Biography of John S. Pierce, White County, Arkansas *********************************************************** Submitted by: Bonnie Palmer Date: Jun 1997 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/white/white.html *********************************************************** From "A Centennial History of Arkansas", edited by Dallas T. Herndon, the Director of the Dept. of Archives & History, published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago-Little Rock, 1922. JOHN S. PIERCE John S. PIERCE, actively identified with farming in White county for many years and now making his home at Russell, was born near Denmark in this country, November 16, 1859. His parents, Moses and Sallie Ann (WOMACK) PIERCE, were native of East Tennessee and in that state were married. There the father followed farming until 1858, when he started across the country with horse team and wagon, making the river crossing on ferry and ultimately reaching White county. It was his purpose to continue the journey to Texas but one of the horses became sick and they tarried in White county. Being pleased with the country Mr. PIERCE purchased land, which was then a heavily wooded tract. He cut away the native timber , cleared off the brush and as soon as possible began to plow and cultivate the land , which he thus continued to improve until enlisting for service in the Confederate army at the beginning of the war, being on duty most of the time west of the Mississippi. He died during the war period, his death, however, results from a wound which he had sustained previous to his enlistment. In that early day he had engaged in hunting and he also followed blacksmithing, making the tools with which he worked and also tools for his neighbors. He experienced all of the hardships & privations of frontier life, living in White Co. when it was a pioneer region, in which bears, deer & turkeys could be secured in large numbers. He was but 29 years of age at the time of his death, while his wife reached the age of 60 years. She married agin, becoming the wife of H. P. HERD and by her 1st marriage she had 3 children, the eldest of whom died in infancy, the others being: John S. & Stephen S., but the latter died at the age of 21 years. By her 2nd marriage she had 1 child, Belle, who is the widow of W. F. MAYFIELD, of White Co. Both Mr. & Mrs. PIERCE belonged to the Baptist church & endeavored at all times closely to follow the teachings, while politically he gave his support to the democratic party. His father was a factor in the pioneer development of different localities. He was Stephen PIERCE, a native of Tenn., who emigrated to Illinois, where he owned land & carried on farming, removing to that state soon after the Civil War & spending his remaining days there. The maternal grandfather of John S. PIERCE was Jacob WOMACK connected with one of the old & honored pioneer families of this state. John S. PIERCE attended the subscription schools in his boyhood days. He walked 5 Ç miles to receive instruction in a little log schoolhouse, seated with split log benches, while the curriculum consisted of little more that the "3 R's". Moreover, he could pursue his studies for only about 2 months in the year, as he remained on the home farm with his mother & assisted her in its development & improvement. Following her death he went to Tenn., where he was employed at farm labor for 4 years, on the expiration of which period he returned to White Co., & here did contract work in making wagon spokes. He also manufactured staves & sold log timber & piling. Eventually he entered the livestock business, buying & selling horses & cattle at Russell. He likewise became a factor in mercantile circles at Russell, where he owned & conducted a store for 3 different periods. He also owned farm land & at one time he operated the PIERCE & MOORE ranch, devoted to the raising of hogs & cattle. He now specializes in strawberries & cotton & the land which he owns is particularly adaptable to the cultivation of strawberries. Mr. PIERCE has been married twice & by his 1st marriage had one child, Earnest F., now living in New Mexico. He afterward wedded Hannah CUNNINGHAM, a native of Indiana & a daughter of William CUNNINGHAM, a railroad man & a merchant of Bradford. There have been 6 children born of the 2nd marriage, 2 of whom died in infancy, the others being: W. S., a livestock man of Russell; J. W., who follows farming in White Co.; Mary A. & Lela, both at home. Mr. & Mrs. PIERCE belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in which he is serving as steward. They take its growth & extend its influence. Mr. PIERCE is a Blue Lodge Mason & in politics he is a democrat. He has served as school director & is interested in all that pertains to the material, intellectual, social & moral progress of his community. His life has been actuated by high & honorable principles & those who know aught of his career speak of him in terms of the warmest regard, because he has ever been faithful to his profession, loyal in citizenship, reliable & progressive in business.