Ouachita County

William Cox is a well-known planter and sawmill owner of Ouachita County, but his birth occurred on November 8, 1828, in Hempstead County, Arkansas, he being a son of Abner and Polly A. (Rice) Cox, who were born, reared and married in Missouri. They came to this State at an early day, and settled on a woodland farm, where they spend the rest of their days, the father dying in 1850, and the mother in 1846, she being an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their family consisted of sixteen children- fourteen sons and two daughters- William being the only on e of the family now living. The latter was married April 29, 1855, to Miss Harriet E. Haze, but he was called upon to mourn her death, April 28, 1887, she having borne him the following children: Nancy E. (wife of Joseph Prizzell, residents of this county), and Mollie M. (wife of I. A. Benson, also of this county). In 1880 Mr. Cox took for his second wife Miss Hildah A. Jones. Mr. Cox has been successful in his business enterprises, and is now the owner of 300 acres of good farming land on which is a cotton-gin, grist and saw mill, and a store. In 1862 he enlisted in Company D, Arkansas Confederate Infantry, and was in the battles of Prairie Grove, Mansfied, Jenkins' Ferry, and several skirmishes. Upon the cessation of hostilities he returned home and resumed his farming operations. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and belongs to the Methodist Protestant Church, in which he is a minister. His wife is a member of the Baptist Church, and in his political views he is a Democrat.[INDEX]

Thomas D. Criner, one of the oldest settlers in Marion Township, was born May 7, 1819, in Madison County, Alabama, a son of Joseph and Ellina (Ingram) Criner, natives of Virginia and Tennessee, respectively. Joseph Criner was born in 177-, a son of a Revolutionary soldier, of German descent. Joseph Criner was an old Alabama planter, owning some 500 acres of land, and about fifteen slaves. He died in Alabama about 1842. He was married to the mother of our subject in 180--; she was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee, of Irish descent. She died the same year as her husband. They were the parents of eleven children, only two of whom are now living, viz: The subject of this sketch, and Sarah (now Mrs. Gurley, widow of William Gurley, of Madison County, Alabama). Mr. Criner commenced farming for himself on part of the old homestead before he was twenty-one years of age. In 1842 he left Alabama and came to this State, locating in this county (then a part of Union County) where he entered a tract of land, and later added to it until he owned 1,100 acres. He enlisted in the Confederate service in 1863, in Crawford's regiment of mounted infantry, in which he served until the close of the war, serving as sergeant of his company, and engaged in the battles of Mark's Mill, Poison Springs, Jenkins' Ferry, Mount Elbe and the battles fought during Price's raid through Missouri, in which he took an active part. He reached home in May, 1865. Mr. Criner was married in 1839 to Miss Sarah Walker, a native of Alabama, born in Madison County, in 1820, a daughter of William and Patsy (Jones) Walker. Mrs. Criner died in 1863. She was the mother of ten children, six of whom are still living; viz: Martha J. (unmarried and living at home), Joseph W. (a farmer of this township and also tax assessor and owner of 300 acres of land), Anna Eliza (now Mrs. Smith, of Smackover Township), Idella (now Mrs. Jordan of Clay County, Texas), Sally T. (now Mrs. Wright, of this township), and George T. (a farmer of this township). Mr. Criner is the owner of 600 acres of land with about 100 acres under cultivation; principal crops, cotton and corn. He is a member of the Masonic order and of the County Wheel. He is Democratic in his political views, and is highly respected by all who know him.[INDEX]

Joseph W. Criner is a son of Thomas D. Criner, whose sketch immediately precedes this. He was born in this township, January 25, 1843, a son of Thomas D. and Sarah (Walker) Criner, and was reared and schooled in this county, receiving his education at the common schools of this county. He lived at home until 1861, when he enlisted in the Sixth Arkansas Infantry, in which he served until November, 1861, when he enlisted in the Fifteenth Arkansas Infantry, in which he served until the close of the war, the principal battles in which he participated being Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Perryville, Murfreesboro and Port Hudson. At the latter battle he was captured, was paroled, and returned home; he was then exchanged and was in the battle of Jenkins' Ferry and Mark's Mills. At Fort Donelson he, with the rest of his regiment, was captured, but made his escape the following morning, and again, joined the Sixth Arkansas, with which he served in Bragg's raid through Kentucky, and after the battle of Murfreesboro again joined the Fifteenth Arkansas at Port Hudson. After his return from the army, Mr. Criner commenced farming for himself on a rented farm. The following year (1866) he bought a farm in this township, on which he lived until 1886, when he purchased his present farm. Mr. Criner was married in 1867, choosing as his companion in life Miss Mary A. Wright, who was born in Mississippi in 1846, the daughter of John Wright, a merchant of Buena Vista. The fruits of this union have been six children, all living, viz: Sally, Jennie, Ada, Corinne, Eliza and Eva. Mr. Criner owns 400 acres of land, with about 130 acres under cultivation, which he devotes principally to cotton and corn. He is a Democrat, politically, taking an active interest in the politics of his county. In 1888 he was elected tax assessor, and is now serving in that capacity; he has also held the office of justice of the peace of this township for four years. Mrs. Criner is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Criner is a member of the Masonic order, of the Arcanum, and also of the Agricultural Wheel. He is a public-spirited man, well known throughout the county, and takes a prominent part in all work for the welfare of the community.[INDEX]

