Biography of Edward Tolbert, Franklin Co, AR

***********************************************************
Submitted by:
        Date: 16 Aug 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed
Publishing Co., 1889.

Edward Tolbert was born in Chesterfield District, S. C., September 5,
1836, and is a son of Sam and Christian (Norris) Tolbert. The paternal
grandfather was a native of Virginia, but in early life moved to South
Carolina, where he followed farming and blacksmithing. Sam Tolbert was
reared in South Carolina, and subsequently removed to Calhoun County,
Ala. He was a cripple the greater part of his life, and was a
blacksmith and gunsmith by trade. He also devoted some attention to
farming. His death occurred in 1867. Mrs. Tolbert, the mother of our
subject, died in 1882, at the age of seventy-two years. She was the
mother of eight children, of whom but two are living: Edward and
Wiley. Edward Tolbert grew to manhood in Calhoun County, Ala.,
receiving such education as could be obtained at home when he could be
spared from the task of caring for his parents. In 1862 he enlisted in
the Thirty-first Alabama Regiment, and served until wounded at Fort
Gibson May 1, 1863. He was paroled, and upon his arrival home found
four of his brothers badly wounded. Again charge of the family
devolved upon him, and he engaged in shoemaking until 1871, when he
removed to Arkansas and turned his attention to the pursuit of
agriculture, locating upon his present farm in 1879. April 25, 1866,
he married Almina C. Reeves, a native of Alabama, and they have had
twelve children, all living but one: William E., James H., Peter M.,
Julia M., Amanda, Samuel I., Thomas L., Cocoa, Arthur and Oscar
(twins) and Virginia Pearl. Mr. Tolbert is a Democrat in politics, and
takes an active interest in educational matters. Both he and wife are
members of the Christian Church.