My Genealogy Hound

P. E. Stafford, farmer, was born in De Kalb, County, Ala., in 1847, his parents being Pleasant and Margaret (Reed) Stafford, natives of South Carolina and Tennessee, who died in 1865 and 1874, respectively. The father was a farmer, and was married in Alabama. To them eight children were born, of whom three yet live: Isaac, of this county; George W., of Washington County, and our subject. The grandfather, William Stafford, was of Irish descent, and served in the War of 1812, under Gen. Jackson. The maternal grandmother, Nancy Reed, was of English descent. P. E. Stafford received a limited education during his youth in Washington County, Ark., and when young began life for himself. In 1872 he came to Crawford County from Washington County, and in 1875 went to Texas. He remained there eighteen months, and then returned to Arkansas. In 1878 he purchased his present valley farm, which contains 280 acres, fifty of which are nicely cultivated, and improved with good buildings and an orchard. Mr. Stafford is a Mason, and in politics a Democrat, having cast his first presidential vote for Seymour. In 1872 he was united in marriage to Miss Rachel Gibson, a native of Madison County, Ark., born in 1853, and daughter of Joel and Rachel (Gilber) Gibson, natives of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Gibson came to Madison County, Ark., from Kentucky about 1850, and there died when Mrs. Stafford was quite young. The reared a family of twelve children, eight of whom are living, and all residents of Crawford County but two. They are Mrs. Susanna Pope; Mrs. Martha Williams, of Texas; Lizzie Gibson, Mrs. Sarah Bushong, Mrs. Stafford, Mrs. Rhoda Stokee, and Mrs. Roxana Bolinger, of Madison County. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford are the parents of the following ten children, all of whom reside at home: Mary Jane, Rhoda C., Louie Emma, Luella, Nancy, Lena, William, Alice, Thomas and Jessie.