My Genealogy Hound

James Q. Earnest, justice of the peace and one of the leading farmers of this township, was born in the Lone Star State in 1854, being reared, however, in Mississippi. He is the son of William and Malissa (Cotton) Earnest, natives of Tennessee, the former of whom was educated in Kentucky, moving to Texas in 1851, and settling in Smith County, where he lived for three years. Removing thence to Alcorn County, Miss., he resided there for twenty-nine years, and in 1883 came to this State, locating on the South Fork of the Saline River, in Saline County. He is the father of eleven children, eight now living: William P., James Q. (our subject), Aziline (wife of J. Westbrooks), Elizabeth (wife of R. Lucus, lives in Lonoke County), R. G., J. R., Annie (wife of Mart Hendrix) and Addie (at home.) During the war Mr. Earnest joined Company F, Thirty second Mississippi regiment, Confederate army, and served as a private through that struggle, participating in a number of battles, notable among which were Franklin and Chickamauga. He came home when the war closed and engaged in farming, which he still continues. Though a member of the A. F. & A. M., he does not affiliate with any lodge in this State. He is also a member of the Democratic party. James Q. Earnest, who received his education in the country schools of Mississippi, at the age of twenty-one began life as a farmer on rented land in that State. Continuing there for but a few years, he removed to Arkansas in 1878, and purchased his present property of eighty acres of wild land, besides which he has since cleared and improved fifty acres on the Saline River. He is quite an extensive stock raiser, having the largest herd of sheep in the county. In 1888 he was elected to the office of justice of the peace, in which capacity he does a large amount of business. He was married in 1874, to Miss Emily Stephens, daughter of James and Ellen (McElhannon) Stephens, natives, respectively, of Georgia and Alabama, who were the parents of seven children, four now living: Samuel (in Texas), Matt (in Mississippi), Emily (wife of our subject) and Charles (in Tennessee). Mr. and Mrs. Stephens both died about the year 1859. Though Mr. Earnest has no children to educate he is a warm advocate of the free school system, and a liberal donator to the churches. He is a member of Fair Play Lodge No. 32, A. F. & A. M., holding the office of S. D. in his lodge. Politically he is a Democrat. While, perhaps, not owning as much property in the county as some others, he is as enterprising and successful as any in his section—thoroughly understanding the pursuits to which he has devoted so much attention.