ARKANSAS:
ROBERT W. PEEVEY, State Representative from St. Francis County, Arkansas for two terms.....21st General Assembly of 1877 and 29th General Assembly of 1892
HON. R.W. PEEVEY, farmer, stock raiser, and one of the prominent old settlers of St. Francis County, owes his nativity to Alabama, being a son of W.H. and J.A.(CHILDERS) PEEVEY, originally from Georgia and Tennessee, respectively, and of Irish descent. The parental grand- parents of our subject came to this country shortly after the Revolutionary War. R.W. PEEVEY was born January 8, 1827, and was the fourth son in a family of seven children. He spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, and before his twentieth birthday was married to Miss NELLIE A. COLLIER, who died in 1850, leaving three children, two still living, JAMES J. and EMMA J.(wife of W.H.FOGG), both in this county. In 1862 Mr. PEEVEY enlisted in the Confederate Army and served in COL. ROBINSON'S regiment, being selected captain of his company at starting out, and in May 1863, he was promoted to Major. He participated in the battles of Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, Corinth and a number of others. After the war, he engaged in farming in Madison county, Alabama, until 1873, when he came to Arkansas and located in St. Francis County, where he bought his present farm. In October, 1859, he married Miss LOUISA CURRY. She died in August, 1878, having borne seven children and of these four survive: THOMAS ELBERT PEEVEY, ROBERT H. PEEVEY, WILLIAM H. PEEVEY and LUTHER B. PEEVEY. Mr. PEEVEY married his third wife, MARY J. DEW, in January, 1880. He is a prominent Democrat and has ably served his county in the State legislature, to which he was elected in 1876. He also held the office of justice of peace for several terms and is still filling that position. A member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he is also connected with the Masonic fraternity. "BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORICAL MEMOIRS" EASTERN ARKANSAS A Condensed History of the State, a number of Biographies of Distinguished Citizens of the same, a Brief Descriptive History of each of the Counties named herein, and numerous Biographical Sketches of the Prominent Citizens of such Counties. Chicage, Nashville and St. Louis THE GOODSPEED PUBLISHING CO. 1890 -END- After 8 February 1828, a post office was established at Monrovia, with a MR. W.H. PEAVY being postmaster. This post office was described as being in a double log house. PEAVY was a race horse enthusiast and cut quite a figure in western part of county. This place though long dead and known by few today was located west of Belleville on property now owned by the HOLLY Family. "HISTORY OF YELL CO.,ARKANSAS" by Wayne Banks Page 185 on Early Post Offices. -END- *********************** TEXAS: JOHN C. PEEVEY, a prominent farmer and stockman of Falls County, Texas, was born in Madison County, Alabama, in 1839, the seventh of nine children of ROBERT W.PEEVEY and SUSAN (CRAMER)PEEVEY. His father came to Alabama in a very early day and settled in Madison County, where he engaged in planting. He was not in any of the early wars, but was elected Colonel of a regiment of State Militia. He died in Alabama about 1857, his wife having died some years previously. All of their nine children lived to be grown: WILLIAM W., the oldest, resides in Ellis County; ELIAS W., of Travis County; SAMANTHA,deceased, was the wife of R.O.BRAZELTON, of Moody; MARTHA, wife of P. MILLER, residing in Alabama; MARY, wife of J.T.HENDRICK, of Lott;CAROLINE,deceased, was the wife of a MR.MCGAHA, of Alabama; JOHN C., the subject of this sketch; JAMES K.P. & GEORGE M., twins. JAMES K.P. was killed at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas in 1862; & GEORGE M. died in Eddy, New Mexico in 1890. JOHN C. PEEVEY of this biography was educated in the subscription schools of Alabama. His father lay dying while he was young. MR. PEEVEY did not improve his educational experience, hence did not attend school a great while. He commenced life for himself at the early age of 19, when he came to Texas, settling first in Gonzales County, where he was hired by a stockman to drive cattle for $20.00 a month, everything furnished. in 1861, MR. PEEVEY joined Company A of Colonel McCullough's regiment, and was sent to the frontier, where he stayed one year. He was engaged in capturing the United States troops at San Antonio. He was mustered out of the service at Gonzales at the close of the year, and then re-enlisted in Company C of Willis' battalion of Wald's legion, and served east of the Mississippi river. He was attached to the armies of Generals Lee, Forrest and Chambers, doing most of his service as a scout. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg, where he was engaged in harrassing the enemy on the outside. He was at Vicksburg at the surrender, after which the calvary went into the interior. Previous to the fall of Vicksburg, he was with General Van Dorn in the capture of Holly Springs. He was also with General Forrest at Fort Pillow. He was not in any battles of importance except Pototoc, Mississippi, but was engaged in harrassing the enemy in many ways. He surrendered near Canton, Mississippi and made his way back to Alabama. In 1865 he returned to Texas with a widowed sister with a widowed sister, and settled in the county where he now resides, renting land for two years. In 1868 he engaged in the stock business, which he followed successfully until 1880. Like most old Texas, he thinks the most money made by him was in the stock business. In 1872 he bought 170 acres of his present farm, which was but little improved, for which he paid $2.25 per acre. He has since added to this until he now owns 1400 acres in one body, 700 of which is under a fine state of cultivation, provided with good residences, out-buildings, and other valuable improvements. MR. PEEVEY was first married in 1874, to Miss NARCISSA SMITH of Mississippi, daughter of DUDLEY SMITH. She survived only three short years, expiring in 1877. In 1883, MR. PEEVEY married Miss ELLA BLOXSON, a native of Alabama. Her father, a farmer by occupation, was a slave-owner previous to the war, and served in the Confederate army. In 1876 or 1877 he removed to Texas, and now resides near Lott, that State. He and his wife had twelve children: WILLIAM, deceased, and one who died when small; ELLA, wife of the subject of this sketch; EDWARD, of Falls County,Texas; LEE; MARTHA, wife of DR. SHANKLE, of Chilton, whose sketch appears in this work; LESSIE, ROBERT RICHIE, HOBDY, FRANKIE, JOHN and WILLIE MAY. MR. and MRS. PEEVEY have two children: MATTIE S., born August 3, 1888; and KATIE H., born September 16, 1890. MRS. PEEVEY is a useful member of the Missionary Baptist Church. In 1860 MR. PEEVEY was employed by his brother in Gonzales County, and they "kept bach". Their first outfit was meagre, and their house was erected out of eight foot rails, split by the subject of this sketch, and covered and floored with long moss, which they also used to wash and dry their tin pans and cups. There was plenty of game and their life was very enjoyable. They cultivated 5 acres of land, which the subject of this sketch planted. "A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF MCLENNAN, FALLS,BELL AND CORYELL COUNTIES IN TEXAS"-Lewis Publishing Company, 1893. -END- A LETTER WRITTEN BY JOHN C. PEEVEY FEBRUARY 1ST 1859 FROM TEXAS TO HIS COUSIN HUGH MARTIN CHILDRESS IN BROWNSBORO,ALABAMA - HUGH MARTIN HAD A TWIN BROTHER GEORGE BURTON CHILDRESS - BOTH HUGH MARTIN AND GEORGEBURTON WERE KILLED IN THE CIVIL WAR. Feb the 1 1859 Dear Friend I now take my Seat to let you ???? that I am well and well pleased with Texas. Well Mart I have nothing to write that will interest you But as I have to pay my own postage it wil not make any diference. well Mart I recon you would like to know what I am doing. I first commenced working for 20 Dolars a month but I taken A notion that I would make A crop. I have rented 20 acres of ground. I exspect to gow planting corn next week as I give the tthird they never give their corn more than two plowing here so of I make nothing it will not be much loss. I enjoyed myself fine by comeing out here. I have bin to one party in Texas. it was the uper tins. they all danced and of course I had to try. you ought to have saw me swinging the Texas Girls round wee dances all night and went home with the gals in the morning. there was 5 girls horsback and twelve young me. it was hoo should and hoo shoud be left there. there was two of us walked out to the gait with a girl. I asked her for her company. of course it was excepted as it was a gentleman from Ala. I havet stayed at home but one