Francis M. Cross, an old settler, and a highly respected farmer of Marion Township, is a native of Tennessee, born in Greene County, that State, December 31, 1809, a son of Shadarack and Margaret (Frances) Cross, natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively, the former a farmer by occupation, dying in Tennessee in 1841, and the latter dying in 1833, at the age of fifty, both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The father was born in 1874, a son of Henry and Lydia (Morris) Cross, natives of Maryland, of Scotch-Irish descent, and was the father of eight children, but two of whom survive, the subject of this sketch and Andrew Jackson Cross, a resident of Texas. Mr. Cross, the subject of this sketch, was married in Tennessee in 1834, to Miss Susan Amanda Parr, born October 28, 1815, a daughter of William and Dolly (Johnson) Parr, natives of Virginia, and immediately after his marriage moved to Western Tennessee and engaged in farming until 1844, when he came to Arkansas and located in this county, where he entered a tract of wild land. In 1853 he purchased his present farm of 200 acres, which was partially improved. He now owns 20 acres of land, which he devotes chiefly to corn, but raises some cotton. Mr. and Mrs. Criner have had eleven children, seven of whom are now living, viz: Pleasant M. (known as Plas. Cross, a merchant of Senter), Ferdinand (a farmer of this township), Emeline (now Mrs. Harwell of Louisiana), Fanny (unmarried, and living at home), Sophia (now Mrs. Crawford of Magnolia), Micaber (a merchant of Pine Bluff) and Frank (a broker of Pine Bluff). Mr. Cross is a prominent Democrat of Ouachita County, and takes an active part in politics of his county. He held the office of county treasurer for two terms, from 1878 to 1882, and has also served as justice of the peace several times before and one since the war. Both he and wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Cross is a member of the Masonic order, and is one of the well-known men of Marion Township, is highly respected and takes an active interest in all work for the good of the community.[INDEX]

James C. Culp, Sr., is a member of the successful mercantile firm of Culp & Agee, of Lilley, Arkansas, and he is postmaster of that place. He was born in Huntsville, Alabama, July 20, 1837, and is a son of John M. and Maria (Cromer) Culp, who were born, reared, married and spent their lives in Alabama, the former dying in 1848, and the latter in 1840. The former was a detective by profession, and for some time deputy sheriff of Madison County, Alabama, being elected by the Democratic party, of which he had long been a member. He was about fifty-two years of age at the time of his death, and was a son of John Frederick Culp, a native of Germany, who came to the United States at an early day, and located in Madison County, Alabama, where he spent the rest of his days. James C. Culp came with his father to Ouachita County, Arkansas, and here spent his school days, and after starting out in life for himself, hired out to a clothier for three years, at $35 per year. He then turned his attention to steamboating on the Mississippi and White Rivers, and acted as mate of a number of different boats, and in time became commander of the old "Col. Drennon," and later of "Young America."In 1856 he began farming in Ouachita County, continuing until 1858, when he spent on year in school, and during 1859-60 acted as overseer in Hempstead County, at $500 per year. Upon the opening of the war he cast his lot with the Confederacy, and became a member of the Thirty-third Arkansas Infantry, going out as third Lieutenant and coming back as first lieutenant of Company K. He was in the battles of Prairie Grove, Pleasant Hill, and Mansfield, Camden, and Jenkins' Ferry, besides many skirmishes, and during his time of service was neither wounded nor taken prisoner. After the war he turned his attention to farming, and his first purchase of land was forty acres, but he is now the owner of 1,800 acres, all valuable land, a goodly portion of which is under cultivation. Since 1887 he has been associated in the mercantile business with Philip Agee, and in this enterprise is succeeding far beyond his expectations. He has also been postmaster of Lilly since that date. On February 7, 1861, he was married to Miss Rebecca, a daughter of John G. and Celia J. Chambliss. She was born in Tennessee, in 1839, and she and Mr. Culp are the parents of one daughter: Susan C., now the wife of J. E. Fultze, who is a successful farmer of this county. Mr. Culp is a Mason, and in his political views is a Democrat.[INDEX]

