My Genealogy Hound

W. S. Lofland, senior member of the firm of W. S. Lofland & Co., general merchants at Bluffton, established the business in this town in 1867, and here he has since continued. He began with a capital of about $1,200, but business has increased until the firm now sells $15,000 worth of goods per annum. They have a well assorted stock consisting of dry goods, groceries, hats, caps, boots, shoes, harness, saddles, etc. Mr. Lofland is also interested in two other stores, one at Dardanelle and another at Mineral Springs, ten miles from Bluffton. When Mr. Lofland commenced business in this county his entire worldly goods would not exceed $1,200. Today he values his property at $75,000, which shows what can be accomplished on the sea of life when a determined hand is at the helm. He is also a stockholder and one of the directors of the Dardanelle Bank, the largest banking establishment in the county. He is the owner of about 3,000 acres of land, 600 of which are under a good state of cultivation and which he rents out. Mr. Lofland was born in Western Tennessee on April 24, 1831, and was reared to manhood on the farm. He received a limited education, and when about thirteen years of age moved to this county with his mother. He was obliged to walk five miles to a poor country school to get his education. He began working for himself in 1853, and the same year went to California where he was engaged in mining for four years. He met with moderate success and then returned home where he was married in 1858 to Miss Emily Gault, daughter of Judge Gault. He lived with her twenty-six years, when she died, leaving five children—four daughters and a son: Mary B. (wife of A. Edwards), Dora C. (married), Sarah A. (wife of L. Kelley), Lilly May and Seth W. After his marriage Mr. Lofland worked a farm until the breaking out of the war, and in August, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Hill’s regiment, serving during the war. Some of the leading battles in which he engaged were Oak Hill, Prairie Grove, Jenkins’ Ferry, Marks Mill and others of lesser note. He remained in service until the close of the war and then returned to his home where he entered the business as above mentioned. On January 13, 1888, he took for his second wife Miss Louie E. Kelly. Mr. Lofland is in no way connected with politics, but votes the Democratic ticket. He is a Mason, Bluffton Lodge, and is liberal in his support of all churches and other enterprises of a public nature.