Biography of T B Kitchens, Greene Co, AR

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Submitted by: Michael Brown
        Date: 5 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas

page 152

T. B. Kitchens, circuit court clerk, ex-officio clerk of the county and probate
courts, and recorder of Greene County, Ark., is one of the prominent and leading
citizens of that county. He was born in Craighead County, Ark., August 21, 1854, and
is the son of James H. and Arminda J. (Davis) Kitchens, natives of Forsyth County,
Ga. The parents were married in their native State, but afterward removed to Cherokee
County, Ala., where they remained until the winter of 1851, and then located in what
is now Craighead County, Ark. In the early part of the following year the father
removed to the farm he now occupies, and there he has since resided. He was one of
the first settlers of Craighead County, having located there when the country was
wild and unbroken. T. B. Kitchens was reared and received his primary education in
his native county. Later he attended school at Gainesville, and completed his
education at the Arkansas Industrial University, at Fayetteville, from which
institution he graduated with honor, being valedictorian of his class in 1880. He was
also awarded the gold medal of $25, offered by B. B. Stone, of Fayetteville, for the
best set of literary essays of the season of 1880, as well as the gold medal offered
by the publishing house of D. Appleton & Co., to the member of the senior class of
1880, who had the highest standing in mathematics in the four years' course.
Following his graduation, Mr. Kitchens taught school until the spring of 1882, and in
the fall of the same year he entered the county clerk's office as deputy, and served
for four years, discharging his duties faithfully and honorably, and in such an
efficient and capable manner that he won many friends, and at their solicitation he
became a candidate for his present office. He was elected in September, 1886, without
opposition, and re-elected to the office in 1888, which position he is now holding.
He was county examiner from 1882 to 1886, and discharged these duties, as he does all
others, with honor and credit. He owns town property and a half interest in the Gager
House, which is a large three-story brick building, and a first-class hotel. Mr.
Kitchens was married January 1, 1884, to Miss Alice B. Burton, a native of Tennessee,
whose parents came to this county when she was a child four years of age. Mr. and Mrs
Kitchens are the parents of one child. William M. Mr. Kitchens is a member of the K.
of P., and a charter member of the lodge at Paragould.