goodspdc
Goodspeed's Biographies

Robert F. Dedman, county judge of Calhoun County, and a prominent farmer of this section, was born in Alabama, in 1850, the second in a family of seven children born to Richard D. and Parmelia A. (Marshall) Dedman, native of Alabama, in which State the father followed farming, until 1850. He then moved to Arkansas, settling in Dallas County, where he bought and entered some 600 acres of slightly improved land. He at once commenced an extensive scale of improvement, and soon had a good place, has cleared 150 acres, and has as good a farm as there is in this section today. He still resides on this place. The mother died in 1877. Our subject was reared on the farm attending the common schools until the age of twenty years, when he commenced farming for himself. In 1870 he married Miss Mary F. McDonald, who came to Arkansas in 1854. In December, 1871, he came to Calhoun County, and bought forty acres of land and donated eight acres more, this was in the woods, and our subject at once went to work to clear and improve. He lived on this place sixteen years, and during that time erected good buildings, and made a comfortable home. He served as justice of Locust Bayou Township, from 1878 to 1886. In November of 1888, he moved to Hampton, where he purchased a residence, and six acres adjoining the town. He has always been active politically, and in the fall of 1888 was nominated for county judge, on the Democratic ticket. He polled every vote in Locust Bayou Township, and was elected by a large majority. He is now serving in this office with great integrity, and is very active in improving roads and building bridges. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Dedman, were born seven children, viz: Mary Parmelia (wife of W. J. Bird, who resides in Ouachita County), Robert Henry, Alice Elizabeth, William, Barney, Della, James Richard and Hugh Asa. The family are members of the Baptist Church. [INDEX]

George Ware Dickinson, one of the prominent farmers of Jackson Township, was born in Mississippi, December 26, 1843, son of James and Nancy (Ware) Dickinson, natives of Georgia and Alabama, respectively. His father followed farming in Mississippi, until 1845, when he moved his family to Arkansas, and settled in Dallas County, near Holly Springs. In 1856 he moved to Calhoun County, and settled on the farm now owned by our subject, and died in 1874. The subject of this biography was educated in the schools of the county, mostly. He enlisted in the Confederate army, in the fall of 1861, and served in the Trans-Mississippi Department until the surrender, in 1865. He then returned home and for the next six months attended school at Memphis. He was married, in 1869, to Miss Cordelia Barker, a native of Tennessee whose parents were pioneers of this county. To this union six children were born, one of whom is dead, viz: James Barker, Harvey Thompson (died at the age of seventeen years), Thomas Tiller, Catherine Evelyn, Ruth Anna and George May. Mr. Dickinson is taking great pains with his children's education, all of whom are attending school at Little Rock. He is probably the most extensive farmer in the county, having 600 acres under cultivation, and raises cotton, principally. He has a steam gin, and does his own ginning. Mr. Dickinson represented his county in the General Assembly for one term. His election was a case of the office seeking the man, as he is not active politically. He is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is a most highly respected citizen. [INDEX]

William J. Dunn has been identified with the interests of Calhoun County since 1843, and of the State since 1840 at which time he came to Union County, where he resided for three years and then came to Calhoun County, being among the first settlers. He came up the Ouachita River in a skiff in which he brought his personal effects. As there were no roads at all in the country at that time, he was obliged to clear the roads out to different places, when he had business to attend to. He was made road overseer, and cleared out many roads, the following being among the most important opened by Mr. Dunn: First the road from Moro to Camden, a distance of forty miles, for the construction of which he employed twenty-five men, and made a passable wagon road in six days; the next was the Little Bay and Chambersville road, a distance of thirty miles. By this time hands were plentiful, and the work was much easier. The third was the Little Bay and Princeton road, a distance of about thirty-five miles. Mr. Dunn enlisted as a private in the War of 1836 (in the spring of that year) under Capt. Minter, and served for three months. He was engaged in several lively skirmishes, but no important battles. March 26, 1843, Mr. Dunn was married to Miss Mary E. M. Barker, a native of Milledgeville, Georgia, the youngest of six children born to John and Susan (Osborn) Barker, natives of Georgia. Her parents came to Arkansas in 1842, and settled permanently in the present Calhoun County, where they died. This union was blessed with thirteen children, viz: Thomas J. (who died during the war), Laura E., William S., Eulodia, Alice V., Mattie S., Elnora M., Ida M., James A., John E., Walter C., Robert J. (died in 1872), and a son who died in infancy. The surviving children are all residents of this State. William J. Dunn is a native of Georgia, born in Columbia County, April 19, 1813, the second child born to John and Martha (Samms) Dunn. His parents moved from Georgia to Alabama, and thence to what is now Calhoun County (then Ouachita County), where they settled permanently. His father was the second man to erect a house in the present Calhoun County, and he and his family resided in this county until his death, which occurred about 1862, at the age of seventy-nine years. His wife died in 1852, at the age of fifty-nine. Our subject was principally raised in Dallas County, Arkansas receiving but a limited education. He commenced doing for himself at the age of twenty-two years. He first engaged in merchandising and followed that occupation for two years, when he turned his attention to farming and has continued in this calling ever since. He owns about 320 acres of land, with about eighty acres under cultivation. He belongs to the Democratic party, and takes a deep interest in politics. At one time, in a very important election, in 1849, he voted for a Whig, Mr. Thomas Woodward, who agreed to divide Ouachita and make a county called Calhoun for people living in the eastern part to attend court. After the division of the county was secured, the struggle for the county seat began. The center of the county, Hampton, was finally agreed upon as the place for the courthouse to be erected. Mr. Dunn takes an active interest in the public welfare, and has always supported, as far as he was able, all laudable enterprises. [INDEX]

