Garland County, Arkansas, Goodspeed Biographies
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Daniel James
Daniel James, also a representative farmer and stock raiser, of Garland County, with headquarters in Union Township, was born in Ripley County, Mo., in 1825, and is a son of Horner and Sallie (Byles) James. The father was a native of Tennessee, who moved to Missouri and was married in that State, and a few years later came to Saline County, Ar., where he passed the remainder of his days, dying shortly before the Civil War. He was one of the pioneers of Saline County, and an extensive stock raiser, and during his life had been married three times. His father was the Rev. Jesse James, a noted Baptist minister for many years, and one of the first settlers of Saline County. Daniel Byles, the maternal grandfather, died before his wife, who again married at the age of one hundred years, her second husband being a Brazzell, who was himself about one hundred and ten years old, and had fought in the Revolution. Daniel James was the third of three sons and three daughters born to his parents, all of them yet living except one son, who was accidentally shot while hunting. He was reared in the wilds of Saline County, with but very few facilities for education, and passed the greater part of his youth in hunting the savage animals that infested that region. In 1847 he was married to Malinda, a daughter of John and Tempa Bland, who were also pioneers of Saline County, where their daughter was born. Mrs. James died in June, 1883, after having borne her husband nine children, of whom three sons and three daughters are yet living; William, Barbara (wife of David Robinson, of Saline County), Emily (wife of Stephen Hymus, of the same county), Catherine (wife of Louis Edging, Saline County), Daniel and Jesse. In 1883 Mr. James was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Milds, an estimable widow and daughter of William and Elizabeth Terry, who came from Missouri at an early day, and settled in Saline County. He first moved on his present farm in 1874, which is situated on the Saline River, about twelve miles northeast of Hot Springs, and now owns some 400 acres of very fertile land with 150 acres under cultivation. He has made farming and stock raising the study of his life, and his efforts have been amply rewarded, as he is considered one of the best in that business in Central Arkansas. During the Civil War Mr. James served two years in the Confederate army, being a member of Company B, Col. Fagan's regiment, and performed gallant work for the Southern cause. He was captured on several occasions, but as many times daringly made his escape, and it became a belief that it was impossible to hold him a prisoner on account of his ingenuity and courage in taking desperate chances. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and in secret societies a member of Whittington lodge No. 365, A. F. & A. M. He and wife are both members of the Baptist Church, to which they have belonged for over twenty years. [Photo furnished by Patti Vance Hays.]
Michael Jodd
Michael Jodd, one of Hot Springs most prominent and enterprising citizens, was born in Missouri in 1853, being the third son in a family of ten children who blessed the union of Michael Jodd and Lenia B. (Becher) Jodd, both natives of Germany. The former was educated in Germany, and when a young man learned the brick-making trade and also the manufacture of artificially made ice, besides this running a hotel for a number of years. He emigrated from Germany to St. Louis at an early day, shortly after his marriage, which occurred in 1847. To himself and wife ten children were given: Mary (the wife of George Mincke, of St. Louis), Jacob (deceased), Michael (the subject of this sketch), Maggie (the wife of Thomas Doward), Benjamin (deceased), Jennie, Mathew, Lewis, Anna and Henry. Mr. Jodd, Sr., was in the Mexican War, and there received a wound for which his widow now draws a pension. He was also in the late war, enlisting in 1861 in the First Missouri under Gen. Blair, in which regiment he remained until the close of hostilities in 1865. He died at Baton Rouge, in 1878, of yellow fever. Young Michael began life for himself at the age of nineteen, having learned the brick-mason trade under his father in St. Louis. In 1878 he went to Baton Rouge with his father, who had contracted for the walling in of the National Cemetery. Before completing the work Mr. Jodd, Sr., and his son, Benjamin, were taken with yellow fever and died, after which Michael took charge of and finished the contract. He also contracted and completed the walling of the Andersonville Cemetery in Georgia. Mr. Jodd married, in 1876, Miss Mary Mahar, who died in 1878, and the next year he married Josephine Lasalle, of New Orleans. In 1880 they moved from New Orleans to Georgia, and from there to St. Louis, where he worked at his trade until 1885, when he came to Arkansas, and engaged in the brick-making business. He has now one of the largest and most extensive brickyards in the State, and has burned over 4,000,000 brick this season. He gives employment to from ninety to 100 men. Mr. Jodd was educated in St. Louis at Jones College. He is work about $15,000, is a liberal donator to all public enterprises, and is a man full of push and enterprise, held in high esteem by his fellow citizens.
Rev. Joseph H. Jones
Rev. Joseph H. Jones, of the Missionary Baptist Church, was born in what is now Garland County, in 1855, and is the son of Dr. Willis C. Jones, whose birth occurred in Tennessee, September 3, 1830. The latter received his education in the common schools of that State, and was married in Alabama, in 1850, to Rachel Wright of that locality. They had a family of eight children, two boys and six girls: Nancy (wife of Alexander Wright), Joseph H., Sarah J. (wife of William Jackson), Mary M. (wife of Henry Keith), Eliza (now Mrs. Ketchem), Julia (now Mrs. Matthews), Margaret (wife of Monroe Berry, of Montgomery, Ala.) and Richard. Mr. Jones came to Clark County, Ark., in early days, and entered a quarter section of land which was covered with timber. Erecting a log-house, he commenced the practice of medicine, being truly a pioneer of that county. He served for some time as hospital steward in the Confederate army, and in later years has been a minister of the Christian Church, over twenty years in all. Joseph H. Jones was educated in the common schools of his county, but is virtually a self made man. In 1877 he was married to Martha Carley, born in 1857, of Arkansas, and a daughter of Hiram Carley, of Garland County, who was born in North Carolina, and who came to this State at an early day. Mrs. Jones was one of four children, the others being: Melissa (deceased), Elizabeth (now Mrs. Adams) and Amanda (wife of W. J. Chitwood). Her parents are members of the Christian Church, and still reside in Garland County. She is the mother of three children: Willis, Fletcher and Richard. Mr. Jones has been a well-to-do and successful farmer all of his life, and since 1884 has been preaching with good results, the Gospel, under the auspices of the Missionary Baptist Church. He is a man held in high esteem among his neighbors, and is a member of the A.F.&A.M. His fine farm of 220 acres, twelve miles west of Hot Springs, indicates the possessor to be an excellent agriculturist. Of this tract, fifty acres are under cultivation. He also has a fine orchard, containing 600 bearing apple trees.