William Usery, blacksmith and farmer, Harrisburg, Ark. Tennessee has furnished to this county a number of representative men, and among them might be mentioned William Usery, who was born in Bedford County, of that State, in 1832. He is the son of Allen and F. Elizabeth (Johnson) Usery, both natives of North Carolina, and early settlers of Tennessee, to which State they emigrated in pioneer times. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. William Usery was brought up as an agriculturist, and it was but natural that he should permanently adopt that calling as his life occupation; and this he has always followed. He received his education in the common schools of Tennessee, and at the age of eighteen years learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed in connection with farming. In 1849 he came to St. Francis County, Ark., and worked at his trade for two years.
He was first married in 1851, to Mrs. G. (Stephens) Fisher, and one child was born to this union, Frances, who is now the wife of William A. Garvey, and resides in Poinsett County, Ark. Mrs. Usery died in 1856, and in 1859 Mr. Usery selected his second wife in the person of Mrs. Roxy (Franks) Casbeer, widow of Joseph Casbeer, who was a native of Tennessee, and a farmer by occupation. By her first marriage Mrs. Usery became the mother of three children: Jerusha A., widow of Frank Thiville, a farmer of St. Francis County, who died in 1886, leaving his widow and two children; Thomas and Chessley. Mrs. Usery is the daughter of Chessley and Jerusha (May) Franks, the former a local Methodist Episcopal preacher of Tennessee. Elder Franks came to Arkansas at a very early date, and here married Miss May, a member of one of the oldest families of Northeast Arkansas.
Mrs. Usery is the fourth of eight children born to her parents, her birth occurring in St. Francis County, Ark., in 1829. She spent her school days in that county, and after her marriage to Mr. Usery, in 1859, they resided in St. Francis County for thirteen years. Mr. Usery engaged in blacksmithing and farming. In 1872 he moved to Harrisburg and bought 460 acres of land, but has since sold some of this, and is now the owner of 300 acres adjoining the city, with about fifty acres under cultivation. He lives in the center of this, just across the corporation line. He has the best buildings, the largest orchard, bearing all kinds of fruit, and is considered one of the substantial men of the county. By his marriage were born two children: Florence, wife of a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and residing in Texas, and Annis, wife of George Garvey, a merchant at Harrisburg. Mr. Usery and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a Royal Arch Mason. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. He and his excellent wife can relate some very interesting reminiscences of early times, how lumber was made with a whipsaw, how the clothing and boots and shoes were made by the old settlers, and how Bolivar was at one time the county seat.