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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Sharp 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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Samuel J. Walker, general merchant and stock dealer, was born in Stewart County, Tenn., in 1829. His parents were John and Susan (Thomas) Walker, the former born in Virginia in 1804, and the latter in Tennessee in 1806. The parents were married in Stewart County, where they resided until the year 1852, and then moved to what is now Sharp County, and lived there until the time of their death. John Walker’s father was Samuel Walker, who was born in Ireland and fought in some of the early wars of this country. He was a blacksmith and wood-worker by trade, and moved to Tennessee when John was a boy, where the latter grew to manhood and was married. Samuel J. is the fourth child of a family of eight sons and four daughters. He moved to Sharp County, Ark., with his parents, and was married in that place to Miss Elizabeth Baker, a daughter of Newton and Harriet Baker, of Sharp County. Mr. Walker lost his wife in 1874, after a happy married life, and also a son. His second wife was Mrs. Mary Duncan, a widow lady, and a daughter of Ephraim and Olive Perkins, of Missouri, and by this marriage he has three children: Minnie J., Maudee and Samuel. With the exception of one year’s residence in Randolph County, Mr. Walker has lived on his present place ever since his arrival in Arkansas. He then had only two acres of land under cultivation, which he had fenced in a very primitive manner, but has increased the number to 300 acres under cultivation, and owns about 1,500 acres altogether. He is also an extensive dealer in stock, merchandise and general trading, and is one of the most successful and energetic men in Sharp County. Mr. Walker has secured all of his prosperity by his own efforts since the war. Before that event he had considerable real estate and farms, but lost everything, and after peace had been declared he started in life without a dollar. He served three years in the Confederate army, and was a member of Wood’s battalion, on Gen. Price’s staff. After two years’ service he was discharged on account of disability, and six months later re-enlisted in Col. Love’s regiment as a private, where he remained until the close of the war. Few men served their country better than Mr. Walker did, while fighting for the Confederacy. He took part in a great many engagements, and was with Price on his memorable raids through Missouri. At home he was captured by the enemy and taken prisoner in the fall of 1863, and was held about two months at Pilot Knob, afterward taking the oath of allegiance. Later on he was forced into the service again, and surrendered at Jacksonport. In politics, Mr. Walker was a Whig, and cast his first vote for Scott, in 1852, but since the war he has become a true Democrat. He has been a member of the A. F. & A. M. (now belonging to Wilson Lodge No. 132, at Hardy), for twenty years, and has in that time helped to organize two lodges, also holding all of the principal offices. He is also a member of the Knights & Ladies of Honor, and the Famous Life Association at Little Rock, having belonged to the latter for five years. Mrs. Walker is also a member of the same association. Mr. Walker is a gentleman of great popularity in this locality, and is also counted as one of its wealthiest men. He is full of energy and life in all enterprises, and Sharp County has in him a citizen of whom she may feel proud.

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This family biography is one of 43 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Sharp County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Sharp County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Sharp County, Arkansas family biographies here: Sharp County, Arkansas Biographies

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