My Genealogy Hound

Gray Carrigan has lived in Hempstead County, Ark., all his life, his birth having occurred near Washington in 1858, and from his earliest youth up he has given his attention to farming and stock-raising. His parents, Robert A. and Mary F. (Moore) Carrigan, were born in Orange County, N. C., in 1835 and 1837, respectively, and were married in Hempstead County, Ark., on October 15, 1856, whither they had come in 1852. Mr. Carrigan was a graduate of the North Carolina University, was an able scholar, and for many years was a prominent lawyer of Washington, and a stanch Democrat in his political views. He served in the quartermaster and commissary departments during the war, was a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and wife belonged to the Presbyterian Church. The grandfather, Stephen Moore, came from North Carolina to this State at an early day, and here spent the remainder of his days as a farmer, dying about 1888, his wife’s death occurring in the early part of the late Civil War. Gray Carrigan was the eldest of three children, himself and his brother Stephen being the only ones now living, and besides assisting his father on the home farm, he attended school in Washington, Little Rock and Fayetteville, being an attendant of the latter place at the time of his father’s death; in 1877. He soon left school to assist in settling up the estate, and the same year was married to Miss Lula, a daughter of Hewitt E. and Susan Burt, the former of whom was born and still lives in Hempstead County, Ark., a farmer by occupation. He served in the late war. His father, who also bore the name of Hewitt, was one of the very early settlers of Hempstead County, and here spent his life. Mrs. Carrigan’s mother was born in Sevier County, of which county her parents were among the first inhabitants. Mrs. Carrigan was born in Hempstead County, and died on September 13, 1884, an earnest and consistent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Besides her husband she left two children to mourn her loss. Soon after the close of the late Rebellion Mr. Carrigan opened a mercantile establishment at Washington, under the firm name of Carrigan & Bro., and, although his operations in this line met with good success, he discontinued the business at the end of eight years, and has since devoted his attention to his farm of 560 acres, which is situated two miles west of Washington. He also owns other lands to a considerable amount, and some good business property in the town. He is a Democrat, and although not a member of any church, he contributes liberally of his means in their support.