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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Randolph 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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Adolphus H. Kibler. This substantial and representative agriculturist was born in Lincoln County, N. C., December 9, 1820, and was educated in his native State, receiving excellent educational opportunities in Lincoln Academy, which advantages he did not fail to improve. At the early age of twelve years he entered the employ of a merchant, with whom he remained as a clerk for sixteen years, and then, tiring of the work, he turned his attention to farming, which has been his chief occupation. He remained in his native State until 1857, then emigrated west, and located in Randolph County, Ark., where he has since made his home, and by his own individual labor has become the owner of a fine tract of land embracing 320 acres. He has been honored with various offices in the county, and was first elected in 1859 internal revenue commissioner, which position he held four years. In 1878 he was chosen county treasurer, was re-elected three times, serving in all eight years, and discharged the duties of this office in a highly creditable manner, and to the satisfaction of all concerned. In 1845 he was married to Miss Mary A. McKeraff, a daughter of John McKeraff. She was born in Burke County, N. C., in 1824, and her union with Mr. Kibler resulted in the birth of six children, four of whom are now living: Augusta, wife of H. H. Woddell, a farmer of Pocahontas; Mary Alice, wife of Dr. Wise, of Paragould; Harriet, wife of Dr. G. W. Crosby, of Pocahontas, and George M., a farmer of the county. Those dead are Laura and Willie. Mr. Kibler and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; he is a Democrat, and has been a Mason for the past twenty-five years. In the spring of 1862 he enlisted in the Forty-fifth Arkansas Confederate Infantry, and was forage master of the regiment until the close of the war, when he surrendered at Jacksonport, Ark. He is a son of Michael and Catherine (Lorance) Kibler, both of whom were born in Lincoln County, N. C., and died in North Carolina and Randolph County, Ark., in 1848 and 1859, respectively, the latter being sixty-four years of age at the time of her death. They were married in their native State, and when a young man, the father was engaged in blacksmithing; also farmed the latter part of his life, and was very successful in the accumulation of this world’s goods. He served in the War of 1812, acting as drum-major, and in his political views he was a Whig. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran Church, and were the parents of the following family: Adolphus H., Mauernia, wife of Jacob Dailey, of Benton County, Ala.; Sophronia, also living in that county, and Dr. M. H., who is a prominent physician of Northeastern Arkansas, and resides near Black’s Ferry in Randolph County. Miles M. was a captain in the Confederate army during the late war, and was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg. William was surgeon of a regiment in the Confederate army, was wounded at Murfreesboro, and was aid on Gen. Claiborne’s staff. He afterward resided in Cross County, Ala., and there died. The paternal grandfather, David Kibler, was a German, who came to America about the close of the Revolutionary War, located in Lincoln County, N. C., and after a number of years removed to Iredell County, of the same State, where he spent the balance of his life. The maternal grandfather, Isaac Lorance, was born in England and also located in Lincoln County, N. C.

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This family biography is one of 110 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Randolph County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Randolph County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Randolph County, Arkansas family biographies here: Randolph County, Arkansas Biographies

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