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Below is a family biography included in The History of Sebastian 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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Hezekiah Chaney, a wealthy farmer, residing five miles south of Greenwood, Ark., was born in Jefferson County, Tenn., in 1829, and is a son of Charles and Phoebe (Brown) Chaney, both of whom were Tennesseeans, born in 1801 and 1805, and died June 8, 1877, and in 1843, respectively. The father was a son of William Chaney, and resided in Tennessee until 1873, when he moved to Hickman County, Ky., and in 1877 took up his residence in Logan County, Ark., coming to Sebastian County two years later, where he died at the home of his son, Hezekiah. After the death of his first wife he was married twice, and of his later wives are also dead. Eleven children were born to his first union, Hezekiah being the fourth child. He was reared to manhood on a farm and made his home with his father until he was sixteen years old, when he hired out in a brick-yard for $3 per month, and remained two seasons. He then began working on a farm for $11 per month for one year. December 16, 1852, he was married to Miss Debbie Brogdon, who was born in Williamson County, Tenn., in 1829, and by whom he became the father of ten children: James William; Phoebe Jane, wife of George Loney; Susan C., wife of Walter Cornett; George, Hezekiah, John F.; Alice, wife of Samuel Gooden; Robert, Lucy Lee, who died in 1874, at the age of eight years, and Luther Matthew. About 1865 Mr. Chaney moved to Hickman County, Ky., and three years later became a resident of Texas County, Mo., and nine months later located in Franklin County, Ark. Here he resided until 1879, when he became a citizen of Sebastian County, and in 1880 purchased ninety-five acres of land, sixty-five of which were under cultivation. He now owns 135 acres, and is doing well financially. He has been a life-long Democrat, and his first presidential vote was cast for Franklin Pierce. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

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This family biography is one of 217 biographies included in The History of Sebastian County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Sebastian County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Sebastian County, Arkansas family biographies here: Sebastian County, Arkansas

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