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.

* * * *

William Deatherage, one of the foremost farmers of Mount Calm Township, on Bennett River, owes his nativity to Tennessee, where he was born in 1842. His father, A. J. Deatherage, was born in Tennessee, about 1811, and died in Roane County, of that State, in 1847. The latter was married in his native State to Miss Sarah Jackson, also a native of Tennessee, born about 1822. Three children were the result of this union, William being the eldest. One was drowned in the Tennessee River, by the overturning of a skiff, when only seven years of age, and Martha, became the wife of O. B. Fuller, and is now living in Tennessee. Mrs. Deatherage was married the second time, in 1850, to W. F. Ellis, and by this union became the mother of eight children, six daughters and two sons: Sarah (deceased), Margaret (deceased), Minerva, wife of George Jones, and now living in Tennessee; Nancy and Becky (twins), were married to twin brothers, Samuel and Elijah Kelon, and live in Tennessee; Caleb, Franklin, and Mary, at home with her mother. A. J. Deatherage was a major in the United States army when the Indians were moved to Indian Territory. William Deatherage commenced for himself in life by joining the Confederate army, Company A, Twenty-sixth Tennessee Infantry Regiment, on the 15th of June, 1861, and served about four years. He participated in sixteen hard-fought battles, the principal ones being Fort Donelson, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Taylor Ridge Gap, Swamp Creek, Resaca, New Hope, Marietta, Jonesboro, Columbia, Franklin, Nashville; was with Forrest at Murfreesboro the second time, Columbia, Bentonville, Chickasaw Mountain, etc. He surrendered on the 5th of April, 1865, at Greensboro, N. C., after which Mr. Deatherage returned to Greeneville, Tenn., and from thence home, where he commenced farming. He started out after the war with nothing but a Confederate suit of clothes, with forty-eight bullet holes in it. He was married, May 28, 1868, to Miss Rebecca Hall, of Tennessee, and in the fall of the following year he came to Fulton County, and settled on Bennett’s Bayou, and there remained three years. In 1873 he moved to his present fine property, consisting of 267 acres, with 100 acres improved. He has good buildings, and a comfortable home. As he has had but little help since commencing for himself, he is the architect of his own fortune. To his marriage were born eleven children, eight living at present: Susan, born October 12, 1870; E. J., born February 9, 1872; G. W., born on the 3d of September, 1874; Lydia M., born on the 8th of September, 1876; Sarah A., born on the 5th of December, 1878; W. S., born on the 5th of March, 1880; James K. P., born on the 12th of October, 1885, and Nancy, born on the 11th of June, 1888. Mr. Deatherage has been justice of the peace of his township for one term. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, County Line Lodge No. 873, and in his political opinions is with the Democrats. Mrs. Deatherage is the daughter of Elijah and Lydia Hall, who were the parents of eleven children, the following living: Samuel, Elisha, Mollie, Elijah, Lydia, Thomas, Rebecca D. and J. K. P.

* * * *

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.