Francis M. Cross, Ouachita County, AR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE: Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889. Contributed by Carol Smith. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ouachita County, Arkansas - from Goodspeed's History of Arkansas Francis M. Cross, an old settler, and a highly respected farmer of Marion Township, is a native of Tennessee, born in Greene County, that State, December 31, 1809, a son of Shadarack and Margaret (Frances) Cross, natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively, the former a farmer by occupation, dying in Tennessee in 1841, and the latter dying in 1833, at the age of fifty, both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The father was born in 1874, a son of Henry and Lydia (Morris) Cross, natives of Maryland, of Scotch-Irish descent, and was the father of eight children, but two of whom survive, the subject of this sketch and Andrew Jackson Cross, a resident of Texas. Mr. Cross, the subject of this sketch, was married in Tennessee in 1834, to Miss Susan Amanda Parr, born October 28, 1815, a daughter of William and Dolly (Johnson) Parr, natives of Virginia, and immediately after his marriage moved to Western Tennessee and engaged in farming until 1844, when he came to Arkansas and located in this county, where he entered a tract of wild land. In 1853 he purchased his present farm of 200 acres, which was partially improved. He now owns 20 acres of land, which he devotes chiefly to corn, but raises some cotton. Mr. and Mrs. Criner have had eleven children, seven of whom are now living, viz: Pleasant M. (known as Plas. Cross, a merchant of Senter), Ferdinand (a farmer of this township), Emeline (now Mrs. Harwell of Louisiana), Fanny (unmarried, and living at home), Sophia (now Mrs. Crawford of Magnolia), Micaber (a merchant of Pine Bluff) and Frank (a broker of Pine Bluff). Mr. Cross is a prominent Democrat of Ouachita County, and takes an active part in politics of his county. He held the office of county treasurer for two terms, from 1878 to 1882, and has also served as justice of the peace several times before and one since the war. Both he and wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Cross is a member of the Masonic order, and is one of the well-known men of Marion Township, is highly respected and takes an active interest in all work for the good of the community.