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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David C. Price, an enterprising farmer of Price Township, is the third of eleven children born to William and Delphia (Stanphill) Price. William Price was born in Kentucky, but his parents were natives of Ireland who, after coming to America, settled in Maryland, where they remained a short time, and then moved to Kentucky, and from there to Tennessee, where William grew to manhood. Delphia (Stanphill) Price was born in Tennessee, and she too was of Irish parentage. Her father came to America when young, and served two years in the command of Gen. George Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Price were married in Warren County, Tenn., and after living there several years moved to McMinn County, of the same State. In 1832 they moved to Alabama, and five years later to Greene County, Mo., where the father died in 1838. The mother died in Crawford County, Ark., in 1873. Both were members of the Methodist Church. He was a Democrat in politics, and while a resident of Alabama held the office of county judge. Their son, David C. Price, was born November 5, 1814, in Warren County, Tenn., attained his growth on the farm, and received a limited education, never attending school more than twelve months altogether. He moved to Missouri with his parents, and was here married to Miss Frances Dillard, who died about five months later. In 1840 he came to Van Buren, Ark., and ran a ferry across the Arkansas River. At this time he was $750 in debt, and had only a miserable pony, which he turned loose after reaching Arkansas. At the end of six months Mr. Price had paid one-half of his debt, and at the close of the year paid the remainder. In 1842 he married Miss Catherine A. Shannon, who bore him six children, two sons and four daughters. At this time he turned his attention to farming, and has since continued this occupation. In 1851 he moved to Washington County, Ark., and located where he now lives. His second wife died in 1870, and the following year he married Miss Sarah Snyder, of Crawford County, and she died a year later. Mr. Price served about three months in the Florida War, and in 1848 he represented Crawford County in the State Legislature. After coming to Washington County he held the office of justice of the peace for about twenty years. He says he never but once had a desire to merchandise, and that was in 1852, when be sold goods for about two years in Dallas, Polk County, at a loss of about $10,000. He was a Whig previous to the war, and since then he has been a Democrat. When the township was laid off the court honored Mr. Price by giving it his name. Although seventy-four years of age he never uses a cane, and walks with the elastic step of youth. He is the owner of 213 acres of land, and has made all his property by his own efforts.

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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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