Biography of Joseph J Waldrip, Independence Co, AR

***********************************************
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
Archives by: Michael Brown
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgenwebarchives.org
***********************************************

----------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas. 
Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

page 721 

Joseph J. Waldrip of Big Bottom Township, Independence County, was
born in Lauderdale County, Ala., November 4, 1839. He is a son of Thomas W. and
Serena Waldrip. natives, respectively, of Maury and Giles Counties, Tenn. The
father of Thomas W. Waldrip was James Waldrip, a native of South Carolina, of
Irish descent, his ancestors having emigrated to this country about 1690.
Several of them served in the War for Independence, and James Waldrip took part
in the War of 1812, participating in the battle of New Orleans. He died in
Lafayette County, Miss., at an advanced age, having been a life-long farmer.
Thomas W. was born August 14, 1805, and died in the fall of 1875, in Panola
County, Miss. When young, he moved, with his parents, to Lauderdale County,
Ala., where he was reared on a farm; he educated himself after he was grown,
and engaged in teaching, but abandoned that profession for farming, in which he
was most successful. February 8, 1831, he married Serena German, who was born
May 13, 1814, and was a daughter of Joseph German, an early settler of
Tennessee, who was born January 18, 1784, and died in Monroe County, Miss., at
the age of eighty-four years. He was an entensive farmer, who moved from
Tennessee to Lauderdale County, Ala., and thence to Monroe County, Miss. Ten
children were born to Thomas W. and Serena Waldrip, but four of whom are now
living, viz.: Joseph J., Thomas W., a farmer of Independence County; Amanda
Louisa Aldridge, wife of John W. Aldridge, also a farmer of Independence
County, and Romelia Catherine, wife of W. M. Keating of Independence County.
Those deceased are Eliza J. Rieder, William P. Waldrip, Fannie E. Aldridge,
Rachel E. Carpenter, James M. Waldrip, and Mary A. Bivens. The parents were
members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and took an active part in church
work. They settled in Panola County, Miss., in 1856, where they made their home
the remainder of their lives. Thomas W. was a stanch Democrat in polities and
[p.721] served several years as justice of the peace; his wife died in Panola
County, Miss., in 1885. Joseph J. Waldrip received a common school education,
and at the age of eighteen left his home for Northern Alabama, where for a
short time he worked and went to school; he then returned to his home and
assumed control of his father's farm until 1861. March 28, of the latter year,
he was mustered in Pettis' artillery, which was afterward known as the Hudson
Battery, and was the first battery organized to leave the State. Although
repeatedly tendered an office, Mr. Waldrip refused to accept a more responsible
one than that of sergeant. He served faithfully until the surrender of his
company, June 13, 1865, and took part in many of the principal battles of the
war, among them Shiloh, Corinth, Port Gibson, Siege of Vicksburg and others. At
Shiloh he was severely wounded in the left side by a bursting shell, at Port
Gibson received a flesh wound, and at Vicksburg was wounded in the right side.
At the close of the war he returned to Mississippi and worked on a farm until
1868, when he went to Arkansas and engaged in the mercantile business until
1870. He then turned his attention exclusively to farming and stock-raising,
and now is one of the most enterprising and successful agriculturists of
Independence County. December 28, 1869, he married Elizabeth Magness, daughter
of Col. Morgan Magness. She was born in Independence County, September 22,
1852. They are the parents of four children, viz.: Thomas M., William J.,
Joseph R. and Mirtle (deceased). Mr. Waldrip has been a member of the Masonic
fraternity since 1866; he is a member of the Council, and has frequently
represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge, both in Mississippi and Arkansas. He
is a Democrat politically, and in 1874 was elected justice of the peace, in
which capacity he served two years.