half of sunday since I bin in Texas. Polk is as popular here as ever old Tip was a coon dog there. he has bin sawing on A oald fiddle for A day or too. he has struck A tune. he says he would go to bed if he was not afeard he would forget it before morning. Mart you must come over tomorrow. we are going to have two days Meeting. the church it is in sigt. all the girls will be there with there rawhide hoops on and now we get all the sossag. Well Mart it is now saturday night. I alone. Polk just started to church. now I think of you all back there. I know if you was here with our hounds that we could enjoy our selves finely for the moon is shineing butifully and I can go out in the yard and hear ten or fifteen woolvs howling. they make the hair stand on A fellows head when he is 4 or 5 miles from any boddys house and forty or fifty begin to howl all around him. I went out the other morning to hunt A ???? of Oxens. I think I heard a hundred turkeys gobling and half as many woolvs howling. I was not aquainted with so mutch fuss so I got out of there. I would walk a few steps and look back and wish I had all the hounds in Ala and Mart to kiss them on. I have had one suffle with an oald buck. it was the first time I went A hunting. I had an oalde rifle that run about 40 to the pound. I thought if could hit it it would be mine so I puled away. I aimed to shoot him thew the middle of the body and so I di. down he come. I run up with oald rodgers. I a took hold of his horn. up he got and then we had it round and round. he got loos from me. then I felt bad. Well Mart they have come back from meeting. one of the Texas jents come with them. I will have to quit for they ar all taken A cup of coffee and you know I am fond of it. I Again tke my seat to finish this letter. after we got threw drinking our coffee as Mairy and Bill went to bed and as us Boys did not feel sleepy we thought we would take A sivel game of seve up. it is now 4 oclock in the morning. every body is gone to bed but me. I have got the coffee pot on the fire. I try it pretty soon. the Boys told me to wake them up when it got dun but I will wait until I drink 6 or 8 cups and if thear is any left I will study on it. I havet et A meal with out coffee in Texas. they have it for Dinner Super Breakfast and betwixt meals. nothing less than fifteen cups a day will do a Texin any good. I must take some more coffee for it is boild and everybody is asleep and now I now I wil get all the sossage & coffee. So enough about coffee until I take anothe cup. Mart I think if you was here we could sup about and enjoy it as wel as we did the stew. Come over and we will try it in the morning for Breakfast. Wel enough foolishness. the chickens is crowing for day. Everybody is very busy now geting ready to plant their crops. you must come out here next fall. Dalas will come I know and Martha must come if I have to come back after her. Mart I think you could do a great deal better here than you can there. A good hand can get 20 Dolars a month for working in the farm. I could have gotten that much and you know I am nothing extry. But I thought I could make more by renting land. I havent hunted mutch yer fo it pays to wel to work to hunt mutch. Polk is going to help me plow next week. I think I wil get my corn planted by to day week and then we going to take a jeneral hunt. we ar going down on Brazos River and camp where we can five hundred turkeys in A gang and Deer in A bundance and many other kinds of gaim. Polk is called A ighunter. I think I can beat him. is about seven miles to where we going to hunt. we wil find time of it. I wish you and Dalas was here to go with us. we injoy our selve finly. so nothing more at present. only Remain your true friend until Death. John C. Peevey to HMC. Give my love to all the family and inquireing friends. Write to me as you get this letter. Excuse all bad writin and splin COVER John C. Peevy Carolina Po Tex Di Rect yur to Falls Ct Carolina Po Texas excuse me for writing sooner for I have So mutch to look at and to sad....it Bout and to do that I cold not compose a letter nor cannot yet but I will try and save my prommice I was in a hurry wen I wrote this letter and did not take any pains so you must excuse all mistakes and I will try and do better next time tel George to write to me and I will answere his letter -END- *******************
