William Riley (W. R.) SEABOALT was the great-grandson of Johannes Seybold (b. cir 1735 in Germany) who emmigrated to Pennsylvania Colony aboard the ship 'Friendship' in 1854. He was a third generation American.

He was born in Henry County, Tennesee on July 30, 1831. He grew up in Jackson Township, Newton County, Arkansas and in 1849, he married Sarah Jane RO(W)LAND of Lawrence County, Tennessee. W. R. was the youngest of at least six children born to John SEABOLT and Mahaley KELLY. William and Sarah lived in Newton County for over twenty years before moving to Texas and ultimately settling in Ellis County and raising Cotton.

They had eight children in the following order: William Riley Jr (1851), Thomas James (1853), Stephen Roland (1855), Malaly Jane (1857), John Dennis (1859), Ezkiel Washington (1862), George Raymond (1865) and Sarah Isabell (1868). Ezkiel died in infancy at the age of 14 months. The only known record of Ezkiel was that found in William Riley's handwriting left among his personal effects and stored for many years in family trunks.

William Riley Seaboalt and the CIVIL WAR

SHERIFF OF NEWTON COUNTY

Following the Civil War, he served a two-year term as Sheriff of Newton County. Records found by Paula Cahoon at the LDS library show that he was sworn in as Sheriff of Newton County on 24 October 1865 along with other officials (A. M. Reynolds, John Sumpter, Andrew Carlton, Lemul R. Jones, John H. Reynolds and John Smith). In this capacity, he was also the chief tax collector for the county. Receipts made out to Wm. R. Seaboalt by the Treasurer of the State of Arkansas showed that he collected total of $550 in taxes from the residents of Newton County for the year 1866 and $899 for 1867. A letter from the modern sheriff of Newton County confirmed this fact.

LEAVING NEWTON COUNTY

Although the Ozark hills were quite a beautiful place to live, they did not favor well the economics of of farming in the late 19th century. Indeed, Newton and nearby Boone county are the models for the legendary Dogpatch of Al Capps L' Abner comic strip. Although William faired quite well by Newton County standards (the 1870 census showed his land and personal posessions valued at $2000 compared to the $500-$800 average), the rich black farm lands of Texas were calling more and more small farmers of the old south to seek their fortunes in the wide open spaces of the west. Thus it was that, in 1870 the family moved to Edom, Van Zandt County, Texas. William bought 320 acres of land from the L. H. Gidean grant and 8 acres from the J. Paterson grant. His real estate taxes on this property for the year 1871 amounted to the grand total of thirty-three dollars and thirty-seven cents. William stayed up with the news while living in Van Zandt County for in November 1873 he paid $4.00 for a a subscription to a brand new newspaper, The Canton News.

According to W. R.'s pension affadavit, he lived in Hill County, Texas during 1874. By the spring of 1875 he moved again, this time to Avalon, Ellis County, Texas.

William bought a farm about 2-1/2 miles south-east of Avalon where he raised cotton until he died in 1905.

You can reach me by email, William D. Gorman