Dallas County, Arkansas

Page 735
William D. STELL, farmer and stock-raiser, Fordyce, Ark. The agricultural interests of Fordyce Township are ably represented by the subject of this sketch, a man whose entire life has been passed in the calling which now receives his attention. He is a native of Conway County, Ark, born in 1844, and was the fifth of nine children, two sons and three daughters now living, the result of the union of John K. and Rachel (STEEL) STELL, natives of Georgia. The parents were reared and married in their native state, and later, or about 1830, they came to Conway County, Ark., where they remained until 1845. They then moved to Dallas County, settled near Holly Springs, but moved from there to the neighborhood where our subject now resides, about 1847. There Mr. Steel died in 1878, at the age of sixty-two years. The mother is still living, and is seventy-four years of age. She is a member of the Methodist Church, and her husband was a member of the same for many years. The father was a farmer by occupation, was also a blacksmith, and was engaged in merchandising at Holly Springs and Tates Bluff for many years, and socially was a member of the Masonic fraternity. The grand father, Robert STELL, removed to Conway County, Ark., at an early day, and there died. William D. STELL was reared to farm labor, and received a liberal education in the common schools, and at Holly Springs. He served about nine months in the latter part of the war, and was an escort of Gen. Churchills. He surrendered at Marshall, Tex., in 1865, after which he returned to farm life. He was married in 1874 to Miss Mary Catherine GREEN, a native of Dallas County, and the daughter of Bailey S. and Elvira GREEN. Mr. and Mrs. GREEN came from Georgia to Dallas County, Ark., at an early day, and are still living there. Mr. GREEN was all through the Confederate army. To Mr. and Mrs. STEEL have been born five children three sons and two daughters. For twelve years Mr. STELL has lived on his present farm, five miles northwest of Fordyce, and has 720 acres of land. In politics he is Democratic, Mrs. STELL is a Methodist.