My Genealogy Hound

W. R. Hedgpeth, M. D., is one of Madison County’s (Ark.) most successful physicians. He was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., on the 25th of June, 1854, and is a son of McGee and Matilda (Hayes) Hedgpeth, who were also natives of Lincoln County, Tenn. The father was a farmer and a Democrat, and was fifty-two years old at the time of his death, which occurred in 1857. His wife died when the subject of this sketch was an infant. They were members of the Presbyterian Church, and became the parents of four children, two of whom are living: W. R., and Martha L., wife of Isaac Emmonds, a farmer of Hunt County, Tex. W. R. Hedgpeth, after his father’s death, resided with an aunt until fourteen years of age, and then spent one year in Obion County, Tenn., after which he came to Des Arc, Ark., and lived with an uncle for eighteen months. He next located in Memphis, Tenn., and became a traveling salesman for a nurseryman, continuing with him two years, after which he went to Weakley County, Tenn., and began studying medicine under Dr. Cutter, at Dresden. In 1876 he came to Kingston, Ark., on a visit to his uncle, Dr. S. W. Hedgpeth, who died while he was there, and he succeeded to his uncle’s practice. In 1882-83-84 he attended the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, and graduated from that institution in 1884. Since that time he has had a large and constantly increasing practice at Kingston, and has been compelled to take a partner, Dr. Lloyd. He has also purchased a stock of drugs. September 10, 1878, he was married to Ida B. Hedgpeth, a daughter of S. W. Hedgpeth. She was born in Madison County, Ark., November 14, 1860, and is the mother of five children: David M., William R., Mary M., Fred O. and an infant son unnamed. The Doctor is a Democrat, and a member of the A. F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F. His wife is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.