Biography of D H Stayton, St Francis County, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Paul V Isbell Date: 14 Nov 2008 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** Transcribed by Lisa Hamilton from ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CIVIL WAR SURGEON-CSA - STAYTON - D. - H. - MD. - - [9 13 1837 - 8 19 1895] Dr. D. H. Stayton, formerly of this county, more recently, of Searcy, died at his home Monday. He is the brother of Judge J. W. Stayton of Newport. 8-23-1895 D. H. Stayton, M.D., was born and reared in Phillips County, Ark. His father, Thomas N. Stayton, made his advent into the world in Delaware, in 1809, and landed in Arkansas on February 14, 1829, settling in Helens, which was at that time only a village numbering but seven families. Mr. Stayton painted the first house in that present city. His father, Hill D. Stayton, was employed as State surveyor at the time, and helped to lay out the section lines of those counties. Pioneers of such early days depended largely on their rifles for subsistence, as the farms were small and not cleared, but their children are the large land owners and prosperous farmers of the present. Mr. Stayton was married after coming to Arkansas to Miss Easter Harris, a daughter of William R. Harris, who moved to this State in 1833. They were the parents of five children, three of whom are still living: John W. (a lawyer of Jackson County and at one time judge of the court), Ruth (now the wife of Dr. Hearing, of Brinkley, Ark.) and D. H. (the subject of this sketch). The latter was born on September 13, 1837, being reared on the farm in Phillips County. His first absence from home was to attend the University of Louisville (Ky.) Medical Department. After taking his first course he served four years as assistant surgeon in the Confederate army. At the close of the war he practiced in Lee County until 1870, when he returned to the University and completed his course, which hostilities had interfered with, and graduated in the spring of 1871, afterward resuming his practice at his old home. In 1887 he came to and located in St. Francis County, at Palestine, where he has since been engaged in attending to the prosecution of his chosen profession, his practice being large and steadily increasing. Dr. Stayton was married May 9, 1862, to Mrs. Caroline Bowden (nee Lockart), a daughter of Thomas Lockart, of North Carolina. They have a family of three children: David H. (who is married and lives near Palestine), Thomas L. and Lelia C. Dr. Stayton was once president of the board of medical examiners of Lee County, and is medical examiner of the Royal Arcanum; he is also a member of the United States board of pension examining surgeons for this locality, and examiner of the K. of H. and of the K. & L. of H. Besides being a member of the three lodges named he belongs to the Masonic order, in which he has occupied all of the positions of honor. He is a Democrat in politics, and he and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He is now lord mayor of the incorporated town of Palestine, Ark.