Florida Family Group Sheet for the William B. Biffle Family

==========================================================================================
Husband: William B. BIFFLE
==========================================================================================
  Birthdate: October 19, 1855 - Humphreys County, Tennessee
 Death date: April 18, 1920 - Arkansas; he and his wives are buried in Mitchell
     Cemetery, Greenway, Clay County, Arkansas
     Father: William McHenry BIFFLE
     Mother: Martha Leach SKELTON
   Marriage: October 2, 1887                   Place: Humphreys County, Tennessee
==========================================================================================
   Wife: Ella TURNER
==========================================================================================
  Birthdate: October 22, 1870
 Death date: January 17, 1900 - Boydsville, Clay County, Arkansas
     Father: Thomas TURNER
     Mother:
==========================================================================================
Children
==========================================================================================
1  ?
  Birthdate:
 Death date:
 Marr. Date:
     Spouse:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2  F  Blanche BIFFLE
  Birthdate: September 1891 - Arkansas
 Death date: November 1970 - She is buried in the Piggott IOOF Cemetery, Section B,
     Piggott, Clay County, Arkansas. She resided in Washington, D.C., where she and her
     sister managed Biffle's Antique Shop. At the time of Leslie's death, they were living
     in Miami, Florida.
 Marr. Date: September 22,1917 - Piggott, Clay County, Arkansas
     Spouse: Wilford SANDERS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3  M  Joseph Turner BIFFLE
  Birthdate: February 1894 - Arkansas
  Death date: December 19, 1947 as the result of an automobile accident - Dade County,
     Florida (v. 1278, Certificate 23469) Telegram found in Piggott Banner; telegram dated
     December 19, 1947: Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Turner received a telegram Sunday morning
     informing them that Joe Turner Biffle had passed away at Miami Beach, Florida, that
     morning where he had lived for the past year with his sister Miss Bernice Biffle. He
     was a son of Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Biffle of Piggott. His body was returned to
     Washington D.C. for burial, where his brother Leslie and sister Mrs. Blanche (Biffle)
     Sanders reside.
 Marr. Date:
     Spouse:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4  F  Bernice BIFFLE
  Birthdate: December 1895 - Arkansas
 Death date:
 Marr. Date:
     Spouse:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

==========================================================================================
Husband's's General Notes
==========================================================================================

From Goodspeed's Biographies: Clay County
B. B. Biffle, sheriff of Clay County, and one of the representative citizens of this
section, is a native of Humphreys County, Tenn., where he was reared and where he received
a fair education in the common schools. He is the son of William and Martha (Skelton)
Biffle, the grandson of Nathan Biffle, and the great-grandson of Jacob Biffle, who came
from Germany many years ago. To William Biffle and wife were born six children, B. B.
Biffle being the eldest. He left his native county at the age of twenty-one years, or in
1879, and made his way to Clay County, Ark., where he started a store in Greenway, and,
although a young man, he was the first to engage in merchandising at that place. After
that, in connection with his store, he was for some time occupied in running a stave mill,
but in September, 1888, he was elected to the office of sheriff, and then closed out the
milling and stave business, to give his undivided attention to his official duties. He
fills that position in an able and efficient manner, and to the satisfaction of all
concerned. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Blue Lodge and Chapter. For
his companion in life he chose Miss Ella Turner, daughter of Thomas Turner, of Tennessee.
He and Mrs. Biffle are members of the Methodist Church.

Additional information: Billy owned a general store in Boydsville, Arkansas. He sold
everything from coffee to horse collars. However, he alloed his zest for politics to
interfere with his business. It was said that "if Billie B. Biffle's commercial acumen
had rivialed his zest for politics, he might have become well to do." He held the offices
of sheriff and county clerk and was, in reality, a local political boss. According to
Goodspeed's Biographical and Historical Memoirs of N.E. Arkansas, he ran a stave mill
until September 1888, whe he was elected sheriff. He was a member of the Masconic
fraternity, of the Blue Lodge and Chapter. In 1900 he was living in Piggot, Arkansas. He
was selected to be a delegate to the Clay County Congressional Convention, April 15, 1904.

