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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Greene 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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T. B. Kitchens, circuit court clerk, ex-officio clerk of the county and probate courts, and recorder of Greene County, Ark., is one of the prominent and leading citizens of that county. He was born in Craighead County, Ark., August 21, 1854, and is the son of James H. and Arminda J. (Davis) Kitchens, natives of Forsyth County, Ga. The parents were married in their native State, but afterward removed to Cherokee County, Ala., where they remained until the winter of 1851, and then located in what is now Craighead County, Ark. In the early part of the following year the father removed to the farm he now occupies, and there he has since resided. He was one of the first settlers of Craighead County, having located there when the country was wild and unbroken. T. B. Kitchens was reared and received his primary education in his native county. Later he attended school at Gainesville, and completed his education at the Arkansas Industrial University, at Fayetteville, from which institution he graduated with honor, being valedictorian of his class in 1880. He was also awarded the gold medal of $25, offered by B. B. Stone, of Fayetteville, for the best set of literary essays of the season of 1880, as well as the gold medal offered by the publishing house of D. Appleton & Co., to the member of the senior class of 1880, who had the highest standing in mathematics in the four years’ course. Following his graduation, Mr. Kitchens taught school until the spring of 1882, and in the fall of the same year he entered the county clerk’s office as deputy, and served for four years, discharging his duties faithfully and honorably, and in such an efficient and capable manner that he won many friends, and at their solicitation he became a candidate for his present office. He was elected in September, 1886, without opposition, and re-elected to the office in 1888, which position he is now holding. He was county examiner from 1882 to 1886, and discharged these duties, as he does all others, with honor and credit. He owns town property and a half interest in the Gager House, which is a large three-story brick building, and a first-class hotel. Mr. Kitchens was married January 1, 1884, to Miss Alice B. Burton, a native of Tennessee, whose parents came to this county when she was a child four years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Kitchens are the parents of one child, William M. Mr. Kitchens is a member of the K. of P., and a charter member of the lodge at Paragould.

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This family biography is one of 120 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Greene County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Greene County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

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