Biography of William W. Scroggin - Conway Co, AR

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

page 107

William W. Scroggin, prominent among those who are engaged in
agriculture in Conway County, and a well-known and esteemed citizen of
Union Township, was born in that part of Conway County now known as
Nichols Township, in the year 1839, making him but three years the
junior of his native State. His father, John C. Scroggin, was born in
Georgia, January 2, 1817, and the mother, Disa McAlister, was a
Mississippian by birth, and was born February 19, 1820. In 1834
Mr. Scroggin removed with his parents, Humphrey and Julia (Chaney)
Scroggin, to VanBuren County, Arkansas and the year following to
Conway County. His first marriage occurred in 1838, to the mother of
William W She died March 29, 1847, and August 17th Mr. S. was married
to Sarah Black. His death occurred March 28, 1864, after a residence
in Conway County of nearly forty years. He was a prominent member of
the Springfield Lodge of A. F. & A. M., No. 127, and of the Missionary
Baptist Church. (For ancestral history, see sketch of J. M. Scroggin).
Daniel McAlister, the maternal grandfather of our subject, removed
from Mississippi to Van Buren County with the Scroggin family. There
he and wife both died not many years after. They were among the
earliest families of that part of Arkansas. William W. Scroggin, the
only surviving member of a family of one son and two daughters, was
reared in the wilds of Conway County, and has witnessed the county
develop from a wilderness to its present high state of improvement,
and his school days did not exceed three months. January 31, 1861, he
married Martha Reynolds, a daughter of Jonas and Elizabeth Reynolds,
who were natives of North Carolina, but removed from Georgia to Conway
County, Arkansas, in 1856, but in 1863 removed to Bates County,
Missouri, where they both died. Mr. Reynolds was a farmer and
brickmason, and both he and wife were Primitive Baptists. Mrs.
Scroggin was born in Georgia, and is the mother of eight children, six
of whom are living, viz.: John J., Orville O., James C., Dora, Martha
and Damel. Mr. Scroggin has resided in different localities, but about
twelve years ago settled on his present farm of 240 acres, (about 135
acres under cultivation) five miles southwest of Springfield. He
began life with nothing of this world's goods, but by his industry,
economy and good management has obtained a good home. In 1861 he
joined Capt. Morgan's company of Col. Glenn's Regiment of Arkansas
Infantry, in which he served about two years, participating in the
battle of Prairie Grove. The remainder of his service was in Company
A, Third Arkansas Cavalry of Gen. Steele's command, as a sergeant,
participating in the engagement at Jenkins' Ferry and numerous others
till the cessation of hostilities, when he was discharged at
Lewisburg, after about four years of active service for the cause of
the Union. Mr. Scroggin has been a member of the Masonic fraternity
for twenty-five years, and both he and wife are members of the
Christadelphian Church.