Eli Lide Dawson, M. D., is a leading physician of Buena Vista, and of Marion Township. The South Carolina branch of the Dawson family has been and is distinguished throughout the South for its wealth and culture, numbering among its members and being connected in matrimonial relations with many of the old planters and leading men in business and politics throughout that State, and retaining much of the old time spirit, which esteems with just pride the memory of a virtuous and honorable ancestry. The founder of this branch of the family was John Dawson, who was born April 14, 1735, at Rowell, Westmoreland, England, and who emigrated to the American colonies and settled in South Carolina, previous to 1759, locating at Charleston, where he engaged in the mercantile business, becoming one of the leading and most popular merchants of that city, also owning several large and extensive plantations. He was one of the leading men, in politics of that State, and was a member of the South Carolina Convention of May 1788, which adopted the Federal Constitution of the United States. He died May 7, 1812, leaving a large estate. Mr. Dawson was married in South Carolina, October 9, 1760, to Miss Joanna Broughton Monch. She was born at Milton Plantation, Parish of St. John, Berkeley, South Carolina, October 7, 1743, and was the daughter of Col. Thomas Monch, and granddaughter of Col. Thomas Broughton. She died July 5, 1819, leaving eleven children, all now deceased, viz: Mabel, Joanna M., John, Mary, Thomas, Elizabeth, Anna, William, Martha, Lawrence M. and Charles P. John Dawson was born at Charleston, South Carolina, July 8, 1765. He became a large merchant and filled several public offices in his native city, with great credit and honor to himself. He was elected mayor of Charleston in 1806, and held the office three years. He was also one of the trustees of the Orphan Asylum, and on account of his benevolence to the poor, was called the "Howard of Charleston". In 1811, he became cashier of the State Bank of Charleston, which position he held until his death, which occurred June 3, 1823. He is said that when a boy of fifteen he ran away from home and joined the continental army, under Gen. Greene, shortly before the battle of Eutaw Springs, in which he took part. His father wrote Gen. Greene, who sought him out and caused him to be sent home. He was married, November 17, 1788, to Miss Mary Huger, daughter of Col. John Huger, of Huguenot descent, who was a man of large wealth, and filled many positions of honor in society, and who was one of the members of the Council of Safety for the Province of South Carolina, which was composed of twelve of the most prominent gentleman of the province, nominated and appointed by the Provincial Congress, in 1775. Mrs. Dawson died November 11, 1823, leaving twelve children, the sixth of whom, Lawrence Edwin, is the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He was born in Charleston, December 9, 1799. He studied law under Col. William Drayton, of South Carolina, and was admitted to the bar January 12, 1821; he was also a graduate of Judge Gould's Law School, of Litchfield. He practiced in Charleston until 1829, when he removed to Beaufort District, near Coosawhatchie, where he was engaged in practicing his profession until he was forced to abandon a very heavy and lucrative practice, on account of ill health, in 1834. He then removed to St. John's Parish, Berkeley, where he was occupied in agricultural and literary pursuits until 1842, when he emigrated to Alabama, and at the time of his death had acquired a large and lucrative practice. He was several times a member of the South Carolina Legislature, and in 1833-34 was offered the nomination as Congressman from his district, which he declined, preferring the profession to which he had been reared, and the ease and happiness of domestic life. He was a State's Rights man, and in the exciting contests which resulted in nullification, gave the weight of his influence and talents to what he conscientiously believed to be the true doctrine of the constitution. He was a communicant of the Episcopal Church from his seventeenth year, and as he lived, so he died, February 8, 1848, in his forty-ninth year, a devoted member of that church. He was gifted with a fine and manly person, was tall and well formed, and possessed of features exceedingly striking and attractive. Mr. Dawson was married, in 1826, to Miss Mary Wilkinson Rhodes, of Beaufort, South Carolina, born January 8, 1808, eldest daughter of Dr. Nathaniel H. Rhodes, and granddaughter of Paul Hamilton, ex-governor of South Carolina and secretary of the United States Navy under President Madison. Mrs. Dawson died June 6, 1851, leaving six children, Lawrence Edwin Dawson, the fourth of the family, being the father of our subject. He was born in Beaufort District, South Carolina, June 20, 1831, and married, in January, 1853, Caroline E. Lide, daughter of Eli H. Lide, Esq. of Dallas County, Alabama. Eli Lide Dawson, the subject of this sketch, was the second son in a family of nine children, and was born January 3, 1856, in this township, on the farm on which his father first settled on coming to this country. He received a common school education, after which he worked on his father's farm until he was twenty-five years of age; then, in November, 1881, he went to New Orleans and attended the Medical Department of the University of Louisiana (now called the Tulane University), from which he graduated March 29, 1883, having taken two full courses. He then returned to this township, and has been engaged in the practice of medicine in the community in which he was born, until the fall of 1887, when he went to Philadelphia and took a course in the Jefferson Medical College, and from which he graduated April 4, 1888. Since that time he has been engaged in the practice of his chosen profession in this township. Dr. Dawson is a member of the Baptist Church. He owns twenty-five acres of land in Buena Vista, on which he lives. He, also, in partnership with his brother, John Huger Dawson, of this township, has some 1,500 acres of land in this township, of which about 300 acres are under cultivation. The balance is fine timber, mostly pine and white and black oak. Dr. Dawson is a Democrat, but devotes all of his time to his chosen profession, for which he has been rewarded by having the respect and confidence of the community.[INDEX]

