Biographical and historical memoirs of eastern Arkansas, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties named herein, and numerous biographical sketches of the prominent citizens of such counties., Part 30

Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 836

USA > Arkansas > Biographical and historical memoirs of eastern Arkansas, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties named herein, and numerous biographical sketches of the prominent citizens of such counties. > Part 30

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

186

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

united in marriage to Miss Sarah Pinegar, and the fruits of this union were three children. Jerome L. was born April 1, 1874, but the other children died in infancy. Mrs. King died on September 5, 1875. On December 24, 1876, Mr. King took for his second wife, Miss Caroline Virginia Clark, a na- tive of Kentucky, born May 10, 1855, and whose parents came to Arkansas from Kentucky, in 1856. This second union resulted in the birth of the fol- lowing children: Noah Lot (born October 13, 1877, and died Angust 31, 1886), Austin Ward (born August 22, 1881), Willia M. (born October 7, 1883), Daniel D. (born July 31, 1885, and died April 23, 1888), and Florence Orenia (born on Au- gust 14, 1888). Mr. King came into possession of his farm by will from his father, eighty acres, with about eighteen under cultivation, and well adapted to agriculture or horticulture. He takes an inter- est in all matters relating to the good of the county, and his children are having as good educational advantages as his means will admit. He is a mem- ber of the Agricultural Wheel, and he and his wife are members of the United Baptist Church.

John Thomas King, planter and stock raiser, Little Red, Ark. A lifetime devoted with persever- ance and energy to the pursuit of agriculture, have contributed very materially to the success which has attended the efforts of Mr. King, a man of substantial and established worth. He was born in 1849, and is the son of James and Louisa (James) King whose marriage took place in 1846. This union resulted in the birth of six children: New- ton (born in 1847), John Thomas (born in 1849), Pinkney McDonald (born in 1851), Joseph (born in 1853), Jesse (born in 1855) and William (born in 1857). Previous to this James King married a sister of his second wife, Miss Susan James, in 1829, and by her became the father of seven children: Sophia (born in 1830), Richard (born in 1832), Jas- per (born in 1834), Robert (born in 1837), Marion (born in 1839), Allen (born in 1842) and Blount S. (born in 1845). John Thomas King owes his nati- vity to White County, Ark., and his education was obtained in the subscription schools of that county. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, and when grown was united in marriage to Miss Mary Jane

Pinegar, a native of Tennessee, born in 1848, and the daughter of William and Clarissa (Redmond) Pinegar. The wedding of our subject took place July 17, 1864, and ten children were born to them: Jesse (born in 1866), James (born in 1868), Eliza (born in 1870), LaFayette (born in 1872), Frances (born in 1874), Laura (born in 1876), Rosa (born in 1878), Viola (twin, born in 1880), Minnie (born in 1882) and David (born in 1884). Viola's twin sister died at birth. John T. King received by deed from his father eighty acres of land in Jack- son Township, which he began to improve. In 1879 he purchased the old homestead which adjoined his eighty acres, and made the purchase just prior to the death of his father, receiving a deed from the latter and a dowery from his step-mother, she being his father's fourth wife. The father died on November 4, 1879, at the age of seventy-seven years. Our subject lived on the old home place, consisting of eighty-five acres, until 1886, when he moved to his present home in Denmark Township, where he now owns 275 acres of land with 100 acres under cultivation. His eldest son, Jesse King, was mar- ried to Miss Louisa Turley, a native of Arkansas, and the daughter of Samson and Mary Jane (How- ell) Turley, and the result of this union has been two children: Commodore (born in 1886) and Fred (born in 1888). His son James was married November 21, to Miss Laura E. Middleton, daugh- ter of Dr. P. A. and Amanda (Moseley) Middleton. Mr. and Mrs. John T. King are members in good standing in the United Baptist Church and are much respected by all acquainted with them. Mr. King is a member of the Agricultural Wheel No. 76. He is giving his children good educations and takes a deep interest in all school matters. His son Jesse is a professor of penmanship and LaFay- ette is well advanced in the English branches and is taking a commercial course at the Commercial College at Batesville, Ark., the present winter.

