Biography of James D. McMahan - Conway Co, AR

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Submitted by: Cathy Barnes <bbarnes@cswnet.com>
        Date: 21 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

page 88

James D. McMahan, a planter living on Petit Jean Mountain, in Cedar Falls
Township, was born in Tennessee, October 10, 1836. He is the son of William and
Charlotte (Porter) McMahan. Parents were natives of Tennessee, where they were
married about 1833. The result of this union was eight children, four sons and
four daughters. Four children are now living, of whom James D., the subject of
this sketch, is the oldest. The others are Wm. P., Elizabeth (wife of Henry
Gobble) and Martha A.; father followed the occupation of farmer during life. He
died May 4th, about 1853. His wife still survives him; is now in her 75th year
and resides in Tennessee, and is a worthy member of the M. E. Church. Our
subject was reared on the farm; attended the common schools. He came from
Tennessee to Arkansas, settling in Conway County, where he was married on
December 5, 1874, to Mrs. Emily E. Johnson, a daughter of Joseph E. and Mary
Knowles. Her father was a native of North Carolina, born in 1817, and mother of
Georgia, born in 1811. They were married in Georgia, and were the parents of a
family of thirteen children, six of whom are now living. Mother died March 5,
1861. Father still survives and resides in Texas. He is, and she was, a member
of the Methodist Church. Mrs. McMahan was married to her former husband, William
G. Johnson, in 1857. They were the parents of seven children, four now living.
Mr. Johnson died in 1871, and was a member of the Baptist Church. Our subject,
Mr. McMahan, now owns a good farm of eighty acres, well improved and stocked. He
takes an active interest in the development of his locality. He served as
Justice of his township in 1879 and was a Deputy Sheriff from 1886 to 1887.
Politically he is a member of the Republican party. Mrs. McMahan is a member of
the Baptist Church.