My Genealogy Hound

Nathan Levi is a Bavarian, born in 1826. After his mother's death, which occurred when he was a child, he came to America with his father in 1843, and first settled in St. Louis, and in this city Nathan obtained his commercial experience, remaining until 1845, when he and an elder brother came to Arkansas and settled at Washington, Hempstead County, where they opened a mercantile establishment, which they conducted with success for two years. At the end of this time the brother went to California, and Nathan then removed to Sevier County, to what is now known as Red Colony, where he engaged in trade, but the following spring removed to a point in (the present) Howard County. In 1848 he opened a store, and was the third merchant in what is now Centre Point. In the fall of that year they secured a post-office at that place, and as it needed a name, Mr. Levi christened it Centre Point. He remained in business at that place until 1853, then sold out and erected a new two-story house, and again embarked in merchandising, continuing until the war caused him to abandon this calling in 1862. In 1869 he opened a store at Camden, but a year later went to Little River County, and there managed a cotton plantation for three years, after which he began to take mail contracts and also opened a livery stable at Centre Point. He has been in the United States mail service to the present time, and has routes to nearly all points from Centre Point and Lockesburg. He owns some valuable property at the former place and an excellent livery stable at Nashville. He keeps eighteen head of horses, five hacks and six buggies, and his conveyances as well as his horses are always in good condition and ready for use. He is one of the old settlers of the county, has always identified himself with the progress of the same, and is especially interested in the welfare of Centre Point, a town which he helped to found. Mr. Levi was married in November, 1850, to Miss Margaret E. Willis, their union taking place in Tennessee, and to them were born a family of nine children: Fannie (wife of Robert Hughes), Lou (wife of William Dobson, a merchant of Centre Point), Alice (wife of John R. Coulton), Jennie (wife of Will Caster of Centre Point), Ella, Nathaniel (who is married and resides in Centre Point), Willie and Roy. Another child died in infancy.