Biography of William R. Brooksher, M. D.

WILLIAM R. BROOKSHER, M. D. As a successful physician Dr. Brooksher has done much for the cause of suffering humanity, and has won honor and the evidences of deserved success for himself. While engaged in the cares of his profession, he has not forgotten to fulfill the demands of good citizenship, and no enterprise of a worthy public nature has appealed in vain to him for support. He was born in Bartow County, Ga., in 1864, a son of William R. Brooksher, Sr., a sketch of whom precedes this. Dr. Brooksher was reared on the old home farm in this … Read more

Biography of George F. Elam, M. D.

The physician is a man who inspires confidence because he is worthy of it. His humanity is expressed and his interest in his patients is intensified by reason of the concern he has for them, as well as for the experience he may gain that may be for the benefit of future sufferers. A student who loves knowledge and a physician devoted to his profession, he is a careful investigator, and gives all the time he can find in his busy life to books and periodicals devoted to medicine and surgery. Such a man cannot fail to grow steadily in … Read more

Biography of De Roos Bailey

Of the younger element of our prominent, energetic and influential citizens, none are better known than De Roos Bailey, one of the distinguished attorneys of the northwestern part of Arkansas, whose home is at Harrison. During the years that he has practiced his profession here he has shown that he is endowed with superior ability, and his comprehensive knowledge of the law, together with the soundness of his judgment, secured his almost immediate recognition at the bar. Since that time to the present he has so identified himself with the affairs of his section that its history can-not be recorded … Read more

Biography of J. J. Keeter

J. J. KEETER. He whose name heads this sketch is one of the practical and successful farmers of Marion County, Arkansas, and has made his way to the front ranks among the energetic farmers of the county, owing to the attention he has always paid to each minor detail, and his desire to keep out of old ruts. He is a native of the Old North State, his birth occurring January 5, 1834, a son of James and Elizabeth (Justice) Keeter, who were born and spent their lives in North Carolina, of which State the paternal grandfather, John Keeter, was … Read more

Biography of J. W. Black

Notwithstanding the fact that Marion County, Arkansas, is well known for its efficient, faithful and energetic county officials, none deserves more honorable recognition than J. W. Black, who is the present incumbent of the county recorder and circuit court clerk’s office. He has made his home in Marion County since 1861, but owes his nativity to the Old North State where he first opened his eyes on the light March 16, 1857. His parents being James and Nancy (Burleson) Black, both of whom were born in North Carolina and came to Arkansas in 1861, locating in Marion County. The father … Read more

Leek, Velma Dolly Pendergraft Mrs. – Obituary

Velma Dolly Leek, 92, a former North Powder resident, died Aug. 22, 2003, at Yellville, Ark. Her graveside funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at North Powder Cemetery. Pastor Lenny Spooner of the First Church of the Nazarene will officiate. Visitations will be from noon to 8 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Velma was born Sept. 19, 1910, to Jim Vaughn and Ellen Pendergraft at Rock Bridge, Mo. She married Clarence Leek at Gainsville, Mo., on Feb. 4, 1932. The couple moved to Prineville where they remained until 1960. While at Prineville, … Read more

Biography of I. C. Wilson

I. C. WILSON. This gentleman is one of the oldest pioneers of Marion County, and his name is so inseparably mixed with its progress and welfare that to leave it out of this work would be like the play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out. He was born in North Carolina February 2, 1814. Of that State his parents, James and Celia (Askew) Wilson, were also natives. In 1845 they turned their faces westward, eventually landed in Arkansas, and here they breathed their last, the father’s death occurring in Yellville at about the age of sixty-seven years, and the mother’s … Read more

Biography of W. C. McBee

There are lines of business in which good management is everything, and to this essential merit, coupled with large experience and accurate judgment, is due the success which has attended the mercantile business of W. C. McBee, of McBee’s Landing, Marion County, Arkansas This wide-awake man of affairs is a native of Mississippi County, Missouri, where he was born August 25, 1848, to S. E. and Lucy (Blackburn) McBee, both of whom were born on Kentucky soil, the former being of Irish lineage, and descended from one who fought for the Colonial cause in the Revolutionary War. S. E. McBee … Read more

Biography of J. E. Wickersham

J. E. WICKERSHAM. The evolutions in the industrial world and the improved modes of manufacturing things have been marvelous in the past half century, and scarcely an industry exists that has been left untouched by the spirit of reform. The demand of the age is for labor-saving machinery, improved tools and appliances, and short cuts generally to desired ends. The general hardware store is an excellent means of supplying the demand. An excellent establishment of this kind is owned by J. E. Wickersham, of Yellville, of which city he is a native. His parents, James and Narcissus (Hamblet) Wickersham, have … Read more

Biography of W. Q. Seawel

This gentleman has for years devoted his attention to mercantile pursuits, is a practical, experienced man, thoroughly conversant with the business in all its branches, and his establishment is a most reliable one at which to deal. He was born in Cannon County, Tennessee, January 3, 1844, and since 1869 has been a resident of Yellville, whither he came from Buffalo City, Arkansas, where he had located in 1867. His parents were Francis M. and Anna E. (Bates ) Seawel, who were born, reared and married in Tennessee. They removed to Arkansas in 1856, and here the father engaged in … Read more

