GOODSPEED BIOGRAPHIES
Contributed by Charlene Holland
JAMES OLIVER
James Oliver is a planter and cotton-ginner, residing in Bradley (sic: Brawley) Township, Scott County, Ark., but was born in Tennessee, October 11, 1826, to Jesse and Mary L. (Hise) Oliver, both of whom were born in Virginia. The father was a farmer by occupation, was married in Tennessee, and he and his wife became the parents of seven children of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest, the other members of the family being: William, Mary A. (wife of A. Brownlow), Emeline (wife of Ed Jones), John, George and David. Mr. Oliver was a soldier in one of the Indian wars, and he and his wife spent their lives in Tennessee, both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the time of their deaths. James Oliver was married in Greene County Tenn., in 1838, to Miss Rachel Falls, in which State he was born in October, 1828, and twelve children are the result of their union, ten of whom are now living: John C., Martha E. (widow of William Henry), Jessie E. and Mary E. (twins), Leier L (wife of G. T. Anderson), Johanna (wife of J. E. Oliver), William and two children that died in infancy unnamed. James Oliver was in the Rebellion, enlisting in 1861, in the Confederate Army, and serving until the close of the war, being paroled in Georgia. He has a good steam cotton gin, gristmill and sawmill combined the capacity of the gin being six bales per day. His farm comprises 160 acres of good land, of which 75 are under cultivation, the principle crops raised being action and corn. Mr. Oliver emigrated from Tennessee to Georgia, and in 1866 came to Arkansas, settling in Izard County and in 1880 in Scott County, where he is now living, and where he has made many acquaintances and friends. He is a member of the Farmers' Alliance, and he and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.