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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Jackson 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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R. M. Davis, mayor, Newport, Ark. Mr. Davis has been a resident of Jackson County, Ark., for many years, and has been closely and usefully identified with its history throughout all that period of time. He was born in Madison County, Ala., near Huntsville, March 27, 1841, and is a son of Matthew and Sarah (Walls) Davis, the former a native of the Old Dominion, born near Lynchburg, and the mother a native of Alabama. They were married in Madison County, of the last named State, and emigrated to Marshall County, Miss., in about 1844. They remained there until 1856, and then moved to Arkansas, settling in Jackson County, where the father died in 1866. The mother had previously died in Mississippi. Their family consisted of nine children, only four living: Mrs. E. V. McDonald, Mrs. M. S. Ballard, Mrs. Anthony McDonald, and Richard M., who is the youngest of the family living. He was only thirteen years of age when he came to Arkansas, and finished his growth on a farm in this State. At the breaking out of the war, he was but eighteen years of age, and in 1861 he enlisted in Company A, Ninth Mississippi Regiment, at Pensacola, Fla. He was one of the first three men to leave the State of Arkansas, before the ordinance of secession was passed. He was at the battles of Shiloh, Prairie Grove, Helena, and in Gen. Price’s raid through Missouri. He was wounded at the battle of Helena, by a gun-shot through the left leg. He served over four years in the Confederate army, and surrendered at Jacksonport, Ark. Afterward he engaged in the livery business at the last named place, and continued at this for about three years, when he embarked in the mercantile business, which he carried on for some time. He then began farming, but later went back to merchandising, which he continued until 1882, when he moved to Newport. He was here employed as clerk by E. L. Watson & Son, with whom he remained until February, 1888, and then took charge of the stock of goods now owned by P. V. Davis & Co. The firm carries a good line of groceries, etc., and are doing a good business. Mr. Davis was married, in 1863, to Miss Pauline Hudson, a native of South Carolina, who bore four children now living: Rush H., Daisy D., Mary E. and Fannie J. Mr. Davis is a member of the Masonic fraternity. In April, 1889, he was elected mayor of Newport, and is filling that position to the entire satisfaction of all. He has also served as alderman.

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This family biography is one of 144 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Jackson County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Jackson County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

View a map of 1889 Jackson County, Arkansas here: Jackson County, Arkansas Map

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