James S. Dunn is another successful farmer of this section, and also one of the pioneer settlers of Calhoun County, settling here when his nearest neighbor was eight miles distant, and deer and bear were very numerous. He was born in Georgia, January 6, 1818, the fourth child of John and Martha Dunn, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of North Carolina, and moved to Arkansas, in 1843. The subject of this sketch was raised near Selma, Alabama, and received his limited education at the common schools of that section. He moved to Union County, Arkansas in 1842 and resided in Calhoun County, Arkansas since its organization. Mr. Dunn began doing for himself at the age of twenty- one years, farming as his pursuit in life. He was married, in 1849, to Miss Mourning Ricks, daughter of James and Charity Ricks, natives of North Carolina, who moved to Ouachita County, Arkansas in 1846. To subject and wife were born thirteen children, viz:William C., Mollie E., James R., John, Wiley J., Robert J., Mattie C., Hiram G., Harriet M., Sula and Loula (twins), Benjamin C., and Allen D. Allen D., John, Mattie, Louis and Robert are dead. Mr. Dunn is a member of the Masonic fraternity, also of I. O. O. F. Although he is a strict Democrat, he takes no active interest in politics. Several of the family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Mr. Dunn is a liberal supporter of all enterprises that will promote the welfare of his community. He owns a farm of about 500 acres of land, with 100 acres under an excellent sate of cultivation. He is a highly respected citizen. [INDEX]

Joseph Brittain Dunn, Sr.. is a resident of Calhoun County. Eye post office, Polk Township, and was born in Dallas County, Alabama, August 10, 1824, the sixth child born to John and Martha Dunn, natives of Virginia and Georgia, respectively. His parents resided in Alabama, and moved from there to Arkansas, in 1843, settling in Ouachita County, where they resided until the organization of Calhoun County; they then resided in Calhoun County until their death, in 1863, and 1850. At the age of eighteen years our subject began doing for himself; he commenced farming in 1846, and has since continued in that occupation. In January, 1863, Mr. Dunn enlisted as private in the late war and served for two years, under Capt. Everhart, in the Fourth Arkansas E Regiment. He participated in the battles Chickamauga, Dalton and Atlanta, through which he passed without being wounded. Early in 1865, he received a furlough and returned home, obtained a physician's certificate and did not return to the army any more. Mr. Dunn was married August 10, 1848, wedding Miss Mary A. R. Graves, a native of Alabama. Her father, Davenport Graves, moved to Arkansas in 1843, settling in Union County, and after the organization of Calhoun County, moved to this county, where he continued to reside until his death in 1862. The mother, Nancy Graves, died in Alabama, in 1840. The fruits of this union were fourteen children, viz: Sarah A. E., Martha R., Ezekiel P., Joseph B., John, Davenport, Hiram Waters, Robert E. L., Mary E., Minnie, Hattie, George G., and another unnamed. Ezekiel, Davenport, John, Hiram, and the younger child, an infant, are dead. The surviving children with the exception of George G., are married and reside in the county. Mr. Dunn is a member of the Masonic fraternity, which he joined in 1852. Both he and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church since 1861; most of his children are also members of this church. Mr. Dunn is a Democrat of the old stamp, believing in free trade, sailors' rights and the unlimited coinage of silver, but does not take an active part in the politics of his county. He is a liberal supporter of all worthy public enterprises. [INDEX] [NEXT PAGE]