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Benjamin Bussell was born in McNairy County, Tenn.,
September 27, 1836, a son of Richard and Susan (Brown) Bussell, natives
of Tennessee: they were married in their native State, and resided in
McNairy County until 1838, when they moved to Tippah County, Miss.,
moving from there to Tishomingo County, Miss., and in 1856 came to Drew
County, Ark., where his wife died in 1862. In 1870 Mr. Bussell came to
this county, where he resided until his death in 1878 in his eighty -
second year. When a young man he learned the blacksmith and wood
worker's trade, at which he worked, in connection with farming all of
his life. Politically he was a Democrat. After his wife's death in
1862, he married Miss Martha Wallace, widow of John Wallace, who died
prior to Mr. Bussell. To his first marriage were born twelve children,
the subject of this sketch being the sixth in order of birth, four of
whom are now living, vis.: Priscilla (now the wife of Samuel Hathaway,
a merchant in Drew county, Ark.), Thomas E. ( a farmer of Jefferson
County, Ark.), Sarah (living in Drew County, Ark.). the subject of this
sketch was reared and educated in Mississippi. In 1859 he engaged in
agricultural pursuits, continuing until the breaking out of war. May 2,
1862, he joined Company B, Second Confederate Cavalry, Col. Simmon's
regiment, in which he served until May, 1865, during which time he
engaged in many battles, among the principal ones being the last battle
of Corinth, Denmark, and Middleton, he was then transferred to west of
the Mississippi River, and afterward participated in the battle of
Poison Spring and others. At the close of the war he returned home, and
resumed his farming operations and engaged in the stock business quite
extensively. In January, 1872, he came to Clark County, and located on
the Quachita River, and has ever since been engaged in farming. He owns
a good farm in this county, with a large portion of it under
cultivation. may 27, 1859, he was united in marriage with Miss Naricissa
Cook, daughter of Joshua Cook, of Drew County, born 1839, who died
November 20, 1887, in her forty - eighth year, leaving three small
children, vis.: William G. (a merchant in Prescott), Martha F. (wife of
A. W. Newton, a merchant of Gurdon) and Ben T. (of Gurdon). October 15,
1889 Mr. Bussell took a second wife, wedding Miss. Flora J. Collett, of
this county. Mrs. Bussell is a member of the Baptist Church; the first
Mrs. Bussell belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
socially, Mr. Bussell is a Mason, and politically a Democrat. He is one
of the enterprising and substantial citizens of the county.
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