My Genealogy Hound

Judge Asa W. Bacchus is too well known to need a formal introduction to the people of this section, but certainly this volume would be incomplete without giving prominence to a name that has been for so long connected with the material interests of Ouachita County. Mr. Bacchus was born January 29, 1809, in Davidson County, Tenn., near Nashville, a son of John and Mary (Ellison) Bacchus, natives of North Carolina. The father, a farmer by occupation, was born January 31, 1766, in Rowan County, N. C., of Welsh descent, and came to Tennessee about 1792, where he lived until his death, which occurred January 14, 1839. The mother was born March 23, 1772, of Irish descent, and died August 30, 1860, a worthy member of the Baptist Church. They were the parents of nine children, the subject of this sketch being the next to the youngest, and the only one now living. Mr. Bacchus received a good education at the common schools of Tennessee, remaining at home until his marriage, which occurred in 1828 to Miss Sarah F. Bushart, born in North Carolina, September 22, 1809, a daughter of Jacob and Nancy (Fullingwider) Bushart, of German descent. For about twenty years after his marriage Mr. Bacchus engaged in teaching school, which occupation he had been engaged in previous to his marriage. In 1849 he removed to Arkansas, locating in this county, where he entered a tract of land, and cleared up a farm. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Bacchus have been born nine children, viz.: Lizzie (wife of Henry G. Cranford, a farmer of Marion Township), Nancy H. (the widow of Uriah Tyson of Texas), Mary (now the wife of Nathan C. Yarbrough of Columbia County), Susan (the widow of William C. Criner, a brother of Joseph W. Criner, whose sketch appears in this work), Asa M. (a sewing machine agent of Eldorado), and John, William and Robert, who were killed in the Confederate army, and Adolphus (who died about fifteen years after the war. While he was able to attend to his farm, Mr. Bacchus owned 440 acres of land, but he has since disposed of this property, recently selling the last 200 acres of land. He is worth considerable in money, mortgages and personal property. Mr. and Mrs. Bacchus are members of the Primitive Baptist Church. Mr. Bacchus is a strong Democrat in politics, and cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson. He was elected to the office of county and probate judge of Ouachita County in 1860, and served for six years in that capacity. He is a well-known citizen of Ouachita County, of large political influence throughout the community in which he lives.