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Below is a family biography included in the Woodruff County portion of Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern 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.

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A. C. Lewis is known as a worthy son of John Lewis, a native of Missouri, who was born in 1800, and educated to farm life, but when quite young he left his father’s home and operated a steam-ferry on the Mississippi River at St. Louis. He was married, in 1822, to Miss Nancy M. Curry, and by her became the father of the following family: Harvey, Robert O., Elizabeth (the wife of William S. Halloway) and A. C. (the subject of this sketch). Mr. Lewis was a gallant soldier in the Indian War, and at the time of his death, in 1848, was residing in St. Louis County, Mo. Mrs. Lewis died in the same county in 1863, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was also her husband. A. C. Lewis first saw the light of day in St. Francis County, Mo., in 1835, and commenced life on his own responsibility at the age of eighteen years. After managing his mother’s farm until the war, he laid down the implements of peace to take up those of a soldier, and enlisted in the artillery service under Capt. Emmett McDonald. In 1861 he was captured and taken to Vicksburg. During his career he participated in the battles of Wilson’s Creek, Pea Ridge and the skirmishes at Corinth, the battles of Iuka, Baker’s Creek and the siege of Vicksburg, serving as second lieutenant in the battery for a short time, just before the closing of hostilities. In 1866 Mr. Lewis was married to Miss Barbara Edmond, daughter of William Edmond and wife, of Alabama. Mrs. Lewis was born in Tennessee, and died in 1869, leaving three children: Fletcher, Eleanor (the wife of Joseph Grant) and one child not named. Mr. Lewis chose for his second wife Miss Lena Jelks, and to them five children have been given: Ada, Letitia, John, Austin and Gracie. Mr. Lewis owns and operates a cotton-gin and grist-mill, which is second to none in the county. His farm consists of 780 acres of land, with 300 acres under cultivation, the principal crop being cotton and corn. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a public-spirited man, supporting all educational and religious enterprises; a good financier, he is also a practical farmer and excellent business man, well worthy the respect and esteem in which he is held by all who are so fortunate as to know him.

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This family biography is one of 69 biographies included in the Woodruff County portion of Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Woodruff County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Woodruff County, Arkansas family biographies here: Woodruff County, Arkansas

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