E. C. Kinney, editor and proprietor of the Judsonian Advance, is a newspaper man of ex- perience, and his connection with this paper dates from 1880, he being its organizer. He managed the paper until 1885, then sold out to B. W. Briggs, and then engaged in the general mercan-

187

WHITE COUNTY.

tile business, selling out in the fall of 1889. Sep- tember 18 of that year he again resumed control of the Judsonian Advance, and its advance under his management has been more noteworthy and rapid than formerly. At the present time it is recognized as a journal of decided merit, its edi- torials being written with a clearness and force which indicate a writer of ability. He was born in Livingston County, N. Y., in 1843, and is the eleventh of twelve children. born to Ezra and Louise (Clough) Kinney, the former a native of Connecticut, and a minister of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. In 1817, during the early history of Livingston County, N. Y., he became one of its settlers, and experienced many of the hardships and inconveniences which are incident to early pioneer life. He died in 1855, and his wife in Walworth County, Wis., in 1868. E. C. Kinney was reared in Mount Morris, N. Y., and in youth learned the harness-maker's trade, and followed it some ten years. Upon the breaking out of the Re- bellion he enlisted at Rochester, N. Y., in the Fifty- eighth New York Infantry, Company E, as a pri- vate, and was promoted to corporal-sergeant, and in 1862 to second lieutenant. After participating in the battle of Manassas, he was on detached duty for some time, but was taken sick, and after re- maining in the hospital at Annapolis, Md., about six months, he, in 1863 returned to Mount Morris, N. Y., and began following his trade. In 1865 he removed to Painsville, Ohio, and was married there in 1866, to Miss Anna R. Abbott, a native of Salem, Mass. Becoming dissatisfied with his lo- cation in Ohio, he determined to push westward, and in 1868 settled in Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa. Two years later he became con- nected with a circus, and was thus enabled to travel over the greater part of the United States. In 1870 he became connected with Sprague, Warner & Griswold, and later with Kinney & Co., and when with the latter company, traveled with a team from Chicago to New York City, making every town on the route selling goods. In 1878 he left Iowa and went overland to Davidson Coun- ty, Dak., and homesteaded land, remaining there a sufficient length of time to see the full growth of

Mitchell and Alexandria. In 1880 he came over- land to White County, Ark., arriving here on May 17, and engaged in the hotel business. He has followed horticulture ever since his arrival in the county, and owns two fruit farms adjoining Jud- sonia, also one near Little Rock. He is an active Republican, and was president of the first Repub- lican convention ever held in White County. He is the present mayor of the town, and has held other offices of public trust. Socially he is a mem- ber of Anchor Lodge No. 384, of the A. F. & A. M., and has been secretary of his order. His children are: George (a printer), Myrtie, Earl and Carlie.

Hon. H. C. Knowlton. If industry united with a strong and determined perseverance can accom- plish the desired ends, Mr. Knowlton should be, and is one of the well-to-do planters of the county. He came to the county in 1870, from the State of Tennessee, but was born in Vermont in 1825, being the youngest in a family of three children born to James and Lydia (Cheney) Knowlton, who were natives of the Bay State. They were married in that State in 1813, afterward settling in Ver- mont, where he worked at the blacksmith's trade until about 1829, at which time he moved to Lena- wee County, Mich., and settled on a farm between Adrian and Tecumseh. He was one of the pio- neers of this county, and became one of its wealth- iest farmers. In 1842 he went to Anderson, Ind., and made that his home, and here his death oc- curred in 1847, his wife's death following his in 1860, her demise occurring in Tennessee. H. C. Knowlton learned the trade of a general mechanic in his youth, and after moving to Hardeman County, Tenn., in 1845, followed his trade until the open- ing of the war. He was married in Hardeman County, four years after his arrival in the State, to Miss Mary Agnes Stone, a native of Fayette Coun- ty, Tenn., and a daughter of William H. and B. P. (Johnson) Stone, the former a Virginian, and the latter a native of North Carolina. At the age of eighteen the father went to Missouri, and assisted in surveying that State, then went to North Caro- lina, and was married there in 1818, after which he moved to Tennessee and engaged in farming,

