Izard Co., AR - Biographies - Nathan J. Langston

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Nathan J. Langston is one of the oldest native residents of Izard County, and
when his parents, Nathan and Patty (Weir) Langston, made their first settlement
in this region, Arkansas was a territory. They came here from their native State
of North Carolina in 1814, and Mr. Langston and Col. Stewart erected the first
mill in the county, he and four brothers being the ones to build it. They
carried the logs on their shoulders, and had the mill completed in six days, and
although it was a very rude construction, and only ground about a bushel of corn
a day, yet it was sufficient to supply the demand, as the settlers at that day
were very few. Nathan Langston, Sr., was only connected with this mill for about
six months, when he turned his attention to farming, at which he was fairly
successful, and in early days he also carried the mail for twelve years from
Mount Olive, in Izard County, to Thomasville, Mo., a distance of 160 miles,
there being only four offices on the entire route. According to Mr. Langston the
first postoffice in this county was at North Fork, which was also the first
county seat. In 1838 it was moved to Calico Rock, afterward to Athens, at the
mouth of Piney Bayou, next to Mount Olive, and thence to Melbourne, where it now
is. When Mr. Langston first came to Arkansas Batesville consisted of two pole
cabins, and from Batesville to the mouth of the Big North Fork there were only
five families living on the east side of the river. The west side was inhabited
by the Indians, who were very numerous at that time. The first year of his
location Mr. Langston had to go to Helena, Ark., for flour, and to Little Rock,
Ark., to attend circuit court. He died in 1870, at the age of seventy nine
years. He was married twice, and by his first wife became the father of sixteen
children, and by his last, three. Those living are Absalom, Thomas B. and Nathan
J., whose name heads this sketch. The latter was born in the year 1830, was
reared to a farm life, and at the early age of nineteen years was married to
Miss Rachel Adams, who died in 1856, leaving four children, three of whom are
living: Alex., Mary, wife of Johnson Holfora, and Matthew R. Mr. Langston
married his second wife in 1859, she being a Miss Lucy A. Churchill, and five of
their eleven children yet survive: Luvinia J., wife of James Brothers; Dempsia
M., Rebecca A., Acenith B, and Albert W. Mr. and Mrs. Langston are members of
the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and in his political views he is a Democrat.
He owns a good farm comprising 120 acres, and has twenty-five acres under
cultivation. Among his numerous acquaintances and friends the respect shown him
by them is in full keeping with his well established reputation for honesty of
purpose [p.957] and hospitality. Mr. Langston remembers many interesting facts
connected with the early history of this county, which the limited nature of
this volume will not admit of insertion.