Biography of James R Hollis, Clay Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Date: Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** From: The Goodspeed Biographical and Historical Memoirs of N. E. Ark. Biographical Information. James R. Hollis is a Tennesseean, born in Wayne County, January 1ate, 1837, and is a son of W. B. and Susan (Meredith) Hollis, both of whom were born in Wayne County, Tenn. In 1839 they moved to Arkansas and settled in what was then Greene County (now Clay), where they made a farm and resided until their respective deaths, the former's demise occurring in 1873. James R. Hollis remained with his father until he attained his majority and in June, 1861, enlisted in the Confederate service, Fifth Arkansas Infantry, and served until the final surrender, participating in some of the most important engagements of the war, among which were Murfreesboro. Shiloh, siege and surrender of Atlanta, Joneshoro, where he was taken prisoner, but was exchanged soon after, Nashville, where he was also taken prisoner, and Franklin, where he was captured and held until June 21, 1865. After being paroled he returned home and engaged in farming. He was married in what is now Clay County, August 19, 1858, to Elizabeth Payne, a daughter of Boswell B. Payne, whose sketch appears in this work. Mrs. Hollis was born in Adair County, Tenn., and was reared in Arkansas. Soon after his marriage he located on his present farm, consisting of some 220 acres, about 120 acres of which are fenced and mostly under cultivation, well improved with good residence and barns. Mr. and Mrs. Hollis are the parents of the following family: William Thomas, Jane B., wife of G. W. Pickens. Joseph E., Ada E., Mary Alice, Albert Harvey and John Royal. Three infants are deceased. Susan was the wife of Francis Davis, and died about 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Hollis are members of the Baptist Church, and he is a Mason and a member of the Agricultural Wheel.