Biography of F. O. Stobaugh - 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 107 Rev. F. O. Stobaugh, a minister of the Christian Church and blacksmith and woodworkman at Centre Ridge, was born in Van Buren County in 1845, and is a son of Rev. John J. and Sarah A, (Rogers) Stobaugh, who were born and reared in Tennessee, and from there they removed to Mississippi and about 1825 immigrated to Arkansas and settled in the wilderness in what is now Van Buren County, where Mrs. Stobaugh is still living at about the age of seventy-four years, and for many years a devout member of the Christian Church. Mr. Stobaugh improved a fine farm in Van Buren County, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a man of noble character, self-educated, and for twenty- five years was a Christian minister. In 1861 he was made chaplain in Capt. Jennings' company of the Tenth Arkansas, of Confederate troops, but was afterward made Lieutenant and entered the service in the field, but at the battle of Shiloh, (his first battle) he fell mortally wounded and died at Corinth on April 26, 1862. He was a Master Mason, and was a son of Edmond S. Stobaugh, who was of German ancestry and died in Conway County, a farmer by occupation. George Rogers, the maternal grandfather of our subject was a Tennessean by birth, but was an early settler of Van Buren County, Arkansas, where he died before the war. F. O. Stobaugh is the fifth of five sons and four daughters. His early life was spent on a farm, with a country school education. In the spring of 1863 he enlisted in the Union army in Capt. Williams' company of the Third Arkansas Cavalry, and operated in Arkansas till the summer of 1865. when he was discharged at Lewisburg, after having taken part in many severe skirmishes. His marriage occurred in 1866, to Martha J. Maddox a native of Van Buren County, and a daughter of James and Elvina Maddox, who were also pioneers of Van Buren County, where they both died. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Stobaugh, two sons and five daughters of whom survive. Mr. Stobaugh continued his residence in his native county till 1872, when he removed to Conway County and settled in the western part of Lick Mountain Township, where be improved a good farm, and in 1878 he settled in the woods where Centre Ridge now is, being the first settler in the town. Here he has since continued his trade and also carries on farming quite extensively, being the owner of two fine farms of 380 acres. He is one of the most practical and ideal farmer, of Conway County. In, 1868 he became a member of the Christian Church and on August 25, 1873, was ordained for the ministry, and has since been regularly in that work of salvation, being the present pastor in charge of the Centre Ridge Church and Liberty Church in Van Buren County. He is a member of Napier Post, G. A. R. Mrs. Stobaugh and eldest daughter are also members of the Christian Church in good standing.