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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Columbia 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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Rev. William H. Armstrong. Macedonia, Ark. An honest, upright man and one whose life has been without reproach in his intercourse with his fellow-men, Mr. Armstrong is now in his thirty-eighth year. He was born in Alabama in 1852, and is the son of Louis A. and Amelia (Carlton) Armstrong, natives of Tennessee and North Carolina, respectively. Louis Armstrong was a tanner by trade, but since the war he has been engaged in farming. He was a public spirited citizen, was active in politics, and held a number of county offices of importance. He was county commissioner for a number of years. Previous to the war he was quite wealthy, and owned a large tract of land, but all was lost during that memorable war. To his marriage were born five children, only three of whom lived to be grown: J. T. (engaged in farming in Nevada County, Ark.) and J. A. (also in Nevada County). Mr. Armstrong died in August, 1870, and his widow in August, 1884, the latter a member of the Missionary Baptist Church for a number of years. Mr. Armstrong served in the Indian wars, and was in several battles with the Seminole Indians. He assisted in moving the Indians west. He was among the early settlers of Alabama, and helped to layoff and build a number of public roads in his section of the State. He first settled at Bellefonte and resided there for twenty years. Rev. William H. Armstrong was educated in the common country schools, and became familiar with farm duties at an early age. In October, 1880, he moved to Arkansas, settled in Yell County, near Dardanelle, and rented land for two years. In 1883 he came to Fayette County, remained there nearly a year, and then came to Columbia County, renting the farm where he now lives for two years. In 1880 he purchased 120 acres of land, and has ninety acres under cultivation, with good residence, out buildings, etc., and an excellent orchard. He was married in April, 1874, to Miss Mollie Roberts, a native of Alabama, and the daughter of G. W. and Adeline (Young) Roberts, the father of Tennessee, and the mother of Alabama. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts became the parents of five children, all of whom lived to mature years: Sarah (deceased, was the wife of Alex Radford), William (deceased, the family reside in Alabama). James (resides on a farm in Alabama), Nancy (deceased, was the wife of John Gamble, deceased). Mr. Roberts died in July, 1863, but Mrs. Roberts is still living and resides in Alabama. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong were born eight children: Dora, James, Lewis, Amanda, Mamie, John, Ada (deceased) and Willie. Since 1878 Mr. Armstrong has been engaged in ministerial work, having been ordained a minister in the Missionary Baptist Church since 1879, and he has been actively occupied in ministering to the spiritual wants of his fellow-men. He now has charge of three churches, but up to this year he had charge of four or five. He has organized two churches since coming here, the first one at Corinth, this county, in 1885, with forty-four members, and in 1887 he organized the church at Brister, with seventeen members. Both churches have had considerable increase since then. Mr. Armstrong is a member of the Agricultural Wheel.

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This family biography is one of 106 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Columbia County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Columbia County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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