188

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

making this his calling until his death in 1866. His wife died in 1877. In 1870 Mr. Knowlton came to White County, Ark., and purchased an improved farm of 200 acres, and at the present time has sixty acres under the plow. Although not an active politician, he supported the Demo- cratic party until he affiliated with the Labor party in 1884, and in 1887 was elected on that ticket to the State legislature, serving one term. He is a strict temperance man, a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and socially is a member of Mount Pisgah Lodge No. 242, of the A. F. & A. M., and is treasurer of his order. The following are the children born to himself and wife: Mary C. (Mrs. Dr. Wells, of Marion Township), Horace C. (a farmer of the township), R. S. (a resident of Oregon), C. M. (who died in 1886), E. E. (who is married and lives in the township), J. D. (married and living in Big Creek Township), W. H. (mar- ried and living in the township), Lelia F. (Mrs. Cate) and W. B. (who died in 1875). Mr. and Mrs. Knowlton are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

Enoch Langley, who is an able representative of the ginning interests of the county as well as the agricultural class, is of Georgian nativity, being born March 31, 1847, and was the third of seven children born to Enoch and Elizabeth (Stone) Langley, who were also of Georgia, and whose births occurred in the years 1824 and 1828. They were united in the holy bonds of marriage in 1843, and as a result of this union seven children came to gladden their hearts: Nancy, Oswell, Enoch (our subject), William B., Mary, Jepha and Kattie. Enoch Langley, heeding the call of his country, enlisted in 1864, in the Thirty-fifth Georgia In- fantry and participated in the battles of Cross Junction and the battle of the Wilderness. After

the close of the Rebellion he returned to Georgia and, in 1868, was married to Josephine Hopper, who was born July 5, 1852, and a daughter of Thomas C. and Martha (Hendrix) Hopper. Soon after this event Mr. Langley settled in Floyd County, Ga., and farmed for awhile, but in 1874 immigrated to Arkansas and settled in Des Arc Township, White County, and in 1880 bought 235

acres of land in Cadron Township, which he com- menced to improve, and he now has 120 acres in a high state of cultivation. Nine children call Mr. and Mrs. Langley father and mother: John M. (born January 9, 1869), James T. (born November 26, 1870), Martha E. (May 30, 1874), Larah B. (January 10, 1878), Luther C. (April 27, 1878), Alice I. (July 18, 1882), Enoch P. (November 28, 1884), Isam I. (December 9, 1887), Oscar B. (April 13, 1889). Mr. Langley is giving the gin- ning business, in which he has been very success- ful, his most watchful and careful attention. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and politi- cally a strong and stanch Democrat, and anything relating to his adopted county or to any public en- terprise receives his most hearty support.

Rev. Isom P. Langley, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Beebe, owes his nativity to Arkansas, and was born in Clark County, Septem- ber 2, 1851. His parents, Samuel S. and Mary J. (Browning) Langley, were natives of Arkansas and Alabama, respectively. Samuel S. Langley was born October 29, 1831, in Clark County, and is the son of Miles L. and Sally (Butler) Langley, natives of North Carolina, who came to Arkansas in 1818, and were married in this State in 1819. The maternal grandfather, Francis J. Browning, was a native of Georgia, and was born in 1800. His wife was a native of Alabama, and they were of English descent. The maternal ancestors were all finely educated, and figured as prominent men during their life. Francis J. Browning was a teacher and farmer, also a great and earnest worker in the Baptist Church, having served as a delegate to the first Baptist association that ever met south of the Arkansas River. This meeting was held at Spring Creek Church, near Benton, Saline County, August 12, 1835, and he was also one of the orig- inators of Mount Bethel Church, six miles west of Arkadelphia, in 1835. At the time of his death, and for a number of years before it, he had been occupied as a teacher. He died in 1884, his wife having been called to her final home in 1879. Miles L. Langley died in 1831, and his wife in 1848. They were among the first settlers of Clark County, and endured all of the privations and

