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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Howard 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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Jackson O. Forgy, farmer, was born in Lawrence County, S. C, in 1832, being the fifth of eleven children born to Asa and Martha (Moore) Forgy, who were also born in South Carolina, and there passed from life, the former’s death occurring in 1870, and the mother's a few years earlier. Jackson O. learned the details of farm work from his father, and until he attained his majority he was an attendant of the common schools. In 1853 he came to Arkansas, located at Centre Point on the 10th of November, and immediately began working for Dr. Burt, with whom he remained one year. At the end of this time he went to Pike County, to assist in building the old Epperson Mill, at Star of the West, on the Little Missouri River. In 1856 he began working for Moses Hill, and while in his employ was engaged in operating a horse sawmill, but at the end of the year assisted in erecting a steam saw-mill which was one and a half miles west of Centre Point. Mr. Forgy was married in 1857 to Miss Mary Propps, a daughter of John H. Propps, who was one of the pioneers of this section, and resided near Centre Point until his death. After his marriage Mr. Forgy gave his time and attention to the tilling of his father-in-law's farm, until the opening of the Rebellion, then dropped his farming tools to don a suit of gray, and became a member of the company raised by Capt. Anderson, being chosen second sergeant of the same. This company was attached to the Nineteenth Arkansas Infantry, and after the battle of Pea Ridge removed into the Indian Territory with Gen. Pike, and during the summer of 1862 was encamped near Pine Bluff, after which he went to Arkansas Post. He was given the position of third lieutenant in 1862, and at the time of the surrender of Arkansas Post he was off duty and sick at Capt. Moore's. Col. Dawson reorganized the remnants of two regiments, which became the Nineteenth Arkansas, and this Mr. Forgy joined, being chosen first lieutenant, at Arkadelphia, and promoted to captain in May, 1864, serving as such until hostilities ceased. The greater portion of the remainder of the war was spent in Arkansas and Louisiana, but at the time of the final surrender he was at Marshall, Tex. Upon his return home he purchased a farm on Messer Creek, and here tilled the soil until 1886, and in the meantime made many improvements and cleared some seventy five acres. He took up his abode in Mineral Springs in 1886, but the following year returned to his farm, and is now residing near Centre Point. His farm comprises 284 acres of good and well timbered land, and is admirably conducted by Mr. Forgy, who is a thoroughgoing and enterprising agriculturist. He is a member of Centre Point Lodge No. 87, and Hill Chapter No. 30, A. F. & A. M., and is an active politician, being an enthusiastic supporter of the principles of Democracy. He and Mrs. Forgy are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and would be honored and respected in any community in which they might choose to locate. Their children are Eulalia Virginia, Asa Jackson, John C., Susan I., Lewis Fatima, Alice Eugenie, Maggie Johnson and James Matthew, the latter dying at the age of thirteen years.

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This family biography is one of 116 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Howard County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Howard County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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