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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hempstead 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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Dr. Thomas A. McLarty, physician and surgeon, Hope, Ark. Alexander McLarty, the great grandfather of our subject, was a native of Scotland, who, with his third wife, Barbara (McNaught) McLarty, emigrated to the American continent in the year 1774. He was the youngest of twelve brothers, all the others being sailors, and it is supposed were lost at sea. He settled in the Old Dominion. His son, John McLarty (grandfather of subject), was born in Virginia, and his two half brothers, Alexander and Archibald, were soldiers in the war for independence, from 1778 until the close of the war. The McLartys were prominent people in Scotland, and Dr. T. A. McLarty has in his possession the church letter brought to this country by Alexander McLarty, which was given him by one David Campbell, moderator, Presbyterian session, who was supposed to have been a descendant of the Campbell’s chief of Scotland. This family was closely allied to the Wallaces of Scotland. The McLartys, like their ancestors on both sides, were soldiers and sailors, and were noted for their daring. The church letter spoken of above was written and given to Alexander Mc Larty on July 29, 1773. The Doctor has it well preserved, and it is an object of great interest and well worth seeing. He also has a deed to 160 acres of land that was made to Alexander McLarty, in Mecklenburg County, N. C, in 1783, described by running the lines to different trees, the kind of tree at each corner being named, viz., two oak and two hickory trees being the four corner-stones. This also is a very peculiar paper and one well worth seeing. The McLarty family are also allied to the Polk family by marriage. The parents of our subject, George W. and Charity (Bates) McLarty, had born to their union eleven children, the Doctor being sixth in order of birth. George McLarty was a farmer by occupation, and served his county and township in various offices of trust and responsibility. He held the office of postmaster for twenty years at Dark Corner, Ga., before and during the late war. He died in January, 1885. The mother of the Doctor was the daughter of Mathias Bates, who was the father of Anthony Bates, killed at the battle of the Alamo, during the war between Texas and Mexico, in 1836. The Bates family are among the Georgia settlers and among the prominent families of that State. The mother of our subject died in 1882, and of the eleven children born to her marriage, only five are now living: Julia (widow of Charles Douthit, of Stephens, Ark.), Josie (wife of John Mable, of Embry, Ga.), Jennie (wife of George M. Roberts, of Buchanan, Ga.), and Emma (wife of R. P. Gann, of Dallas, Ga.) Dr. T. A. McLarty was reared in Campbell (now Douglas) County, was early initiated into the duties of farm life, and received his education in the subscription schools of his native county. When eighteen years of age he entered the Confederate army in Company C, Thirtieth Georgia Regiment Infantry, was attached to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s army, and was in the battle of Jackson, Miss. He was from Dalton to Atlanta, Ga., and was captured at Dallas, a short time before the battle of Atlanta, was sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, and there remained until March, 1865, when he was paroled. He returned to Georgia, attended school during 1865, then farmed for the next year, and in 1867 again attended school. In 1868 he married Miss Emma Blanchard, daughter of T. J. and Mary A. (Taylor) Blanchard, natives of Georgia. The Taylor family were originally from Maryland, and the maternal grandmother was a Crawford, and cousin to Gov. Crawford, who fought the duel with and killed Burnside. Mrs. McLarty’s family on the maternal side was among the most prominent early settlers of Georgia, and she was one of seven children, five of whom are now living: Isabella (wife of J. M. Garner, of this county), Eugenia C. (wife of H. P. Wowell, of Georgia), Luvenia A. (wife of A. G. Weddington, of Douglasville, Ga.), Emma, and Mary O. (wife of J. M. McElreath, of Douglasville, Ga.) Mrs. McLarty’s father died on January 5, 1881, and the mother on February 14, 1884. Both were members of the Baptist Church. Mrs. McLarty had two brothers who died during the war: James T. died while a prisoner on his way to Vicksburg to be exchanged, and Lucius, in Savannah, Ga. Both were in the Confederate service. Mr. McLarty tilled the soil in Georgia until 1870, when he came to this State and county, and here continued his former occupation until 1872. He then returned to Douglas County, Ga., where he farmed until 1876, when he commenced the study of medicine under his brother, W. A., and in the fall of 1877 attended the Atlanta Medical College, from which institution he graduated in the spring of 1879. He located then at Villa Rica, Ga., and there practiced for three years. Later he moved to Hamlet, Polk County, Ga., practiced there four years, and in 1885 he came to this county, locating on his present property, which consists of eighty acres of land. Here in connection with farming he is engaged in an extensive practice. To his marriage have been born three children: Lola (wife of S. R. Aubrey, of Spring Hill), Lonnie and Ezra. The Doctor and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Doctor is a member of the school board of his district, and also a member of the State and county medical societies.

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This family biography is one of 131 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hempstead County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Hempstead County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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