My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Monroe 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.

* * * *

William H. Govan is the son of Andrew R. Govan, who was born in Orangeburg District, S. C., in 1796. His parents, Daniel and Elizabeth (Roach) Govan, were of Scotch descent. Andrew was a large planter of that State, which he represented in Congress in 1824. He was married to the mother of our subject, Miss Mary P. Jones, a daughter of J. Morgan and Sallie (Davis) Jones, in 1824. They reared a family of eight children, six of whom are still living: D. C. (a brigadier-general in the Civil War, who is now a resident of Helena), John J. (a farmer of Lee County), George M. (now secretary of State of Mississippi), Sarah (the wife of John M. Billups, of Columbus, Miss.), Bettie and William H. (our subject, and the next to the oldest). Andrew R. Govan moved from North Carolina in 1831, and settled in Western Tennessee, near Summerville, going five years later to Mississippi, where he died in 1841. His wife was a native of New Berne, N. C, and was born in 1802, and died on July 12, 1888, in Mississippi. William H. Govan was born in Northampton County, N. C, in 1831. He was married in 1878 to Miss Jennie Jackson, daughter of John S. and Isabella R. (Rhodes) Jackson, natives of Tennessee and Mississippi, respectively. She was born in Louisiana, in 1834. Mr. Govan moved to Arkansas in 1858, and bought a farm in Phillips County, where he lived until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted in the Second Arkansas Infantry, serving as quarter master and paymaster. At the close of the conflict he embarked in the mercantile business with Maj. W. E. Moore, and the following year sold out and entered into partnership with Hon. H. L. Hawley and Oliver H. Oates, in the practice of law at Helena. The next year he returned to Phillips County, and engaged in farming, but in 1874, resumed the practice of law with Hon. John H. Huett, at Mariana, where he remained until 1878. Moving to Monroe County, he purchased a farm of 500 acres, with over 300 acres under cultivation. The house he now occupies is one of the oldest in the county, having been built by Dr. Duncan in 1834. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and of the K. of H. Mrs. Govan is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 86 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Monroe County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Monroe County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Monroe County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.