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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of St. Francis 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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Jesse B. Hodges, one of the prominent tillers of the soil in this section, was born in Beaufort County, N. C, in 1837, being the son of John L. and Cynthia (Rodgers) Hodges, natives of North Carolina. Jesse B. came to Arkansas with his parents in 1859, settling on a farm not far from his present residence. His educational advantages were limited, his help being needed on his father’s farm, but notwithstanding this fact, he is a well-informed man, having given considerable attention to reading, which, added to keen observation, has enabled him to be conversant on all the important topics of the past and present. When twenty-two years of age he accepted a position as manager of a farm, so continuing until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted, in 1861, in the Confederate service, in Company G, Thirteenth Arkansas Regiment, participating in the battles of Shiloh, Richmond, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Liberty Gap, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, New Hope, Resaca, also Peach Tree Creek, Decatur, Jonesboro, Spring Hill, Franklin and Bentonville. Subsequently, or at the close of the war, his regiment surrendered to Sherman at Greensboro, N. C, on April 26, 1865. As this sketch will show, Mr. Hodges participated in all of the principal engagements of the late war, in which the Tennessee army took part. After peace was declared he returned home, resuming the occupation of farming, and in 1868 was united in marriage to Miss Mary F. Matthews, a daughter of Lawrence and Lydia A. (Crawford) Matthews. No children have been given them. Mr. Hodges owns 400 acres of excellent land, with 275 under cultivation. He has a pleasant, comfortable place, and all the improvements and conveniences that add so much to the happiness of home. He also is quite extensively occupied in stock-raising, and has been very successful. His political views are Democratic. Himself and wife are members of the Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 87 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of St. Francis County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: St. Francis County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional St. Francis County, Arkansas family biographies here: St. Francis County, Arkansas Biographies

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