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

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John L. Rowland, who stands high in the agricultural ranks of Lee County, came originally from Tennessee, being a son of John B. and Elizabeth (Thomas) Rowland. The father was a son of Birch and Mary Rowland, natives of North Carolina, both of whom lived to be over sixty years of age. They were the parents of four sons: William (a mechanic and a master of his trade), George, David (both successful farmers and well-to do) and John B. The latter moved to St. Francis County in 1834, where he was engaged in farming, but a few years later came to Lee County. He was married before entering this State (then a Territory), to Miss Elizabeth Thomas, daughter of Lewis and Margaret Thomas, of South Carolina and Tennessee origin, respectively. Lewis Thomas was a soldier in the War of 1812, and gained distinction by his bravery, living to the age of sixty-five. John L. Rowland was born in Montgomery County, Tenn., in 1829, and was therefore five years of age when his parents moved to Arkansas. He was reared on his father’s farm, and as the territory was at that time very thinly settled, and schoolhouses were few and far between, his educational advantages were very limited. He commenced farming for himself when twenty years old in this county, and in 1857 was married to Susan E. Reed, daughter of Noah and Mary (Hurley) Reed, natives of Massachusetts and Kentucky, respectively. Noah Reed was born in 1797; his wife died at the age of forty. Mr. and Mrs. Rowland have four children: Josephine (deceased), Ardella (deceased), Jessie L. and Mary. Mr. Rowland enlisted in the Confederate army in 1862, in Company B, of Holmes’ regiment, in which he served throughout the war, participating in the battles of Cotton Plant, Helena and some others, but was principally engaged in skirmishing. After the war he returned home and resumed farming, and although he lost nearly all he had during that unhappy period, by hard work and close economy, together with good business management, he has accumulated considerable property, and now owns a fine farm of 540 acres, with 250 acres under cultivation. He has also a large amount of stock, to which industry he turns his attention, in preference to the more general occupation of cotton raising. Mr. Rowland is a Democrat in politics, is a member of the Masonic order, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, to which his wife also belongs, they taking an active part in religious enterprises. He is a liberal contributor to all enterprises for the good of the community.

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This family biography is one of 104 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Lee County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Lee County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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