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Lee Giles, editor and proprietor of Pike County Courier, Murfreesboro, Ark.
Generally age and experience are essential to success and promotion, but in
the example before us we have a young man who has risen without any especial
fortuitous circumstances to the head of the representative journal of Pike
County, Ark. Mr. Giles was born in Falcon, Nevada County, Ark., in 1867, and
is the youngest of five children born to J.R. and California (Brown nee
Drake) Giles, natives of George and Alabama, respectively. J.R. Giles came
to Arkansas with his parents some time in the forties, and settled in the
present territory of Nevada County, where he first followed farming. Later
he engaged in merchandising at Falcon, and in 1873 erected the first store
building at Hope, continuing in business there until 1883, where he returned
to agricultural pursuits, which he carries on at the present time, but still
makes his home in Hope. Lee Giles spent his boyhood days on his father's
farm near Hope, and attended the schools of that town. In 1884 he began
learning the printer's trade in the office of the Hope Mercury, where he
remained one year, and then went to Texarkana, and was foreman of the Herald
during the publication of that paper. In August, 1888, he came to
Murfreesboro, and engaged in the publication of the Pike County Sentinel for
Mr. J.O.A. Bush. In February, 1889, he purchased the paper, changed its name
to the Pike County Courier, and has been conducting it in an able and
efficient manner ever since. It is an uncompromising Democratic journal, and
during the time he has edited it the subscription list has been trebled. His
outlook for the future is indeed promising, for besides being thoroughly
posted in his adopted calling, he is energetic and active, and a writer of
recognized ability and force. He has done much to elevate the tone of
society, improve the morals of the county and advance the Democratic causes.
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Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas, 1890, Pike County,
County, page 327.
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