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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Nevada 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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Oliver S. Jones, a prominent resident of Prescott, was born in Gwinnett County, Ga., August 18, 1842, a son of Smith and Anna (Butler) Jones, natives of Georgia. His parents emigrated to Arkansas in the fall of 1859, locating in Izard County, where they both died. The father was a farmer by occupation. They were the parents of nine children, four of whom are still living. The subject of this sketch was principally raised in Georgia, where he received his education, and at the age of seventeen came with his parents to this State. In 1861 he enlisted at Batesville, Ark., in Company B, Eighth Arkansas Infantry, and after serving nearly a year as private was promoted to first lieutenant, in which capacity he remained until the surrender. September 20, 1863, at Chickamauga, he was struck by a grape shot and quite severely wounded. He was captured and held as a prisoner at Johnson’s Island, where he was kept until the last Confederate company surrendered—June 14, 1865, nearly two years. He was in command of his company at the time of his capture. After the war closed he returned to Izard County, where he remained for a short time, settling up his father’s estate (his father having died during his service) for his mother. In 1866 he went to Jacksonport, Ark., remaining a short time. In the fall of 1866 he went to Camden, Ark., and carried on his trade until the fall of 1874, and then came to Prescott, where he has since carried on business quite successfully. He was among the first to espouse the Greenback cause, and has been a zealous advocate of the Jefferson idea of finance, or an American financial system for Americans, since 1878. He was elected to the Arkansas Legislature on the Union Labor ticket in 1888, and served for one term. In January, 1868, he was married to Miss Sallie E. Meredith, who bore him six children and died March 29, 1879. He was married, a second time, in 1880, to Miss Maggie E. Home, and by her has three children, all living.

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This family biography is one of 96 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Nevada County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Nevada County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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