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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Bradley 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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H. B. Van Valkenburgh, county clerk of Warren, Ark. A glance at the lives of many representative men whose names appear in this volume will reveal sketches of some honored, influential citizens, but none more worthy or deserving of mention than Mr. H. B. Van Valkenburgh. On his father’s side he is of Dutch extraction, his ancestors emigrating from Holland to America and settling in the Eastern States many, many years ago. Our subject was born in Steuben County, N. Y., November 4, 1843, and is a son of William M. and Emily (Allis) Van Valkenburgh, natives of New York. In November, 1848, the parents moved to Little Rock, Ark., and in the spring of 1850 they located at Warren, in Bradley County, of that State. The father bought the place where the depot now stands and embarked in merchandising, which he carried on until his death, which occurred in 1866. He was one of the first merchants of Warren and a very successful one. He had studied medicine in his youth, but never practiced. The mother died in 1886. Their family consisted of seven children, three of whom are now living: Frank D., H. B. and Mrs. E. L. Holmes. H. B. Van Valkenburgh was only about seven years of age when he came with his parents to Bradley County, and here he grew to manhood, receiving such education as the schools of that day afforded, which was very poor indeed compared with the school advantages of today. He was reared to mercantile pursuits, and after the war was in partnership with his father. Since that time he has been engaged in various pursuits, and although he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1876, he practiced but little. He was postmaster for about two years; ran a steam saw-mill and manufactured lumber for some time; was also justice of the peace for some time. He was also engaged in tilling the soil, and, in fact, has tried most everything to make an honest living, deserving much credit for his enterprise. In 1881 he was elected to his present office, and this position he has held continuously ever since, to the satisfaction of all. He was city recorder of Warren for two or three years and proved himself a man of sound judgment and of unusual ability. He was married, in 1879, to Miss S. C. Smith, by whom he has five children: Fay H., Henry L., Horace B., Jr., William M. and Carrie E.

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This family biography is one of 64 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Bradley County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Bradley County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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