Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Leroy B. Camden

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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
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Leroy B. Camden was born in Coffee County, Tenn., in 1836, and is a son 
of LeRoy S. and Odelia (Payne) Camden, who were born in Rockbridge 
County, Va., and Georgia, in 1799 and 1808, respectively. John Camden, 
the grandfather of our subject, was born and reared in Virginia. In 
1811 he moved to Tennessee and purchased a large tract of land near 
Hillsboro. He held the office of justice of the peace for over thirty 
years, and was one of the early pioneers of Coffee County. His son, 
LeRoy S., was married in Tennessee, and in 1846 moved to Lawrence 
County, Mo., where he purchased 320 acres of land, and died in 1877. 
He was captain of the Mustering Guards in Coffee County for five 
years. His wife died in 1888. LeRoy B. Camden is the sixth of her ten 
children, and was reared to manhood on a farm in Lawrence County. 
April 14, 1861, he was married to Miss Dorinda Bennett, who was born 
in Pulaski County, Mo., in 1842, and by her became the father of nine 
children: Hattie, wife of G. L. Alexander; LeRoy T., Richard. John, 
Sarah (deceased), Mary, Andrew, Eva and Effie. Mrs. Camden is a 
daughter of Richard Bennett, who is the oldest man in Benton County, 
having attained his one hundred and seventh year. Mr. Camden resided 
in Lawrence County until 1875, with the exception of about three 
years, and then removed to Cook County, Tex., and a year later came to 
Benton County, Ark., and speculated in cattle for three years. In 1878 
he purchased 130 acres of land in the county, which he has since 
increased to 180 acres. In 1885 he erected a large two-story frame 
dwelling house at a cost of $1,200. He is a Democrat in his political 
views, and his first presidential vote was cast for Breckinridge in 
1860.