Goodspeed's History of . . . Carroll County, Arkansas

Biographical Appendix, pp. 1061-1079 [ J - Y ]

Many of the Goodspeed biographies for Carroll County have already been transcribed and submitted to the Archives. Those names appear below as links and go to the transcriptions in the Archives. 

Johnston, Dr. William W.

Dr. William W. Johnston is of Scotch-Irish extraction, and was born in Jefferson County, Ind., on November 10, 1838. His parents, Nathaniel D. and Sarah J. (Arbuckle) Johnston, now reside on a farm in Knox County, Ind. Douglas Johnston, the great grandfather of our subject, came to the United States from Scotland, and was among the early settlers of Pennsylvania. He located in Westmoreland County, and there reared his family. Thence the grandfather of our subject, when a young man, removed to Knox County, Ohio. He served as captain in the War of 1812, and was for over thirty years engaged in merchandising at Martinsburg, Ohio. Here Nathaniel D. Johnston was born and reared. In early life the latter learned the tanner's trade, but for the last twenty years he has been engaged in farming. The maternal ancestry is traced back to the great-grandfather, who came from County of Antrim, Ireland, and settled in Westmoreland County, Penn. From there the maternal grandfather removed to Knox County, Ohio, where he afterward lived and died. Dr. William W. Johnston is the eldest of a family of seven children. He was reared in Coshocton County, Ohio, and secured a good education. His literary education was obtained at West Bedford Academy, in Ohio, and his professional in the Eclectic Medical Institute, of Cincinnati, Ohio. During the war he served as assistant surgeon in the Eighty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was one of the youngest medical officers in the army. Prior to the war he had practiced two years at Centreville, Ind., and upon returning home was appointed assistant surgeon on the board of enrollment for the Seventh Congressional District of Indiana. After the war he located in Macon County, Ill., and practiced his profession for five years, when, on account of ill health, he abandoned his profession for one year, but resided in Illinois, engaged in his professional duties, until January, 1880, when he came to Eureka Springs. Since then he has practiced his profession continuously, and is one of the leading physicians of the city. On December 12, 1861, he was united in marriage with Marcia R. Conant, a daughter of Rev. Cyrus W. Conant, of Worthington, Ind., and to them have been born six children: Edith (Mrs. H. M. Gray), of Carthage, Mo.; Nannie J., a stenographer, of St. Louis; William W., Jr., Marcia C., Gertrude and Paul. Both the Doctor and wife are consistent Christians, and are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which the former has been an elder for the last twenty-one years. He was instrumental in organizing the Presbyterian Church at Eureka Springs. In politics he is a Republican, and was a delegate to the Chicago Convention in 1888. As he is widely and favorably known, he is one of the leading members of his party in Northwest Arkansas. He is also interested in educational work, and is at present secretary of the board of education at Eureka Springs.

Jones, R. H.

Judge R. H. Jones, an influential citizen and prominent attorney of Berryville, Ark., was born in Grainger County, Tenn., October 14, 1849, and is a son of Capt. Clinton A. Jones and Ruth D. (Bragg) Jones. Judge R. H. Jones was reared in his native State, and secured a good common-school education. He came with his father's family to Carroll County in 1861. Soon after he enlisted in the Confederate army, and being assigned to the Sixteenth Arkansas Infantry, served until the close of the war. Returning home, he soon after began reading law at Hamburg, Ark., and was there admitted to the bar in 1866. A short time afterward he located at Carrollton, and began practicing his profession, which he continued at that place until 1878, when he removed to Berryville, where he has since resided and practiced law. In 1886 he was elected county and probate judge, but, after serving eighteen months, resigned the position that he might give his whole attention to his profession. He is considered one of the best judges of law and one of the ablest attorneys of the county. Politically he is a stanch Democrat. His marriage with Mrs. Caroline Burton, a native of New York and daughter of Alfred Jones (deceased), was celebrated at Carrollton in March 1870, and to their union have been born two children: Dr. Elmer Jones and Lily. Mrs. Jones is an active member of the Christian Church. The Judge is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

Jones, Jerome E.

Jerome E. Jones, a prominent attorney of Berryville, Ark., was born in Grainger County, Tenn., on October 17, 1852. His parents, Capt. Clinton A. Jones and Ruth D. (Bragg) Jones, were also natives of Tennessee. After his marriage Capt. Clinton A. Jones located in Tennessee, and resided there until the fall of 1861, when he came to Arkansas, locating in Carroll County. In the same fall he enlisted in the Confederate army, joining a company that was organized in the county, of which he was made captain. At the battle of Corinth he was taken prisoner, but was afterward exchanged and returned to his regiment. When hostilities ceased he returned to Carroll County, and remained there the rest of his life, his death occurring on April 12, 1881. By occupation he was a farmer and merchant. Jerome E. Jones came to Arkansas with his parents. His education, which was begun in the common schools, was finished in a private school at Carrollton. He taught school in the county for about three years, and in 1873 began reading law at Carrollton.The next year he was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of his profession there. In 1880 he was elected circuit and county clerk and recorder of Carroll County, and at the expiration of his first term was re-elected to the same offices. At the expiration of his second term he resumed the practice of law, in partnership with his brother, Judge R. H. Jones. The brothers were engaged in the newspaper business for about two years, but they sold out, and have since given their attention to their profession. In politics our subject has always held to the principles and supported the men of the Democratic party. Mr. Jones has been twice married. He was first married, in 1874, to Estella May Britton, a native of Wisconsin, who was reared and educated in her native State. This wife died on August 19, 1876, and Mr. Jones was married again, October 30, 1880 to Avo Scarborough, a native of Tennessee, who was reared in Carrollton, and educated at Prof. Clarke's Academy. She is a daughter of William B. and Minerva Scarborough. Her father is dead. Mrs. Jones is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of four children: Fenton, Mina, William and Zella.

