Biography of Charles Henry Havens, St Francis County, AR

***********************************************************
Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 3 May 2014
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

Charles H. Havens, a prosperous and energetic citizen of Hickory Withe, was born October 22, 1844, in Germany, and is a son of Henry D. Havens, and is one of two sons, both living, The parents were both born and married in Germany. Our subject's mother died when he was an infant. The father afterward married Dora Copeman, and in 1849 came to America and settled in Saline County, Mo., where he remained until he died in 1878. By his last marriage two sons and two daughters were born, all living, and their mother is living in Kansas. Our subject remained at home until sixteen years old, then went to Vernon County, Mo., and in 1860 went to Texas, and at the commencement of the war enlisted in the Seventh Missouri Infantry (Confederate Army) at Little Rock, Ark. He was taken prisoner in 1864 at Waverly, Mo., and held as a prisoner until the spring of 1865, when he was exchanged at Richmond, Va., and at the close of the war located in Shelby County, Tenn., where he engaged in farming and milling in connection with cotton ginning until 1880, then moved to his present location at Hickory Withe, where he started a grist and cotton mill, and soon added a saw mill and planing mill and has done a large and prosperous business with all. In 1868 Mr. Havens married Matilda Ophelia Teal, a native of Shelby County, Tenn. They have had three sons and five daughters. One son and one daughter died. In politics he is a Democrat. Mr. Havens and family stand well in the community and are greatly esteemed! for their good qualities. 
Note:This is my great grandfather on my mother’s side of family. There are several stories of how he changed his name to Havens from Harms, and as to when this occurred. The best one in my opinion is when he was held as a Confederate prisoner in a Richmond, Virginia prison, after the Civil War. When he heard the name Havens called, he held up his hand so that he could depart then for home. Paul V. Isbell
Goodspeed’s Biography:Tennessee abt.1894