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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Greene 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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David A. Smith. In the space allotted in this volume it would be impossible to give, a detailed account of the career of this gentleman, but it is only just to say that in his walk through life his course has been marked by honesty, industry, and a manly, independent spirit. His birth occurred in Middle Tennessee on the 8th of July, 1826, and he was the eldest in a family of twelve children born to Stantford and Margaret (Tassey) Smith, who were natives of North Carolina and Alabama, respectively, and with their parents removed to Tennessee at an early day, where they met and married. In the fall of 1825 they came to Greene County, Ark., and bought a tract of 160 acres of land which was in a wild state, and on this they located, improved it, and resided here until 1876, when the father died. His wife’s death occurred on April 8th, 1874. David A. Smith was reared to manhood on this farm and, besides becoming familiar with the details of farm work, learned the carpenter’s trade of his father, following this occupation in Tennessee and also after coming to Arkansas. He came to the latter State at the same time of his parents’ removal and bought 160 acres of wild land on Sugar Creek, on which he erected buildings, set out orchards, and cleared forty acres. After making this his home for about fifteen years, he sold out and purchased his present property on Crowley’s Ridge, which consists of 225 acres of land, 100 of which are under cultivation. He has cleared forty acres himself and has made other improvements, which goes to make his home one of the most valuable in the country. He does general farming, raising corn, the smaller cereals, and cotton. He also has a good apple and peach orchard. During the intervals between the farming seasons he has worked at the carpenter’s trade, and has built most of the better class of houses in the township, among which are the residences of Capt. Crowley and Mrs. Boyd. Mr. Smith was married on the 6th of January, 1858, to Miss Margaret Pevehouse, a native of Arkansas, by whom he became the father of six children, four of whom are living: William W. C., Sarah Ann, who died at the age of twenty years; Mary Elizabeth, who died when one year old; Logan L. R., Susan Cansada, wife of G. B. Harris, a resident of the county; and James A. Smith. In 1879 Mr. Smith lost his worthy wife, and in 1879 he wedded Mrs. Cothren. He is quite an active politician and has served as bailiff of Greene County. He is a patron of education and is at present a director of his school district.

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This family biography is one of 120 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Greene County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Greene County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Greene County, Arkansas family biographies here: Greene County, Arkansas Biographies

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