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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ashley County, 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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E. L. Thomson is well known within the limits of Ashley County, Ark., and although he was born in South Carolina on January 6, 1850, he has been a resident of this section since he was ten years of age, coming here with his father, A. L. Thomson, a native of South Carolina, and settling with him on a beautifully situated farm of 240 acres, which yields from fifteen to twenty-five bushels of corn and one-half bale of cotton to the acre. On January 13, 1887, the father passed from this life, being over eighty years of age, his wife having died in 1860. E. L. Thomson was educated in Davidson College, N. C., and began the battle of life for himself after the war. In April, 1861, he became a member of Company A, Fifth South Carolina Infantry, and took part in the second battle of Manassas, the seven days’ fight around Richmond, and was with Hood at Chickamauga, surrendering at that place. In 1874 he was elected to the office of county clerk, and although Ashley County has been noted for zealous, painstaking and competent officials, none possessed these attributes in a more eminent degree than Mr. Thomson, and the people showed their appreciation of his efforts by electing him to this position for twelve consecutive years, when he declined further re-election on account of his health. His office always showed the most perfect arrangement, and he was ever the soul of punctuality, honor and courtesy. One notable fact during his term of office was the decrease of mortgages, which were reduced from 1,200 or 1,500 to 600. He has always been a Democrat in his political views, and socially, belongs to the K. of P. and the K. of H.

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This family biography is one of 97 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Ashley County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Ashley County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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