Arthur Charles, A. C., Crain of Sparta, Missouri was a native of Tennessee, born in Franklin County October 2, 1833, the son of William B. and Alice (Ford) Crain, natives of Tennessee. His grandfather, William B. Crain, was a native of North Carolina and came to Tennessee at an early age. Later he moved with his extended family to Stoddard County, Missouri. In 1839, both the father and mother of A. C. died in Stoddard County. The grandparents reared the three children born to this union in Green and Newton county. A. C. was the eldest of the three children. The others were: Hiram H. and Kizziah. In 1859, A. C. was married to Martha A. Kershner, daughter of John and Martha (Amis) Kershner, who came to Greene County about 1849. Two children were born to A. C. and Martha before he left for the Civil War. 1862 he enlisted in Company L, Eighth Regiment Volunteer Cavalry, and served until the close of the war. He and his brother Hiram were in all the battles of the regiment and saw much hard service, but our subject was never wounded or made a prisoner of war. Receiving his discharge in July, 1865, Mr. Crain, who had worked his way from a private to the rank of first lieutenant, returned to his home. After the war Mr. Crain began farming on his property and continued to till the soil until 1872, when he was elected sheriff and collector of Christian county. This position he filled in a very satisfactory manner for seven years. He was always affiliated with the Republican Party and was a most worthy citizen. He was deputy sheriff of Greene County before the war and was elected mayor of Sparta when the town was incorporated. In later years, he retired from active business and resided with his family in Sparta. He reared four daughters and four sons, all of whom are living at the time of his death: Luzanna, the wife of William Robertson of Ozark; Harriett, the widow of James Bench (she made her home with her parents with her five children after her husband’s death); Martha, wife of James Adams, the county clerk; Inez at home; William H., married and a farmer; John H. resided in Ozark and was a deputy county clerk; Thomas in the machine shops of the Frisco Railroad at Springfield and James, the youngest, still in school. Mr. and Mrs. Crain attended the Christian Church of which the latter was a member. Mr. Crain was a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge of Sparta, was an old member and held all the offices in the order. He was also a member of the G. A. R. post at Sparta. Aside from a good farm he made a success of his life. He attended the district school three months each year for a number of years, and being studious and persevering became a well-informed man. He was well known to the people of this and other counties and during the time he was sheriff, he had the Hart-Davis case to handle and took the first prisoner from this county to the penitentiary. He was always interested in church and school work and helped organize this township when it had no free schools. He assisted in building five school houses. For six years Mr. Crain was a merchant of Sparta. He and his wife owned a large hotel and livery. He was sitting on the porch surrounded by grandchildren when a disgruntled acquaintance rode by on a horse armed with a shotgun. The man, Bud Ray, shot him in head at close range. Martha ran out from the dining room where she had been serving the evening meal and cradled him in her arms. Thus, ended a good man’s life. But a good reputation is prized above rubies and that he had. Something that cannot be taken away.

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