Judge J. B. Freidheim was raised and educated in the State of Louisiana. His education was finished at the Louisiana State Seminary and was finished at the Louisiana State Seminary and Military Academy in 1867. (Gen. William T. Sherman was superintendent of the seminary prior to the war). In 1868 he was licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Arkansas. During the war, he, though quite youthful, was engaged on the Rebel side. When Gen. Steele's army was advancing on Camden, he was detailed on a wagon-master and had charge of a train of wagons containing army stores, moving them to Washington, Arkansas. At the close of the war, being about eighteen years old, he entered the above named seminary, and upon the completion of his studies, he located at Camden. Believing the war was an error and it was the duty of every true Southern man to accept the situation and work to make this one grand Union and advance the interests of the Southland, his opinions and sentiments naturally placed him in the ranks of the Republican party, in which he has ever since taken prominent part. He was presidential elector in 1884 and 1888, for this, the Third District. He is now a member of the Republican State Central Committee and also of the State Executive Committee. He has occupied the bench, and is now justice of this township. He is prominently associated with the material progress and development of the community, both in private and public life. He is the secretary and treasurer of the Camden Water Works Company, and the Camden Electric Light & Power Company, also secretary of the Ouachita Valley Fair Association, and the general manager of the Camden, Louisiana & Sabine Passenger Railway Company. He finds time to take interest in the schools and is a director of this school district for a number of years. He ahs been a grand representative in the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows since 1884, and is re-elected for next two years. Judge Freidheim is also a Mason, K. of P., Royal Arcanum, L. of H., and a member of various secret and civic orders and clubs. He was married in 1872 to Miss Melanie Goldsmith of New Orleans, by whom he has four children: Julia G. (aged seventeen, lately graduated with honors at Camden High School), J. Leon, Jr., Harry and Hattie (the latter ten years of age). Judge Freidheim and wife are members of the Jewish Church, Mrs. Freidheim, for a number of years, being in charge of the Sabbath schools. They are both esteemed by the entire community.[INDEX]

Robert P. Frix, one of the leading planters of the county, was born in Cass County, Georgia, April 12, 1854, being a son of Leucelius and Sallie (Ramsey) Frix, natives, respectfully of Tennessee and South Carolina, the former being a planter and carpenter by trade. He was of German descent and was in the late war, enlisting in 1861 in a company of infantry, and died in 1863 while fighting for the cause he espoused. Prior to the war he had removed from Tennessee to Georgia, thence to Arkansas in 1857, entering a woodland farm in Ouachita County, which he immediately began to improve and on which he built a good log house. He was an honored member of the Masonic order, and he and wife were earnest and consistent members of the Baptist Church. Their union was blessed by eight children, four now living: John, Robert, Josephine and Thomas B. Robert P. Frix received the education and rearing which is the lot of the average farmer boy, and in 1877 he was united in the bonds of matrimony to Miss Sallie Donaldson, by whom he became the father of one child, Nesbey L. He was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife by death in 8183, and in the year 1885 he took for his second wife Mrs. Winnie Peterson, widow of William Peterson. Mr. Frix has 115 of his 320 acre farm under cultivation and he is considered one of the thrifty and enterprising tillers of the soil in this section of the country. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a Democrat, politically.[INDEX]

