Washington Co., AR - Biographies - Hon. Hosea M. Maguire *********************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: The Goodspeed Publishing Co Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgenwebarchives.org *********************************************** Hon. Hosea M. Maguire (deceased) was born about 1813 in Simpson County, Ky., near Bowling Green. His parents were natives of North Carolina, and were of Scotch-Irish extraction, their parents being early pioneer settlers of the Carolinas. The parents of our subject came to Washington County. Ark., in an early day, where they made a home and lived the remainder of their active and useful lives. They were faithful and consistent members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Hosea M. Maguire was reared in this county, and in early manhood adopted merchandising and trading as an occupation. In these he met with success, but upon the outbreak of the Civil War, being a strong Southern sympathizer, he gave liberally to the cause of secession, and upon the close of that memorable conflict, like a large number of his contemporaries, he found himself without home or fortune. Being of a sanguine disposition, however, he at once began to retrieve his broken fortunes, and to that end engaged in the manufacture of tobacco. This industry yielded him a comfortable income, and he later resumed mercantile pursuits with such success that upon his death the left quite a fortune. In 1850 he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Louisa Trammel, who bore him a family of two sons (now deceased) and seven daughters. After the death of his first wife Mr. Maguire married Mary Smith, widow of Andrew Smith and a sister of his first wife. Three of the daughters borne by his first wife are now living: Mrs. A. L. Williams [see sketch of husband], Mrs. Mac Devin [see sketch] and Miss Addie Maguire. One daughter (now deceased) became the wife of W. D. Moore [see sketch]. At the time of his death, July 23, 1888, Mr. Maguire was representing Washington County in the Legislature. He was a faithful and consistent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, which buried him with full honors. He was a quiet and unostentatious man, who journeyed through life upon the principle that "whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well." His prosperity only enhanced the natural charity with which he was endowed. The poor and needy were ever sure of receiving words of comfort and material assistance from him, and his death was mourned by a large circle of friends and associates. He reared and educated his family well, and was rewarded by seeing them become honorable citizens. His daughters who married became the helpmeets of men of esteem and acknowledged ability.