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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Prairie 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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John W. Pettey is a manufacturer of lumber and shingles at Des Arc, and since one year old has been a resident of the State of Arkansas. He was born in De Soto County, Miss., May 11, 1854, and is a son of George I. Pettey, of Alabama, who was reared in Mississippi and was married in Shelby County, Tenn., to Barbara Ann Callis, a native of Shelby County. After their marriage they resided in Mississippi for about two years, and in the spring of 1855 moved to Arkansas and settled near Hazen, where they cleared a farm and reared their family. The father served in the Confederate army for over two years and died at his old home in September, 1880. His wife, two sons and four daughters survive him, all residents of Prairie County, the children being married. John W. Pettey grew to manhood in Prairie County, and remained with his father on the farm until twenty-six years of age, then began blacksmithing, having learned the trade at home, and from 1878 up to 1881, conducted a blacksmith, wagon and repair shop, but in the last-named year purchased his mill, and has since given his attention to the manufacture of lumber, averaging about 400,000 feet annually, the business rapidly increasing from year to year. He has overhauled his building and put in considerable new machinery this year, and is preparing to cut all the lumber and shingles for which he has demand. His brother has been associated with him in business since January, and they are honest and enterprising business men, and are bound to succeed. He was married in October, 1885, to Lelia W. Plant, a daughter of C. H. Plant, of Prairie County. Mrs. Pettey was born near Moscow, Tenn., but was reared and educated in Prairie County, Ark., and by Mr. Pettey is the mother of two children: Earl Cecil and Homer Allen. Mr. Pettey and his wife are members of the Methodist and Christian Churches, respectively, and he is a Mason and a member of White River Lodge No. 37, of which he has been Master for two years.

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This family biography is one of 94 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Prairie County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Prairie County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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