My Genealogy Hound

William A. Terry, president of the Bentonville Bank, and dealer in dry goods, merchandise, etc., at Bentonville, was born in Glasgow, Barren Co., Ky., in 1844, and is the son of Bennett W. and Ruth (McDanial) Terry. The father was born in Botetourt County, Va., in 1801, was of Irish descent, and a farmer by occupation. When a young man he immigrated to Kentucky, was married there, and there died in 1877. His wife was born in Virginia in 1805, was of Scotch-Irish descent, and died in 1877. She was the mother of nine children, eight of whom lived to be grown: Mrs. Josephine Hall, Mrs. Louise Jeffries, Mrs. Sarah Burks, Samuel (deceased), Louis D. (deceased), John F. (deceased), Christopher and William A. The last named was reared on the farm until fourteen years of age, and received a good practical education in the common schools. He then left home and began working for himself, as clerk in a dry goods house in Horsewell, Barren Co., Ky. He there continued for about two years, when the war broke out, and he enlisted in Company F, Sixth Regiment Kentucky Infantry, September, 1861, and was in the Confederate service from that time until May 20, 1865, when he surrendered at Glasgow, Ky. He was in the battle of Shiloh, first fight at Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, Murfreesboro, and all the engagements from Dalton to Jonesboro. He was held a prisoner for twenty days. After this he was sent to Kentucky as a recruiting officer, and held the rank of first lieutenant when he was eighteen years old. After the war he attended school for about five months, in Logan County, Ky., and at the end of that time he hired to a merchant at Red Sulphur Springs, in Macon County, Tenn., and had the management of the establishment. At the end of one year he gave up the position and went to Milligan, Tex., and clerked in a hotel three months, after which he clerked in a store on Brazos River for some time. He then sold sewing machines for the following six months. When he commenced he had $500. When he quit he was minus that sum. In 1868 he went to Dallas, Tex., and here clerked for three years. He then bought a stock of goods and commenced on his own responsibility at Breckinridge, Tex. At the end of one year he sold out and returned to Dallas, Tex. In October, 1871, he married Miss Kate Smart, a native of Oxford, Calhoun Co., Tex., born in 1849, and the daughter of Dr. John Smart, of Bentonville, Ark. Mrs. Terry died in 1873, and the following year Mr. Terry moved to Bentonville, Ark., where he has since been engaged in merchandising, and where he has met with good success in all his undertakings. He is a marked business manager, courteous, obliging and sociable. He married for his second wife Miss Susan Smart, sister of the first wife and a native of the same county, born in 1852. They have two living children; William A., Jr., and Kate. In April, 1887, Mr. Terry became interested in the Bentonville Bank, was elected president of the same, and now holds that position. He is a Democrat in politics, casting his first vote for Tilden in 1876; is a member of the K. of P. and also ancient member of the K. of H.