My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Fulton 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.

* * * *

S. P. Welden, treasurer of Fulton County, Ark., was born in Jackson County, Tenn., June 15, 1832, but was reared in the State of Kentucky, receiving fairly good advantages for acquiring an education in the old subscription schools of early days. His boyhood days were spent in following the plow, and learning the blacksmith’s trade, the two occupations receiving his attention for a number of years. He was married at the age of twenty-four years, to Miss Elizabeth S. Duncan, in Bollinger County, Mo. She was born in Livingston County, Ky., May 7, 1838, and to their union five children were born, all of whom have passed to their long home: Mary A., born December 27, 1857, died March 14, 1858; an infant, born May 6, 1859, died the same day; Madoriah F., born July 20, 1860, died October 23, 1872; Ewell B., born February 2, 1864, died December 19, 1882; and one other infant, born November 2, 1867, died the same day. Mr. Welden bought two quarter sections of land in Fulton County, Ark., in 1868, and moved here in 1881. He resided on his property until elected to the office of county treasurer in September, 1884, when he located at the county seat of Fulton County. He was re-elected in September, 1886, and again re-elected in September, 1888, his majority being each year increased; and although he has only been a resident of the county a few years, he has become one of its prominent citizens, and is respected by all for his sterling integrity, sound judgment and liberal, progressive ideas. He now owns over 900 acres of land in the county, ten forty-acre pieces being in one body. He is an old line Democrat, and is the master of Salem Lodge No. 418, of the A. F. & A. M. Mr. Welden was the third in a family of twelve children, seven boys and five girls, eight of whom are now living, born to William Welden and wife, formerly a Miss Jones, the former being probably a native of North Carolina, born June 12, 1809, and the latter of Tennessee, born May 11, 1809. William Welden moved to Tennessee with his father when young, and was there married to Mary R. Jones, subsequently following the occupation of farming. He is still living, and is residing at Pinkneyville, Livingston County, Ky. His wife died on the 18th day of March, 1865. The paternal grandfather, Daniel Welden, was born in North Carolina, and died in Kentucky at the home of our subject, between ninety-five and one hundred years of age. He was a veteran in the War of 1812, under Andrew Jackson. The great grandfather, Pines Welden, was a Revolutionary soldier, and was of Scotch-Irish descent.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 70 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Fulton County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Fulton County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.