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Below is a family biography included in the Woodruff County portion of Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern 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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J. W. Buster & Bro. Throughout Woodruff County and vicinity there is probably no more favorably known business firm than that of Buster Bros., which has been established since 1877. They are careful and painstaking buyers, and are thrifty merchants, strictly attending to business, thereby gaining a large share of the county’s patronage. They established the post-office at Riverside, and kept it in charge for two years. Conjointly the members of the firm own 500 acres of land, with about 270 under cultivation. Their parents, Samuel and Emily K. (Lewis) Buster, were of Virginia and Alabama, respectively, and were married in Germantown, Shelby County, Tenn. In 1850 they came to Arkansas, and located in Woodruff County, where the father purchased a farm, cultivating and living on it until his death, which occurred in 1852, that of his wife occurring in 1880. To the father and mother was born a family of eight children, three now living: John W., Lucy and Thomas M. The latter was born in Shelby County, Tenn., January 4, 1844, but was principally reared in the home of his parents’ adoption (Woodruff County), and from his earliest youth has given much of his attention and time to farming, and in connection with his duties at the store assists his brother in the management of their extensive plantation. Thomas M. was married, in 1872, to Miss Rebecca Bellington, who departed this life in 1879, leaving two children: Fannie and Rebecca. He and his brother are Masons, having been initiated into the secrets and sworn allegiance to this society; they also belong to the K. of H. J. W. Buster came into this world in 1834, and like his brother, spent most of his boyhood and received his education in the State of Tennessee. During the war he enrolled himself with the Fifth Arkansas Regiment, was wounded by a gunshot at Mark’s Mills, and was captured at Decatur, Ala., but managed to make his escape. He served until the surrender, which sounded the bugle-note of peace, then returned home. He is unmarried.

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This family biography is one of 69 biographies included in the Woodruff County portion of Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Woodruff County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Woodruff County, Arkansas family biographies here: Woodruff County, Arkansas

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