My Genealogy Hound

Col. Nicholas B. Thweatt, farmer and horticulturist, Hickory Plains, Ark. Prominent among the enterprising and successful tillers of the soil of Prairie County, whose career has been both honorable and successful, is the subject of this sketch. His father, Howard D. Thweatt, was a native of Virginia, who went to Tennessee when a young man and was there united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Echols, a native also of the Old Dominion. The parents moved to a farm in Williamson County, Tenn., and there reared their family. The father was a regent in the War of 1812, but was not in active service himself. He died at his son’s residence in Mississippi. Col. Nicholas B. Thweatt owes his nativity to Williamson County, Tenn., where his birth occurred on May 10, 1827, and remained in his native State until seventeen years of age when he went to Mississippi, settling in Yalobusha County, where he cultivated the soil up to the breaking out of the war. In 1862 he enlisted in the Confederate army, served on detached duty most of the time (in secret service) and thus continued until cessation of hostilities. He was taken prisoner, held at Helena and there suffered much from exposure. He was in numerous tight places, but always succeeded in getting through all right. Returning to Mississippi after the war he remained there until 1867, after which he moved to Arkansas and located on his present fine property. He purchased an improved farm and now has 200 acres with 100 acres cultivated. Like the majority of farmers in that locality he has a good residence and substantial outbuildings. He has a fine orchard of six acres and has one and a half acres in vineyard. He made the first wine manufactured in Prairie County, and makes on an average from 150 to 200 gallons per year. This is a very fine quality of wine. Mr. Thweatt was married in Mississippi on December 18, 1850, to Miss Mary Hardin, a native of North Carolina, but who was reared in Mississippi, and the daughter of Redic Hardin. Mrs. Thweatt died on March 25, 1870, leaving four sons: J. G. (an attorney at De Vall’s Bluff), A. (a farmer and stock raiser), Prof. H. D. (a teacher of Prairie County) and N. E. (who is on the home farm). Mr. Thweatt is a Royal Arch Mason, also belongs to the Council, and is Past Master of the same.