189

WHITE COUNTY.

hardships incident to that time. To them a family of seven children were born: John (was in the Mexican War, also in California during the gold excitement, and is now a prosperous farmer of Clark County, Ark.), Joseph (deceased, was a lead- ing farmer of Clark County, where his family now live; his death occurred in 1882.), William (de- ceased, was a farmer, and lost his life by a tree falling on him, 1864, and at the time a soldier in the Confederate army), Miles L. (deceased, a very prominent Baptist minister. He was a member of the State Constitutional Conventions of 1864 and 1868, and was a chaplain in the State Senate. He died December 27, 1888.), Isom P. (is a prosperous farmer of Clark County, Ark. ), Jensey (deceased) and Samuel S. (the father of the subject of this memoir, who is still living, and is a prosperous farmer of Pike County, Ark. He served four years in the Confederate army as second lieutenant, and was prisoner of war for nineteen months at John- son's Island. He was also captain, and was acting commander at Helena. He and his estimable wife are earnest workers of the Baptist Church, and he is a Master Mason of considerable note). Rev. Isom P. is the eldest in a family of thirteen, ten of whom are now living: Thomas (deceased), Porter (deceased), Mary C., Andrew V., Permelia G., Abi (deceased), Samuel S., Jr., Annie, infant not named, Sallie, Robert, Penn and Frank. Our subject was reared to farm life, and spent his school- days in the schools of his county, and later took up the study of physiology and phrenology, under the tutorship of Miles L. Langley, his paternal uncle, and a man of very fine attainments; at the same time, and under the same teacher, he studied the English language. At the age of twenty-two he began the study of law under Gen. H. W. McMil- lan, of Arkadelphia, and Judges M. P. Dobey and H. H. Coleman. He completed his law course, and was admitted to the bar in 1875, and practiced his profession at Arkadelphia and Hot Springs until 1885, when he was obliged to discontinue it on account of throat disease. He joined the Baptist Church at the age of sixteen years, was licensed to preach in 1868, and ordained in 1869, since which time he has been engaged in the work of the min-

istry. He has filled the pulpits of Arkadelphia, Hot Springs, and that of the First Baptist Church of Little Rock, but a large share of his time has been devoted to churches where there was no regu- lar pastorate. In 1880 he formed a partnership with Capt. J. W. and J. N. Miller, the firm name being Miller, Langley & Miller, editors of the Arkadelphia Signal, conducting the same with marked success until 1881. Mr. Langley then withdrew from the firm, and started the Arkansas Clipper, in 1882, a Greenback Labor paper, of which he was sole owner. This he published until 1883, then sold it and went to Hot Springs, and in company with a Mr. Allard founded and edited the Daily and Weekly Hot Springs News. In 1886 he became the editor of the Industrial Liberator, the official organ of the Knights of Labor, and made that paper a decided success, in the meantime having sold the Hot Springs News. He resigned his position in June, 1886, and engaged in the in- surance business. He also purchased a controlling interest in the National Wheel Enterprise, acting as its editor until December 17, 1888, when he retired from the newspaper business, and in doing so deprived the literary and newspaper world of one of its brightest lights. In 1885 Mr. Lang- ley became a member of the Local Assembly 2419, K. of L., at Hot Springs, the first assembly ever organized in the State, acting at present as one of the national organizers of that order. He is a member of Union Lodge 31, A. W., and was a delegate to the State convention that met at Litchfield in 1886. While at that convention he was elected as one of the delegates to the National Wheel, which met at the same time and place, and was its acting secretary. It was at this assembly that he wrote the constitution for the National Wheel, and at this same meeting was elected National Lecturer, and in that capacity wrote the demands of the National Wheel that were adopted at McKinzie, Tenn., November, 1887, and in all the conventions he has taken a very prominent part, and in behalf of the National Wheel made the response to Senator Walker's address of welcome at Meri- dian, Miss., December 5, 1888. That speech which elicited such favorable comment from the press,

