My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Garland 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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Peter E. Greene, general prescriptionist and one of the principal dealers in drugs, medicines, etc., in Hot Springs, was born in Brunswick County, Va., in 1828, and is a son of Myal and Nancy (Jackson) Greene, natives of the same State. The parents were married about the year 1806, and shortly afterward moved to Georgia, where they resided for almost thirteen years and then returned to Virginia. About the year 1831 they went to Tennessee, and, in 1839, came to Clark County, Ark., locating near Arkadelphia, the father dying the same year in Tennessee, and the mother in Clark County, Ark., September 21, 1851. Peter E. was the fifth of seven sons and four daughters born to the parents, of whom three are yet living. He was reared on a farm and received his education in the log-cabin school houses of the period. At eighteen years old he began in life for himself by entering a dry goods house at Arkadelphia, and some time afterward embarked in the grocery business on his own account. In March, 1849, he crossed the plains with the first company that ever left Fort Smith for that purpose, and reached the Pacific coast after a journey lasting over seven months and twenty days. In California he operated a ferry for some time, and then settled at a point about twenty-five miles east of Stockton, where he commenced farming. In 1851 he sowed the first wheat that was ever planted in the San Joaquin Valley. Later on he embarked in commercial life, which he carried on with success until March, 1853, when he started for Australia, arriving there in May of the same year and remaining until February, 1854. While there Mr. Greene performed the difficult feat of walking clear across the island, a distance of 800 miles, and rendered dangerous by the numerous bands of outlaws. His object ever since leaving home was the search for gold, and after leaving Australia he embarked on a ship for Peru, South America, where wonderful tales were told of the treasures to be found in the land of the Incas. On arriving at Callao he joined a company of seven adventurous spirits like himself, and after fitting themselves out with the necessaries for a perilous trip through an unknown country, they crossed the Andes on donkeys and reached the head waters of the mighty Amazon. Mr. Greene remained in this region for some time, meeting with many strange adventures, and afterward returned to Callao, where he took passage on a steamer for Panama. While at the latter place his roving spirit had become somewhat subdued, and thoughts of home began to fill his mind. The gold excitement on the Pacific Coast was unabated, however, and his choice between going home and returning to California was so evenly matched that he finally tossed up a silver dollar to decide on his course. As on this, so it is with other circumstances that change the destinies of men, the slightest turn may shape the course of great events. He threw the coin into the air, and as it fell swiftly to the ground muttered. “Heads for home; tails I go to California.” Looking eagerly at the small coin where it fell he found that heads was up, and thus on the turn of an insignificant piece of silver his future was changed. He embarked on the next steamer for New York City, and after reaching that port left immediately for Arkansas, landing once more among home and friends at Arkadelphia in August, 1854. In 1858 Mr. Greene started in the drug business in that city and continued until 1867. He then established a general merchandise store and carried on that business until 1873. In 1872 he bought a spring twelve miles from Hot Springs, Ark., which had quite a reputation locally for the cure of diseases; however, no improvements had as yet been made upon them, but he at once commenced to improve the property, and from the name of Locket he changed it to that of Mountain Valley Springs. Under his management this place became quite a noted pleasure and health resort, but shortly after he moved to Hot Springs, where he kept an hotel for some time. After this venture he turned his attention entire to selling his Mount Valley water, which had attained a national reputation, and in 1882 he disposed of the spring. In 1884 Mr. Greene established himself in the drug business, which he has since carried on with great success. He owns a splendid residence adjoining his business property known as the “ Bloomington,” and also real estate in Clark and Montgomery Counties, all of it made by his own enterprise and untiring energy. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate army and held the rank of lieutenant, but after the siege of Corinth he resigned and came home. In politics he was formerly a Whig, but since the war has been a Reconstructionist, and later a Democrat until 1888, and now a Prohibitionist. Mr. Greene has been a temperance man all his life, and has done much for the cause of sobriety. In religious faith he and wife attend the Methodist Church, to which they belong. He was married June 24, 1866, to Mariah V., daughter of Maj. James D. and Priscilla (Dickinson) Scott, of Virginia and Alabama, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Scott were married in Alabama, and in 1835 came to Clark County, Ark., where the wife died in 1864. Mr. Scott is still living and resides at Arkadelphia at the age of eighty-six years. He is a very prominent man in that section, and a nephew of Gen. Winfield Scott. After the death of his first wife he was again married, but is now a widower the third time. Mr. and Mrs. Greene have had one child born to their marriage: Jessie. Mr. Greene is a thorough going and progressive business man, and an interesting conversationalist. He can relate many thrilling incidents of his travels through the wild West, Australia and South America, and tell of experiences that but few men have endured. He is a representative citizen, and a man of honor, and is held in great esteem by the entire community.

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This family biography is one of 55 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Garland County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Garland County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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