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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Prairie 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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Abel S. Reinhardt, like the majority of native Mississippians, is progressive in his views and of an energetic and enterprising temperament. He was born in Marshall County January 4, 1847, and is a son of D. F. and Harriet E. (Shuford) Reinhardt, both of whom were born and reared in Lincoln County, N. C. About 1844 they immigrated to Marshall County, Miss., but a short time afterward moved to Tennessee and in 1857 settled in Prairie County, being engaged in farming in these three States. In October, 1888, he moved to Little Rock and there died in November of that year, his wife having passed away many years earlier, in 1861, on October 8. He was twice married, his second wife being a sister of his first, and she still survives him. Mr. Reinhardt was a representative to the last Constitutional Convention and was a man who possessed superior natural abilities and was universally beloved and respected. He reared nine children to mature years, but one son, Adolphus, lost his life at Pilot Knob in 1864, while serving in the Confederate army. Mary (wife of Rev. R. H. Crozier, of Palestine, Tex.), Emma (wife of Dr. P. E. Thomas, of Clarendon, Ark.) and Abel S. Reinhardt are the only ones of the family now living. The latter received a common-school education in Prairie County and in 1864 enlisted in the Confederate army, Col. Witt’s regiment, and was with Price on his raid through Missouri. He was badly wounded in November of that year and was disabled for several months. After the surrender he returned home and successfully conducted the home farm for a number of years, but in 1876 moved to Hickory Plains. Two years later he was elected sheriff and collector of Prairie County, and was reelected in 1880, 1882, 1884 and 1886, serving in all ten consecutive years, his majority at each time of his re-election being large. He has been carrying on a farm all these years and he also owns a good home in Des Arc. He was married in Prairie County on October 30, 1871, to Miss Laura J., a daughter of Daniel and Mary Harshaw, of Hickory Plains, and by her has had the following children: Alice, Katie Gray, Lillie, Gracie, Arthur Shuford and two sons who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Reinhardt are members of the Old School Presbyterian Church and the former belongs to the Knights of Honor.

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This family biography is one of 94 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Prairie County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Prairie County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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