My Genealogy Hound

Calvin Houston Webb, farmer, stock raiser and ex-assessor of Independence County, Ark. Although a young man, Mr. Webb has, by his native energy and progressive ideas put into execution, won for himself an enviable reputation that entitles him to a place among the representative citizens of the county. He owes his nativity to this county, where he was born on the 18th of April, 1855. His parents, Holland Revere and Lucinda E. (Hogan) Webb, were natives, respectively, of Tennessee and Arkansas, the former born on the 27th of June, 1825, and died on the 21st of February, 1876. The father was reared to agricultural pursuits, received his education in Weakley County, Tenn., and came to Arkansas at an early day, settling on a farm in the foothills of Black River Swamp. Here he was surrounded by wild game, from bear down to quail, and there lived a bachelor life until he met and formed the acquaintance of Miss Hogan (daughter of Hamblin Hogan, one of the very early pioneers of this country, who is spoken of in another part of this history), and a love match was the result. They were married on the 8th day of June, 1854, Squire Thomas Lloyd officiating. At the time of his marriage, Mr. Webb was the possessor of 160 acres of land, twenty under cultivation, and a rude log hut. Many were the interesting stories of pioneer life that they were able to tell their children in after years. Once, when the father was absent at court, a bear came and robbed the bean patch. Mrs. Webb was alone in the house, which was without doors, and the nearest neighbor quite a distance away. Mr. Webb continued farming until his children were large enough to need some school advantages, and in order to give them the best, in 1866 he built a school-house on his farm, for the benefit of his own and the neighbors’ children, and this was attended by young and old for about two years, doing a great amount of good. Mr. Webb was an active and influential Democrat, and was a member of Bayou Dota Lodge, A. F. & A. M. At the time of his death he owned 600 acres of land, with 100 under cultivation, and all the improvements good. Though he never held membership in any church, he was a man of perfect morals and strict integrity, and contributed liberally to all public enterprises for the public good. His excellent wife survives him, and makes her home with her son, the subject of this sketch. She owns and controls 160 acres of the old homestead, which makes her a bountiful living. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Since the death of her husband she has never married. To Holland and Lucinda Webb were born the following children: C. H. (subject), Sarah T., born on the 5th of November, 1856, and the wife of Joseph McDaniel, died in spring of 1884, a farmer of Black River Township; Fredonia A., born on the 10th of February, 1858, and the wife of Henry McDaniel, also one of the farmers of the county, and Lucinda Holland, born on the 16th of July, 1876, and now living with her mother. C. H. Webb was reared to the occupation of farming, and attended several months in his father’s school. By this means the children all received a fair education. C. H. began life for himself at the age of nineteen by raising a crop on his father’s farm, and received half of the same. On the 21st of May, 1874, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary C. Killingsworth, daughter of E. R. and Sarah A. (Martin) Killingsworth, and a native of Arkansas. Her father was one among the first brick masons of Batesville. Mr. Killingsworth was a large contractor and builder, and in the 50’s was engaged in erecting brick buildings in that city; later he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. Mrs. Killingsworth was a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Martin, and a sister of Senator George Martin [see sketch]. After his marriage Mr. Webb lived on his father’s farm for two years, and at the latter’s death he sold his portion of the same, and then purchased the farm on which he now lives. This farm consists of eighty acres, with fifty under cultivation, twenty of which he has cleared himself. On this farm he has erected one of the finest farm-houses in Black River Township. He has a good orchard of five acres, a nice vineyard, and has perhaps one of the finest farms in the county. In addition to his home place, he has bought 200 acres joining it, and has ninety acres under cultivation. He has three tenement houses on it, and gives homes and employment for three families. Mr. Webb believes in thorough farming, and so in addition to his crops of corn and cotton, he raises all kinds of grain. He depends entirely for his support on the products of his farm. He was reared a Democrat, and voted with that party until the Wheel was organized in his county. He was solicited as a charter member June 27, 1884, for Wheel No. 383, and since that time has thoroughly identified himself with that order, and in 1886 was nominated by the farmers for assessor, and elected. He has served in that capacity with credit to himself and his constituents. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a member of Sulphur Rock Lodge No. 1189, K. & L. of H., and is one of those liberal, free-hearted men upon whom depends, to a great extent, the future progress of his country. His future prospects look bright.