John S. Bostick

• John S. Bostick Find A Grave Memorial# 41077966
• Fairview Cemetery, Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA

John was the son of William & Nancy Ann (Rice) Bostick. His siblings were John Green, Lucy, Littleberry, Elizabeth "Betsey" Ann, Sarah Sally, & William Rice.

John's parents and his sisters, Betsey and Sarah, who married Willis brothers, Joseph & David, are buried in the Willis Cemetery, which is located on Hwy. 41 right at the Coffee/Grundy County line. It gets its name from Joseph & Betsey Willis even though William & Nancy Ann's graves are older. Betsey Willis Creek is just down Hwy. 41 in Coffee County. Information by Janelle Layne Taylor.

John married Sarah Ann Bennett on March 6, 1830. Their children were:

1. Martha Ann - April 11, 1831 (Columbia, Boone Co, MO) 2. Margaret Amanda - April 21, 1833 (Missouri City, Fort Bend Co, TX) 3. Mildred Jane - June 5, 1838 (Missouri City, Fort Bend Co, TX) 4. Helen Mary - August 1838 (Columbia, Boone Co, MO) 5. William C. - May 23, 1844 (Van Buren, Crawford Co, AR) 6. Alfred W. - May 18, 1848 (Van Buren, Crawford Co, AR)

The year that John & Sarah Ann moved to Van Buren is unknown. However, they were there for the birth of their son, William, in the spring of 1844. Four years later they were well established in the thriving little community when their son, Alfred, was born.

On Dec.26, 1850, John operated a hotel in Van Buren, which was valued at $4000. His hotel, known as the "Mansion House," was located west of Main Street near the bank of the Arkansas River. This location was convenient for the many travelers arriving in & leaving Van Buren, which no doubt increased John's income.

John & Sarah lived in the hotel with their family while managing it. One can only imagine the hustle and bustle of activities as their children grew up, most assuredly assisting their parents around the hotel as time allowed. Amanda was 16 years old; Mildred Jane,13; Helen Mary, 12; William, 6; & Alfred, 2.

Their daughter, Martha Ann, and her husband, John Thruston (newly weds), were also residents of the hotel. He had a job working as a ferryman. No doubt, Martha assisted her mother with the hotel work. Benjamin Deaver, a miller, was also a resident of the hotel at this time.

John served as an Aldermen in Van Buren in 1855 & in 1856. The date he moved from the "Mansion Hotel" to try his hand at farming is unknown. He later rented some houses in town, & shortly afterwards had a large brick hotel built on Fayetteville Street known as the "Bostick House."

John, age 65, was fairly wealthy by June 15, 1860. His new hotel was valued at $12,260, & his personal wealth was $10,850. Sarah was 56 years old; their children Mildred (22), William (17), & Alfred (13) were with them. (

Three of their daughters and their husband were also residents of his new hotel: Martha, and son-in-law, John Thruston, & their three children; Margaret Amanda & her husband, Hugh Thomason, a lawyer; & Helen & her husband, Dr. Charles Fox Brown. (Helen & Dr. Charles Fox Brown had married on April 1, 1858, & Margaret & Hugh had married in 1860.)

Elizabeth Bostick, age 19, a school teacher, & her sister, Elizabeth, age 13, were residents. Their relationship to John is unknown. Other residents included M.E. Mohring (merchant), J.H. Haney (civil engineer), & H.T. Brown (lawyer).

Five months later their daughter, Mildred Jane, married David Woodson Heard on November 9, 1860. They eventually moved to San Antonio, TX where they lived the rest of their lives.

John sympathies were on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War. He enlisted as a Private in Company C, 4th Infantry Regiment Arkansas.

John died in Van Buren on July 19, 1867, at the age of 63. John & Sarah's sons, William & Alfred, were married several years later; William, married Sarah Alexander around 1870, & Alfred married Jane McBride on February 23, 1879.

On June 2, 1880, Sarah, age 75, lived with her daughter, Helen, & husband, Dr. Charles Fox Brown. She was 91 years old when she died on August 8, 1895.

Compiled by Virginia Brown in February 2012.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 18 2016, 2:08:16 UTC
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 18 2016, 2:30:58 UTC

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jan 18 2016, 4:12:50 UTC