J. I. Earnest, Calhoun County, AR

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.
Contributed by Carol Smith.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                         USGENWEB NOTICE: 

     In keeping with our policy of providing free information 
     on the Internet,  data  may be used by  non-commercial 
     entities, as long as this message remains on all copied 
     material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in
     any format for profit or for presentation by other persons 
     or organizations. 

     Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for 
     purposes other than stated above must obtain the written 
     consent of the file contributor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calhoun County, Arkansas - from Goodspeed's History of Arkansas

J. I. Earnest, another prominent farmer of Dallas Township, was born in Alabama, Walker County, in 1829, the second in a
family of ten children born to Richard and Epon (Pate) Earnest, natives of Alabama. His father was engaged in farming in
Alabama for forty years, and died in the State in 1874, The mother died long before. Our subject was reared on the farm, and
attended the country schools for a short time. He commenced working for himself when he attained his majority, and in 1855 he
came to Arkansas, and settled in Calhoun County. In 1862 he bought his present farm of 380 acres, and the same year enlisted
in Knight's Company K, Fourth Arkansas Infantry, serving in the Trans- Mississippi Department, and was in the battle of
Pleasant Hill. His regiment surrendered at Marshall, Texas in 1865, and he at once came back to Arkansas and engaged in
farming. His wife and children had made their living in his absence by farming. He at once commenced clearing his land, and
erected buildings and now has bout 100 acres under cultivation, raising cotton principally, which averages one-half bale to the
acre, and last year made three bales on five acres. He was married, in 1852, to Miss Millie Simpson, a native of Alabama, by
whom he had nine children, viz: Robert, J. H., Alie, Ann, Neoma, Mary E., William Thomas (died in 1863 at the age of one
year), John H., (died in infancy) and another also died in infancy. Mrs. Earnest died in 1884, and in 1886 he was married to
Mrs. Melissa Pealer, by whom he had one child, David Cleveland. Mr. Earnest is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Southern
Star Lodge, also of the Dallas Lodge 1227. He takes a deep interest in educational, matters, as well as in the advancement of
all public interests.