The Russellville Democrat., 1884-04-24
HON. JOHN 6. FLETCHER.
Democratic c andidate for
 Governor of Arkans as.

Governor of Arkans as.
 The subject of this sketch is a
 member of one of the oldest, best known and most highly respected families of Arkansas. His father,
 H. L. Fletcher, emigrated West from
 Tennessee during the year 1916 and settled in what is now Randolph county. The Territory was then considered part of Missouri and
 like it was very sparsely populated.
 In 1925 he moved to Saline county,
 where John G. was born, being the seventh child. In this ghborhood he spent isyouth upon the, farm, | laboring regularly during the crop season, and in the winter months, when work on the farm had suspend
 Led, attending such schools as the country afforded. These schools
 were by no means of high order, but poor as they were they served to give an energetic youth like young
 Fletcher beginning They served l him as foundation, upon which he
 built comprehension and practical education. The ground work of an education was secured by the coun- try schools; that practical know.- edge necessary for successful busi- ness and the wider range ot culture.
 which bespeaks the polished and cultivated mind he has acquired by
 his own unaided efforts. ...ss ''' | Early in life, after lie had render ed his parents the usual twenty one years scrvrce and had entered upon
 life's voyage, master of his own craft,
 he came to Little Rock and cast his
 fortunes with the people who had gathered here to build q city the
 proud capital of prosperous Stat(.
 He was still attached to the occu
 patton of childhood, and though en- gagged in mercantile pursuits, he
 bought large tract Of land on the banks of the Arkansas, several miles
 above the city, and opened the plan tatlons now known as Fletcher $
 Landing. Year after year passed by
 and each notch on tue stuck of time
 found him adding to his business
 the earnings of each years efforts.
 The farm was gradually enlarged
 until it became one of the most val
 uable plantations in the Arkansas
 Valley, and mercantile business in the city increased its capital and
 stock as rapidly as the growth of
 trade would permit
 When the war came he was one of
 the first to- enter the service of the Con lederacy from this State, as a
 private in the Capital Guards-a company that was immediately sent
 to the front and did gallant service during the the entire struggle.
 About the close of the first year 5 campaign his captain was promoted and he was chosen from the ranks to
 fill the vacancy by unanimpus vote.
 The company never had cause to .e gret their selection.
 ] At the battle of Stone River, Mur freesboro, Tenn, he was wounded
 while leading his company in des
 perate charge. He fell and lay upon
 the battle field during tue remainder of the day. At night some Q, his friends louad hun and carried him back to an old church. The follow ing day the eonlederates were driven back and he with large number of j the wounded fell into the hands ot
 the federaIs. He remained prison CT at Fort McHcnry, Md, until May, 1863, at which time he was exchang- ed and immediately rcjoined his command with the Army of the. Ten , nessee until it surrendered. Alter
 the war ended he returned to Little
 Rock and like thousands of others began to cast about to gather ul, the remains of his shattered fortune. He again engaged III mercantile pursuits, making specially ot as , sistlng planters 10 secure supphes to enable them to produce crop.
 Alter the country had gained lhe
 natural income of few years peace ful industry and the trade of tue State had began to approach that @, ! former years he hccame . cotton fac tor. and is now one of the most sue , ccsslul cotton men of the South.
 Since 1868 he has been deeply in. , teresled in the development of the State and up building Of is capital, !, and he has earnestly encouraged every practical effort to unearth and , bring to the front our vaued re. sources.
 About that time he began to buy city lots and improve them. He has built number of the most elegant business houses in the city as well i, as large number of handsome resi- ! dences. His liberality for charitable purposes is proverbial No churcA
 house or public school house has
 been built in the city or surrounding z country without his substancial as sistance. The Old Ladies' Home and the Ladies' Benevolent Associa.