My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of St. Francis 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.

* * * *

Hon. R. W. Peevey, farmer, stock raiser, and one of the prominent old settlers of St. Francis County, owes his nativity to Alabama, being a son of W. H. and J. A. (Childers) Peevey, originally from Georgia and Tennessee, respectively, and of Irish descent. The parental grandparents of our subject came to this country shortly after the Revolutionary War. R. W. Peevey was born January 8, 1827, and was the fourth son in a family of seven children. He spent his boyhood days on his father’s farm, and before his twentieth birthday was married to Miss Nellie A. Collier, who died in 1850, leaving three children, two still living: James J. and Emma J. (wife of W. H. Fogg), both in this county. In 1862 Mr. Peevey enlisted in the Confederate army and served in Col. Robinson’s regiment, being elected captain of his company at starting out, and in May, 1863, he was promoted to major. He participated in the battles of Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, Corinth and a number of others. After the war he engaged in farming in Madison County, Ala., until 1873, when he came to Arkansas and located in St. Francis County, where he bought his present farm. In October, 1859, he married Miss Louisa Curry. She died in August, 1878, having borne seven children, and of these four survive: Thomas Elbert, Robert H., William H. and Luther B. Mr. Peevey married his third wife, Mary J. Dew, in January, 1880. He is a prominent Democrat, and has ably served his county in the State legislature, to which he was elected in 1876. He also held the office of justice of the peace for several terms, and is still filling that position. A member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he is also connected with the Masonic fraternity.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 87 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of St. Francis County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: St. Francis County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional St. Francis County, Arkansas family biographies here: St. Francis County, Arkansas Biographies

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.