My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Miller 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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James Goodwin lives on a farm three miles south of Texarkana, which, with the aid of a most practical wife, he has purchased and brought to its present high state of cultivation, and he is usually spoken of as one of the prosperous agriculturists of this section. His wife, to whom he was married on September 24, 1804, was formerly Miss Louisa Mays, daughter of R. F. Mays [see sketch], and was born near Clarksville, Tenn., on January 7, 1847. They are the parents of one child, a son, Joseph W., who is at Lewisville, Lafayette County, Ark. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and are highly spoken of by their neighbors and friends. During the year 1887, Mr. Goodwin was engaged in the milling business near Texarkana, Bowie County, Tex., with C. W. Noland as a partner, but he now devotes his attention exclusively to cultivating his excellent farm. He first saw the light of day in Jefferson. County, Ala., on January 26, 1842, being a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Tate) Goodwin, natives of Alabama and Kentucky, respectively. For a number of years after their marriage they made their home in Alabama, but while our subject was still a boy they moved to Tippah County, Miss., residing here but a short time, and then moved to Rusk County, Tex. In 1860 they came to Miller County, Ark., and here made their home until their death, which occurred in 1874 and 1887, respectively. The father was in his sixty-eighth year at the time of his death, and the mother died at the age of sixty, and both passed away in full communion with the Missionary Baptist Church. The father tilled the soil all his life, and was always well rewarded for his labors, but he enjoyed good living, and usually spent his money for that purpose, and died comparatively poor in this world’s goods. He was a Mason, and belonged to the Democratic party. James R. Goodwin was the third of ten children born to their marriage, only eight of whom are now living. His school days were spent in Mississippi and Rusk County, Tex., whither he had gone with his parents, and in 1862 he accompanied them to Miller County, Ark. In October, 1862, he joined Col. Gravestone’s regiment, Gen. Tappin’s brigade, Gen. Churchill’s division, in which he served until the close of the war, surrendering at Marshall, Tex., on June 5, 1865. During this time he participated in many hard battles, among them being Prairie Grove, Jenkins’ Ferry, and the battle below Shreveport. At Prairie Grove he received a slight gunshot wound in the left shoulder. He served with credit, part of the time as sergeant, and at the close of the war returned to his home. He was possessed of a small amount of stock, and turned his attentions to farming in this neighborhood, first purchasing seventy-eight acres of land, to which he has since added the balance of his present valuable farm. He is a stanch Democrat in politics.

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