William Andrew Douthit

Rev. William A. Douthit, merchant at Salem Springs, Washington Co., Ark.,

and a successful farmer, is the son of Thomas and Sarah Douthit, both natives

of North Carolina. When young they moved with their parents to this county,

were married April 10, A. D. 1842, and here in this county they have resided

ever since. The father is a tiller of the soil, and he and wife are members of

the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He is sixty-nine years of age, and is

of Irish and English descent. His grandparents came from Ireland. The

mother's maiden name was Alburty; she is sixty-five years of age, and is of German

descent. Her grandparents came to America wit.h the first settlers of New

York. William A. Douthit was born November 5, 1848, and was one of eight

children born to his parents, six sons and two daughters. He was reared to

farm life, and had very poor educational advantages in early life, the Civil War

depriving him of such educational advantages. After reaching manhood he

educated himself in an academy at Evansville, and afterward taught for about

six monthb He then turned his attention to farming, which occupation he still

carries on, and is now the owner of eighty acres of good land. In 1872 he

married Miss. Belle Bowden, a native of Pope County, Ark. She was the daughter

of John and Elizabeth Bowden, who came from Maury County, Tenn., in an

early day. John S. Bowden was elected to the Legislature in the year 1856,

was re-elected in 1858 and 11;60, and was in the State Legislature when the State

seceded, and was re-elected when the north part was admitted to the Union.

He was killed by the rebel guerrillas in April, 1865. The mother still survives,

and lives on the old homestead. To William A. and Belle Douthit were born

six children, three sons and three daughters. Both he and wife are members of

the Methodist Episcopal Church. October, 1887, Mr. Douthit built a store· house

in Salem Springs, and soon after engaged in merchandising at that place. With

the exception of about ten years Mr. Douthit has made this county his home all

bis life. He is a Republican in politics, and was elected justice of the peace in

the fall of 1884, which he faithfully filled. In 1881 he was licensed to preach in

the Methodist Episcopal Church, and preached the second sermon at Salem

Springs in a brush arbor in July of that same year.