My Genealogy Hound

John B. McCaleb, a prominent attorney at Evening Shade, was born at Evening Shade, Ark., October 24, 1856. He is a son of Col. James H. and Frances A. (Jenkins) McCaleb, of Knox County, Tenn., and Bowling Green, Ky., respectively. The mother was married in her fourteenth year to William French, and soon after moved to Little Rock. After a short residence in that place, they came to Evening Shade, at a time when there were but one or two families living there, and where Mr. French died. In 1854 Mrs. French was married to Col. McCaleb, who had come from Tennessee, and both have resided in Evening Shade up to the time of their death. The father was a farmer and hotel proprietor for twenty-five years, and was one of the best-known hotel men in Northeast Arkansas. In earlier days the elder McCaleb held the office of justice of the peace. He served almost through the entire war, and performed the duties of a soldier in different capacities in the Confederate army, and was colonel of a regiment of militia in the home guards stationed at Pocahontas. He was a member of the A. F. & A. M., and was master of Evening Shade Lodge for a number of years. Col. McCaleb’s father was James H. McCaleb, of North Carolina, who died in Evening Shade after a few years’ residence. Col. McCaleb’s forefathers originally came from North Ireland to this country, and the lineage of that family extends back to the earlier part of the eighteenth century. The father of Col. McCaleb’s wife was William Jenkins, a Kentuckian, who moved to Illinois at an early period, and died there about the year 1873. His daughter, Mrs. McCaleb, had three children by each husband, of whom John McCaleb is the oldest of three brothers—sons by the last husband. John McCaleb was educated at Evening Shade, and began life for himself when fifteen years of age. In 1878 he commenced the study of law with the Hon. Sam H. Davidson, teaching school in the meantime. In 1881 he was admitted to the bar by Judge R. H. Powell, and since then has practiced his profession in Sharp, Izard, Fulton and Baxter Counties, also holding a license to practice in the supreme court of Arkansas and Missouri, and is one of the most promising attorneys in Sharp County. On January 10, 1883, he was married to Allie, daughter of Col. Joseph L. Abernethy, and has had four children by this marriage, one son and two daughters still living. Mr. McCaleb owns some town property, besides about 1,500 acres of wild land in Sharp County, and his prosperity is due entirely to his own enterprise and shrewdness. In politics he is a Democrat and is chairman of the county Democratic Central Committee. He has been a member of the A. F. & A. M. since his majority, belonging to Evening Shade Lodge No. 143, and has held almost all of the offices, being master for two terms. He is also a member of Royal Arch (Rural) Chapter No. 50, and has been high priest. Also a charter member of Knights of Honor, and Knights & Ladies of Honor, and is dictator of the former.