Prof. W. A. Garner, druggist, Stephens, Arkansas. Among the most important as well as popular drug stores in Stephens is that of Prof. W. A. Garner, which contains every requisite and convenience in this line of business and has the reputation of being one of the best and most reliable in town. Prof. garner was born in Darlington, South Carolina, on February 20, 1833, and is the son of Charles W. Garner, and grandson of William Garner. The great-grandfather, John Garner, was a native of North Carolina, and was a solider in the Revolutionary War under Gen. Sumter. C. W. Garner was born in South Carolina on May 28, 1810, and lives at Stephens, and is one of the best preserved octogenarians in Arkansas. He was married in 832 to Miss Winifred Parrott, a native of North Carolina. She was a daughter of Ben J. Parrott, whose father, John Parrott, served through the Revolutionary War under Col. John Washington. After finishing his collegiate education at Trinity College, North Carolina, in 1856, the Professor was elected principal of the Summerton Institute, South Carolina, which he conducted two years, during which time he was happily married to Miss Mary McCallum, of Bishopville, Sumter District, South Carolina, who also was a cultured accomplished teacher, and shoulder to shoulder with her husband has grown gray in the training of now less than 6,000 of the youths of South Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas. Her reputation as a teacher is no less distinguished in Arkansas than her distinguished ancestors, the McCallums, Henegans and Harllees, as politicians and statesmen of South Carolina. In 1860 Prof. Garner as elected president of Hickory Plain Institute, Prairie County, Arkansas. In 1862 he left his school in charge of his accomplished wife, shouldered his musket and served in the Twenty-fifth Arkansas Regiment, Confederate army till the battle of Murfreesboro, in which he was severely wounded. At the surrender he was acting as post quartermaster at Mount Lebanon, Louisiana. Having been paroled by Gen. Camby at Shreveport, Louisiana, he returned to his home and took charge of his school which Mrs. Garner had successfully kept up during the entire war. Prof. Garner has devoted his time since the war in the education of the youths of Arkansas until the last year. Prof.and Mrs. Garner have five children living: Ida (the eldest, the widow of the late Rev. J. J. Jenkins of the Little Rock Conference, lives in Stephens), Leila (wife of Prof. R. M. Hammock, of Mount Holly, Arkansas), Emma, Annie and Jennie (who are conducting a school at Stephen, Arkansas) These accomplished young ladies are laying the foundation for an institution of a high grade of learning.[INDEX]

William M. Gatling is a successful general merchant of Bearden, having commenced business in the spring of 1880, one and one-quarter miles northwest of where Bearden now is, on his farm. A post-office was established there by his name (Gatling). In 1882 and 11883 the St. Louis Arkansas & Texas Railroad was built through this country, and the town of Bearden was established, and in the spring of 1884 he moved his mercantile business to this point. He was born in Fayette County, Tennessee in 1842, being a son of Briggs and Frances M. M. (Willis) Gatling, who were born in Hertford County, North Carolina, in 1817,and Caswell County, North Carolina, in 1818, respectively. They were married in Fayette County, Tennessee, in 1839, and there made their home until 1860, at which time they moved to Dallas County, Arkansas, near Princeton, but are now living at Holly Springs, Mr. Gatling being engaged in tilling the soil. His father, William Gatling, was an Englishman, who died in Hertford County, North Carolina. The maternal grandfather, Rev. Nicholas Willis, was born in the Old North State, and died in Dallas County, Arkansas, near Princeton, having been a Methodist minister for many years. William M. Gatling is the second of nine children, all of whom are living in Dallas and Ouachita Counties, and he was reared to a farm life, and received a fair education in the common schools. In 1862 he joined Company E, First Trans-Mississippi Infantry, and was in the battles of Prairie Grove, Helena, evacuation of Little Rock, besides a number of skirmishes and after being disbanded in 1865, he returned home. He was married on November 1, 1864, to Miss Margaret R., a daughter of Alexander R. and Sarah Sloan, the former of whom is now deceased, his death occurring January 8, 1855. Mrs. Gatling was born in Lawrence County, Arkansas in 1844 and came with her parents to Ouachita County when two years of age. She and her husband have a family of ten children living- nine sons and one daughter. Mr. Gatling is still engaged in farming in connection with his mercantile interests at Bearden, in both of which he is quite successful. He owns 1,600 acres of fine farming land in the county,and in his political views he is a Democrat, and has held the office of justice of the peace for the past eight years. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, and he is Sunday-school superintendent.[INDEX][Page 4]