My Genealogy Hound

Hon. William D. Jameson. Among the representative citizens of Union County, Ark., there is probably no man more deserving of mention than Mr. Jameson, who has been a resident of this county from his earliest youth, although he was born in Monroe County, Ga., January 31, 1839, being the eldest of three sons born to William and Lucy (Ratliff) Jameson, who came originally from South Carolina, and settled in Union County, Ark., where the subject of this sketch now resides. He inherits Scotch and French blood from his parents, and his paternal grandfather was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and died in Georgia at the age of seventy-five years. William D. Jameson was so fortunate as to receive his preparatory education under the famous Carlisle P. Beaman, LL. D., of Mount Zion, Hancock County, Ga., and upon leaving his institution, in 1857, he entered the freshman class in the Athens (Ga.) University, in which he remained three and a half years, afterward entering the University of Virginia, attending the law department of the same until the opening of the Civil War. He was admitted to the bar in Virginia in 1861, but did not practice in that State, as he gave up all his previous hopes and ambitions to enter the Confederate army. He enlisted in Company A, First Arkansas Regiment, as a private, serving until August of that year, when he was discharged on account of sickness, and returned to his home in Arkansas. At the expiration of five months he had recovered sufficiently to again enlist in behalf of the Confederacy, this time becoming a member of the Army of the Tennessee, under A. S. Johnston, serving as a private in the battle of Shiloh. He was then detailed as division clerk of the pay department, in which capacity he served until May, 1864, when he was transferred to Capt. James’ company, Harrison’s cavalry, afterward taking part in the engagement at Hadnot’s Crib and numerous severe skirmishes. He still has the gun which was carried by him through the war. He was married, in 1864, to Miss Mary J. Finley, a daughter of James and Mary A. (Aiken) Finley, who were born in Alabama, and moved to Arkansas, settling in Union County about 1850. To Mr. Jameson and his wife the following children were born: William F. (who died in 1868), Mary A., Lucy, Ida T., M. A. H., Marcus D., John S., and Robert (who died in June, 1883). Mary A. was married in December, 1887, to J. C. McKinnie, who resides in Lapile, Ark. After the adoption of the constitution of 1874, and the whites had gained control of the State government, Mr. Jameson permitted his name to be used at the first election for the office of county and probate judge, to which office he was elected, and served two years. He then resumed the practice of law, and has continued the same successfully up to the present time. He was elected to the General Assembly of the State for the term of 1888, and has served as special circuit judge a number of times. He was employed by the Government to prosecute, together with Jesse B. Moore and William F. Wallace, in the noted Bill Skim murder case, and defended in the Brazwell murder case, in each case of which he was successful. He was engaged by the defendant in the mysterious John Kelly case, in the Eastern District of Union County, and defendant was cleared. In the practice of his profession and the management of his cases, he displays considerable ability and sagacity. He is the owner of 980 acres of land, is a member of the Masonic fraternity, becoming first a member of Mount Carmel Lodge, which was then located at Pigeon Hill, Ark., and at New London, Ark., he was made a Master Mason. He joined the K. of H. at El Dorado, in 1880. He and family are members of the Presbyterian Church.