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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Montgomery County, Arkansas published by Southern Publishing Company in 1891.  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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Hiram A. Whittington has been an active agriculturist for many years, and as such has met with a more than ordinary degree of success. He was born in New Hampshire on February 17, 1832, to Col. Granville and Cordelia (Wilder) Whittington, both of whom were born in Massachusetts, the latter being a native of Boston, and the former of Cohasset. They were married in Boston, in which city they made their home until 1838, when they came to Hot Springs, Ark., at which place they made their home until 1840. They then moved to a farm near Mount Ida, where the mother is still living, and where the father died on April 27, 1887, at the age of seventy-nine years. He was educated in Boston, learned the book-binder’s trade, at which he worked until coming to Arkansas, when he abandoned it after he had devoted one winter to it in Little Rock. From that time until his death he followed farming as a livelihood, and being a man of splendid judgment and great energy he acquired a large amount of property. He was judge of Hot Springs County, when Montgomery, Garland and Hot Springs were one, holding the position one term, and after Montgomery County was organized he represented it in the Lower House of the Legislature. He was internal improvement commissioner for several years, and held other important positions of trust. For several years he was colonel in the State Militia, and was known as a man of undoubted honor, kindness of heart, and very charitable. He was a Knight Templar Mason, represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge of the State a number of years, and although formerly a Whig, he became a stanch Democrat after the war. He was a Southern sympathizer during this time, and was in favor of secession. His father, William Whittington, was born in England and died in Massachusetts. A son of his, Maj. Hiram A. Whittington, a brother of Granville Whittington, recently died in Hot Springs, Ark., aged eighty-nine. The mother of the subject of this sketch is residing on the old homestead in this county, and although she has reached the advanced age of eighty years, she is yet quite hale. She is a member of the Christian Church, and has been the mother of ten children, four of whom are now living: Hiram A., Granville N., Horatio B. and Cordelia, wife of John S. Elder, of Mount Ida. The other children died as follows: Junius George, at the age of forty-six years, William A., when thirty-five years of age, and Josiah W., when about twenty. The other children died when young. The immediate subject of this sketch spent his school days in this county, and after making his home with his father until 1860, he began doing for himself on the farm where he now lives, the principal part of which was then covered with timber. Splendid improvements have been made by Mr. Whittington, and the place is admirably adapted and arranged for a stock farm, to which business he gives much attention. The greater part of his 200 acre farm is under cultivation, and all the buildings are excellent. In June, 1863, he joined Col. Ginstead’s regiment, Twenty-fourth Arkansas Confederate Infantry, holding the rank of first lieutenant of Company I, but in October, 1863, was discharged at Little Rock. He afterward became a member of Company K, Col. Newton’s regiment, and served until the final surrender. While he was in the army his farm had grown up to weeds, his house had been burned to the ground and all property that could be laid hands on was taken away or destroyed. Thus he had to commence once more at the foot of the ladder, but as has been stated above he has been remarkably successful. In November, 1860, he was married to Miss Martha Ann Garrett, a daughter of Jesse B. Garrett of Mount Ida, formerly of Scott County, Ark., the State of his birth being Illinois. Mrs. Whittington died in March, 1886, having become the mother of the following children: Jefferson D., Ada E. (now married), Hiram A., Cordelia, and Clara J., living. Mr. Whittington is a Democrat and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

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This family biography is one of 37 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Montgomery County, Arkansas published in 1891.  For the complete description, click here: Montgomery County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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