H. C. Black, Calhoun County, AR

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SOURCE: Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.
Contributed by Carol Smith.
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Calhoun County, Arkansas - from Goodspeed's History of Arkansas

H. C. Black, county surveyor of Calhoun County, was born in Union County, in 1845, the eldest of two children born to the
union of S. F. and Nancy (Dobbs) Black, natives of South Carolina and Mississippi, respectively. His father went to Union
County in his youth with his mother in 1839, and resided in that county until 1852, when he went to California, and after one
year spent in that State returned to Calhoun County, and at once commenced business in Hampton, in partnership with J. H.
Means, under the firm name of Black & Means. He continued in business here until the outbreak of the war. Between 1860
and 1865, he was mostly in Texas and Alabama. in 1865 he returned and made his home with his son, our subject, until his
death in 1887. The mother died in 1882. our subject was reared mostly in Hampton, where he attended the common schools
until the outbreak of the war, when he enlisted at Hampton in a company commanded by his cousin, O. H. P. Black. They left
Hampton in February, 1862, and went to Northwestern Arkansas, where they joined the Fourth Arkansas. He was in the battle
of Pea Ridge, then to Corinth, Mississippi, Iuka, and the next spring went into Tennessee, and took part in the battle of
Richmond. In November, 1863, he was discharged on account of youth and returned to Calhoun County. He soon joined a
Texas company and was in the Trans-Mississippi; was in the battles of Pleasant Hill and Mansfield. His company was
surrendered in Texas in May, 1865, and he came back to Calhoun County, and for some time attended school at Hampton.
Then engaged in the grocery business for about two years. In 1868 he purchased a farm of 160 acres, on which he lived for
two years, when he sold it and bought another farm. He lived on various places until he purchased his present property in 1886.
His farm consists of 480 acres of land, 280 acres of which is good timber land, and the balance (200 acres) is under a good
state of cultivation. His principal crop is cotton, and he averages one-half bale to the acre. He takes an active part in politics
and votes with the Democratic party. In 1890 he was elected to the office of county surveyor, and is still serving in that
capacity. He takes a deep interest in educational matters, and is one of the active and enterprising farmers of this section. He
was married in 1868 to Miss Tabitha Raiford, daughter of Robert J. Raiford, one of the pioneer settlers of the county. To this
union were born seven children viz: Frank, Carrie, Henry (died at the age of twelve years), Effie, Mannie, Charlie, and Lula
(who died in infancy). The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.