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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clark 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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L. E. Gibney is a member of the general mercantile firm of Gibney & Patterson, of Arkadelphia, Ark., and is a representative business man of this portion of the county. Mr. Gibney was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1848, and there grew to manhood, receiving fair educational advantages in his youth. Becoming impressed with the idea that America offered better advantages for a young man of pluck and energy than his own country, Mr. Gibney, in the month of March, 1868, embarked on board a vessel at Cork, and landed at Castle Garden, New York City, after about a three weeks' ocean voyage. After traveling over a considerable portion of the United States, he finally located at Arkadelphia, Ark., in 1872, and, as his funds were at a very low ebb, he began looking around for employment, and for some time was in the service of the Fort Smith Railroad. He finally secured a position as book-keeper for S. R. McNutt, with whom he remained for nearly five years, and in 1885 he embarked in the mercantile business with J. W. Patterson, their capital amounting to about $3,000. By their close attention to business, their honesty, and the reasonable rates at which they are disposing of their goods, they have succeeded in establishing a safe and remunerative trade, and their outlook for the future is very promising. They now carry a stock of goods valued at about $35,000, and in connection with a very large dry goods and notion department, they carry an immense stock of groceries. They own the buildings in which they do business, and have two of the finest residences in the city. Their business is now established on a strictly cash basis, and as they are both courteous and agreeable gentlemen, a customer once secured is a sure patron thereafter. Mr. Gibney was married in 1882 to Miss Cozie Husbands, by whom he has one son—William E. Mr. Gibney is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in 1886 was elected to the position of county collector, serving four years.

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This family biography is one of 99 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clark County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Clark County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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