GOODSPEED BIOGRAPHIES
Contributed by Charlene Holland
THOMAS F. DOLLENS
Few farmers and stock raisers of Hickman Township have been more universally successful than the subject of this sketch, who was born in Audrian County, Mo., in 1837, being a son of William T. and Mary Ann Dollens, the former born in Albemarle County, Va., in 1808, and the latter near Crab Orchard, Ky., in 1813, their marriage being celebrated in the named State, from which they removed to Missouri about 1832, in l846 to Texas, and in 1848 to Scott County, Ark., locating on a farm about four and one-half miles southwest of Waldron, where both passed from life, the father, dying in December, 1856, and the mother in 1880. They were among the pioneers of this section and became well to do in worldly goods. At the time of Mr. Dollens' death he was filling the office of county surveyor, a position he had held four years. His father, Richard Dollens, was a Virginian who moved to Kentucky, then to Missouri, and passed to his long home in Audrian County, having been a faithful soldier in the Revolutionary War, entering the colonial service at the age of eighteen. He was a farmer and of English descent. The subject of this sketch is the second of three sons and three daughters, he and two sisters being the only surviving members of the family. Thomas F. received little schooling, but was thoroughly drilled in the details of farm work. Since about eleven years of age he has resided in Scott County, Ark., and from there, on May 6, 1861, he enlisted in Company I, First Arkansas Cavalry, Confederate States Army. He was soon after taken sick, but upon recovering he joined another command and operated in Arkansas and Missouri, taking part in a number of skirmishes. He was married in 1869 to Miss Tabitha Ellen, daughter of Bayliss B. and Nancy Brashear, who came to Scott County, Ark., from Alabama, at an early day, Mr. Brashear dying here some years ago, his widow surviving him, a resident of Sebastian County. Mrs. Dollens was born in Alabama, and has become the mother of nine children. Mr. Dollens has resided on his present farm since before the war, and is now the owner of 640 acres of land, about 200 of which are cleared. He was justice of the peace for some years, is a member of Waldron Lodge No. 132 of the A. F. & A. M., and also belongs to the Farmers' Alliance.