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William S. Stroope, farmer, Murfreesboro, Ark. Mr. Stroope is recognized as
a careful, energetic agriculturist of this community, and by his advanced
ideas and progressive habits had done not a little for the farming elements
hereabouts. He is a native of this State, born in Clark County, in 1820,
and is the fourth in a family of nine children born to Jacob and Mary
(Kidwell) Stroope, natives of Kentucky and South Carolina, respectively.
The father was a mechanic and moved from his native State to Louisiana, and
afterward settled in Arkansas, seven miles west of Arkadelphia, in Clark
County. He then resided in different localities after the death of his
wife, which occurred in December 1849, at the age of fifty-three years, and
then went to Texas, where his death occurred in 1853, at the age of
seventy-one years. During his residence in Clark County he became well
known and universally respected. Both parents were members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, in which they were active workers. He was with Gen.
Jackson in the War of 1812, and was discharged at New Orleans. The paternal
grandfather died in Clark County, at the age of eighty-four years; he was
an agriculturist and owned a good farm in Clark County. William S. Stroope
was early taught the duties of farm life, but had very poor educational
advantages, and later in life attended school with his own children. He was
married January 20, 1841, to Miss Arritta Pippin, a native of Tennessee,
who bore him the following children: Frances (wife of J.J. Banks, resides on
the old homestead in Clark County), Jacob (died at Lauderdale Springs,
Miss., in 1863, while a soldier), John P. (married and resides in Pike
County), Rebecca (wife of O.S. Johnson, who lives near Murfreesboro),
William T. (married and resides in Clark County), Tinnie M. (wife of John
Carroll, resides in Clark County), Nancy (died at the age of thirteen
years). After his marriage Mr. Stroope purchased a good farm four and a half
miles southwest of Arkadelphia, consisting of 220 acres, and at one time
owned 1,120 acres, but divided all but 220 acres among his children. He
has cleared 130 acres, and has about that many under cultivation. In 1878 he
came to Pike County, located in the northern part, and there purchased a
farm of 240 acres, on which he resided for five years, opening fifty acres,
and making other improvements. He removed to Murfreesboro in 1883, and at
that time bought seventy-five acres, but is now the owner of about 1,000
acres in the bottom of the Little Missouri. He is also the owner of a good
part of land in the limits of the town, and has 200 acres under cultivation,
the principal part of which he has done himself. In 1884 he engaged in
business in Murfreesboro, and in 1886 took Mr. C.E. Stelle as a partner, the
partnership being dissolved in 1890. He has also a half interest in the gin
and mill in town, and is a live business man. He had the misfortune to lose
his wife in 1886. On July 15, 1861, Mr. Stroope enlisted in Weatherspoon's
company, and was in the battles of Oak Hill and Elkhorn. He was taken sick
after the latter battle and was unable to go with his company across the
Mississippi River. After recovering he joined Reed's company and served
wholly in Arkansas, until the close of the war.
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Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas, 1890, Pike County,
pages 339-340.
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