John Joseph Peerson Sr.

John Peerson came to Arkansas in 1831, at the age of 17, with the same Baptist 'flock' as John B. Miller as reported in the Miller Report. He became a member of the church in 1832 and was baptized in the West Fork of the White River. He married one of the daughters (Sarah Ann Miller) of John B. Miller who was Temperence Van Winkle's sister. He, with his bother-in-law, Peter Van Winkle, helped build the Old Shiloh Baptist Church.

During the Civil War Peerson was a Union man; however, after the death of Brigadier General Ben McCullough at Pea Ridge, Peerson chose to ride several miles in the Hearse as his brother-in-law, Joseph of McCullough County, Texas took the body back to Texas.

Following the Civil War, John Peerson served in the Arkansas State Legislature for one term. He had service in the Seminole Wars in 1837. Sallie Miller Peerson died in 1889 but John married twice more and died in 1891. They both are buried in Bluff Cemetery in Springdale, Arkansas.

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PEARSON, John - [from Johnson} After a long and painful illness Uncle John Pearson departed this life on last Saturday evening. He has many friends in this and adjoining counties who will be pained to hear of his death. He was buried at Springdale Sunday evening.

[The Springdale News - Springdale, AR - Oct. 6, 1893]

PEERSON, Johnny - Uncle Johnny Peerson died at his home a short distance South of the city Saturday after an illness of several weeks. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at the Baptist church, conducted by Eld. E. Hale, and the remains laid to their final resting place in Bluff Cemetery, followed by a large concourse of people. The death of Uncle Johnny removes one of the familiar characters which figured in the early history of the community. He came to this section when Springdale and surrounding country was a wilderness and was one of the rugged pioneers who first planted a home here. Not having been furnished with any data we are unable to give anything like a correct history of Uncle Johnny's life. He was the father of a large family of children, all honored and respected citizens. He was a faithful and consistent member of the Primitive Baptist Church and seemed never happier than when enjoying the companionship of his brethren and sisters of the church. He lived a useful life and died a peaceful death. May he rest in peace. The News tenders sympathy to the sorrowing relatives. [The Springdale News - Springdale, AR - Oct. 6, 1893]

[J.H. in Fayetteville Democrat} Old Uncle John Peerson died at his home near Springdale in this county on Saturday, the 30th of September 1893 in his 80th year. He was born in Gibson County, Ind. on the 7th of May 1814. From Indiana he went to Illinois and from Illinois to Arkansas Territory and settled about two miles south of the village of Fayetteville in the spring of 1831. On the 23rd of January 1833, when only 19 years of age, he was married to Miss Sarah Ann Miller, daughter of John Miller, one of the early pioneers of this county. The Rev. Stephen Strickland, well and favorably known by the old citizens of this county, solemnized the rite of matrimony.

Eleven children were born unto them, seven boys and four girls. His oldest daughter is Mrs. C. Petross of Springdale; Mrs. Sidney Privett, Mrs. Wm. Mayes and Mrs. Wm. Dye are his daughters.

His wife died Oct. 21, 1889 and in July 1890 he married the widow Musteen and in less than 32 months she also died.

He remained a widower about a year and married a third time in March 1892. His third wife was Mrs. McClelland, widow of John C. McClelland, formerly a citizen of this city.

He had always lived upon a farm and had lived 62 years within a few miles of Fayetteville. He was a very industrious man and a good citizen. His habits were regular. Strictly temperate, honest and upright in all his dealings. He was not easily provoked to anger but he had his own notions of what was right and when once he took a stand he was not easily changed. He was not a man full of notions, changing his views either on politics or religion for the sake of popularity.

He professed religion and attached himself to the Primitive Baptist Church in 1832 and was baptized in the West Fork of White Rive by the Rev. Stephen Strickland who, at that time, was the leading preacher of the Baptist denomination in the part of Arkansas. A few years after ward Uncle Steve Strickland left the Baptist Church, attaching himself to the Christian for as has called it the Campbellite Church but he could not get Uncle John Miller, nor his son-in-law, Peerson, to agree with him, they believed the Baptist Church good enough for them and they lived and died consistent members of the old Regular Baptist Church.

In 1835 Uncle John Peerson was elected a deacon in his church and continued to act in said office for 58 years, or until death came to relieve him of his sacred charge. His duty was to look after the poor, needy and the sick and afflicted and he discharged that duty to the satisfaction of his church and his many friends.

