Biography - T. J. Tidwell

T. J. TIDWELL, a Tennessean by birth, was ushered into this world in the year 1838, being a son of Isaiah and Nancy (Brewer) Tidwell, the former born in South Carolina about 1808 and the latter in Georgia in 1812. The father obtained a good common-school education in his native State, and in 1820 removed to the State of Tennessee, where he made his home until 1860, at which time he removed to Arkansas, in which State he and his wife passed from life in 1861 and 1862, respectively, the former having been a worthy tiller of the soil throughout life, and the latter an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In Madison County, Tenn., the subject of this sketch received the rudiments of his education, his youth and early manhood being spent with his father in tilling the soil, and this occupation received the greater part of his attention until the opening of the war. In the month of June, 1861, he joined Company A, Fifth Arkansas Regiment, under Col. David Cross, and during the ﬁrst year of his service operated in Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi, at the end of which time he returned home and joined Gen. Hindman’s command, afterward being in the States of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. He was at the bloody battle of Shiloh, also Mansﬁeld, Prairie Grove, Jenkins’ Ferry and Helena, after which he joined the Engineer’s Corps, and remained with them until the close of the war. At the time of the surrender he was at Palestine, Tex., and after remaining in that State a short time he came to Bossier Parish, La., which place he reached in the month of June, 1865. After farming on a rented plantation for about ﬁve years he was married to .Mrs. Emma (Arnold) Hilton, a daughter of G. W. and Selina (Sims) Arnold, and the same year of his marriage moved to the place where he now resides, which is a portion of the Arnold estate. To them a ﬁne family of ﬁve children has been born: Lina, Mary Emma, Washington S., Thomas A. and Sallie L. Mr. Tidwell is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Cypress Lodge No. 89, and the A. O. U. W., Charity Lodge, of Shreveport.

Contributed 29 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass, extracted from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, published in 1890, page 147.