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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Jackson 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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Paisley & Blake, well known residents of the community, are closely identified with the affairs of Auvergne Academy, a graded school for both sexes, which is located on a beautiful eminence in the southern part of the village, facing the east. June 20, 1888, this property was bought by Prof. D. L. Paisley and A. L. Blake, of Mrs. G. W. Bristol. They have conducted it during the term of 1888-89, with signal success. The faculty are D. L. Paisley, A. L. Blake and Mrs. A. L. Blake (instructor in instrumental music). The building is a large two-story frame edifice, with boarding department below, and school rooms above, with a seating capacity of sixty. Prof. Paisley is a native of North Carolina, born in Guilford County April 10, 1860. His parents, James and Minerva (Whorton) Paisley, were also natives of North Carolina, of Scotch descent. His father was a farmer and magistrate. He enlisted in the army of Northern Virginia, under Gen. Lee, in the Guilford Grays, was dismissed on account of ill health, and died in 1866, his wife surviving until 1888. They were members of the Presbyterian Church, and the father was an old-line Whig, and afterward a Democrat. Prof. Paisley was reared on a farm; his schooling was obtained first in the public schools of his county, then in Lych’s select school, at High Point, N. C.; in Horner’s school, Oxford, N. C., and in 1880 entered the State University, in 1881-82 taking an eclectic course. After completing this term, he taught in Maysville, S. C., three years. After his marriage, in 1885, he taught at Bennettsville, S. C., one year, when he came to Gurdon, Ark., and afterward to Auvergne Academy. His wife was Miss Loula Rankin, daughter of Thomas and Nancy Rankin, of Guilford County, N. C. They have one child, Lacy, a bright babe of eleven months. Our subject is the sixth child of a family of seven, and has one brother and one sister living. He is a Democrat, and conservative, and himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Auvergne. Prof. Andrew L. Blake is a native of Abbeville County, S. C., son of William K. and Hattie (Law) Blake, also natives of South Carolina, and of Irish and Scotch descent, respectively. His father, a lawyer and member of the Masonic order, served one term as the Democratic representative of his county in the State legislature, and has, for years, held the office of magistrate. The parents were members of the Presbyterian Church, the mother dying February 2, 1887. Our subject, the third of a family of six children, was reared on the farm, spent his school days at Greenwood, and from 1880 to 1884 was in Davidson College, Mecklenburg County, N. C. He began teaching at White Hall, S. C., where he remained one year. He taught one year near Greenwood, S. C.; taught at McLeansville, N. C., eighteen months, and in July, 1887, came to Clark County, Ark., and engaged as bookkeeper for William Paisley, of Gurdon. He remained in this position till February, 1888, when he taught an unexpired term at Gurdon. Closing this school April 20, he came to Auvergne, and taught the last nine weeks of the term at Auvergne Academy, and in June, with Prof. Paisley, bought that institution. Prof. Blake is a member of the Presbyterian Church, a Democrat, and takes an active interest in all public enterprises for the general welfare of the country. He was married to Miss Josie B. Lindsay, of Athens, Ala., July 16, 1889.

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This family biography is one of 144 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Jackson County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Jackson County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

View a map of 1889 Jackson County, Arkansas here: Jackson County, Arkansas Map

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