In politics he was a Democrat before the war but was a strong union man in 1860 and since the war he has voted the Republican ticket. He was elected in 1864 a member of the legislature from this county and served as such in the reconstruction or Murphy legislature.

His friendships were not limited to his own church or party and he was willing to allow others to differ with him and he respected them all the same. He was a kind, obliging neighbor, an honest, upright citizen, a true friend, a faithful, consistent Christian, an old pioneer of Washington County, and as such, was entitled to the respect of all good citizens and now that he has gone from us, I, as one of his old time friends who had been intimately acquainted with him for 43 years, can truthfully say that I never remember of hearing any one speak disrespectfully of my old friend, lately deceased. There are but few of the old men left living who saw this country in 1831, when he first settled here, and I have for all such the highest regard, wishing for each and every one of them a quiet, peaceful old age adn that when done with this life they may be like Uncle John Peerson, perfectly reconciled to meet the summons, feeling well assured that beyond the River they will find that land that is "Fairer than day" which he so long by faith had seen.

[The Springdale News - Springdale, AR - Oct. 20, 1893]

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This entire page (above obituary) was sent to me by Freda. I thank her kindly from my heart for this information about my ancestor. It means more than she can ever know. Below is his family information from our family tree. I hope this helps someone connect their "dots"!  ====  Sally J. (Peerson) Plant

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JOHN JOSEPH PEERSON, SR. (WILLIAM) was born May 07, 1814 in Princeton, Gibson Co., Indiana, and died Sep. 30, 1893 in Springdale, AR.

He married (1) SARAH ANN MILLER January 23, 1833 in Arkansas Territory, Washington Co., AR, daughter of JOHN MILLER and MARY ROBERTS. She was born July 04, 1817 in Princeton, Gibson Co., Indiana, and died October 21, 1889 in Springdale, Washington Co., Arkansas.

He married (2) ? MUSTEEN 1890 in AR. She died Unknown.

He married (3) ALPHURNIA MCCLELLAND 1892 in AR. She died Unknown.

More About JOHN JOSEPH PEERSON, SR.:N, SR.:

Burial: Bluff Cem, Springdale, Washington, AR103

Children of JOHN PEERSON and SARAH MILLER are:

1. ARMINDA CAROLINE3 PEERSON, b. December 20, 1834, Springdale, Washington County, AR; d. April 02, 1914, Springdale, Washington County, AR.

2. JANE PEERSON, b. April 22, 1837, Washington Co., Fayetteville, AR; d. Unknown.

3. MARTHA JANE PEERSON, b. April 22, 1837; d. Unknown.

4. MARY J. PEERSON104, b. June 23, 1839, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas105; d. Unknown; m. WILLIAM R. DYE106; b. 1835, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas107; d. Unknown.

5. AMANDA E. PEERSON, b. July 08, 1841, Washington Co., Fayetteville, AR; d. Unknown.

6. WILLIAM CAROL PEERSON108, b. March 23, 1844, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas109; d. Unknown; m. HANNAH DIXON110; b. 1848, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas111; d. Unknown. unknown.

7. JAMES HARVEY PEERSON112, b. October 25, 1846, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas113; d. Unknown; m. MARY E. CAMPBELL114; b. 1868, Washington Co., Arkansas115; d. Unknown.

8. JONES NORMAN PEERSON116, b. June 02, 1849, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas117; d. Unknown; m. MARY JANE LICHLYGHTER118; b. 1847, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas119; d. Unknown.

9. ANDREW JACKSON PEERSON120, b. March 28, 1852, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas121; d. Unknown.

10. VAN WASHINGTON PEERSON122, b. January 09, 1855, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas123; d. Unknown; m. MARIAH ELIZABETH FITZGERALD124; b. 1855, Washington Co., Arkansas125; d. Unknown.

11. JOHN JOSEPH PEERSON, JR., b. February 22, 1857, Greenland, Washington Co., Arkansas; d. March 1937, OK.

12. CHARLES WASHINGTON PEERSON, b. August 29, 1859, Washington Co., Fayetteville, AR; d. Unknown; m. JOSEPHINE CRIDER126; b. 1863, Washington Co., Arkansas127; d. Unknown.

The Find-A-Grave Memorial for John Joseph Peerson, Sr. can be viewed by clicking the following link:

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