BENJAMINE LANGFORD
from Pope County History Book
Benjamin Langford, early pioneer of Pope County, Arkansas was born about
1780, Virginia, son of Henry and Mary Langford. Henry Langford died in
Greenville County, S.C., Sept. 1794 leaving his wife, Mary and children
Robert, Matthew, Stephen, Benjamin, Henry, Nancy, Sarah and William
Langford. Benjamin married "Martha" Patsy Pace, daughter of
John, Sr. and Ann Russell Pace, 1805 in Greenville Co., S.C.
"Martha" Patsy Pace was born, 1780 in Virginia. Benjamin
Langford purchased a tract of land on South Tiger River, March 12, 1807 in
Greenville Co. The Langford's lived there for several years.
Their older children were born in South Carolina. In the Feb., 1809
"Squatters Census" of Madison Co., Mississippi Territory, Benjamin
is listed as being on 320 acres on Indian Creek with eleven slaves. In
the fall, 1817, Benjamin and Patsy started their migration Westward,
spending time in Tennessee, but soon moved on to Jackson County, Ala. where
they remained for several years. Benjamin is listed as Justice of the
Peace of Jackson Co. as of Aug., 1820. Sons, John P. Langford and
Robert Berry Langford were born in Alabama.
The Ben Langfords were well settled in Pope County, Ark. by 1830. They
lived in the Boiling Springs Community on Illinois Bayou, a few miles above
Dover. Benjamin Langford is thought to have been one of the early
judges Pope County and probably the first Justice of the Peace.
Marriages were being performed by him as late as Oct., 1842. Ben
Langford was one of the Commissioners appointed to find the "ideal spot
to locate the permanent seat of justice" for Pope County.
Benjamin and Patsy were Charter Members of the Methodist Church, the first
Church to be established in the County at Boiling Springs. D.F.
Williamson wrote, 1876 that the settlements on Illinois Bayou above Dover
were most numerous and compact, high in morals, orderly, well to do good
citizens and among them, Hon. Ben Langford and son-in-laws
John S. Price, Thos. J. Gardner, R.
S. Bewley and John Ridge. The Ben Langfords lived near where the
now historic Cemetery at Boiling Springs Camp Ground is located, Ben helped
with the burial of little Eli Brown, the first to be buried there,
1843. Some of the Langfords are also buried in this Cemetery, probably
Ben as he died there in 1844. Benjamin Langford's Will, proved August,
1844 includes his wife, Patsy and children: Anna, wife of John Ridge;
Eveline, wife of R. S. Bewley; the children of deceased daughter, Sinai who
married Thos. J. Gardner; son Milton
H. Langford of the Republic of Texas; John
P. Langford and Robert Berry Langford of Pope County. M. H.
Langford, born Feb. 27, 1815, Greenville Co., S.C. died in Bandera, Texas,
Oct. 30, 1898. He married Mary Ann Banta, June 22, 1843, Lamar Co. Tx.
They migrated through Texas, settling in the Hill Country in Bandera and
Uvalde Cos. After the birth of ten children, Mary Ann died,
1870. Milton H. married Martha Ann Rowland Cryer and lived in Uvalde
Co., Tx and had two children. His older sons, Benjamin F. and Berry
Langford remained in Bandera Co, highly esteemed citizens. Robert
Berry Langford and family were living in Williamson Co., Tx, 1860.
John P. Langford remained in Pope County and lived in Scottsville community
where he was postmaster for many years.
by Mrs. Marjorie F. Langford
