Biography of William F. Avants - Conway Co, AR

***********************************************************
Submitted by: Cathy Barnes <bbarnes@cswnet.com>
        Date: 21 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

page 44

William F. Avants, a planter, living on Petit Jean Mountain, in Cedar Falls
Township, is a native of Conway County, born April 24, 1865. He is a son of Cary
and Elizabeth W. (Higgins) Avants; father is a native of Anderson County.
Tennessee, where he was born September 4, 1830, and has always followed the
occupation of farmer; mother is a native of Hempstead County, Arkansas; born
March 23, 1832. They were married in Conway County, Arkansas, April 19, 1863. To
this union was born four children, three sons and one daughter, two of whom have
died, William F., James N., Clara (deceased) Mr. Avants, Sr., enlisted in the
Confederate service in 1862, and served in the infantry until the close of the
war. He was in the battles of Prairie Grove, Fayetteville, Little Rock, Ilelena
and almost innumerable skirmishes. On his return from the war, he engaged
actively in farming and has followed that occupation since. He has always taken
an active part in laudable enterprises for the advancement of the community in
which he resides. He served as Justice of Higgins Township for four years, and
was school director for twelve years or more. He now lives on his well-improved
and pleasant farm of eighty acres, with sixty under a high state of cultivation,
of which his son William has the main supervision and care. He lost his
excellent wife in 1889. This worthy couple for years held membership in the
Presbyterian Church. Mr. William Avants was married December 26, 1887, to Miss
Maggie M. Deeter. She is a daughter of Daniel and Hannah (Love) Deeter, and was
born in Pennsylvania, April 26, 1868; parents are natives of Pennsylvania, and
were born (father) in 1834 and (mother) 1830. They were married in Pennsylvania
in 1854, and were the parents of eight children, six of whom are now living;
George W., Mary E. (deceased), Clara A., Charles P., Andrew E. (deceased),Maggie
M., Lucy E., and William S. Mrs. Deeter died in Pennsylvania, February 27, 1884;
father and family came to Arkansas the next year, and settled in Conway County,
where he now resides. Mother was and father is a member of the M. E. Church. To
the union of our subject and his wife have been born two interesting children,
named William C. and James D. The family hold membership in the Methodist
Church, South.