Armstrong, William P.

William P. Armstrong was born in Augusta County, Virginia in 1839. He was the son of William Armstrong, who was born at the same place on April 19, 1794. Both father and son being farmers by occupation.

The senior Mr. Armstrong was merging into manhood when the war of 1812 broke out, and in answer to his country's call he entered the army as a private soldier, serving until he was honorably discharged.

In 1822, he married Mrs. Sarah (Sheltman) Smith, a widow. By her first husband she had one child, Elizabeth, who became the wife of Samuel Wallas. Mrs. Armstrong died in Texas at the age of fifty-four years. William Armstrong moved from Virginia to Morgan County, Indiana in 1841. He came to Texas in 1852 and purchased a 200 acre tract of land near the Pleasant Valley area.

He lived there and farmed until the time of his death which occurred at the age of ninety-one years. He and his wife were the parents of eight children. William P. was the sixth born. His younger sister, Dranah married William Nelson. (See biography of William B. Nelson)

William P. Armstrong was about thirteen years of age when his father moved from Indiana to Texas. They made the journey in wagons and were about fifty days on the road. William met and married Anna Parker on October 29, 1859. Anna had traveled to Pleasant Valley as a member of the 1854 wagon train from Monroe County, Kentucky.

When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted in Colonel Sweet's Fifteenth Texas Regiment, but was soon discharged on account of ill health. He afterward regained his health and again enlisted in the army, serving until the close of the war. Returning to his home and farm, he again took up the peaceful occupation of farming in the Pleasant Valley area.

Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong had five children. Charles Crawford, Sarah, and Minnie were all deceased prior to 1892. Franklin and Elizabeth were still living at that time.