My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hempstead 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.

* * * *

Dr. Thomas J. Booker. For a period of nearly forty years, he whose name heads this sketch has been a resident of Hempstead County, Ark., and during this time he has enjoyed a reputation as an honorable, upright man, and a solid, substantial, and thoroughly reliable citizen. The history of his life is not unlike that of other professional men, and yet there has been an individuality about it that has gained for him many warm friends. Dr. Booker was born in Washington County, Ky., August 12, 1832, and was a son of William B. and Louisa (Nance) Booker, the former a Virginian by birth. Grandfather Samuel Booker, also born in Virginia, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and his son (the father of our subject) served in the War of 1812. His parents were married in Kentucky, and there the father practiced his profession—that of a lawyer—with excellent success, for a number of years. He also served as clerk of the court for a number of years. He served for some time in the Legislature and Senate of Kentucky. He died in Kentucky, in 1866, and was buried in that State with all the honor and ceremony of the Masonic fraternity, in which order he was a Knight Templar. The mother passed away in 1837, and died as she had lived, a firm believer in the doctrines of the Presbyterian Church. They reared a family of nine children to honorable manhood and womanhood, the subject of this memoir being the youngest son, five of whom are still living, viz.: William F. (who is now a resident of Kentucky), Harriet (wife of Joshua F. Green, a Presbyterian minister, living in Little Rock, Ark.), Mrs. L. B. Worthen (of Little Rock), Eliza L. (now the wife of J. T. Hopkins, living in Missouri), Henrietta (married Hamilton Pope, a lawyer, and now makes her home in Kentucky), and Thomas (the subject of this sketch). Thomas Booker was reared to manhood in the State of his birth, and at the age of eighteen years, he left his home, and immigrated to Arkansas, settling in Hempstead County. He soon after entered the Medical College of St. Louis, and was graduated at that institution in the year 1853-54, after which he entered upon the active pursuit of his profession, in which he has continued ever since. He was united in marriage March 4, 1855, to Miss Mattie J. Bradley, who died April 10, 1871, after bearing him seven children—three sons and four daughters. Of these seven children only four are now living, viz.: Paul R., Thomas F., William B., and Nannie B. (the wife of John E. Williams, a successful merchant of Fort Worth, Tex.) Mrs. Booker was born in Hempstead County, Ark., January 13, 1837, being a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Davidson Bradley, and was an estimable and intelligent lady. She was a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church. On December 8, 1875, Dr. Booker wedded his present wife, nee Miss Mary E. Lee. She was born in Virginia, January 17, 1834, a daughter of Henderson and Susan L. (Lambkin) Lee; the former, a Presbyterian minister, was born in 1790, and died in 1862, and the latter, born November 11, 1798, died in 1873. During the late war, Dr. Booker served as physician, from 1862 to 1863. During the early part of his enlistment he served as lieutenant of cavalry, but only for a short time, as he was soon appointed surgeon. During his long residence here he has established a large and lucrative practice, and won many warm friends. He belongs to the Masonic order. He owns 640 acres of good land, all of which is well improved and very valuable.

 

* * * *

This family biography is one of 131 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Hempstead County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Hempstead County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Hempstead County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.