm in Clark County. William S. Stroope was early taught the duties of farm life, but had very poor educational advantages, and later in life attended school with his own children. He was married January 20, 1841, to Miss Arritta Pippin, a native of Tennessee, who bore him the following children: Frances (wife of J. J. Banks, resides on the old homestead in Clark County), Jacob (died at Lauderdale Springs, Miss., in 1863, while a soldier), John P. (married and resides in Pike County), Rebecca (wife of O. S. Johnson, who lives near Murfreesboro), William T. (married and resides in Clark County), Tinnie M. (wife of John Carroll, resides in Clark County), Nancy (died at the age of thirteen years). After his marriage Mr. Stroope purchased a good farm four and a half miles southwest of Arkadelphia, consisting of 220 acres, and at one time owned 1,120 acres, but divided all but 220 acres among his children. He has cleared 130 acres, and has about that many acres under cultivation. In 1878 he came to Pike County, located in the northern part, and there purchased a farm of 240 acres, on which he resided for five years, opening fifty acres, and making other improvements. He removed to Murfreesboro in 1883, and at that time bought seventy-five acres, but is now the owner of about 1,000 acres in the bottom of the Little Missouri. He is also the owner of a good part of the land in the limits of the town, and has 200 acres under cultivation, the principal part of which he has done himself. In 1884 he engaged in business in Murfreesboro, and in 1886 took Mr. C. E. Stelle as a partner, the partnership being dissolved in 1890. He has also a half interest in the gin and mill in town, and is a live business man. He had the misfortune to lose his wife in 1886. On July 15, 1861, Mr. Stroope enlisted in Weatherspoon’s company, and was in the battles of Oak Hill and Elkhorn. He was taken sick after the latter battle and was unable to go with his company across the Mississippi River. After recovering he joined Reed’s company and served wholly in Arkansas, until the close of the war.

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This family biography is one of 71 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Pike County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Pike County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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