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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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Thomas Boyett, owner of the general warehouse at Hope, and justice of the peace of the township, was originally from Alabama, where his birth occurred in 1831, and is the eleventh of twelve children born to James and Elizabeth (Rodgers) Boyett, natives of North Carolina. James Boyett was a planter, and was the owner of many slaves prior to the war. He was in two of the early Indian wars. His death occurred in Alabama in 1867. The mother died in 1862. Both were members of the Baptist Church. Thomas Boyett was early taught the duties of farm life, and received his education in the common schools of Alabama. At the age of twenty two he began farming for himself in Alabama, and this continued until the late trouble between the North and South. His sympathies were with the Southern cause, and in 1862 he joined Company A, Fifty-ninth Alabama Infantry, commanded by J. R. Glasgow, and although he participated in no general engagement, he was in many severe skirmishes. Returning home after the surrender at Lynchburg, Va., he was busily engaged in tilling the soil in Alabama until 1872, when, in the fall of that year, he moved to Greenville, of that State, where he was engaged in merchandising. This he carried on until 1882, when he sold his stock of goods, emigrated to Arkansas, and located in Hope, where he continued his former occupation for a short time. He is now the owner of the large warehouse in Hope, the dimensions of the building being 150x150, built of brick, covered with iron, and capable of holding seven or eight thousand bales of cotton. Mr. Boyett is also interested in the large Compress of this city, a description of which is given in another part of this volume. He is one of the directors, the treasurer and superintendent of the Compress. Aside from this, he has also engaged in the brokerage business since coming here, and has been very successful, financially. He has been twice married, his first union being to Miss Mary Johnson, of Alabama, who bore him seven children: Martha (wife of T. W. Pollard, of Alabama), Fannie (wife of John C. of Alabama), Thomas J. (of Hope), R. A. (also of Hope), Sallie O. (wife of J. T. Hicks, of Hope), Callie (wife of Sidney Reed, of Hope,) and Collie (wife of Mr. Williams, of Georgia). The mother of these children died in 1886, and was a worthy member of the Baptist Church. In 1858 Mr. Boyett was united in marriage to Mrs. Docia Hinton, nee Giles, and one child is the result of this union—Fair. Mr. and Mrs. Boyett are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and Mr. Boyett is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Whitfield Lodge No. 239. He is also a member of the K. of P. (Hempstead Lodge) of Hope. He is at present holding his second term as justice of the peace.
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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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