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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Craighead 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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J. C. Brookfield, a careful student, a fluent speaker, and an able and successful lawyer, is a pioneer citizen of Northeast Arkansas, born in Lawrence County, Ark., July 14, 1829. The Brookfield family are of Scotch and English origin, and were early emigrants to America. Isaac Brookfield, Sr., the paternal grandfather of J. C, came with his wife, Hannah, from England, and settled in Newark, N. J., and there they resided until their respective deaths. James Campbell, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was of Scotch-Irish descent; and his wife, whose maiden name was Wilson, was descended from the Rhine Dutch, and was a sister of Col. Wilson, once speaker of the House of Representatives, who killed Col. Anthony in the State-house at Little Rock. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell emigrated to Lawrence County, Ark., in the fall of 1812, and were among the very first settlers. About 1821 he was elected sheriff of the county, which then comprised several of the present counties, and served for some time in that capacity. Isaac Brookfield, Jr., the father of J. C., through the influence of Bishop Asbury, came from New Jersey to St. Louis in 1819, as a missionary to the Indians. He was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was thoroughly educated, and possessed that power and magnetism of speech and character so necessary to a successful preacher. In 1823 he married Nancy Campbell, and after locating settled in Lawrence County, where he continued his Master’s work, and lived an earnest, zealous and consistent Christian life. In 1825 he began mercantile business, his dry-goods, which were shipped from New York, being six months in reaching their destination; his groceries were principally from New Orleans. He continued this business until his death, in 1844. His wife died in 1875. To them were born a family of six children. J. C. Brookfield was reared on the farm, receiving his education mainly at Batesville, Ark. After his father’s death, he closed up the business, and engaged in rafting on the St. Francis River, thus earning sufficient means to educate himself. When twenty-one years of age he began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in Poinsett County, Ark., October 23, 1853. He immediately began practice in Harrisburg, and his practice, now extending over all adjoining counties, still embraces that court. In 1883 he moved to Jonesboro, where he has since made his home. At the opening of the late war he was captain of a company of militia, and once served as deputy clerk of Poinsett County, but has never aspired to office, rather choosing to serve his party than ask of it official favor. He has been for many years a leading lawyer of Northeast Arkansas, and enjoys, in its fullest extent, the love, respect and confidence of his people. He was first married, in 1855, to Susan C. Arledge, and to them were born five children, two now living: Mrs. Mary L. Roleson and Mrs. Ida A. Ware. Mrs. Brookfield died in 1871, and three years later Mr. Brookfield was married to Mrs. Julia F. Pope, who was the mother of one child, Albert M. Pope. Mr. and Mrs. Brookfield are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he is prominent both as a Mason and an Odd fellow.

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This family biography is one of 98 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Craighead County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Craighead County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Craighead County, Arkansas family biographies here: Craighead County, Arkansas Biographies

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