Biography of Samuel C. Wilkerson - 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 127

Samuel C. Wilkerson, one of the enterprising and thrifty business men
of Morrilton, is the subject of this sketch. A druggist and general
prescriptionist. Is a native of Haywood County, West Tennessee, born
1845, being a son of Dr. Samuel M. and Mary (Wyatt) Wilkerson, who
were natives of Virginia, where they were probably reared and married,
and from there they removed to Montgomery County, Tenn., and from
there to Haywood County, where Mr. Wilkerson died in 1864. Mrs.
Wilkerson is still living, over 80 years old. Both Methodists from
childhood. Mr. Wilkerson was a practicing physician in early life and
later a farmer. His father was George Wilkerson, of Scotch origin. The
maternal grandfather, John S. Wyatt, died in Haywood County, Tenn., in
1867, at the age of 96 years. He was a soldier in one of the early
wars, and a farmer by occupation. Our subject is the seventh of a
family of four sons and four daughters. His education was limited to
the schools of the neighborhood, and at the early age of 15 he left
school and enlisted as a soldier for the cause of the Confederacy in
Company A, of the Ninth Tennessee Infantry, General Cheatham's
Brigade, and fought gallantly at Shiloh, Perryville (Ky.),
Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Dalton, Resaca, New Hope
Church, Kennesaw Mountain, several engagements around Atlanta,
Jonesboro, N. C., and last but not least, at the celebrated and
bloody battle of Franklin, Tenn., where he received two severe wounds
in his right foot and leg, necessitating its amputation. Was captured
on the field of battle and held a prisoner at Nashville, Tenn., till
the cessation of hostilities. He was the youngest man in his regiment
at the beginning of the war, but none did more gallant and valuable
service than he, always present at roll call, and ready for any
service called upon to perform, regardless of the dangers and
hardships. In all he received eight distinct wounds. After the war he
attended school about ten months, and remained on the farm till
January, 1870, when he went to Memphis and clerked in a drug store a
few months. He then (same year) went to Augusta, in Woodruff County,
Ark., where he and a brother, J. B., were engaged in the drug business
till 1880, when our subject removed to Morrilton, where he has since
continued in the same business with his usual success. Since his
residence at Morrilton he has built, and now owns, a fine brick
residence and a double brick business block. In 1873 he was married to
Mattie G., a daughter of Charles Thomas, of Woodruff County. Mr.
Thomas died there during the war, and his wife died soon after the
war. Mrs. Wilkerson is a native of Woodruff County, and is the mother
of one son and two daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkerson are both
consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
Politically Mr. Wilkerson is a Democrat, "true blue," and cast his
first presidential vote for Samuel J. Tilden, in 1876 He was formerly
a member of the I. O. O. F., and is now Financial Reporter of the
Lodge of K. of H., No. 2197, at Morrilton. His eldest brother, Capt.
W. M. Wilkerson, a practicing physician and wholesale druggist, at
Memphis, Tenn., commanded the company in which our subject and another
brother, Wyatt W., served during the war, the latter now a farmer and
dentist near Brownsville, Tenn. The other brother, J. B., is a
druggist, of Augusta, Ark. The surviving sisters are Martha E., wife
of William Vaulx, of Shelby County, Tenn., and Mary J., now Mrs.
George L. Alexander, of Haywood County, Texas.