Biography of Thomas H Starling, Mississippi Co, AR

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Submitted by: Michael Brown
        Date: Sep 1998
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Bibliography: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas.
Chicago:  Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.

Thomas H. Starling, a gentleman who has won the confidence
and respect of his neighbors since his arrival at Cross Bayou, was
born in Columbia County, Ark., in 1851, and is a farmer by occupation.
He is the eldest child of John W. and Sallie Ann (Hood) Starling,
natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively, who came to
Arkansas at an early period. The father was a prosperous farmer until
the outbreak of war, when he gave up his home and family to take up
the cause of the Confederacy. He fought gallantly in some of the noted
battles now portrayed in the pages of history, until he received his
discharge on account of ill health. In 1863, he removed with his
family to the northern part of Missouri, and remained there until
1866; but thinking the outlook along the Mississippi River more
promising in which to rebuild his shattered fortune, he placed his
family and possessions on a flat-boat, and spent one year on the river
looking for a suitable location. He finally settled in Mississippi
County, where the father and son together bought 100 acres of land on
Cross Bayou, in which place there were but few settlers at that time,
and immediately began improving and cultivating his purchase. The land
was then in a wild state, but since then they have added to it, and
now have about 350 acres cleared and fenced. Thomas owned fifty acres
himself, and in 1886, he bought his father's tract, upon which there
were about twenty acres under cultivation. The land will easily
average three. quarters of a bale of cotton to the acre, and, in
addition to this, he has forty head of fine cattle, and pronounces
this section to be a splendid cattle range–a piece of information
which may be of interest to farmers in other portions of the State.
His first marriage was with Miss Sarah Ratton, of this county, who
lived but two years after their union, and died without leaving any
children. His second wife, Mrs. Sarah Robinson, he married in 1876, an
amiable widow lady, who bore four children: Jacob Wishy, Thomas
Jefferson William Cornelius and Jesse Brooks. Mrs. Starling had three
children by her former marriage: James Alfred, Mary L. and an infant,
the two latter deceased. The family are members of the [p.558] Baptist
Church, and Mr. Starling is a member of the Agricultural Wheel. He has
also served two terms on the school board, and is a prominent man in
his section.