GOODSPEED BIOGRAPHIES
Contributed by Charlene Holland
C.L. HOUGH
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.