Biography of William D Chase, Fulton Co, AR

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Submitted by: Michael Brown <michael@grnco.net>
        Date: 26 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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page 275

William D. Chase, one of the prominent millers and farmers of
Elizabeth, was born in Maury (now Gordon) County, Ga., in 1839, and is the son
of Hon. Dean W. and Alley (Johnson) Chase. The father was born in Pawtucket, R.
I., and received [p.275] an unusually good education. At the age of nineteen he
was sent to Georgia to erect a spinning factory, which he operated for a number
of years. He was married and spent the remainder of his days there and in
Tennessee, where he manufactured cotton goods all his life. He died in Gilmore
County, Ga., in 1881. He was justice of the peace many years and once
represented Gordon County in the legislature. He was also for thirty-five or
forty years a traveling minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and besides
was an officer in the Mexican War. His wife was a native of North Carolina, and
died in Gilmore County, Ga., July 8, 1886. She, too, was a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. Her father, James Johnson, was a native of North
Carolina, who died in Walker County, Ga. He was a soldier in the Mexican War.
William D. Chase, the second of ten children, born to his parents, received his
education in the common schools. He was reared to the arduous duties on the
farm, and in 1861 Miss Adeline Sprouell became his wife. She was born in Fulton
County, Ga., and was the daughter of Wilson E. and Eliza J. Spronell, natives
of Abbeville District, S. C., but who moved to Georgia, where Mrs. Sprouell
died. To Mr. and Mrs. Chase were born eleven children, seven sons and three
daughters now living. Mr. Chase served over four years in the Confederate Army,
Company E, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, was at Cumberland Gap, Richmond, Siege
of Vicksburg. Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Kingston, Calboun,
New Hope Church. Kenesaw Mountain, etc. He was captured several times, the last
time at Peach Tree Creek, and imprisoned at Nashville. He was afterward taken
to Indianapolis, where he was at the time of the surrender. He never received a
wound during his time of service. After the war he returned to the farm and in
1872 came to Fulton County, Ark. He followed agricultural pursuits for five
years and then engaged in merchandising at Newburg, Izard County, for three
years. This not suiting him he entered into the milling business there for six
years, after which he returned to Fulton County, and continued merchandising at
Elizabeth for four years. Since then he has been occupied in milling and
farming and has two flour and saw, shingle and planing mills. He is also the
owner of about 900 acres of land in Missouri, Fulton, Izard and Lawrence
Counties. All his property is the result of hard labor since the war. He has
been a Democrat in his political views all his life, and his first presidential
vote was for Gen. McClellan. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity,
Elizabeth Lodge, and is also a member of Newburg Lodge of the I. O. O. F. in
Izard County. Mrs. Chase has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church
for many years.