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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lawrence 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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Samuel Henry, farmer and stock raiser, is a son of Reuben and Elizabeth (Yates) Henry, of Polk County, Tenn., where Samuel was born on the 10th of August, 1837. His father bore arms for this country in the War of 1812, and also fought under Gen. Jackson, at the battles of New Orleans and Horseshoe Bend. After the death of the elder Henry, which occurred while in his prime, the government granted a land warrant to the family, in recognition of his services. Samuel remained with his mother until he grew to manhood, and then commenced farming for himself. When war was announced between the North and South, he enlisted in the Confederate army, and became a member of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, first as a private, but later on promoted to the rank of orderly sergeant. He was present at the battle of Shiloh for three days, and at the first siege and bombardment of Vicksburg for thirty days; then at the battle of Baton Rouge, La., and at Corinth, Miss., where he was captured and taken prisoner. Ten days after his capture he was paroled, and in nine months’ time from that date re-joined his regiment in time to take part in the battle at Jackson, Tenn. His last fight of importance was at the battle of Chickamauga, but he afterward fought in a great many skirmishes and smaller battles. In the fall of 1864 he was taken prisoner at Charleston, Tenn., and held at Paducah, Ky., until the close of the war, when he was paroled at Union City, Tenn., in June, 1865. He then returned to his home in that State, and farmed for several years, and in the fall of 1872 moved to Missouri, where he remained for two years. He again changed his habitation in 1874, coming to Lawrence County, Ark., and settling on a farm. In 1882 he moved to Texas, and was gone one year, when here turned to Lawrence County, and bought a small tract of land, upon which he commenced farming. Shortly afterward he went to Randolph County, Ark., bought land, and later on returned to Lawrence County, and settled upon his present place of residence, where he has almost 200 acres of land, and about fifty acres cleared and under cultivation, all of it being on bottom land, and composed of very rich soil. In politics Mr. Henry is a Democrat, and, before he went to Texas, had been elected justice of the peace and served one term. In the fall of 1888 he was again elected justice of the peace, and is still holding that office. He was married on July 22, 1860, in Bradley County, Tenn., to Miss Adaline Clark, a daughter of Henry Clark, of Georgia, and has three children: Miranda, Elizabeth and Margaret, all single. Mr. and Mrs. Henry have lost a son, Reuben Napoleon, who died in July, 1884, at the age of seventeen. Mrs. Henry is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is well-known for her charitable nature and interest in church work.

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This family biography is one of 111 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lawrence County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Lawrence County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

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