My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Carroll County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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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John Gaskins, one of the oldest pioneers of Carroll County, Ark., was born about 1816, in Washington County, Ind., and is a son of John and Mary Ann (Kile) Gaskins. The father was born near Cincinnati, Ohio, and removed to Indiana in very early pioneer times. He died in Washington County, Ind., after which his widow with her family removed to Monroe County, Ind. Thence she removed to Sullivan County, Ind., where she died. After the death of his father, the support of the family devolved upon our subject and a brother. The former remained with his mother until he was nineteen years of age, when he married Susan Scott, and settled on a farm in Monroe County, Ind. Three years later he removed to Marion County, Ark., and locating on White River, remained there four years, when he removed to Green Forest, Carroll County. Remaining there until December, 1835, he located on his present farm, near what is now Gaskin Station. Here he since resided with the exception of about three years during the war, when, on account of his being a Union man, he found it convenient to immigrate to Missouri. He had three sons and one son-in-law in the Federal army. After the war he returned home, and has since, as before, been engaged in farming. His farm contains 180 acres of good land. His first wife, who died in 1885, bore him twelve children, of whom five, William, James, Elias, Mary and Nancy are living. The mother of these children is buried near the home place. She was a consistent Christian, and a member of the Christian Church. In 1888 Mr. Gaskins married Nancy Wright, a native of Tennessee, who was reared in Barry County, Mo. She is an earnest member of the Baptist Church. Politically Mr. Gaskins is a stanch Republican. He cast his first presidential vote for Gen. W. H. Harrison, and recently voted for Benjamin Harrison. He also had about fifteen Republican offsprings to vote for Harrison this year. Being one of the oldest settlers in this part of Arkansas, he remembers when the country abounded in wild animals, and as he is the most noted hunter in this section, he often laughingly says “that his killing panther and bear made it possible for subsequent settlement.” Uncle Johnny Gaskins’ bear hunts and general mountain expeditions form the subject for winter fireside chats all over “these parts.”

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This family biography is one of 82 biographies included in The History of Carroll County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Carroll County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Carroll County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

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