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Below is a family biography from the book,  The History of Crawford 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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William R. Bolling, proprietor of the Alma Flour and Corn-mill and Cotton-gin, which he erected in 1880, and has since successfully operated, was born in Perry County, Ala., in 1841, and at the age of nine accompanied his parents to Choctaw County, Ala. In 1869 they came to Crawford County, Ark., where the father died in 1885. He, Thornberry Bolling, was a descendant of Pocahontas, was born in South Carolina in 1817, and was a well-to-do farmer and upright citizen. He was for many years a member of the Baptist Church and Masonic fraternity, and was the father of ten children. The grandfather, Samuel Bolling, was born in Virginia, and died in Perry County, Ala. The mother of our subject, Nancy B. (Radford) Bolling, was born in Perry County, Ala., and is now sixty-five years of age. The town of Radfordville, in Perry County, Ala., was named in honor of her father, William, who was a soldier in one of the early wars, and was a wealthy planter. Our subject, William R. Bolling, received a common-school education, and at the age of twenty left his studies to join Company F, First Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi mixed regiment of infantry. He was at the battle of New Madrid, was captured at Island No. 10, served six weeks at Camp Douglas, Ill., and from there went to Madison, Wis., at which place he was exchanged in September, 1862. He afterward served a short time in the Fifty-fourth Alabama Infantry, and after his discharge joined Company B, First Alabama Battalion, which was shortly consolidated with the Thirteenth Alabama, and known as the Fifty-sixth Alabama Cavalry until the close of the war. In October, 1866, Mr. Bolling married Carrie R., daughter of William S. and Sarah L. Horn, of Alabama. To them ten children were born, of whom six are living. In 1869 Mr. Bolling accompanied his parents to this county, engaged in farming until 1880, and since that time, with the exception of the year 1882, has been engaged in the above named business in Alma. He was for four years engaged in the mercantile business in Alma. Mr. Bolling is the owner of 1,000 acres of land, well improved, upon which he has built a fine residence. He is a man of good business ability, and his property is the result of his own industry to a great extent. He is a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Seymout in 1868. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and Knights of Honor. Mrs. Bolling and three children are identified with the Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 222 biographies included in The History of Crawford County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Crawford County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Crawford County, Arkansas family biographies here: Crawford County, Arkansas

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