My Genealogy Hound

Laurence W. Goshorn, a successful and popular farmer of Canadian Township, is the second child of a family of seven children born to Russell B. and Kittie (Ward) Goshorn, of Ohio and Tennessee, respectively, and was born in Mississippi County, Ark., June 17, 1857. His grandfather was an eminent physician and druggist of Cincinnati in the earlier days, and died in 1872, at the mature age of ninety-two years; and his father, Russell B., was one of the first physicians who settled in Mississippi County, having commenced to practice medicine in Osceola in 1846, where he was very successful. The elder Goshorn bought considerable land in Chickasawba, where he lived for some time and then moved to the river at Barfield. From there he went to Hale’s Point, Tenn., and January 1, 1869, transferred his home to Dyersburg in the same State. In 1875 he returned to Mississippi County, Ark., settling at Hickman’s Bend, and from there moved to Missouri, where he remained one year. He made a short visit to Arkansas again, and in November, 1878, went to Florida, where he died at Live Oak, December 31, 1881. Laurence remained at home with his parents until the year 1874, and then moved with his uncle, William W. Ward, to Mississippi County, where he has since resided. In 1881 he bought eighty acres of land, and commenced cultivating a farm. On January 8, 1882, he was married to Miss Mary Ann Wetsel, a granddaughter of “Cedar” James Williams, a celebrated character and pioneer of that county, but in the same year Mr. Goshorn lost his wife. He is principally engaged on his farm, but is interested to some extent in land and timber speculation, in which direction he is well known for his shrewdness and good business ability. Mr. Goshorn does not take an active part in politics, and is independent in his belief, preferring to see the man who is best fitted to look after the interests of the country occupy the presidential chair than to side with any particular party.