My Genealogy Hound

John M. Widener first saw the light of day May 25, 1834, in a farm house situated in the wilds of St. Francis County. He grew to manhood in that locality with no companions save his brothers and sisters, and without the advantages of schools and churches which his children now enjoy. After remaining in this county until 1862, he went to Shelby County, Tenn., but three years later moved to Saline County, Ill., returning home in about a year. Mr. Widener owns, at this time, some eighty acres of land on the St. Francis River bottoms, and in connection with farming is successfully engaged in stock raising and in the timber business, his earnest efforts and industry having yielded substantial returns. His father, Samuel Widener, was born in North Carolina, in 1798, and lived there for a number of years, then removing to Alabama, where he remained for a short time. His home was Tennessee for a while, from which State he came to Arkansas, settling in the wilderness of St. Francis County. Here he resided until his death, which occurred in 1842. His wife, Margaret (Evans) Widener, died in 1838, leaving a family of ten children, John M., our subject being the only one living. The latter has been twice married; first, in 1858, to Miss Lavina Land, a native of this State, who died in 1877, leaving four children, two of these survive: Mary J. (wife of Samuel A. Mead, a farmer of St. Francis County) and Samuel A. (living at home). Mr. Widener was married the second time, in June, 1885, to Mrs. Mary McGuffey, daughter of John Halbert, of Missouri birth. Mr. and Mrs. Widener are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in which they take an active part, Mr. Widener being steward. He is of German descent, and a prominent Democrat, and a leading citizen of this county.