Biography of George Izard, Arkansas *********************************************************** Submitted by: Joy Fisher < > Date: 18 Dec 2007 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** BIOGRAPHICAL AND PICTORIAL HISTORY OF ARKANSAS. BY JOHN HALLUM. VOL. I. ALBANY: WEED, PARSON'S AND COMPANY, PRINTERS. 1887. Entered according to act of Congress in the year eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, BY JOHN HALLUM, In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. GOVERNOR GEORGE IZARD. BY C. B. MOORE. [NOTE.- The following sketch appeared in the Little Rock Gazette of March 22, 1886. It is from the pen of my friend C. B. Moore, with whose permission it is here reproduced.] GEN. GEORGE IZARD. To the Editor of the Gazette: I noticed a few days since an editorial paragraph In the Gazette asking for information "about the life and death of General Izard," formerly governor of Arkansas territory. Every thing relating to the early days of Arkansas possess a peculiar interest to me, and I have been at some pains to collect such facts as are at all accessible in answer to your request. The first governor of the territory was General James Miller, who was known by the soubriquet of "I'll try, sir"- also as the hero of Lundy's Lane - a distinction acquired by his gallant conduct at the battle of Lundy's Lane during the war of 1812. He was appointed governor in 1819, and resigned his office about the beginning of 1825. He was succeeded by General George Izard, of South Carolina, who was appointed governor March 4, 1825, and held the position until his death, in 1828. I incline to the opinion that he was of the family, and possibly the son of Ralph Izard, a distinguished citizen of South Carolina, United States senator from that State, and perhaps at one time minister to the court of St. James. This, however, is mere conjecture, based principally on the fact that one of the sons of Governor Izard, who visited Little Rock after his father's death, was named Ralph, which fact I learn from Mrs. Woodruff, the venerable and honored relict of our esteemed fellow citizen, Wm. E. Woodruff, late deceased. Governor Izard lived and died in the house corner of Second and Spring streets, now and long occupied as the family residence of S. H. Tucker, Esq. His last official act, as shown by the records in the office of the secretary of State, was the approval of certain bills passed by the territorial legislature October 22, 1828, just one month before his death. He was buried in the old cemetery where the Peabody school is now located. In 1843-4, when the dead were removed to Mount Holly, Colonel Chester Ashley had the remains of Governor Izard re-interred in his own family lot in the new cemetery, where they now repose, marked by a plain, substantial tablet, which bears the following inscription: Here lie the remains of GEORGE IZARD of South Carolina, Formerly major-general United States army, late governor of Arkansas territory, who died November 22, 1828, aged 53 years. In the New American Cyclopedia is found the following brief notice of this distinguished man: "George Izard, an American general, was born in South Carolina in 1777, died at Little Rock, Arkansas, November 22, 1828. He received a classical education, and, after a tour in Europe, was appointed in 1794 a lieutenant in the regiment of artillery and engineer in the United States army. In 1803, being then a captain of artillery, he resigned his commission. Upon the breaking out of the war of 1812 with Great Britain he was appointed colonel of the Second Artillery, and was successively promoted to brigadier and major-general. At one period of the war he held the chief command on the north-west frontier. His corps was disbanded in 1815, and in 1825 he became governor of Arkansas territory, in which office he died." I close this sketch with the following extracts from the diary or "reminiscences" of my father, the late Rev. J. W. Moore, who settled in Little Rock in January, 1828. "Upon the resignation of Governor Miller, General Izard was appointed his successor. He was major-general in the late war with Great Britain, and at one time had the command of all the American forces on the Canadian frontier. No officer in that war had a more thorough military training. In early life he had been sent to England and France, in both of which countries he spent years in the tactics of war. After his return he connected himself with the army, and in consideration of his military science and correct deportment, was elected to the highest grade of office. His personal appearance was remarkably fine. He was near six feet in height, erect and finely proportioned. His physiognomy was intellectual and his eye expressive. In his manners he generally evinced a consciousness of his commanding station, and yet he was affable and very agreeable. He was a profound and general scholar. His library was voluminous, composed of learned works in the Latin, Spanish and French languages. He did not live many months after my arrival at Little Rock. A considerable time before his last illness he had his grave dug and walled with brick, and, I believe, had a coffin prepared. He had seven razors, named for the days of the week, and each engraved with its name on it. I never knew much respecting his religious belief, but am inclined to believe that he had no doubts of the general truths of Christianity, though not a member of any church. He came to hear me preach when bis health permitted, and showed marked respect for the Gospel. Two of his sons came on after his death to look after his effects. His fine library was boxed up, and in transit eastward was lost by the sinking of a steamboat."