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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Perry County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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 M. Crist. As one of the best-known farmers and stockmen in this county may be mentioned Mr. Crist, who was born in Perry County, Ind., October 22, 1853, son of James M. and Elizabeth (McFall) Crist. The father was also a native of the same State, and of German descent, his father coming from Germany to America during the Revolution, and taking part in that event. James M. Crist came to Arkansas in 1856, but returned to Indiana in 1860 on a visit, and during his absence the War of the Rebellion broke out, which made it impossible for him to return home. John M. was reared and trained to farm life, and spent the greater portion of his boyhood days in Indiana, receiving his education at the Bloomington College, of Bloomington, Ohio. On November 30, 1879, he was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Klingelhoeffer, whose parents were among the earliest settlers of Central Arkansas. [The father’s biography will be found in the history of Perry County.] She was the youngest of eleven children in the family. Three children were born to this marriage: Franklin (born November 29, 1881, died in 1883), John Walter (born October 22, 1884) and Agnes (born October 5, 1887). Mr. Crist had previously learned the carpenter’s trade and engaged on the steamer Maumelle, as ship’s carpenter, running from Little Rock to Pine Bluff. He next went on board the Marling Spud, and served in the same capacity for about eighteen months. His next venture was in lumber rafting from the woods of the Fourche Valley to Little Rock, where he found a market for his lumber, and followed this business successfully for three years. In 1884 he was nominated and elected county surveyor, filling the office for two years with the greatest credit. He has made his home on a farm of 160 acres in Perry Township, which he purchased in 1880, and has seventy-five acres under cultivation, with five good tenant houses, besides his own comfortable dwelling. He has also erected a steam cotton-gin, which he is operating successfully, and contemplates building another frame house. In the spring of 1888 he erected a shingle-mill, and manufactured that important building article quite extensively, but sold that property in 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Crist are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, of which the former is clerk and also superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is anxious to see the rapid development of Perry County, and lends his valuable aid to all enterprises having that effect, and is one of the most popular citizens of that county. Politically he is a Democrat.

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This family biography is one of 53 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Perry County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Perry County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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