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Below is a family biography included in The History of Phelps County, Missouri 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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Dr. Samuel F. Arthur was born August 20, 1850, in Dent County, Mo., and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Hyer) Arthur. John Arthur was born in the State of Kentucky, was of Scotch descent, receiving a common-school education, and immigrated to Missouri about 1838; he settled at Meramec Iron Works, working in the smelting furnace, and was engaged in the same business in Crawford County for five or six years, and after that went to Dent County, entered land, and there he now resides. During the late war he was quartermaster in the Confederate army. Elizabeth Hyer was born in Pennsylvania, of German parentage. She came to Missouri when young, was married to Mr. Arthur in Crawford County, and bore him twelve children, five now living: Samuel F., Mary, Mattie, Alice and Katie. Those deceased were named John, James, Lewis, Ellen, Lizzie, May and Julia. The paternal grandparents were both natives of Kentucky, and spent their entire lives there. Grandfather Hyer was a native of Germany, and immigrated to Pennsylvania, then to Ohio, and afterward to Missouri, where he died. Dr. Samuel F. Arthur was reared in Dent County, Mo., and received a good ordinary education. At the age of twenty he began the study of medicine, reading under his uncle, Dr. John Hyer, of Lake Springs, Dent County, for two years, graduating March 11, 1874. He then came to Edgar Springs, where he has since been practicing. He has been quite successful, and has an extensive practice. He was married, March 29, 1875, to Miss Josie M. Lenox, daughter of Francis M. and Elizabeth Lenox. Mr. Lenox was from Calloway County, Ky., and followed mercantile pursuits after coming to Missouri. He represented Phelps County and also Dent County in the Legislature. His father, David Lenox, was one of the pioneer settlers of Phelps County, and a minister in the Baptist Church years afterward. Dr. Arthur was defeated by fourteen votes for the office of representative of Phelps County. He was coroner for one term. He is a Democrat in politics, is a member of the I. O. O. F., K. of P., and the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of the Rolla District Medical Society, being elected vice-president in 1883.
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This family biography is one of 71 biographies included in The History of Phelps County, Missouri published in 1889. For the complete description, click here: Phelps County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps
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To view a map of Phelps County, Missouri: Phelps County, Missouri Map
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