Faulkner County Archives – Page 2 of 6

Biography of Alexander Showalter of Faulkner County

Mr. Alexander Showalter, born on April 22, 1839, in Butler County, Ohio, was a notable resident of Stone Township, Arkansas, engaged in agriculture and stock raising. His parents, John Showalter from Germany and Elizabeth (Hinkin) Showalter from Ohio, had four children. Alexander served in the Civil War with the 17th Indiana Infantry and later the 128th Indiana Infantry. In 1866, he married Rebecca Kaziah, and they moved to Arkansas in 1879, where he established a successful farm in Stone Township. The couple had seven children, and Mr. Showalter was active in the G.A.R. and the Lutheran Church.

Biography of Jacob Sansom of Faulkner County

Jacob Sansom, a successful farmer in Faulkner County, Arkansas, was born in DeKalb County, Georgia, in 1826. He is the son of William H. and Nancy (Stinson) Sansom. After moving through several states, the family settled in Tennessee, where both parents passed away by 1843. Jacob, largely self-educated, began his career as a farm laborer in Mississippi. In 1852, he married R. N. Ross, with whom he had six children, two of whom survived. After her death, he married Matilda Bland in 1873, and they had one son. Sansom moved to Arkansas in 1868, establishing a prosperous 240-acre farm. He served in the Confederate Army, was captured at Gettysburg, and later released. A lifelong Democrat, Sansom was initially a Baptist but later joined the Methodist Church.

Biography of Hon. Joseph Roden of Faulkner County

Hon. Joseph Roden, a leading miller, cotton gin operator, and farmer in Faulkner County, Arkansas, was born in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, in 1839. He was the son of Josiah and Nancy J. (Hawkins) Roden. The family moved to Arkansas shortly after the Civil War began. Joseph Roden served in the Confederate Army and later moved to various locations, including Little Rock and Texas, before settling in Faulkner County in 1871. In 1884, he established a successful farm, mill, and cotton gin operation. A dedicated Democrat, Roden served as justice of the peace and in the Arkansas legislature. He married Lizzie V. Hamlett, with whom he had eight children. Roden was a prominent Mason and long-time member of the Christian Church.

Biography of Col. A. P. Robinson of Faulkner County

Col. A. P. Robinson, a prominent figure in Central Arkansas, was born in Hartford County, Connecticut, in 1822. The eldest of seven children of Ludyah and Sophia Eliza (Hosmer) Robinson, he was raised in Newburgh, New York. Educated in civil engineering, Robinson worked on the Erie Railroad and later constructed major railways, including the Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad and the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad. Moving to Little Rock in 1869, he helped develop Conway, Arkansas. Robinson served as Conway’s first mayor and was active in real estate and politics. He married twice, first to Lucy Blodgett, with whom he had five children, and later to Mary Louise De St. Louis. He was known for his contributions to education, agriculture, and community development.

Biography of P. H. Prince of Faulkner County

P. H. Prince, who served as county and probate judge of Faulkner County, Arkansas, was born in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, in 1846. He was the eighth of thirteen children of William and Sarah P. (Williams) Prince. After graduating from the State University at Lexington, Kentucky, in 1873, Prince moved to Conway, Arkansas, to practice law. A dedicated Democrat, he was also an active member of Green Grove Lodge No. 107, F. & A. M., and Woodland Lodge No. 11, Knights of Pythias. Prince married Martha E. Hoss in 1878, and they had two children, William Henry and Anna. He was a respected community leader and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

Biography of Jacob A. Phillips of Faulkner County

Jacob A. Phillips, a prominent farmer in Caney Township, was born on August 8, 1840, in Fayette County, Tennessee. He is the son of Alexander and Catherine (Long) Phillips. After moving to Prairie County, Arkansas, in 1858, Phillips served in the navy under General Farragut. He married Sarah J. Ferguson in 1866, and they had eleven children. In 1871, Phillips settled in Faulkner County, where he developed a successful 120-acre farm. A respected community member, Phillips is active in the Christian Church and affiliated with the Union Labor Party.

Biography of J. R. Miller of Faulkner County

J. R. Miller, a prosperous merchant and farmer in Faulkner County, was born on January 2, 1856, in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the son of J. J. and Nancy A. (West) Miller. After moving frequently in his youth, Miller settled in Arkansas in 1876. He established a store in Mayflower in 1884 and has resided there since. Miller married twice, first to Manda E. Jackson, with whom he had three children, and later to Mary S. Surat, with whom he had three more children. An active Democrat, Miller has served as justice of the peace and is a notable community leader.

Biography of Edward Munroe Merriman of Conway

Edward Munroe Merriman, born on June 11, 1843, in Auburn, N.Y., graduated from West Point in 1867 and served in the First Regular Artillery until 1871. Moving to Arkansas in 1871, he became the oldest resident of Conway. Merriman held various positions including postmaster, mayor of Conway, justice of the peace, and county court judge in Faulkner County. He married Matilda Menkus in 1873, and they had one daughter, Mary Adams. Merriman, a direct descendant of President John Quincy Adams, was instrumental in creating Faulkner County and practiced law from 1886. He was a lifelong Democrat.

Biography of J. E. Martin of Conway

J. E. Martin, a prominent merchant in Faulkner County, Arkansas, settled in his current location in 1875. Born in January 1840 in White County, Tennessee, Martin was the fourth of nine children of Daniel and Rebecca (English) Martin. His family moved to Arkansas in 1848, settling initially in Van Buren County. Martin began his commercial career in 1871 and moved to Conway in 1875. A Democratic politician, he served as Faulkner County’s first sheriff in 1874 and later in the legislature. Martin married twice and had nine children. He was an active participant in the Civil War and community development until his death.

Biography of D. P. Loretz of Mayflower

D. P. Loretz, born June 30, 1842, in Lincoln County, North Carolina, was of Swiss descent and one of five children of Daniel and Eliza (Reinhardt) Loretz. His great-grandfather, Andrew Loretz, was a German Reformed Church minister. D. P. Loretz served as a lieutenant in the Thirty-second North Carolina Regiment during the Civil War, participating in notable battles such as Spotsylvania and Winchester. After the war, he relocated to Conway, Arkansas, and later Mayflower, engaging in farming. In 1867, he married Anna Abernathy of Jacksonville, Alabama. Loretz was active in the community, serving as postmaster and holding several local offices. He preserved historical documents, including his grandfather’s passport from Switzerland and an autograph album from the late 18th century.

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