My Genealogy Hound

James Hoey, hardware merchant, was born at Port Arlington, Queens County, Ireland, December 23, 1833, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Bennett) Hoey. When seventeen James crossed the ocean to seek his fortune in America, and upon landing came west almost immediately. For a few years he engaged in carpentering at Leavenworth, and in 1860 he came to Fort Smith, where he worked as master mechanic for the Government. He enlisted for three months in the Third Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, as second lieutenant, and at the expiration of that time entered Company A of the Seventeenth Arkansas Infantry, Confederate Army, in which he served throughout the war. He was taken a prisoner at Iuka, and held seven months at St. Louis, Memphis and Fort Delaware. He was exchanged at City Point, Va., and then served on Gen. Feathertour’s staff, as assistant inspector, until he could join his regiment at Crystal Springs, Miss., in the fall of 1863. After the war he was employed in the Government shops at Fort Smith, until the Government post was disbanded. He then worked at his trade in the Indian Territory, and finally engaged in the lumber business at Atoka until 1877, when he embarked in the sash, door and lumber trade at Fort Smith. In 1884 he abandoned the lumber business and started a hardware store, and is now furnishing builder’s materials. While at Leavenworth, Kas., he married Miss Ann Reilly, a native of County Cavan, Ireland. Himself ad wife are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Hoey is a member of the board of sewer commissioners of Fort Smith, and an enterprising citizen.