My Genealogy Hound

James F. Shaver, who is one of the successful farmers of Warm Springs Township, was born in Randolph County, Ark., in September, 1833, and is a son of John and Nancy (Cook) Shaver, who were born in Georgia. They were married in Alabama, about 1823, and in 1828 came to Arkansas, settling in this county, where they purchased and also entered some Government land. Wild animals of all kinds roamed the woods at will at this time, and in some places the forests were almost impenetrable, but it can be said of John Shaver that, with the courage and perseverance which marked the lives of so many of our pioneers,

He chopped, he logged, he cleared his lot,
And into many a dismal spot
He let the light of day.

His neighbors were from ten to fifteen miles distant, and at that time wagons were a rare sight, but small trucks were made by sawing large logs in two, the wheels being of solid wood — even these rude conveyances being few and far between. The nearest flouring-mill, which was twenty-five miles away, could only be reached by crossing two rivers, and owing to the difficulty of doing this, the settlers had to resort to the old-fashioned pestle. The first flouring-mill put up in this part of the county was on the old Russell place, and was run by horse power. This was about the year 1838. He and his wife were born in 1800 and 1798, and died in 1850 and 1858, respectively. They were members of the Christian Church, and became the parents of eleven children, eight living to be grown: William, who resides in Webster County, Mo., is a minister in the Christian Church; Robert, who died leaving a family in this county; Alexander, also deceased, his family being residents of the county; Peter, Martha, widow of C. Johnson; Caroline, the deceased wife of John Johnson; Nancy, wife of Jesse Johnson, and John, who was killed at the battle of Shiloh in 1862, while serving in the Confederate army. The other children died in infancy. James F. Shaver had very poor educational advantages in his youth, and although he attended the old fashioned subscription schools long enough to learn to read, he did not attend sufficiently long to learn to write. In 1852 he married Miss Elizabeth Waddle, a native of the county, born in 1836, and to them were born the following family: Alexander, born December 23, 1853; J. H., born August 2, 1855; Louis M., born December 22, 1857; Sarah E., wife of Eli Morris, born January 2, 1859; Jacob S., born October 6, 1861; James F., Jr., born November 2, 1863; Matilda A., born January 14, 1866, wife of Jeff Morris; R. L., born April 4, 1868, Peter M., born December 20, 1869; William M., born August 27, 1871; Permelia E., born January 14, 1874, and Joseph A., born February 28, 1876. In 1862 Mr. Shaver joined the Confederate army; he was with Price on his last raid through Missouri in 1864, and was a participant in a number of battles and skirmishes, Pilot Knob and Blue Lick being among the number. After his surrender, which occurred at Jacksonport, Ark., in June, 1865, he came home and engaged immediately in farming, entering at first 160 acres of land, and now has eighty under cultivation. He is also engaged in raising horses and cattle of a good grade. Mr. Shaver is a public-spirited citizen, is a Democrat in his political views, and he and his wife are members of the Christian Church, as are nearly all their children. Mrs. Shaver is a daughter of Henry and Sarah (Biggers) Waddle, Tennesseans by birth, who came to Arkansas about 1832, and here married the following year. Their children were Lucinda, wife of Peter Shaver; Matilda (deceased), Sarah (Johnson), Susan (Roberts), Jefferson (deceased), Jake, Caroline (Graves), Marietta L. (Hawk), George and James (twins), and Elizabeth, wife of our subject. The parents died in 1849 and 1862, aged fifty and sixty years, respectively.