Bio- Pen Pictures

SURNAMES: PARENT, NOELL,  HENDERSON

            Pleasant S. Langford, son of Stephen and Lydia (Parent) Langford, was born in Floyd County, Indiana, September 4, 1818.  His father was born in Albermarle County, Virginia, and his mother in Culpeper County, same State.  They were married in Staunton, Virginia, in 1815, and moved to Floyd County, Indiana, in 1816, where they lived till 1830, when they moved to Parke County, Indiana.  In 1842 they removed to Washington County, Iowa, where they lived some time, and then returned to Indiana on a visit, where Mr. Langford was taken sick and died in 1844.  Mrs. Langford was afterward married to Judge Louis Noell, and died about 1880.  Mr. Langford was a soldier in the War of 1812, together with three brothers, one of whom was a captain.  In Stephen Langford’s family there were three children, of whom a daughter and the subject of this sketch are now living.  Pleasant made his home with his parents till twenty-one years old.

            In 1839 he went to Washington County, Iowa, and bought 160 acres of land, improved it and subsequently bought eighty acres more, when he sold a part of his first purchase.  He put up the first frame house west of the town of Washington.  He started for California April 14, 1853, overland, with ox teams; arrived here in September of that year, and located in Santa Clara County.  He at once rented a piece of land west of Santa Clara and farmed for one year, when he removed to the town of Santa Clara and engaged in teaming for three years.  He then purchased 240 acres in the foot-hills on the Los Gatos and Saratoga road, and lived there sixteen years.  The land was in a wild state and he cleared and made the improvements on it.  In 1874 he sold this farm and bought his present place on the Quito road.  It has eight acres in fruit, consisting of French prunes, apricots, peaches, etc., besides a small vineyard for family use.  He raises grain upon and pastures the rest of the place.  The farm originally contained 153 acres, but now only forty.

            Mr. Langford was married in 1843 to Sarah M. Henderson, a native of Guernsey, Ohio. They have had twelve children, of whom seven are now living, five sons and two daughters.

Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg.  305
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
Proofread by Betty Vickroy

 

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