Biography of Francis Marion Thomas - 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 118 Francis Marion Thomas, a well-known and substantial farmer and ginner of Howard Township, was born in Georgia in 1851. His father, John A. Thomas, was probably a native of Alabama, and his mother, Louisa Hopkins Garrison, was born in Georgia. Mr. Thomas died at his father's, in Alabama, when Francis Marion was but 2 or 3 years of age. Mrs. Thomas was married again to Daniel L. Jenkins and in 1857 came to Conway County, where Mrs. Jenkins died soon after, being the mother of three children, two by her first husband, of whom Francis Marion is the only one surviving. He was principally reared by his grandfather, Caleb Garrison, till 10 or 11 years old, after which time he lived with an uncle, James F. Garrison (whose sketch is in this work), till he reached his majority, when in 1872 he was married to Johannah Stacks, who was born in Georgia. Her parents, Benjamin and Ursula Stacks, were natives of North Carolina and Georgia, respectively, but lived in Alabama and Mississippi till 1871, when they removed to Conway County, where Mrs. Stacks is now living. Mr. Stacks died in 1882. He served all through the Confederate army in an Alabama regiment. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are the parents of seven children, four sons and two daughters living. When he married Mr. Thomas settled in the woods in the neighborhood where he resides, and in 1878 purchased his present farm on which there were then about five acres cleared. He now has about sixty-five under cultivation, 122 in all. In 1873 he built a horse gin, which was superseded in 1880 by a good steam gin, which he has since operated with success, ginning from 200 to 500 bales annually, and during the winter season he is also engaged in merchandising on his farm. Mr. Thomas is a thorough going and public spirited citizen and his property is all the result of his industry and economy. He has held the various stations of Senior and Junior Warden and Senior Deacon in Howard Lodge, No. 253, A. F. and A. M., and is a Republican in politics, and a member of the M. E. Church, South.