My Genealogy Hound

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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R. W. Murray is one of the pioneers of the early history of Arkansas, and one who has been largely instrumental in the rapid and steady growth of his adopted county. Mr. Murray is a Tennesseean by birth, being born in Hardeman County, July 18, 1831. His parents, James and Eliza (Beazel) Murray, were also Tennesseeans, and about 1845 came to the State of Arkansas, settling in Woodruff County, and resided there until their respective deaths in 1863 and 1866. Their family was a large one, but only seven children are now living. R. W. Murray was about eight years of age when brought to Arkansas, and here he grew to mature years and received such education as the schools of that day afforded. He became familiar with the duties of farm life at a very early date, but when the war broke out he dropped all work to take up arms, and enlisted in Company A, Eighth Arkansas Regiment, serving about three years. After the cessation of hostilities he returned home and again took up the duties of the farm, and has made agriculture his calling ever since. Owing to his early removal to this State he has witnessed the development of Woodruff County into a very prosperous county. He was married in 1861 to Miss Mary M. Walker, by whom he had eight children, only three of whom are now living: Lee, Addie and Stella. His second marriage took place in 1882, his wife being Miss Sallie E. Campbell, and is the mother of two children: Elmo and Edith.

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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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