My Genealogy Hound

Hon. J. T. Holt. It was in 1847 that Mr. Holt became a resident of Hempstead County, Ark., having come here with his parents from Wilson County, Tenn., where he was born in 1840. In this, his adopted county, he learned the rudiments of farm life, and since reaching a proper age, has given his entire time and attention to the pursuit of this calling, and has met with more than average success. His parents, Jesse W. and Harriet C. (Gregory) Holt, were born in Wilson County, Tenn., and Mecklenburg County, Va., in 1810 and 1816, respectively, and the latter, when very small, was taken by her parents to Wilson County, Tenn., where she grew to womanhood and married Mr. Holt. After coming to Arkansas, they settled on a farm in Mine Creek Township, Hempstead County, and here the father, who was a worthy Christian, and a member of the A. F. & A. M., Pleasant Valley Lodge No. 80, of Nashville, of which he was treasurer for some years, passed from life, in 1867, his widow still surviving him. He was a son of Jesse Holt, who was born, reared and married in North Carolina, moving from there to Wilson County, Tenn., where he died in 1845, having been a successful farmer, a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and a soldier in the War of 1812. The grandfather, John Gregory, was born in Mecklenburg County, Va., but about 1819 removed to Wilson County, Tenn., and was there thrown from a horse and killed, when Mrs. Holt was about three years of age. His widow died some four years later, and Mrs. Holt was left an orphan at the tender age of seven years. Mr. Gregory was a school teacher, and was returning from a school which he was then teaching at the time of his death. J. T. Holt was the second of seven children, three sons and one daughter now living, and after obtaining a common-school education and acquiring a fair knowledge of farming, he began for himself, at the age of nineteen years, and in 1859 was united in marriage to Miss Cassandra L. C, a daughter of William H. C. v and Repcy Johnson, who were born in North Carolina and West Tennessee, respectively. In 1853 they emigrated to Hempstead County, Ark., but Mrs. Johnson died in Sevier County, in 1858, and Mr. Johnson in Texas, in 1880, having been a farmer and teacher by occupation and justice of the peace for several years. Mrs. Holt was born in Tennessee, in 1840, and died in Arkansas, in 1874, having borne six children—five sons and one daughter. Mr. Holt’s second marriage took place in 1874, his wife being Addie A., daughter of A. L. and Martha Pickens, all natives of Fayette County, Tenn., who removed to Hempstead County, Ark., in 1851, and later to Sevier County, where Mrs. Pickens died, still survived by her husband, who is now seventy-three years of age and a farmer. When first married, Mr. Holt lived near Nashville a few years, but in 1869 moved to his present farm of 410 acres, of which over 200 acres are under cultivation. In June, 1861, he joined the State troops, and during a four months service under Col. Dockery, he was in the Oak Hill fight. In June, 1862, he became a member of Company I, Nineteenth Arkansas Infantry, but was captured at Arkansas Post, in January, 1863, and was imprisoned at Camp Douglas, Chicago, Ill., for three months, after which he was taken to City Point, Va., and was paroled. He soon after joined the Army of the Tennessee, and was at Chickamauga, where he was wounded and furloughed home. After his recovery he became a member of Company D, of Monroe’s regiment of cavalry, and was with Price on his raid into Missouri, but was taken sick while in the southeastern portion of the State, after which he returned home. He could not long remain inactive, however, and upon recovering, he became a member of Col. Fagan’s cavalry command, and was in a number of skirmishes in Arkansas, until Price returned to Arkansas, when he again became one of his men, and served with him until the close of the war. He was formerly a Whig, his first presidential vote being cast for Bell, in 1860, but he is now a stanch Democrat, and an active worker for his party. After filling the office of justice of the peace for some years, he was elected to represent Hempstead County in the State Legislature in 1886, and served on the following committees: State charitable institutions, public buildings and emigration. During the session of 1889 he was door-keeper of the Senate. He has belonged to Pleasant Valley Lodge No. 30, A. F. & A. M., of Nashville, since 1863, and for the past ten years, with the exception of two years, he has been worshipful master, having been senior deacon prior to that time. Himself and wife are worthy members of the Missionary Baptist Church, he having been a member in good standing since twelve years of age, and a deacon since 1868. He is the father of fourteen children—seven sons and seven daughters—all of whom are now living except two daughters.