My Genealogy Hound

J. W. Skief, a pioneer farmer of Mill Township, Garland County, Ark., was born in Illinois, February 11, 1832, the son of John and Isabell Skief. The former was born in Smith County, Tenn., in 1800, and engaged in farming all his life. He was married in 1822, by which union he had five children, only two of whom are now living: Arena (wife of Lewis Dalton), and J. W. (the subject of this sketch.) In 1823, removing from Tennessee to Illinois, he entered land in Clay County, and there died in 1836. His wife was of Scotch and English descent, her birth occurring in Tennessee in 1803; she died in 1852, a member of the Presbyterian Church. J. W. Skief was reared on a farm; though in youth he had no opportunities to obtain an education, except the efforts put forth at home evenings to study by the light of pine knots. In 1844 he removed with his mother to Texas, and the following year to Arkansas, settling in what is now Garland County. In 1854, in company with his brother-in-law, John Gibbons, he crossed the plains via Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, and on to Lower California with ox teams. While on the journey they spent much of their time in hunting antelopes, deer, mountain goats, etc. From Lower California they went to Maine Prairie, where they worked in the mines a short time and also in the Jimtown mines. In 1857 they went to a point on the Columbia River, in Washington Territory, thence on to British America, from there to Queen Charlotte, and Van Couver Island, and at the latter place boarded the ship Panama, for San Francisco and on to New York City. Starting for home across the country, they traveled by stage principally, and in 1859 returned to Hot Springs. Soon after an extended trip was taken through Texas and the extreme South, returning in 1860. In 1861 Mr. Skief enlisted in Company F, of Third Arkansas Cavalry. He was in the battles of Iuka, Corinth, Missionary Ridge, Holly Springs, Spring Hill and many others, and served until the close of the war, and was never captured or wounded. Mr. Skief was married in 1866 to Mary E., daughter of D. M. McGrew. She was born in Illinois in 1840. Mr. McGrew was born in 1816 and died in 1864. His wife was born in 1818 and died in 1875. They were the parents of four children: Martha (wife of R. W. Gibbons), Sarah (wife of David Mayberry), Riley and Mary E. (wife of the subject of this sketch.) Mr. Skief is one of the successful and practical farmers of Garland County. He owns a fine farm of 320 acres, with 120 acres under cultivation, and raises a superior grade of Short-horn cattle. His good orchard yields abundant returns, and his buildings and fences are kept in first-class order. He has probably the most commodious barns in the county, one being 50x50 feet and the other forty feet square, containing room to stable all his cattle and store his grain. Mr. Skief is a member of the A. F. & A. M.