ARKANSAS - CHILDS, Wm., M. D. - Bio AR., then St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. WM. CHILDS, M. D., OPELOUSAS.--Dr. Childs is a native of Arkansas, born in 1850. He is a son of Nathan M. and Charlotte R. (Belin) Childs; the former a native of Alabama, and the latter of Florida. Dr. Childs is one of a family of eight children, of whom five are now living. The Doctor had rather limited educational advantages, though he is a scholar. He remained with his parents until he attained the age of twenty-four years, when he began teaching in the public schools, at the same time pursuing a literary and medical course. In 1877 he entered the office of Dr. Young, where he pursued a course of study, and in the fall of that year he entered the University of Louisiana, being compelled to sacrifice what little personal property he had in order to pay the expenses of his first course of lectures. He graduated and received his degree in 1879, after which he began the practice of his profession in St. Landry parish. In April, 1879, he removed to Port Barre, where he remained until April 1, 1882, when, on account of the overflow, he had to remove his family. He sold his property there and removed to his present location, where he had previously purchased a tract of prairie land, to which he has added, until he now owns a fine plantation of from six to seven hundred acres. In 1887 he erected the finest residence in this portion of St. Landry. He had previously paid his chief attention to raising cotton and corn on his plantation; but of recent years he has turned his attention chiefly to stock raising, in order that it may interfere as little as possible with his professional work. He married, December 23, 1879, Mary C. Young, a native of St. Landry, and a daughter of Stephen W. and Mary A. (Richards) Young. To this union there have been born six children, of whom five are now living. In October, 1888, Dr. Childs began a mercantile business, which he has since conducted with success. He is a member of the M. E. Church, South, of which he is clerk. The doctor has succeeded in building up a large practice, which pays him a handsome income. Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical Section, pp. 19-20. Edited by William Henry Perrin. Published in 1891, by The Gulf Publishing Company.