My Genealogy Hound

Capt. Joshua L. Peters. The name that heads this sketch is one that has been worthily connected with the affairs of Clark County since 1873, and no history of this immediate vicinity would be complete which failed to make mention of Mr. Peters and the excellent farm which he is engaged in tilling. He was born in Lowndes County, Miss., in 1836, but his parents, Charles and Elizabeth (Vaughn) Peters, were born, reared and married in Bledsoe County, Tenn., the former's birth occurring in 1808 and the latter's in 1810. After the celebration of their nuptials they went to Mississippi, where they spent the rest of their lives, dying in 1884 and 1864, respectively. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the father was a farmer, filled the office of justice of the peace for some years, and was a member of the A. F. & A. M. George Vaughn, the maternal grandfather, was born in Virginia, but died in Texas. Capt. Joshua L. Peters was the third of eleven children, and was reared on a farm, receiving a common-school education. In 1861 he joined the infantry service in John Weir's company, known as Choctaw Agency Rifles, in the Fourteenth Mississippi Regiment, and, although his company was in the battle of Fort Donelson he escaped capture. He had been wounded and sent to the hospital before the time of surrender. He afterward ran the blockade and went home, but soon after became a member of the Thirty-seventh Mississippi Infantry, Company D, with which he served until the close of the war, taking part in the battles of Iuka, Corinth, Oxford, siege of Vicksburg, Resaca, Kenesaw Mount, Peach Tree Creek, Poor House, Franklin and Nashville. After his defeat at the latter engagement Hood was relieved and succeeded in command by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, and with him Capt. Peters surrendered at Greensboro, N. C. He was in sixty-eight different engagements and was wounded five times. While he was a member of the Fourteenth Mississippi he served as private, but soon after joining the Thirty-seventh Mississippi Regiment he was elected lieutenant, and later promoted to the rank of captain, a position he held until the surrender. Being senior company officer he had often to take command of the regiment in cases of emergency. He was married in 1865 to Mary A., a daughter of Rev. John L. and Charlotte Ames, the former of whom is a brother of the late distinguished divine, Bishop Ames. For many years Mr. Ames has been an able minister of the Methodist Church, and is still residing in Newton County, Mo., where he has lived since 1868. In his early life he was a well-known tanner of Winston County, Miss. Mrs. Peters was born in Winston County, of this State, and died in that State, after she and her husband had started for the State of Missouri with her father, Mr. Ames. Mr. Peters continued on his journey with his son, and made his home in Missouri and Kansas until 1873, a portion of this time being spent in teaching school. His daughter had died before his arrival in Missouri, but his son, William L., still lives and was one of the enumerators in the last census. After leaving the last mentioned State he came to Clark County, Kas., and here was married, in 1879, to Mrs. Harriet (Smith) Duke, a native of Mississippi, whose parents died in that State when she was a small girl. She came to Arkansas in her youth, and since her second marriage she and Mr. Peters have lived on their present farm of 440 acres. Mr. Peters has always been a Democrat, and his first vote was cast for Breckinridge for the presidency. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Rob Morris Lodge No. 106, of Okolona. He and Mrs. Peters have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, for many years, and are highly esteemed residents of the community in which they reside. The paternal grandfather, Joseph Peters, was of Irish descent, and died in Tennessee.