Biography of C L Hough, Scott Co, AR

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Submitted by: Charlene Holland <Char@presys.com>
        Date: 9 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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	C.L. Hough, one of the earliest settlers and prominent farmers of
this county, was born in the Palmetto State on March 26, 1818, and his
parents, Greenberry and Hettie Hough, were also natives of that State.
His early educational advantages were very poor, and when seven years of
age, he moved with his parents to Alabama, where he made his home for
thirty-three years. At the age of sixteen years his parents gave him his
time, providing that he should use the money thus earned during the year
to attend school. This he did, and when seventeen years of age, he
entered a good school in Lauderdale County, Ala., where he remained ten
months, and where he had such good opportunities, that at the age of
eighteen years he began teaching. This profession he followed until
twenty-seven years of age, attending school during the vacations, and
while thus employed, he studied surveying. When twenty-six he was
employed by a contractor in the Government employ, to survey the
Government lands of the State. The Government land office having been
burned, with the surveyor's records, this re-survey was rendered
necessary. This occurred in 1844, and this business Mr. Hough continued
at intervals for fifty years. He was appointed county surveyor for his
county in Alabama, and held this position in a satisfactory and
creditable manner for seven years. At the age of thirty-five years
(in 1852) he was married to Miss Emily Thresher of Lauderdale County,
Ala., but she died at the end of one year. Two years later he was again
married to Miss Martha P. A. Bourland, daughter of Prof. Joseph P.
Bourland of Lauderdale County. Mr. Hough also held the office of justice
of the peace, in that county, for forty years. In the years of his
surveying, Mr. Hough had entered different tracts of land until he had
over 1,000 acres. He settled upon and improved a portion of this land
and made it his home for about five years. He then started for Texas,
with his family, by wagons, and while passing through Tennessee, Mrs.
Hough was taken sick. This caused them to stop in Hardin County, of that
State, where they remained about three years, Mr. Hough teaching school
during that time. They again started for Texas, but while passing through
this part of Arkansas, and having chanced upon the La Fourche Valley, and
seeing the richness of the soil, its natural advantages, etc., Mr. Hough
decided to make this his future home. He bought the place where he now
lives, and is now satisfied that he could not have done better, in any
part of the United States. He still owns his land in Alabama. His land
here consists of 260 acres, with 90 acres improved, and he has a good
house and other necessary farm buildings. He has a good apple and peach
orchard and a small vineyard, which yields well. Since he arrived in this
county, he has devoted most of his time to farming, but has held the
position of county surveyor for a number of years. He also, for some
years, taught occasional terms of school. At the breaking out of the war,
he being about forty-five years of age and not subject to conscript, was
taken into a company called the Home Reserve, whose duties were to obtain
supplies for the army, and assist generally in the care of the portion of
the people left at home. During this time his family was in Texas.
Returning to his home in the Fourche Valley, after the war, he was
elected justice of the peace, in which capacity he served for about two
years, when he was disfranchised by the Government and not allowed to
hold office for the following seven years. He was then elected county
surveyor and bold that position until a few years ago. At the time of his
arrival in this county, schools and churches were scarce, but he has
lived to see the county develop, and become one of the finest and most
productive in the State. By his marriage to his present wife, which
occurred on July 24, 1856, there were born four children--three sons and
one daughter: William P.(married Miss Ida Tate of this county and they
have two children, named Myrtle, and Lena). John Morgan (married Miss Eva
Kelly of this county), Hettie (married Thomas W. Stone and resides in
Waldron, and they have three children, all daughters, named Estell, Ula
and Mattie) and Calvin T. (is at home with his parents and attending the
public schools). The second son is a teacher of the county and very
successful in his work. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Mr. Hough has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for
forty-six years, and is now an honorary member. He is liberal in his
support of churches, schools and all public enterprises and is active in
the church work, having been Sunday school superintendent for many years.