My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Washington 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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Barton A. Carl may be mentioned as one of the prosperous merchants of Prairie Grove, Ark., and was born in Coffee County, Tenn., September 12, 1832, being a son of Thomas and Nancy (Shed) Carl who were natives respectively of New York and Tennessee, and were married in the latter State. After residing in Tennessee for several years they removed to Arkansas (about 1889) and located, first in Franklin County, then in Benton County, and in 1850 came to Washington County, locating on a farm about two miles south of Prairie Grove, where they made their home until their family was reared. The father is now residing in Benton County and is eighty-six years of age. The mother died in Franklin County about 1841, having reared a family of six sons and one daughter to maturity, all of whom are living, with the exception of one son, at this writing. Barton A. Carl grew to manhood in Benton and Washington Counties, and made his home with his father until he attained his majority, when he determined to seek his fortune in the West, and after a journey of five months over the plains, at last reached California. Here he spent three years engaged in mining, and then returned home via Nicaraugua and New Orleans, and as his stay in the gold fields had been successful he purchased a farm in Washington County and settled down to tilling the soil. In 1883 he came to Prairie Grove, leaving two of his sons to till the farm, and has since been engaged in merchandising, carrying a large and select stock of goods. He is a charter member of the canning association, and is also one of the trustees of the Prairie Grove College. He has taken a deep interest in all enterprises calculated to benefit the town and county, and is a citizen worthy the esteem of all. He was married January 20, 1857, to Miss Sarah S. Parks, a native of Tennessee, and daughter of John P. A. Parks, and by her is the father of the following family: Elbridge D., Atlantic (deceased), John F., Charles (deceased), E. Clint, Frank H., Walter W. and Van W. The family worship In the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and Mr. Carl is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

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This family biography is one of 300 biographies included in The History of Washington County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Washington County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Washington County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

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