WILLIAM J. DEARMORE. He whose name heads this sketch is a prominent and well-known citizen of Independence Township, Baxter County, Arkansas, his home being about four miles northwest of Mountain Home. He was born in Dyer County, Tennessee, in April, 1845, a son of William J. and Betty (Ellen) Dearmore, who were Virginians but were married and spent their wedded life in Tennessee. The father died there in 1852 at about the age of forty-eight years, and the mother at the home of her son, William J., when in her seventy-second year. William J. Dearmore, the father, was a wood workman, in politics was a Whig, and socially and in a business way was a man of unblemished reputation.
The subject of this sketch was the youngest of four children born to his parents, and he and his sister Martha Edna, wife of Newton Edna, are the only ones residing in Arkansas, the latter being a resident of Mammoth Springs. In the common schools of his native State William J. received his education, and upon reaching the age of fifteen he commenced the battle of life for himself. He was married in Tennessee to Miss Isabel Henry, of Dyer County, by whom he became the father of five sons and two daughters: Lee, a farmer of Baxter County, Arkansas; Arch., who is a tiller of the soil in the vicinity of Dallas, Tex.; Betty, wife of T. W. Camp, of Dallas, Tex.; William J., Jr., at home; Emma, wife of William J. London, of this county; Charles, at home, and Alien, at home. November 15, 1869, Mr. Dearmore with his family landed in Baxter County, Arkansas, at which time the country was covered with timber and but little improved. He now has a fine farm of 600 acres of the first land in the county and his place is well improved and carefully and intelligently tilled. In July, 1862, Mr. Dearmore became a member of Forrest’s Cavalry, which took part in the battles of Athens and Cherokee Station, Ala., Corinth, Fort Pillow, Union City, Johnsonville, Franklin and Nashville. He was not wounded during his service, was taken prisoner once, but soon succeeded in making his escape. The last twelve months of his service he formed one of Gen. Rucker’s escort, and after the war was over he returned home to find much of his property destroyed, but by persevering efforts he in time retrieved his losses. In addition to his agricultural operations he has been engaged in blacksmithing for years and has also been an extensive stock dealer, making a specialty of horses, cattle and mules. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, a Democrat politically, and is a member of Mountain Home Lodge of the A. F. & A. M.
