Biography of William S. Skelton - Craighead Co, AR

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Submitted by: Unknown < >
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1889.

page 356

William S. Skelton was born in Tennessee, July 14, 1857, and is now one
of the leading farmers and stock raisers of Buffalo Island. His parents
were John M. and A. C. (Stoddard) Skelton, natives of Alabama. The family
came to Arkansas in 1860, locating near Wittsburg, where they remained
for about four years and then came to Craighead County, locating first on
Cane Island and later on Buffalo Island. Here Mr. Skelton died in 1882,
and his wife, since married to G. W. Finch, still resides on the old
homestead. William S. Skelton is the second of the family of twelve
children, seven of whom are now living, three having died in infancy and
the others after reaching maturity. He grew up in Craighead County and
began farming on his own responsibility when nineteen years of age, when,
July 6, 1876, he married Dora A. Goss, a native of this State, who died
the next year, 1877. He farmed on the homestead some time and in 1879
settled on his present farm, then in heavy timber. Now he has under
cultivation forty-eight acres of splendid land, and has built him a good
home. He also owns one-quarter interest in the Lumsford & Co. cotton-gin.
For his second wife he chose Rebecca E. Richardson, and their union has
been blessed with four children: Jodella, Jonathan N., James T. and Paul
W. Mr.Skelton is progressive and influential, and his wife is a member of
the Methodist Church.