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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Miller 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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A. S. Blythe, sheriff and collector, Miller County. Mr. Blythe was born in Bibb County, Ala., March 23, 1836, being a son of James and Elizabeth (Weeden) Blythe, natives of Alabama and Georgia, respectively. The father passed away in Alabama, and after his death his widow married J. W. Hays and immigrated to Louisiana, thence in 1883 to Arkansas, and took up her residence in Miller County. Her husband has since died, but she still makes her home here. He was a very prominent man and held several offices of trust, both in Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas. He served as magistrate of Miller County for a number of years, and during the late war commanded a militia regiment. The subject of this sketch is one of two surviving members of a family of seven children, his sister, now Mrs. Sarah Taggart, of Texas, being the other survivor. Of the four children born to the mother’s later marriage, only one, Alberta, is now living. A. S. Blythe after having left his home, immigrated to Mississippi and there kept a hotel, livery stable, etc., and became a great horseman, but in 1857 disposed of his interests here, and the following year opened up a livery stable at Homer, La., which he conducted very successfully until at the breaking out of the late war he left his business to take care of itself, and enlisted in the Second Louisiana Regiment, his company being the first to leave Claiborne Parish, La. He served his cause faithfully until the surrender. The second year of his service he was elected commander of his company, and later acted in all the official positions that could be given him. He participated in the battles of Gettysburg, Sharpsburg, Malvern Hill, and the Wilderness, and at all times was a fearless soldier and a brave officer. He was with Gen. Jackson, and his army experience was rough. At the close of the war he returned to Homer, La., and resumed the management of his livery business, in connection with farming, and carried on these two interests at that place until 1876, at which time he opened up a livery and transfer business in this county, in which he is still interested. He was elected sheriff of Miller County in 1888, and has ever since continued in this office, to the satisfaction of all law-abiding citizens and the terror of the evil doer. His marriage to Miss Mary Stuart occurred in Louisiana in 1860, and she died in 1883, after bearing seven children, two of whom only, Florence and Harry, are now living. Sheriff Blythe makes an excellent officer, and is fearless and daring in the discharge of duty.

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This family biography is one of 35 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Miller County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Miller County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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