Biography of Thomas A. Sloan - Conway Co, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Cathy Barnes 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 115 Thomas A. Sloan is one of the representative planters of Washington Township, Conway County, Arkansas; was born in Gibson County, Tennessee, in 1841, July the 27th. His parents were Robert and Frances (Sloan) Sloan, and to them were born three other children, all of whom are living at the present time but one. In 1853 our subject, with his mother, immigrated to Arkansas and located in Yell County, where Mrs. Sloan resided till her death, which occurred on August 12, 1859. She was for a long time a member of the M. E. Church, South. The subject of this sketch was principally educated at the schools of Yell County, and at his majority began to lay the foundation of his own fortune. In 1861, at the outbreak of the late war, he enlisted in the Confederate army under Gen. Price, in Company D, Fifteenth Arkansas Regiment, and participated in the battles of Elkhorn, or Pea Ridge, Ark., Corinth, Iuka and Vicksburg, Miss. At Vicksburg he was captured and paroled July 4th, whereupon he returned home. On October 14 of same year (1863) he entered the Federal army under Gen. Steele, and was in engagements on the Ouachita River, this State, and at the time of the surrender was at Lewisburg, from which point he went home and resumed his occupation as farmer. November 10 of 1863 he married Frances Arnold, a native of this State, and to this union have been born three children, Rufus M. and Emily (twins), and Sarah (deceased). In July, 1870 he lost his excellent wife, and married the second time to Margaret McCalister in August of 1871; this lady unfortunately dying, he married again in November, 1872. to Mary A. Pody, a lady who also claims Arkansas as her native State, and to this union was born one child, James E., who died. and was followed in August by his mother. In February 27, 1876, Mr. Sloan married again to Mamie Thomas, and to this union were born three children, named John T.; William F. and Georgie W. This lady died February 15, 1881, when our subject married Sarah Campbell in August 15, 1881, and the fruits of this union was one child, M**** E**** Mr. Sloan's farming operations have been attached with success, and he now has a well stocked farm of 160 acres, with 65 under a high state of cultivation. In matters of local interest and improvement Mr. Sloan is always found to willingly lend a helping hand, and is one of the representative citizens as well as a self-made man of Washington Township. He holds membership in the Christ Delphian Church. On August 3, 1887, he met with further bereavement by death in the loss of his most excellent and estimable wife.