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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Saline County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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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Col. S. H. Whitthorne. One of the most prominent and popular men of Saline County is Col. Whitthorne, retired lawyer, of Benton, and president of the Saline County Mining Association, who was born in Bedford County, Tenn., February 22, 1828, the third in a family of thirteen children of William and Eliza (Wisener) Whitthorne. The former was born in the city of Dublin, Ireland, February 22, 1797, and came to America in 1814, landing at Orange Court House, N. C. Having emigrated to this country under the guardianship of an uncle, he lived with him for two years, after which he ran away, and finally settled in the Middle Tennessee valley, there spending the remainder of his life. He learned the saddle and harness trade, and a few years later embarked in the mercantile business, which he pursued successfully for twelve years. At the end of that time he was appointed clerk and master of the chancery court of Bedford County, Tenn., a position the duties of which he discharged with honor for twenty-five years. He was thus occupied at the breaking out of the war in 1861, and shortly after retired from public life. At the date of his death, which occurred in 1871, he was one of the oldest Royal Arch Masons in Tennessee, being also a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church. Of the thirteen children born to Mr. and Mrs. Whitthorne only four are now living: Hon. W. C. (representative for the past eighteen years from the Seventh congressional district of Tennessee), Hon. William J. (now representative from Maury County in the Tennessee legislature, and a lawyer), Hon. B. R. (cashier of the First National Bank at Shelbyville, Tenn., and mayor of that city), and Col. S. H. (the subject of this sketch). The latter was named by Gen. Sam Houston, who about the time of the young man’s birth was Governor of Tennessee. He was early educated in the schools of Tennessee, first at Farmington, and to the instruction there obtained he added a course in the Shelbyville Academy, later entering the Nashville University at the age of seventeen. Satisfactory progress was being made in study, but patriotism overcame all else, and after remaining eighteen months in the university he ran away, and joined Gen. Taylor’s army on the Rio Grande. He served seven months, but returned home with a brother who was very ill, and who died the day after arriving home. Then he re-entered college, from which he graduated in the class of 1847 with high honors. A few days after he was appointed by President Polk to a clerkship in the Post-office department at Washington City, D. C., which position he held until 1849. For fifteen months he was occupied in reading law under Frierson & Cooper, of Shelbyville, and subsequently took a course of legal study at the Lebanon Law School, at Lebanon, Tenn. Upon completing his studies Mr. Whitthorne began the practice of law at Shelbyville, there continuing until 1861, with the exception of three years (1854-57). During this time he was married, May 7, 1854, to Miss Margaret A. Johnston, of Williamson County, Tenn., and an estimable lady. She was the daughter of Capt. Matthew Johnston, a native of Tennessee. At the outbreak of the Civil War Mr. W. enlisted as first lieutenant in Capt. Patrick’s company, a few days afterward being appointed assistant quartermaster-general for the provisional army of Tennessee. Upon the transfer of the provisional army to the Confederate army, he resigned his commission and returned home to assist in raising a regiment of riflemen, the Twenty-third Tennessee, agreeing to serve as a private in order to secure recruits, and followed in that capacity until after the battle of Shiloh, where he was injured by a shell, resulting in nine weeks of unconsciousness. After his recovery he rejoined his command at Chattanooga, and was elected first lieutenant of his old company. At the battle of Perryville, Ky., in 1862, he was again wounded, this time by a minie ball, in the hip, which he still carries. In January, 1863, he rejoined his command at Tullahoma, Tenn., and continued in service till the battle of Chickamauga, where he was a third time wounded, though not as seriously as before. His brigade was transferred to Longstreet’s corps, on the Tennessee campaign, where he was promoted by Gen. Longstreet to the office of purchasing commissary, with the rank of major. Six months later he was transferred to his original command at Richmond, participating in all the battles in and around Richmond and Petersburg, Va. In the year 1864 he was again wounded; shortly after was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and ordered to the Alabama department under Gen. Withers, and at the time of the surrender was in command of the Dadeville post. Col. Whitthorne returned home in July, 1865, after a career to which he may refer with just pride, and resumed his law practice at Shelbyville, Tenn., until August, 1871, when he came to Arkansas, and settled in Benton. Attending to his professional duties in this circuit till 1876, he was then appointed elector on the Democratic electoral ticket, and canvassed Northwest Arkansas, making twenty-three speeches in twenty-one days, traveling during that time 546 miles on horseback. In 1882 he was appointed adjutant and inspector-general, on Gov. Churchill’s staff, and was commissioned brigadier-general in the Arkansas State Guard. In 1887 Col. Whitthorne retired from active legal practice, and has since given his attention to mining, and the development of the various resources of Saline County. In this capacity he has probably done more than any other individual to call the attention of the outside world to the valuable mineral deposits of this section. Too much cannot be said of Col. Whitthorne, for he is one of those men whom to see is to admire, and in all enterprises that tend to the advancement of the community his name stands out prominently. In public and private circles he is alike esteemed, not alone for the position which he occupies as a citizen, but for his true worth and character.

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This family biography is one of 100 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Saline County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Saline County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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