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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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Thomas F. Greer, farmer, stock raiser and ginner, Des Arc, Ark. Tennessee has given to Prairie County, Ark., many estimable citizens, but she has contributed none more highly respected or for conscientious discharge of duty in every relation of life, more worthy of respect and esteem than the subject of this sketch. He was born January 14, 1829, in Rhea County, and is the son of William and Tempie (Presley) Greer, both natives of Tennessee. The father followed agricultural pursuits in Tennessee a number of years and then removed to Alabama, thence to Arkansas in 1851, and settled in Prairie County, where he resided for some time. Later he removed to White County. He died at the residence of his son, Thomas F., in 1885, and his wife died two years previous to this. Thomas F. Greer’s time was divided in early life between assisting on the farm and in attending school in Alabama. He remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, when he moved with them to Arkansas in 1851, engaging in the livery business at Des Arc, and continuing it until about 1873. He then bought land where he now resides, cleared it, and has since added to the same until he now is the owner of 640 acres of good land, with about 250 acres under cultivation. He has a good gin, ten or twelve tenement houses, and his land lies about two miles from Des Arc. Mr. Greer served about two years in the ordnance department of the Confederate army during the war. He has been twice married, first about 1853 to Miss Sarah Goodwin, a native of Middle Tennessee, who bore him four children: Isabella (wife of G. W. Blakemore), Floyd (married, and resides at Des Arc, Ark.), Annie (wife of John Thomas) and one died in infancy. Mr. Greer’s second marriage occurred about 1875, to Mrs. Ellen (Brown) Bethell, a native of Memphis, Tenn., and the daughter of Col. Samuel Brown. To this union have been born two children: Daisy and Birdie. Mr. Greer is a member of the Baptist Church and his wife of the Old School Presbyterian Church. He is now also engaged in the saw-mill business.

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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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