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Below is a family biography included in The History of Jasper County, Missouri published by Mills & Company in 1883. 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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JAMES A. WITTEN, farmer, post-office Smithfield, was born in east Tennessee July 23, 1834. His parents, William A. and Mary A. (Bailey) Witten, were also natives of Tennessee. Our subject remained in the county of his nativity until fifteen years of age engaged on a farm and attending the common schools. He then moved with his parents to Arkansas, locating near Little Rock. Three years later they moved to Independence county, same state, and farmed five years. Then moved to Allen county, Kansas, where for a half decade he engaged in agricultural pursuits. He came to Jasper county in 1866, locating where he now lives. Mr. Witten was married in Independence county, Ark., April 16, 1857, to Eliza Green. They had four children; John W., born Aug. 22, 1858; Martha, born Feb. 12, 1861, and died Feb. 1, 1883; Andrew, born May 18, 1866; Dorcas E., born Sept. 20, 1863, and died Jan. 26, 1864. Mrs. Witten died July 16, 1866, and our subject was again married in Jasper county Sept. 12, 1867, to Nancy, daughter of Joel Whaley, of this county. From this union there have been nine children: Florence L. and Flora A. (twins), born July 15, 1869; Flora A. died Aug. 4, 1871; Mary E., born April 12, 1872; James J., born May 20, 1874; Amanda J. and Samuel Thomas (twins), born July 27, 1877; Loduska Myrtle, born Oct. 16, 1878; Gertie M., born Feb. 1, 1880; and Ransom Walter, born March 23, 1882. They are members of the Baptist Church.
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This family biography is one of more than 1,000 biographies included in The History of Jasper County, Missouri published in 1883. For the complete description, click here: Jasper County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps
View additional Jasper County, Missouri family biographies here: Jasper County, Missouri Biographies
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