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Below is a family biography included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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M. R. Blevins, son of Allen and Clara (Owens) Blevins, was born in Bradley County, Tenn., May, 1837. The father was born in Sullivan County, Tenn., received a common-school education here, and was here married. He afterward moved to Bradley County while the Indians were still there, and assisted in banding them together to take them to the reservation set apart for them. Mr. Blevins continued to live in Tennessee until 1851, when he immigrated to Independence County, Ark., where he died the same year. His wife, Clara Blevins, was born in North Carolina, her parents leaving that State when she was but a small girl. She was married to Mr. Blevins in Meigs County, and became the mother of eleven children, seven now living: John, Michael R., Gideon T., Mrs. Lorinda Tunnel, Mrs. Malinda Millsap, Mrs. Myra Teal and Mrs. Mary Wood. Those deceased are William, Allen, Catherine and an infant. M. R. Blevins was but twelve years of age when his parents moved to Arkansas, and his father dying soon after, the support of the family was largely dependent upon his efforts. He only received a common-school education, and remained with his mother until twenty-one years of age, when he married Miss Elizabeth Wakefield, daughter of William and Jane Wakefield, who were originally from Mason County, Tenn. This union, which has been a long and happy one, was blessed by the birth of eleven children, nine now living: Allen, James, Charles, Mike, Robert, Mrs. Amanda Copeheart, Mattie, Clara and Ida. The two children deceased were named Florence and Annie May. Mr. and Mrs. Blevins live on the farm that they first settled, and raised their first crop with the aid of a yoke of cattle. During the war Mr. Blevins enlisted in Company A, First Cherokee Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate Army, and was in the battles of Honey Springs, Fort Wayne, Newtonia and others of less importance. During his absence Mrs. Blevins carried on the farm, doing the greater part of the work herself, and often went a distance of forty miles to mill. She was energetic and determined and kept her family from want. Returning home after his term of service had expired, he and twenty-three others, including his captain, took a trip through Old and New Mexico and into Colorado, where they remained until the close of the war. He then came home and resumed farming and stock-raising, and handled cattle for about eighteen years. He has now an excellent farm of 840 acres, 140 under cultivation, and has good buildings on the same. It was largely through Mr. Blevins’ influence and efforts that the district school building was erected, and his children are all blessed with a good common-school education. Mr. Blevins is a strong Democrat, politically, and cast his first presidential vote for Breckenridge. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and his wife is a member of the Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 240 biographies included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Benton County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Benton County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

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