Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Henry B. Woolsey

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Henry B. Woolsey,farmer and nurseryman of Osage Township, three miles
southeast of Bentonville, is a native of Hempstead County, Ark., born
in 1830, and is the son of Samuel and Matilda (Thompson) Woolsey. The
father was a Kentuckian by birth, the same occurring in 1787, and was
also married in that State. In 1808 he moved to New Madrid, Mo., from
there to Hempstead County, Ark., in 1811. and in 1829 he moved to
Washington County, of the same State, where he passed the last years of
his life. He was one of the first settlers of both Hempstead and
Washington Counties, and during his first year's residence in the
former county his principal diet was buffalo meat. He was a great
hunter, a skillful marksman, and was fond of the rude life of the
pioneer. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. and fought the Creek
Indians in the State of Kentucky. His father, John Woolsey, was born in
New York State, was in the Revolutionary War, also the War of 1812, and
in the latter war he and his son, Samuel, enlisted in the same company
and regiment. and were at the battle of New Orleans. John Woolsey died
in 1839, at the age of one hundred and five years. Samuel Woolsey's
wife, Matilda Thompson. was born in Kentucky in 1791, and died in 1877.
She was the mother of thirteen children, six of whom are now living.
Henry B. being the tenth child. He was but an infant when his parents
moved to Washington County, and here he was reared and educated. He
worked on the old home place, which consisted of 200 acres, four miles
west of the county seat, until twenty-four years of age. and in 1854
married Miss Margaret Neale, who was born in Boone County, Mo., in
1834. To their marriage were born six children: Josephine, wife of
Richard Collins; James M., who died in 1880, at the age of twenty-one;
Lillie G., wife of Alvin Dickson; Anna S., deceased, who died in 1876,
at the age of six years, and George. Mr. Woolsey resided in Washington
County, Ark., until 1857, when he became a resident of Bentonville.
Ark., and worked in a wagon-shop. In 1861 he purchased eighty acres of
land in Section 33, Township 20, Range 30, where he located and has
since resided. About 1866 he started a nursery on a small scale, and
continued to increase his stock year by year until about seven years
ago, when his son-in-law. Alvin Dickson, became a partner, and since
then they have devoted their time and attention to this work. They have
at least 300,000 trees, at present writing, in fine growing order. Mr.
Woolsey is one of the old settlers, and is a man well respected by his
friends and acquaintances. He is a Democrat in politics, and Mrs.
Woolsey is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.