Biography of John M Widener, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 14 Nov 2008
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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Transcribed by Lisa Hamilton from 
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SOURCE:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern 
Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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John M. Widener first saw the light of day May 25, 1834, in a farm house
situated in the wilds of St. Francis County. He grew to manhood in that locality
with no companions save his brothers and sisters, and without the advantages of
schools and churches which his children now enjoy. After remaining in this
county until 1862, he went to Shelby County, Tenn., but three years later moved
to Saline County, Ill., returning home in about a year. Mr. Widener owns, at
this time, some eighty acres of land on the St. Francis River bottoms, and in
connection with farming is successfully engaged in stock raising and in the
timber business, his earnest efforts and industry having yielded substantial
returns. His father, Samuel Widener, was born in North Carolina, in 1798, and
lived there for a number of years, then removing to Alabama, where he remained
for a short time. His home was Tennessee for a while, from which State he came
to Arkansas, settling in the wilderness of St. Francis County. Here he resided
until his death, which occurred in 1842. His wife, Margaret (Evans) Widener,
died in 1838, leaving a family of ten children, John M., our subject being the
only one living. The latter has been twice married; first, in 1858, to Miss
Lavina Land, a native of this State, who died in 1877, leaving four children,
two of these survive: Mary J. (wife of Samuel A. Mead, a farmer of St. Francis
County) and Samuel A. (living at home). Mr. Widener was married the second time,
in June, 1885, to Mrs. Mary McGuffey, daughter of John Halbert, of Missouri
birth. Mr. and Mrs. Widener are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, in which they take an active part, Mr. Widener being steward. He is of
German descent, and a prominent Democrat, and a leading citizen of this county.