Biography of W. R. Jones

The subject of this sketch was born in Wayne County, Illinois, December 1, 1861. His father and mother were born in Illinois; both his grandfathers were born in Kentucky, and his great-grand-father, Cadwaledar Jones, was born in South Carolina. His ancestors took a prominent part in the Revolutionary War, one of them, Robert Anderson, being a chieftain along with Marion and Sumter. The Jones family originally came from Wales. The Anderson family, into which the grandfather of the subject of this sketch married, came from Ireland. The Staten family, into which the father of the subject of this sketch married, … Read more

Biography of G. W. McDowell

This gentleman is one of the oldest and most reliable merchants of Yellville, and is in every way deserving the large patronage which he commands. He has been a resident of the town since 1868, but owes his nativity to the Old Dominion, where he first opened his eyes upon the light April 12, 1832, his parents being Thomas and Rebecca (Lytle) McDowell, the former of whom was born on the Isle of Erin, and came with a brother to the United States about 1800. He-settled in Virginia and his brother in one of the Carolinas, and he became a … Read more

Biography of James M. Coker M.D.

JAMES M. COKER, M. D. He whose name heads this sketch is a successful practicing physician who has no pet theories to demonstrate at the risk of his patients’ lives, and who is prouder of the confidence reposed in him by the numerous first-class families whom he counts among his patrons than he could possibly be of any fame that could come to him through the following of any fancy calculated to move him. He was born in Marion County, Arkansas, April 28, 1853, the second child of William L. and Elizabeth (Hudspeth) Coker, natives of this State, and grandson … Read more

Biography of A. S. Layton

A. S. LAYTON. “The banking business is a clean and honorable one, and most astute and able minds of the country find in that line the most congenial work. No branch of business in America can make a stronger showing of solid thinkers, brilliant financiers or more subtle organizers, and A. S. Layton, the founder of the Bank of Yellville, Arkansas, is regarded as one of these. He was born in Greene County, Missouri, January 11, 1843, a son of Augustus S. and Ellen (Scott) Layton, the former a native of Spottsylvania County, Virginia, born in 1813, and a son … Read more

Biography of John J. Morrow, M. D.

JOHN J. MORROW, M. D. Health is the most precious gift of nature, and how to retain it and how to regain it when lost are matters of vital moment. For this the physician’s services are often required, and it is therefore most necessary that he should be a man of intelligence, well-posted in his profession and conscientious and painstaking in his practice. These requirements are possessed by Dr. John J. Morrow, who is an exceptionally successful physician of Gassville, Baxter County, Arkansas He was born at McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee, October 27, 1861, a son of D. G. and … Read more

Biography of J. S. Cowdrey

Among the representative business men of Yellville, Arkansas, none hold a more prominent place than J. S. Cowdrey, whose high reputation and material prosperity came as the reward of unusual natural abilities, industriously applied. The establishment which he now owns has a good share of patronage and support, and his trade is increasing in a very flattering manner. He was born in this county July 15, 1846, a son of Dr. J. M. and Agnes (McCubbin) Cowdrey, who were among the early pioneers of this section of the country. Dr. James M. Cowdrey, the father, was born in South Carolina … Read more

Biography of H. A. Young

H. A. YOUNG. Since 1868 this worthy business man has made his home in Marion County, Arkansas, and for the past twenty years he has been very successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits, the liberal patronage which he receives being a hearty indorsement of his upright methods of conducting his affairs. He was born in northern Georgia June 17, 1848, a son of John and Evaline (Hicks) Young, both of whom died many years ago, the father while on his way home from the gold fields of California in 1848. His family consisted of four children: H. A. and Mary J., … Read more

Biography of J. H. Berry

This gentleman is one of the oldest residents of Marion County, Arkansas, and through his enterprise, energy and push he has done much to make that section the prosperous region that it is. He was born in Washington County, Virginia, April 26, 1824, being the third of eight children born to Samuel and Sarah (Hickey) Berry, the former of whom was born in Washington County, Virginia, in 1796, his parents being William and Elizabeth (Duff) Berry. William Berry was a Virginian also, but his father, John Berry, was a native of the State of New York, and in his day … Read more

Biography of William C. McEntire

WILLIAM C. MCENTIRE. This substantial citizen owes his nativity to the Old North State, where he was born February 5, 1838, a son of Champion and Sarah (Waters) McEntire, both of whom were born in North Carolina in 1806, and on January 10, 1846, landed in Yellville, Arkansas, in which place they lived for one year prior to moving to Bruno. They purchased a claim near this place, and here made their home until the father’s death, March 2, 1879. He was a Union sympathizer during the war, and at that time was a resident in Greene County, Missouri After … Read more

Biography of James Small, M. D.

JAMES SMALL, M. D. The physician is one who inspires confidence because he is worthy of it. His humanity is expressed in the interest he takes in his patient’s welfare, as well as for the experience he may gain while pursuing the paths of this his arduous profession, in order to benefit future sufferers. Dr. Small is one of the old practitioners of southern Missouri, and is living in Smallett. He was born in McMinn County, East Tennessee, October 28, 1841, a son of James and Mary A. (Wallace) Small, the former of whom was born in Kentucky about 1802. … Read more