My Genealogy Hound

David F. Hope, one of West Fork Township’s most prominent farmers and stock raisers, was born in Campbell County, Tenn., in 1829. His grandfather Hope came from England with his wife, who was born there, to America at an early day and located in Tennessee; on the Tennessee River, where he followed the occupation of ship carpenter. He reared his family in Knoxville, Tenn., and was one of the prominent men of that section of the country, dying at the age of seventy years, having lived an honorable, active and useful life. His wife died at the advanced of one hundred years. Their son, Thomas Hope, was born and reared to manhood in Knoxville, Tenn., and learned the ship carpenter’s trade of his father, after which he located in Campbell County, Tenn., where he entered a large tract of land and became an extensive slave owner. He was married in Campbell County to Miss Nancy Smith, and by her became the father of ten children. His death occurred at the age of forty-five years, but his widow, who is a member of an old North Carolina family, was born in Tennessee, and is still living and resides with her son Jordan on the old plantation in Campbell County. David F. Hope is their third son, and was educated in the schools of Knoxville. He came to Arkansas in 1851, where he learned the blacksmith’s trade, and was married, in 1853, to Louisa Johnson, daughter of James Johnson, by whom he is the father of the following children: Martha J., wife of J. R. Stockbuger; James T.; Mary E., wife of James Basset; Sarah A., wife of Mark Little; Hugh R., John F., Louisa T. C. (deceased); Nancy C., wife of William Yorks, Alice, Benjamin., George D., an infant deceased, and Elizabeth. After his marriage Mr. Hope located on the West Fork of White River, in Washington County, where he made his home until 1866, and then purchased his present farm of 240 acres. He has eighty acres of improved land, on which is a neat and commodious two-story frame dwelling house, and after years of well-spent labor is now living at his ease, surrounded by the comforts which he has richly earned.