My Genealogy Hound

J. W. Newsom, farmer, El Dorado. Ark. In his farming operations in this county Mr. Newsom has pursued progressive and enterprising principles, and is today one of the substantial and thoroughgoing men of the county. Of the ten children born to his parents, William and Sarah (Gullage) Newsom, he was the fifth in order of birth. The parents were natives of North Carolina, where the father followed farming until his death in 1868. J. W. Newsom, like the average country boy, assisted his father in the duties on the farm and attended the common schools, where he remained until the breaking out of the war. In 1864 he enlisted in a company of the Confederate army, to serve in a boys’ company, and was in the battle of Bellefield, Va., where they were victorious. They served in North Carolina, mostly around Weldon, and our subject was taken sick and sent to the hospital, where he remained until after the surrender. After the war he remained in North Carolina until 1869. Previous to this, in 1865, he was married to Miss Sarah F. Caison, a native of North Carolina, who died October 17, 1887, leaving ten children, all but one living: William J. (married and resides in this county), Christina I. (wife of T. Rowland, resides in this county), Bertha I (married, and died May 9, 1889), Robert, Anna, Rella Rosalia, Sarah Frances, Callie Cornelia, Ada Rachel and George Washington. In 1869 Mr. Newsom came to Arkansas, and settled twelve miles northeast of El Dorado, where he remained for one year, and then moved five miles southeast of El Dorado, where he remained for one year. In 1872 he bought a farm of 120 acres of slightly improved land, remained there three years, and then sold out and bought a tract of eighty acres in the woods eight miles south of El Dorado. On this he at once began to make improvements, erected good buildings, etc., and added to the land from time to time until he now has 400 acres in the home tract 280 acres near Hillsboro, and 150 acres under cultivation. The balance is covered with good timber. He does general farming, mostly corn and cotton, and makes about a half bale of cotton and fifteen bushels of corn to the acre. He is also engaged to some extent in stock-raising. On March 14, 1888, Mr. Newsom was married to Miss Sarah Frances Scroggins, a native of this county, and they have one daughter, Lillie May. The family are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Newsom was director of the schools of his district for many years, and takes an active interest in educational matters. Mrs. Newsom is an old school teacher of this county, and is still engaged in teaching a private school at home.