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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Little River 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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John S. Walker, Jr., county and circuit clerk of Little River County, was chosen to occupy his present position by the Democracy in 1888, and is now filling the duties of that office in a manner highly creditable to himself, and to the satisfaction of the community at large. He was born in Sevier County, and moved to Little River County in 1877, his birth having occurred July 28, 1861, and his boyhood days and early youth were spent in attending the common country schools until the age of nineteen years, when he entered the State University for one term, after which he came home, and engaged in agricultural pursuits on rented land, and conducted these interests so well that he was soon able to farm on his own land. He now owns 860 acres of land, with about 825 acres under cultivation, on which is raised seventy-five to one hundred bales of cotton annually. This land, with the exception of about 240 acres, which came in his possession by marriage, has all been acquired by his own exertions and good business ability. In 1885 he turned his attention to merchandising, the scene of his operations being at Brownstown, Sevier County, where he did a large business, under the firm name of P. S. Kinsworthy & Co., but continued in this business but one year, and then returned to his farm, which he tilled until 1888, when he was elected to his present office. Mr. Walker has been twice married. His first wife, to whom he was married in 1887, was Miss Annie Goolsby, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Goolsby, natives of this county, and one child, Floyd (born November 28, 1887), was the result of this marriage. The wife died December 1, 1887, and July 18, 1889, Mr. Walker was wedded to her sister, Myrtie. The present Mrs. Walker is a much esteemed member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The subject of this sketch is the only child born to John S. and Mattie E. (Kinsworthy) Walker, natives of Georgia and Arkansas, respectively. The former came to this State in 1859. He has principally been engaged in the mercantile business since the war, excepting ten years that he was engaged in agricultural pursuits, in Little River County, upon a farm now owned jointly by himself and only son, the subject of this sketch. During the late war he was a colonel in the Confederate army. He was captured at Fort Sumter, and sent to Johnson Island, where he was retained until 1865, at which time he came home, and engaged in the commission business at Brownstown, Sevier County, Ark., which occupied his attention for some time. He has been in the employ of the Southern Oil Company for the past three years, which position he has filled with credit to himself and the full satisfaction of the company. He and wife are both worthy members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and are greatly respected and esteemed by all who know them. Politically he is a Democrat.

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This family biography is one of 38 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Little River County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Little River County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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