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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Cleveland County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  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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Silas Sanders Dykes, farmer, miller and ginner, Kingsland, Ark. This prominent business man is a member of the firm of Hall & Dykes at Kings-land, is a native of Cleveland County, born in Smith Township, in 1851, and is the son of Jacob and Louisa (Shote) Dykes, natives of Tennessee and Alabama, respectively. The parents were married in the last-named State, and there resided until 1850, when they moved to what is now Cleveland County, Ark., and in 1855 to Saline Township, where both passed their last days, the father dying in 1887. He was twice married and his first wife, the mother of our subject, died in 1857. Both were for many years members of the Primitive Baptist Church. Mr. Dykes was a successful agriculturist, and was held in much respect and esteem by all acquainted with him. He served a short time in the Confederate army with Col. McMurtrey, and participated in the Oak Hill, Mo., fight. He was a son of Martin Dykes, who passed his entire life in Tennessee. Of the eight children born to his parents, Silas Sanders Dykes and a brother, Andrew C., are the only ones now living. The former received limited educational advantages in the wilds of Arkansas, and all his time was occupied in assisting his father in clearing the home place. He was married in 1875 to Miss Lenora Little, a native of Cleveland County, and the daughter of J. A. and A. J. Little, natives of North Carolina, who came to Cleveland County in 1860. They both died in that State, the father in the Confederate service and while a prisoner of war in the hospital at Little Rock. To Mr. and Mrs. Dykes have been born six children, two sons and a daughter now living. Since his marriage Mr. Dykes has resided near and in Kingsland, being engaged the principal part of the time in farming and trading. He is the owner of over 2,000 acres of land, and since 1883 he has operated a steam grist and gin mill. For about two years he has been engaged in merchandising. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party, and his first presidential vote was for Samuel J. Tilden in 1876.

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This family biography is one of 75 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Cleveland County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Cleveland County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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