Biography of Joseph P Durden, Sebastian Co, AR

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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
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page 1308

Jeremiah P. Durden, treasurer of Sebastian County, Ark., is a native of
Muscogee County, Ga., and was born  July 15, 1841, being a son of Asa R. and
Nancy (Ransom) Durden. Asa R. Durden was born in Northeastern  Georgia, in
1795, and was of Irish-English descent. He was a mechanic and carpenter in
early life, but later  followed the farmer's occupation. In 1849 he moved to
Barbour County, Ala., where he passed the remainder of  his life. He died in
1858. His wife was born in Northeastern Georgia, is yet living, and is residing
with her  children, in Sebastian County, Ark., coming here in 1885. Of the
eleven children born to her marriage eight are  now living, and Jeremiah P.
Durden is the seventh in order of birth. He attained his growth on the farm,
and remained with his mother until twenty-four years of age. March 10, 1862, he
enlisted in Company A, Forty-fifth  Alabama Regiment, Infantry Volunteers, and
participated in the battles of Murfreesboro, Missionary Ridge,  Chickamauga,
Jonesboro, Resaca and Springhill, Tenn. At the battle of Murfreesboro he was
wounded in the  right leg by a rifle-ball, and was absent from command sixty
days. He was again wounded at Springhill, Tenn.,  November 29, 1864, being
struck in the left leg by a minie-ball below the knee, but the wound was so
severe  that in March, 1865, amputation was necessary to save his life. He was
held in prison until June, 1865, when he  was sent to the prison hospital at
Nashville, Tenn. He remained there until the latter part of July, when he was
released, and in the fall returned to Alabama. After the war he attended
school, and in 1867 engaged in the  teacher's profession, teaching in Alabama
until 1872, when he immigrated to Sebastian County, Ark., and  located six
miles east of the county seat, where he resumed teaching. He continued this for
two years, and in  1874 was appointed deputy assessor of Scbastian County, and
in 1875 he was elected county assessor at a  special election. He was re-
elected in 1876, 1878 and 1880 to the same position, serving in all eight
years. The  four years after this he followed farming, and in 1886 he was
elected county treasurer of Sebastian County,  Ark., his majority being over
1,300, thus forcibly showing his popularity among the people. Mr. Durden is a
fine business man and a good citizen. He is the owner of 300 acres of land, and
is a successful farmer. In 1868  he married Miss Martha R. Thames, who was born
in Sumter County, Ga., in 1844. Eight children were born to  this marriage:
Pruett (who was killed accidentally by being struck by a base-ball but at
Fayetteville, Ark., June  24, 1888, at the age of eighteen years), Harman,
Reuben O., Eula F. (deceased, who died at the age of one year),  John J.,
Lemuel P., Ida L. and Abbie M. Mr. Durden is a member of the K. of H., also a
member of the  Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he is Democratic in his
political views. Mrs. Durden is a member of  the Missionary Baptist Church, and
Democratic also.