Biography of William BRENTS, Saline Co, AR

***********************************************************
Submitted by:
        Date: 25 May 2002
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

SOURCE: Goodspeed's History of Saline County

William BRENTS, at one time a leading farmer and well known hotel keeper in
Saline County, but at present retired, was born in what is now Marshall County,
Tenn., in the year 1811, and is a son of Thomas and Jane (McWHURTER) BRENTS,
natives of Kentucky, but who were very early settlers of Marshall (formerly
Lincoln) County, Tenn., where they spent the remainder of the lives. The father
was a successful farmer and a prominent citizen of that county, and in
religious belief was a member of the Christian Church. He served with
distinction in the Revolutionary War, and was with Gen. Jackson at the battle
of New Orleans. His father was John BRENTS, one of the early settlers of
Kentucky, where his death occurred at an advanced age. The maternal
grandfather, James McWHURTER, was of Irish origin, and also fought in the War
of 1812. William BRENTS, the principal of this sketch, and the fourth of four
sons and four daughters born to his parents, was reared on his father's far. He
was educated in the public schools of his birthplace and acquired a good
English training, being instructed in the duties of farm life by his father.
When twenty-one years of age he was married to Mahala, a daughter of Robert and
Lucy EWING, by whom he had ten children, of whom one son and three daughters
are yet living: Harriet (widow of Frank SHOEMAKER), Malvina (wife of Thomas
DELAMER, residing in Texas), Robert E., and Siff (wife of Alfred TRAMMELL,
residing near Eldorado). Mr. BRENTS lost his first wife, and in January, 1868,
was married to Mrs. Xalisco DICKENSON, an estimable widow, and daughter of
Robert STRIBLING. The lady was born in Georgia, but came to Arkansas with her
parents when three years old, and settled in Hot Spring County, where her
father and mother both died. One child was born to her marriage with Mr.
BRENTS, Lily. Mr. BRENTS was one of the first settlers of Saline County, having
come here in 1844, and he has made it his home ever since. The year following
his arrival he purchased a farm near Benton, which he still owns, and has
accumulated altogether about 550 acres of fertile land, with some 200 acres
under cultivation, all of it being the result of his individual effort and good
management. He is noted above all things for his enterprise, as is illustrated
by the fact that on the second day of his arrival he opened up a hotel, which
was afterward one of the most noted in Central Arkansas, continuing in that
business until the war. After that event he turned his attention to farming
with equal success until his retirement from active life. His industry and
energy have won the respect and admiration of the entire community, and he can
now rest content with the knowledge that he has done his share toward the
development and improvement of Saline County. In politics he is a stanch
Democrat, having cast his first presidential vote for Jackson in 1832, and for
every presidential candidate since that time except during the war. Before that
period he followed the trade of harness and saddle-maker in connection with his
other interests.