My Genealogy Hound

Pole McPhetrige, attorney at law, is one of the leading and most influential members of the bar in the town of Dallas, and adds strength to the legal fraternity throughout this section. He was born in Tazewell County, Va., in 1846, to Alfred and Mary (Latham) McPhetrige, the former probably born in Kentucky, and the latter in Washington County, Va., their marriage taking place in the mother’s native county, where the father’s death occurred in 1865, he having been a hardware merchant and a soldier in the Federal Army during the Rebellion. His father, William McPhetrige, was a Scotchman who spent some years in Kentucky afterward moving to Virginia, where he spent the rest of his days engaged in farming. The mother’s father, Edward Latham, was a Pennsylvanian who died in Washington County, Va., in 1864, on a fine plantation which he owned there. He was of English origin and was of old Presbyterian stock. Pole McPhetrige is the eldest of five children, three now living, and when very young he began the battle of life for himself, but was given good educational advantages in Henry and Emery College and in Key’s High School in Washington County. From his native State he first went to Missouri, later came to Arkansas, and after some years spent in teaching school in different counties, during which time he pursued the study of law, he, in 1875, was admitted to the bar in the Eighth Circuit by Judge T. M. Gibson, but did not practice much until 1881, but has since built up a large practice and now ranks among the foremost criminal lawyers of Western Arkansas. In 1888 his numerous warm friends and admirers elected him to the Senate from the Twenty-second District, and in that capacity he served with distinction for four years. Since that time has given his attention to his profession, with highly satisfactory results. He was married in 1875, to Miss Sallie, daughter of W. J. and Louisa Cooper, who were formerly residents of Tennessee, but came to Northeastern Arkansas, and are now residing in Polk County. Mrs. McPhetrige was born in Lawrence County, Ark., is a member of the Methodist Church, and by Mr. McPhetrige is the mother of five children. Mr. McPhetrige is a member of the A. F. & A. M. of Dallas. At the early age of fifteen years he left school to espouse the cause of the Confederacy, contrary to the desire and views of his father, and for some time served in Company F, Forty-eighth Virginia Infantry, the original division of Stonewall Jackson. He afterward attached himself to the Second Kentucky Cavalry, and served as adjutant, participating in many engagements, being wounded four times, one of which crippled him for life. A part of his service was with Gen. Longstreet in East Tennessee and Northern Georgia, taking part in the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, etc. He was captured in Northern Georgia, and after being kept at Nashville for some time, was removed to Joliet, Ill., and afterward to Rock Island, where he was taken with smallpox. He was then taken to the pest-house in Baltimore, Md., but at the time of the final surrender he was in Northern Georgia.