Izard Co., AR - Biographies - Wiley Croom

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Wiley Croom is a Tennesseean, born in 1840. and a son of Denajah and Mary
(Daniell Croom, who were born, reared and married in North Carolina, the latter
event taking place in 1825. The father was born in 1805, and about 1828 or 1830
removed to the State of Tennessee, and was there engaged in farming up to 1849.
when he came to Arkansas, and after renting land one year he returned to
Tennessee. He continued to make his home in this State until 1854, and from that
time until 1856 he was a resident of Lawrence County; then resided one year in
Greene County. Mo., after which he again returned to Lawrence County. He here
purchased 160 acres of land. which he was engaged in farming until 1863. at
which date he removed to Illinois and farmed on rented land until 1866. From
that time until his death, in 1871, he was a resident of Lawrence County. Ark.
He was a member of the Baptist Church, as was his wife, whose death occurred in
1870. she being a daughter of Owen Daniel, of North Carolina. Of sixteen
children born to Mr. and Mrs. Croom, the following are now living: Nancy, wife
of Ephraim Sharp, of Lawrence County, Ark.: Elizabeth. Mariah, wife of Whit B.
Smith; Jesse, Wiley, Hiram, and Drucilla, the wife of John M. Smith. Wiley
Croom, our immediate subject, began life for himself in 1865. farming on rented
land for two years, and then purchased a farm of 160 acres in Izard County, the
tilling of which has since received his attention, but his acreage is now 185,
and he has sixty five under the plow. Since 1878 he has been engaged in grist
milling in Oxford, at which time he erected a substantial mill, and in these two
enterprises the results have been highly satisfactory. His union to Miss Sarah
J. Pearson occurred in 1866. she being a daughter of Thomas Pearson, of Lawrence
County. Ark., and to them have been born five sons and three daughters: Mary M.,
wife of J. L. Smith, of Oxford; David F., Hiram F., Ida J., wife of A. H.
Caldwell, of Oxford; Denajah, Anna B., Thomas W. and Grover C. Mr. Croom is a
Democrat. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate army. under Col. McCarver, and
was in many important battles during his service. He was captured at Big Black,
Miss., and taken to Fort Delaware, on the Delaware River, and was kept there
until September, then being taken to Point Lookout, on the Chesapeake Bay. He
was kept in captivity from May 17. 1863, till January. 1864. when he was
released and returned to Arkansas. Here he again entered the service. this time
enlisting under Capt. Wiley Jones, and served until the surrender at
Jacksonport, in 1865.