Biography of Martin V. Echols - Craighead Co, AR

***********************************************************
Submitted by: Unknown < >
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1889.

page 330

Martin V. Echols, a successful farmer of Jonesboro Township, was born
in Georgia, December 1, 1838, and is the son of Jabal and Frances
(Davis) Echols. Jabal Echols was born February 15, 1803, and Frances
(Davis) Echols was born May 20, 1807, both in Franklin County, Ga.,
where they were married, subsequently removing from that county to
Habersham County, of the same State. Jabal Echols was a farmer and
school teacher. He was also sheriff of that county for a number of
years. He died at the early age of forty years, October 3, 1843,
honored and respected by his countrymen. Mrs. Francis (Davis) Echols
died at the old homestead on September 8, 1869. She was a devoted
member of the Baptist Church and a true Christian woman. An older
brother of M. V. Echols (the subject of this sketch), L. M. Echols, was
a private in the Fifty-second Georgia Infantry, Confederate States
Army, and died a prisoner of war at Rock Island, Ill. Two younger
brothers were in the Confederate service. Jackson L. was killed at the
battle of Resaca, Ga. Jabal D. Echols died of sickness at Vicksburg
during the siege of that place. M. V. Echols, the subject of this
sketch, was a soldier in Wharton's Texas Cavalry, Confederate States
Army. He saw hard service and went through some of the bloodiest
battles of the war. He was taken prisoner at Dalton, Ga., and from
there sent to Johnson's Island, where he was kept till the end of the
war. Of a family of twelve children, eight of whom are now living,
Martin is the only one residing in Craighead County. He was reared on a
farm in Georgia and received a very fair education. He farmed for
several years in his native State, and in 1869 came to Craighead
County, Ark., and studied photography with George Cooper, of Jonesboro,
subsequently removing to Paris, Tex., where he followed that art for
several years. When he returned to Jonesboro he bought eighty acres of
land, and has forty of it well improved. November 30, 1876, he married
Miss Mattie Bird, whose parents were John and Barbara (McCarty) Bird.
Mr. and Mrs. Echols are the parents of seven children, five of whom are
living, viz.: Frances Cora, Lawrence Stanley, Lulu May, Theora Myrtle
and Lena Jewell. Mr. Echols and wife are active members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South.