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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lee 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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Ennes M. Henley first saw the light of day in Massac County, Ill., on January 28, 1832, and is the son of William and Malinda (Smith) Henley, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively. They were married in Illinois in 1828, and were the parents of twelve children, seven now living: Ennes M., Matilda (widow of Kennard Steward, of Lee County), John (a farmer of Illinois), Elijah (a lawyer, of Marianna and also postmaster of that city), Rebecca (the widow of Nicholas Phelps), Isaac (a farmer residing in Missouri), Mary (widow of Henry Lynn), Louisa (the wife of Simon Pierce). Mr. Henley died in Illinois, in the seventy-fifth year of his life, his wife having died one year previous. Ennes M. was reared in Illinois and received such advantages for an education as the primitive schools of the period would admit, accepting, when twenty years of age, the position of watchman on the steamer St. Francis, running on the St. Francis River. Later he worked on the Mississippi River on various boats. He settled in Monroe County, Ark., in 1859, and engaged in farming, and this has been his occupation ever since. He now owns an excellent farm in the western portion of Lee County, consisting of 240 acres, 100 of it being in a high state of cultivation. The principal products are corn and cotton, and clover and the grasses to some extent, and he is quite successful also in raising all kinds of stock. He owns a steam cotton-gin and grist-mill, valued at $1,000, a comfortable residence with modern improvements and conveniences being among his late additions. Mr. Henley was married in Monroe County December 23, 1858, to Miss Louisa V. Settles, of Giles County, Tenn. She was born in 1831, being the daughter of S. P. and Mary J. (Cunningham) Settles. Mr. Settles, a native of Virginia, and of Irish descent, died in Arkansas in 1854. Mrs. Settles closed her eyes to the scenes of this world in 1872. To Mr. and Mrs. Henley’s marriage eight children have been born: William F., James L., Andy S., Charley W. (residing in Brinkley), Mary M., Josephus B., Jason L. and Ennes W. William F. died in 1880. Mr. Henley served in the Civil War, enlisting in 1862 in Company C, Capt. John Foreman’s Second Arkansas Infantry Volunteers, which was afterward Gen. Govan’s command. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Missionary Ridge, Franklin, Nashville and many others of minor importance. He was mustered out of service at the surrender in 1865.

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This family biography is one of 104 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lee County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Lee County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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