Bio of Richard F. Mays, Miller Co, AR

From "The Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas,"
Published 1890 by Goodspeed.  Chicago, Nashville, and St. Louis:
The Goodspeed Publishing Co.  1890

Submitted by: Becky Hargett <bhargett@cityscape.net>

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Richard F. Mays.  It is now nearly eighty years since Mr. Mays first opened his
eyes to this world, and during this time his career, although varied, has always
been strictly honorable and his character above reproach.  A brief outline of
his life deserves mention here.  He was born in Dinwiddie County, Va., (near
Petersburg) on June 10, 1810, a son of Abraham and Rhoda (Lewis) Mays, natives
of New York and Virginia, respectively.  Abraham Mays died in Petersburg, Va.,
in about 183, in his sixtieth year.  Although born in New York, he lived there
very little of his life, as his father brought him to Virginia when he was still
a boy, and there he grew to maturity, in early manhood learning the brick
mason's trade, at which he worked until his death.  He owned a splendid
farm in Virginia, which he tilled, in connection with his trade.  The mother
died in her native State while still quite young, leaving five children, the
subject of this sketch being the third in order of birth, and one of the two
surviving members of this family, his brother Stephen, who is a stone mason of
Petersburg, Va., being the other survivor.  The father remained a widower for
Some time, and then married Nancy Jackson, since deceased.  At his mother's
death our subject was taken by his maternal grandmother, with whom he remained
until grown.  While still a boy he commenced to learn the brick mason's trade,
but upon attaining his twenty-first year he went to Nashville, Tenn., and there
learned the cooper's trade, serving a regular apprenticeship, and later worked
at this trade for eight years.  He then engaged as salesman in a grocery house,
and remained in this employ about two years.  In 1841 he went to Clarksville,
Tenn., and there engaged in the pork business with Harland & Wright as manager
of their establishment, and remained with this firm for six years.  He then
left, and for the next four years worked as his trade.  In 1851 he moved to
Henderson County, Tenn., and embarked in the grocery business at Shady Grove,
which he conducted successfully for one year, and then added a line of dry goods
to his stock and conducted this business for two years.  He then sold out and
moved to Camden, Ark., and opened a butcher shop, but in 1853 sold out these
interests and came to Miller County (then Lafayette) and located on the farm he
still owns, since which time he has been an honored resident of this
neighborhood.  During this time he has seen the county build up, and Texarkana,
which was then a wilderness, become a city of considerable note.  He
devoted his attention to stock-raising until 1876, when he opened a grocery
store at Texarkana, remaining in that business until December 5, 1888, when he
was burnt out and lost everything, and since then he has been engaged in
collecting, etc.  While in business he had established a large trade, and by
good management made considerable money.  He still owns some valuable property
in Texarkana.  He is now occupied in raising fine stock three miles southeast of
the city, making a specialty of Jersey and Durham cattle.  While a resident of
Clarksville, Tenn., he was united in matrimony to Miss Rebecca Middleton, of
Robertson County, that State, born in Hickman County, Tenn., in 1825, and on
June 3, 1890, the celebrated their golden wedding.  They are the parents of
Eleven children, seven of whom are still living:  Mary (wife of E. M. Fawbush, a
carpenter, residing in Texarkana), Harriet B. (wife of Maj. A. L. Johnson, now a
land agent of Cass County, Tex.), H. L. (is a farmer of Bowie County Tex., as is
also Edward P.), Louisa (is the wife of James Goodwin, a leading agriculturist
of this county), Jane (wife of C. W. Noland, resides in this county).  Those
deceased are Ellen and three who died in infancy.  Mrs. Mays has been a member
of the Methodist Episcopal Church all her life, and is still active in that
body.  Mr. Mays is a Democrat in politics.