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Below is a family biography included in The History of Carroll 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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William W. Collier was born near Benton, Saline Co., Ark., about 1834, and is a son of Stephen Collier, a native of Virginia, who married a Miss France, also a native of Virginia. Stephen Collier came to Arkansas at an early day, and located in Saline County, where his first wife died when our subject was an infant. He afterward married again, and removed to Johnson County, where he afterward resided. His death occurred away from home in the fall of 1845, while visiting a brother-in-law in Newton County. After his father’s death William W. resided with an uncle in Newton and Carroll Counties until he was twenty years of age. Beginning life then for himself, he worked in a tan-yard for one year, but since then he has been engaged in farming. About 1858 he was married in Carroll County to Tennessee Allread, a native of Arkansas. They located on a farm on Dry Fork, and it was here that his first wife died, about eighteen months after their marriage. Mr. Collier next located on a farm at the head of Osage Creek, and remained there until 1876, when he sold out with the intention of removing to Arizona, but changed his mind and decided to remain in Arkansas. He purchased the farm where he now resides, two and one-half miles from Green Forest. Here he located and has since resided. His home farm contains 240 acres, and he has a tract of eighty acres nearer Green Forest. There are about 150 acres under fence, with good improvements. On July 26, 1860, Mr. Collier Wedded Tennessee Sisco, a native of Carroll County, and a daughter of Thomas Sisco (deceased), who removed from Tennessee to Arkansas about 1835. In 1861 Mr. Collier enlisted in the Confederate army, and served until the close of the war, participating in the battles of Oak Hill, Prairie Grove, and several skirmishes. While mustering before the war he served as second lieutenant. Politically he is a Democrat. Both he and wife are consistent Christians. She is a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church and he of the Methodist Church. They have eleven children living, viz.: Mary (Mrs. Abe Walker), Thomas S., Nancy E. (Mrs. Mat Dooling), William A., Benjamin F., Edward L., Alexander, John H., Araminta J., Melissa and Mellie.

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This family biography is one of 82 biographies included in The History of Carroll County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Carroll County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

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