From Goodspeeds Biographies: Clay County
   Dr. Wiley V. Turner, a retired physician and farmer of Greenway, Ark., was born in
Humphreys County, Tenn., May 19, 1836, his father. (Wiley Turner, his father, being a
native of South Carolina. He was reared in Wilson County, Tenn., and was married in
Davidson County to Miss Maria Thompson, who was born near Nashville. He served in the
War of 1812 under Jackson, and was at the battle of New Orleans, dying in Humphreys
County.)
   Dr. Wiley V. Turner grew to manhood in that county and until he attained his
majority made his home with his father. He received a good practical education in
Waverly Academy, and when twenty years of age commenced the study of medicine under Dr.
Ellis, taking his first course of lectures in the winters of 1858-59 and 1859-60, in
the University of Nashville, graduating from that institution in the spring of the latter
year. He then practiced his profession in Houston County until the opening of the war,
and in the fall of 1862 enlisted as a private in the Fiftieth Tennessee Infantry,
Confederate States Army. He was soon after detailed as assistant surgeon, and served in
this capacity until 1864, when he left the army and returned home and resumed practice.
Here he remained until 1871, when he removed to Clay County, Ark., and continued the
practice of his profession for nine years. About 1875 he was appointed postmaster of
Clayville, and in 1878 became the first postmaster of Greenway. He kept a stock of
general merchandise at his residence, and continued for one year after the location of
the town of Greenway, when he moved his store to about one-half mile from his residence.
He has also been engaged in farming for a number of years.
   August 4, 1864, he was married, in Tennessee, to Miss Louisa Skelton, a native of
Tennessee, and a daughter of A. B. Skelton. The Doctor and his wife have four (is it
really 5?) children: James, Joseph, Charles and Robert. Minnie was the wife of B. B.
Biffle, and died in December 1884. The Doctor and his wife are members of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, in which he is a ruling elder, and he belongs to the Masonic
fraternity.

Additonal information on W.V. Turner's wife Louisa Skelton died in 1892. He remarried to
Martha E. ?, who died September 19, 1913 at the age of 63. All are buried in Mitchell
Cemetery, Clay County, Arkansas (from James G. Patey).

==========================================================================================
Wife's General Notes
==========================================================================================

Goodspeed's says that his wife was "Miss Ella Turner, daughter of Thomas Turner of
Tennessee." Ella as in poor health. She thought...if she could just have a long camping
trip... she would get better. Mr. Biffle had a beautiful team of horses, which he hitched
to a covered wagon. They went to Ravenden Springs, a little more than sixty miles from
their home. The group campted near Ravenden Springs for nearly six weeks, living in a
tent. Mrs. Biffle's health did improve for a while. Suddently, however, she took a turn
for the worse. A few months later she died quietly.

==========================================================================================
Sources
==========================================================================================

* 1860 U.S. Census, Ashland, Wayne County, Tennessee, M653-1277, p. 247, William B. is
  found in his father's household.
* 1910 U.S. Census, St. Francis Twp, Clay County, Arkansas, T624-46, p. 194. Found with
  his wife Pearl, daughter Blanche, son Joe; Pearl and Billie had been married 1 year.
* 1920 U.S. Census, St. Francis Township, Clay County, City of Piggot, Arkansas, T625-57,
  E.D. 22, pg. 3a: Billy (age 64), Pearl (age 41), Joe (age 25). Billy was an insurance
  agent; Joe worked in lumber.
* Leslie (age 30) is found in 1920 in St. Francis Township, Clay County, Arkansas, T625-57,
  E.D. 22, pg. 4a; he is living with Dr. Frederick H. Jones
* Clay County Arkansas Marriages, Eastern District, 1893-1924, by Una Pollard (1988); Book
  5, pg 596, B.B. Biffle, 42, Piggott, and Mrs. Pearl M. Vickery, 31, Piggott, married June
  30, 1908.

Biffle Researchers Home Page
Last Web Revision: 7/29/03
URL: http://biffle.org/fgs-umbbiffle.html [no longer extant]
Page Coordinator: Janet M. Roseen
 

Home
Other states
Copyright © 2003-present, all rights reserved.
This site may be linked to but not duplicated in any manner without written consent.
Family Group Sheets are copyrighted © by each individual FGS submitter.