Jordan, John D.

Dr. John D. Jordan, a leading physician of Eureka Springs, located there in February, 1887, from Prescott, Nevada Co., Ark., where he had practiced his profession for ten years. He was born February 17, 1846, and is the sixth of a family of eight children of Benjamin F. and Elvira (Bylor) Jordan. Benjamin F. Jordan was of Irish descent, and was born in Tennessee in 1808. In 1844 he came to Washington County, Ark., and located on a farm, which he managed until his death in 1868. His wife was born in Tennessee in 1809, of German parentage. She died in 1866. Dr. John D. Jordan was reared on his father's farm, in Washington County, and it was there that he secured his literary education by his own personal efforts. In 1870 he entered the university at Louisville, Ky., and graduated with the degree of M.D. in 1872, and soon after entered upon the practice of his profession in his native county. After four years' practice there he removed to Prescott, and thence to Eureka Springs, as before stated. He now controls a large and lucrative practice, and is one of the leading physicians of the county. January 7, 1874, he was united in marriage with Jennie Weaver, of Columbia County, Ark., and to them have been born six children, viz.: Myron D., Larkin F., Emma D., Carrie S., Lydia and Lillie R. Both the Doctor and his wife are members of the Christian Church. He is a Mason, and a member of the State Medical Association, also of the County Medical Association, of which he was president a number of years and is the present treasurer.

Kirkham, James W.

James W. Kirkham was born near Carrollton, Carroll Co., Ark., in November, 1861, and is a son of W. P. Kirkham and Nancy Harvey, natives of Georgia. The parents were reared and married in their native State, and removed to Arkansas about 1850, locating in Carroll County, where they still reside. James W. Kirkham grew to manhood on his father's farm, and when sixteen years of age was employed as clerk in Mr. Nunnally's store. He continued clerking until 1881, when he became a partner in the store. They have since conducted the business under the firm name of Nunnally & Kirkham. This firm built the Carroll Flouring Mill, which they operate in connection with their mercantile business. They also own three farms in the county, which they have cultivated by renters. Mr. Kirkham's marriage with Lizzie Nunnally was celebrated in this county, November 17, 1880, and to them have been born two children: Leslie and Ethel. Mrs. Kirkham is a native of Missouri, and a sister of Mr. Kirkham's partner. Mr. Kirkham is a young man of good business qualities, who is highly respected.

Webb, Richard

Webb & Brown. The building and operation of the Eureka Springs Roller Mills is due to the energy and enterprise of the firm of Webb & Brown. These gentlemen formed a partnership in 1882 for the operation of a lumber mill, which they continued for about five years. They then built the Roller Mills, which were completed and started early in April, 1888. The building has three stories, contains a full line of Barnard & Leas' mill machinery (Moline, Ill.), and has a capacity of fifty barrels per day. Richard Webb, the senior member of the firm, was born in 1851 in Illinois, and is of the family of Ellis and Elizabeth (Spirloch) Webb. The father was reared in Tennessee, and the mother in Alabama. They were probably married in Tennessee, and when young went to illinois, and about 1853 removed to Missouri, where the father died and the mother is still living. The father was a farmer, and Richard was reared on a farm. He remained with his parents until the age of twenty-two years, when he began dealing in cattle and hogs, in connection with farming, and continued until 1881, when he removed to Eureka Springs, in quest of relief from ill health in his family, and has remained here ever since. In 1873 he was married to Elizabeth Cown, and to them have been born six children, namely: Annie E., Harvey, Josiah, Bazell, Elvina and Rosella. Both Mr. Webb and wife are members of the Christian Church.

William H. D. Brown, the other member of this firm was born in Paris, Ill., in 1855, being the son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Malicoat) Brown. His father was born and reared in North Carolina, and when a young man went to Indiana, whence, after a short time, he removed to Illinois. He did not remain in the latter mentioned State more than two years, but returned to Indiana, enlisted in the army there, and died in the service. He was a blacksmith by occupation. The mother was born in Tennessee, and when young removed to Indiana, where she now resides. William H. D. Brown was reared in Indiana, remaining with his mother until eighteen years of age, when he began the pursuit of his own livelihood, engaging as a farm laborer for three years. He then engaged in farming for himself in Eastern Kansas, and continued for three years, at the end of which time he came to Eureka Springs. In 1878 he was married to Julia A. Webb, a sister of his partner. They have three children living, Carrie E., Elias and Alfred, and three dead. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Brown is a member of the town council. Both Mr. Webb and Mr. Brown are Democrats in politics. They are justly recognized as public spirited and enterprising citizens, and their mill adds a material industrial business to the county.

Biographies in the Archives:

Goodspeed Index

Biographical Appendix A - H