190

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

was the crowning effort of his life, and placed him at the head of the list of deep thinkers and eloquent speakers in the labor ranks. On October 20, 1887, he became President of the Famous Life Association, of Little Rock, and served one year, managing its affairs with extraordinary abil- ity. In 1886 he was nominated by a labor conven- tion as a candidate for Congress against Judge J. H. Rogers, of the Fourth Congressional District, and polled more than twice the labor votes of his district. As a stump speaker he has no superior in the State. He has always figured prominently in schools, and was the secretary of the board that reorganized the splendid school system of Arkadel- phia. Mr. Langley has done all kinds of work, from the hoeing of cotton to the highest calling man can perform, and is one of the best posted men in the State. In August, of 1870, he was married to Miss Martha A. Freeman, a native of Arkansas, and a daughter of Thomas J. Freeman. He was born in Little Rock, 1821, and settled in Clark County in 1840, where Mrs. Langley was born in 1851. To these parents have been born a family of five children, all living: Florence R., Charles E., Ada J., Katie and Lessie. Father, mother, and the three oldest children are members of the Baptist Church. Socially Mr. Langley affiliates with the I. O. O. F., and has filled all the offices of that order. He is a typical Arkansan, and perhaps is without his peer in public value in the State, considering his age.

Fayette T. Laster, well known to the residents of Russell, Ark., is a native of West Tennessee, his birth occurring in Decatur County, May 27, 1866. His father, William W. Laster, also of Tennessee, was born in 1837, and there married in 1860 to Sinthey A. Wright, of Tennessee, her birth occurring in 1840. Soon after their mar- riage they came to Arkansas and settled in White County, where they remained until their respective deaths. Mr. Laster was claimed by the grim de- stroyer, Death, 1886, and his faithful wife only sur- vived him a few months, less than a year. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Laster three sons were born, of whom only one, Fayette T. (the subject of this memoir) is now living. Albert and John both

died in Tennessee. Mr. Laster was a farmer, a hard-working and law-abiding citizen, and by his unostentatious manner gained many friends. At the date of his demise he had succeeded in amass- ing quite a comfortable amount of property and money. Fayette T. moved with his parents, when quite a boy, to Arkansas, where he grew to man- hood with nothing but the monotonous routine of the pioneer's life to occupy his attention. His edu- cational advantages were from necessity limited, as the schools at that time were far from satisfactory. He started out for himself at the age of twenty-one and began farming and stock raising, in which he is still engaged, and is meeting with very fair suc- cess. He now owns 200 acres of excellent bottom- land, well improved and in a high state of cultiva- tion. On September 28, Mr. Laster was united in matrimony with Ida (Lee) Mote, adopted daugh- ter of John and Hattie Mote, and own daughter of Arcy and Martha C. Lee, To Mr. and Mrs. Laster's union two children have been born: Elva Theola (born September 10, 1878, and died December 6, 1888) and Belle Alrietia (born November 4, 1889). Mr. Laster is independent in his political views, casting his vote for the best interests of himself and the country at large. He is a prosperous young farmer, of industrious and frugal habits, and has gained the good will of his fellow-citizens.

Winfield Scott Lay is a native Arkansan, his birthplace being Van Buren County, where he re- ceived his education. He enlisted at the age of seventeen in the Confederate Cavalry (Twenty- seventh Arkansas), in which he served until the close of the war, being with Gen. Price on his raid through Missouri. Subsequently he attended. school, remaining two years, and in 1868 came to Searcy, where he engaged as a clerk in a store and followed this for three years, then commenced business for himself on a capital of $600, and is now one of the leading business men in Searcy. In 1884 he was burned out, losing several thou- sand dollars worth of goods, but immediately built up again, and the following year did the larg- est business he has done before or since, selling $52,000 worth of goods. He was born on No- vember 24, 1846, and is a son of William H. and

J .O. Law.

