Bio: E. R. Best, Desoto & Caddo Parish Louisiana
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted by Gaytha Carver Thompson





**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************



E. R. Best, planter, of Ward 4, Do Soto Parish, La., was born in Chester
District, S. C., in 1832, his parents, Joshua and Mary C. (Lewis) Best,
being also born in that State, from which place they moved to Talladega
County, Ala., where they made their home fourteen years, and in 1850 came
to De Soto Parish, the remainder of their lives being spent here, the father
dying at the age of fifty-two, his widow still surviving him at the age of
eighty-one years. They were members of the Baptist Church, and Mr. Best was a
farmer, and of Irish descent. Alex Lewis died in Talladega County, Ala., when
over ninety- three years of age, having also been an agriculturist 

F. H. Best was the eldest of his parents' nine children, and in his youth
learned the details of farm work from his father, his days being also spent in
attending the common schools. He came to Do Soto Parish at the same time as
his parents, and was married in Caddo Parish, in 1858, to Miss Laura, daughter
of H. Johnson, a native of Louisiana, who died in Caddo Parish. Mrs. Best was
born there, and has borne Mr. Best eight children, two sons and one daughter
now living: William F., Laura B. and Richard F. 

Mr. Best has resided in this parish since his marriage, but only for the past
ten years has resided on his present farm, which is three miles east of
Mansfield, and consists of 560 acres, 300 being cleared. He has always kept
himself well posted on the current issues of the day, is intelligent and
enterprising, and has been somewhat active in local polities, having been
eight years on the school board and fourr years on the police jury. He is now
president of the board of directors of the Mansfield Supply Company, and
socially is a member of the A.F. & A.M., and is president of Lake Land Lodge
of Farmers' Alliance. 

He served four years in Confederate army, as lieutenant of the De Soto
Creoles, operating in Tennessee and Alabama, but at the battle of Shiloh he
commanded his company the absence of the captain. In 1862 he resigned, and
came across the river to Louisiana, and served a few months in Shelby's
battalion, after which he was in the Engineers' Department until the close of
the war, mostly on detached service at Shreveport. He was wounded in the
fight at Yellow Rayon, but not very severely. 

His wife member of the Baptist Church.