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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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Robert J. Housley enjoys the reputation of being, not only a substantial and progressive farmer, but an intelligent and thoroughly posted man in all public affairs. He is well known for honorable, upright dealing, and no man in this section of the country bears a better reputation than he. He was born in Hamilton County, Tenn., February 14, 1840, to George W. and Sarah J. (Elder) Housley, they being born in Jefferson and Meigs Counties, Tenn., respectively, their marriage taking place at Decatur, Tenn. After living in that neighborhood for some time they moved to Hamilton County, and from that place came to Montgomery County, Ark., in 1871, the father’s death occurring here in 1884, at the age of sixty-three, and the mother’s in 1886, when sixty-five years old, both being members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Housley was a clerk in this church, was a Democrat in his political views, and, being a Mason, was buried with Masonic honors. During the war with Mexico he was a volunteer, and started for the scene of action, but the war ended before he reached that country. He was a farmer and merchant, and was at one time the owner of 1,700 acres of fine land on Savannah Creek. He was of English extraction. His marriage was blessed in the birth of eight children, of whom Robert J. Housley was the eldest. He spent his school days in Hamilton County, Tenn., and was an attendant of the Academy on Waldon’s Ridge. At the age of sixteen years he left home and came to Arkansas, and since that time has resided near Cedar Glades, in Montgomery County. He has an excellent tract of land comprising 360 acres, and, although he has 150 acres cleared and under cultivation, the rest is in woodland. In September, 1862, he joined the First East Tennessee Cavalry, and served until the close of the war, being in the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Knoxville, and Marion, Va., where he was wounded by a spent ball, but not seriously. He was at Greenville when John H. Morgan was killed. After the war he was absolutely without means, with the exception of a good constitution and the determination to make a success of his life, and first began operating a gin and mill as a means to this end, his efforts meeting with the above mentioned results. On October 2, 1859, he was married to Miss Sarah I. Freeman, daughter of John A. Freeman, a Hamilton County, Tennessean, who died July 14, 1887. Of a family of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Housley, five are now living: John W. (a merchant of Hot Springs), James N., Montie T. (wife of James Q. Ryan, a farmer of this county), Joseph J. and William M. On April 17, 1888, Mr. Housley was married to Miss Nancy E. Bird, of Scott County, Tenn., and by her has one child, Ada Pearl. Mr. Housley has been a member of the Missionary Baptist Church since 1860, and socially belongs to Henderson Lodge No. 147, of the A. F. & A. M. He is a Democrat, has been justice of the peace six years, notary public five years, and postmaster since 1883.

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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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