WHITE COUNTY, ARKANSAS.

193

WHITE COUNTY.

Polly (Bacon) Lay, natives of Virginia and Ten- nessee, respectively. William H. Lay went to Knox County, Tenn., when a young man, where he was married and resided until 1839, when he came to Arkansas and located in what was then Van Buren County, but which is now Cleburne County, where he farmed until his death. In his political views he was a strong Democrat, and while in Tennessee served several years as deputy sheriff, and afterward as sheriff. The Lay family is of English descent, the paternal grandfather of our subject coming to this country from old Eng- land. Mr. and Mrs. Lay were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. They were the parents of eight children, seven of whom are still living: Allen S., Elizabeth Witt, Emma Sim- mons, Sarah Fulko, Mattie Manus, Winfield Scott (who heads this sketch), and W. L. (now a resi- dent of South America). W. S. Lay was married in Searcy on September 13, 1870, to Miss Nannie Stevenson, a daughter of the Rev. Alexander Ste- venson, pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, at Searcy, and who was born in White County in 1853. Mr. Lay is one of eight stock- holders in the Searcy and West Point Railroad, of which he is also a director and secretary. He is a strong Democrat, and a wide-awake business man, and has one of the largest trades in his line in Searcy.

Hon. F. P. Laws, president of the local board of immigration at Beebe, Ark., also engaged in selling wagons, buggies and farming implements, has probably done more to develop the resources of White County than any other one person, and is a very popular man wherever he is known. He is a native of Missouri, and was born in what is now Benton County May 10, 1840. His father, Joel J., was a native of North Carolina, and was born February 17, 1812, in Wilkes County, and was considered one of the best farmers of his section. His wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was also of North Carolina nativity, her birth occur- ring about 1814. Her name was Martha Grissum, and was of English ancestry, as was also her hus- band. She was a bright and highly cultured lady. Mr. and Mrs. Laws were married in North Carolina

in 1838, and the same week left for Missouri, settling in what is now Benton County, and there lived for about two years. They then moved to Farmington, St. Francis County, but at the time of Mr. Laws' death, in 1848, they were residing in Ste. Genevieve County. He was a life-long Democrat, though not an active politician. In his religious faith he was not identified with any particular church, but was a man of high moral character, honor, and strict integrity, and one who always left a pleasant impression and a desire to enlarge acquaint- ance with him .- After her husband's death Mrs. Laws married again, her second marriage taking place in 1850 to Mr. Harvill Shepherd, a farmer of Ste. Genevieve County, and by him became the mother of four children. She was left a widow in 1858, and is at present living with her third hus- band, Mr. Humphfrey, a farmer of Miller County. Hon. F. P. Laws is the oldest in a family of four children as follows: Hon. F. P., Jane (Mrs. A. J. Humphfreys of Crawford County), Mary (married, living in Miller County, Mo.), Marion J. (married, and a well-to-do farmer). F. P. was reared to farm life, and received such advantages for an education as the schools of that period afforded. At the age of seventeen he left his step-father's home and started out to make his fortune, facing the world with nothing to back him but his cour- age and determination to succeed. He went first to Franklin County, Mo., and engaged in the lum- ber business for about four years, and was very successful. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate army, and served for one year. He then returned to Washington, Mo., and resumed his work in the lumber business, and while there fell in with his friend, Mr. Morris, of New Orleans, and from him secured the contract to furnish the heavy square timbers for the first grain elevator ever erected in the city of St. Louis. This contract was success- fully carried out, and was the means of his secur- ing lucrative employment in the way of large con- tracts. During the years 1872-73 he built sixty miles of fence for the 'Frisco Railroad, but the panic of 1873, in which so many were financially embarrassed, left him without regular work until 1875. He next traded for a tract of land fourteen

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 836

Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 836