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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Nevada 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 W. Gardner is the editor and proprietor of the Nevada County Picayune, a representative journal of this portion of the State, and under his able management this periodical has proved a decided success. It has a circulation of over 1,100, is all printed at home on a power press, and its editorial policy is directed by a man of sound judgment, whose experience in the newspaper business dates from the time he was eighteen years of age. Mr. Gardner was the son of George A. and Mary A. Gardner, both of whom are natives of Georgia, from the oldest and best families of the State, and still alive, residing with their son, on whom they lean in their old age. They were the parents of nine children -five girls and four boys—a boy and girl dying in infancy; the others are alive and in good circumstances, some living in Georgia and some in Arkansas. John VV. was born in Upson County, Ga., January 21, 1857, and the most of his time, until he arrived at the age of eighteen, was spent in the best high schools of his native State. He was quick to learn, possessed a retentive memory, and as a natural consequence made rapid progress in his studies, being, at the time he entered the Times office at Carrollton, Ga., an intelligent and wide-awake young man. After serving an apprenticeship on this paper for three and a half years he came out an expert printer, with the world before him, and after working at his trade in Atlanta, Rome and other places, and merchandising a while at Cedartown, Ga., he located at West Point, Ga., in 1881, where he purchased the Enterprise, which he continued to publish until 1884, when his office was destroyed by fire, which originated in an adjoining building. Although he had been successful in business he lost quite heavily at this time, as his establishment was not fully insured. Hard times prevented him from starting up again at once, and another journal soon took the place of his. In September and October, 1884, he was associate editor and publisher of the Times at Carrollton, Ga., but in November, of that year, he threw up his position to come West, and located at his present home. October 7, 1885, he was united in marriage to Miss Lena White, of Prescott, Ark., who died on June 15, 1888, leaving, besides her husband, one child, a daughter. Mr. Gardner began the battle of life without capital, and although he has received no assistance from any one since, he has been a successful journalist and now has, besides a valuable newspaper office, a good home and a small farm, unencumbered. It has ever been his purpose as a journalist, to conduct his paper on a high moral plane and accomplish all the good possible. He has been a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, since sixteen years of age; also joined the K. of P. at West Point Ga., in 1883.

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This family biography is one of 96 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Nevada County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Nevada County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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