Biography of Van Buren Izard, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 14 Nov 2008
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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Transcribed by Lisa Hamilton from 
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SOURCE:  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern 
Arkansas. Chicago:Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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Col. Van Buren Izard, whose name is identified with only that which is good and
noble, and who has attained an enviable position in the hearts of the citizens
of Eastern Arkansas, owes his nativity to St. Francis County, Ark., where he was
born in 1837, being the son of Mark N. and Permelia (Sharkelford) Izard. The
genealogy of the Izard family is traced to Scotland, whence at an early day the
great-grandfather of our subject emigrated to the New England States. Three of
his sons afterward settled in South Carolina, and some time subsequent the
grandfather of Col. V. B. Izard separated from his two brothers, and located
permanently in Lexington, Ky. His occupation was that of a farmer, and he was a
gallant soldier in the War of 1812. His son, Gov. Mark W., was born in
Lexington, Ky., in 1800, removing from his native State to St. Francis County,
Ark., in 1824. Here he was successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits for some
years, and also opened one of the first farms or plantations in the county. Mark
N. Izard was not a man who attained high intellectuality as the result of a
collegiate education, for he had scarcely more than ordinary literary
attainments. Something besides scholarly accomplishments drew around him hosts
of friends in the pioneer days of Eastern Arkansas, it may have been his inborn
worth, and intuitive genius. He entered the political field with no other
qualifications to recommend, or guide him, than his own broad sense, untiring
energy and clear judgment. First elected to the Territorial legislature, he
sarved as a member of the Constitutional Convention, distinguishing himself in
both cases, and to the credit of his county. He afterward served in both
branches of the Arkansas State legislature (two or more times each), assisting
first as speaker of the house, and later as president of the senate. While still
actively engaged in the affairs of his own State, a candidate for another term
in the State senate, an incident occurred which changed the field of his
political labors from the State of Arkansas to the then Territory of Nebraska.
This was his appointment as United States marshal of the Territory mentioned, by
President Franklin Pierce, the first to hold that office. The demise of Gov.
Burt, the incumbent of that position when Gov. Izard was serving as marshal,
made it necessary that another Governor should be appointed. There were, of
course, many aspirants for the place, but Gov. Izard with his usual
characteristic originality of method, carried the official news of Gov. Burt's
death to the President, and solicited the influence of the then two senators of
Arkansas, W. K. Sebastan and R. M. Johnson, to have him made Governor, but they
thought action on their part useless. This rebuff, however, did not daunt him.
Going in person to President Pierce, after a clear statement of his ideas, he
received the appointment to the coveted office.