Biography of William T Livingston, 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 290

William Thomas Livingston. The many years passed in sincere and earnest
endeavor in thoroughly discharging every duty in the different branches of
business to which his attention has been directed, have contributed very
materially to the success that has fallen to the career of Mr. L. He was born
in Chambers County, Ala., May 14, 1835, and is a son of James T. and Emma W.
(Childs) Livingston, who were born in Abbeville District, S. C., in 1803 and
1810, and died in Fulton County, Ark., July 7, 1859, and in 1864, respectively.
Their marriage took place in their native district in 1830, and about three
years later they moved to Chambers County, Ala., and in 1850 to Cass County,
Ga. (now known as Bartow County), where they made their home until the fall of
1856. Then they came to Arkansas and located in Fulton County, the country at
that time being in a very wild and unsettled condition and the homes of the
settlers few and far between. Mr. Livingston engaged in farming and milling,
and was successful in the former occupation, but in the latter his efforts were
not attended with good results. He served in the Creek War for a short time,
and while in Alabama and Georgia held the office of justice of the peace at
different times, and at the time of his death in this State he was county
surveyor of Fulton County. He acquired an excellent education by experience as
a salesman in a mercantile establishment in Old Cambridge, S. C., and afterward
became a partner in the business. He was a son of Thomas Livingston, who was a
soldier in the Revolutionary War, being at the battle of Horse Shoe Bend. He
died in Abbeville District, S. C. William Thomas Livingston, our immediate
subject, was the second of eight children, six of whom survive, and acquired
his education in the common schools of Alabama and Georgia. He remained
faithfully by his parents until their deaths, and assisted his father in
managing the home place. In 1858 he was appointed deputy sheriff under Thomas
E. Martin, serving two years, then farmed until May, 1862, at which time he
enlisted in the Confederate army, in the Tenth Missouri Infantry, and served as
forage and wagon-master until starting for home the day before Lee surrendered.
April 8, 1865, with a discharge by reason of his election as representative of
his county. After his return home he again took up the implements of farm life,
was appointed deputy sheriff of Fulton County and in 1866 again appointed to
the same position under M. V. Shaver, and again in 1867 under E. O. Wolf. In
1872, at the close of reconstruction, he was elected sheriff, again in 1876 and
1878. then in 1882, and once more in 1886, in all ten years –a longer term of
office than has ever been held by any one man in the county, with the exception
of W. P. Rhea, who was circuit court clerk for the same length of time. He was
assessor of Fulton County in 1859, 1867 and 1868; and in 1864. while in the
army was elected to represent Fulton County in the General Assembly. In 1867
his union with Miss Louesa L. Jenkins took place, and by her he became the
father of eleven children, seven of whom are living: James T., William S., Mary
T., Emma J., Carrie M., Cora A. and Daisy B. Mr. Livingston is a member of the
Missionary Baptist Church, is a Democrat in his political views, and has shown
his brotherly spirit by becoming a member of the Masonic fraternity,
representing his lodge in the Grand Lodge in 1873.