My Genealogy Hound

Charles B. Leigh. The interests of Lonoke County would be incomplete without mention of Mr. Leigh, one of its prominent planters. A native of Alabama, he was born in Lauderdale County, October 24, 1842, and is the son of Madison and Verbeda (Alexander) Leigh, the former a Virginian by birth, who was married in the Old Dominion. Afterward, going to Tennessee, they went thence to Lauderdale County, Ala., and then to Mississippi, where they resided until their death. Charles was only ten years old at the time of his father’s demise. When eighteen years old he enlisted in Company B, First Regiment Mississippi Infantry, and served during the war, acting as sergeant, and participating in many engagements, among which were Fort Donelson, Fort Hudson and Selma, where he had a horse shot from under him, and though his clothing was filled with bullets, he never received a wound. He was taken prisoner at Fort Donelson and confined at Indianapolis for seven months, being exchanged after the Seven Days’ fight. At Fort Hudson he was also captured, and upon receiving his parole, walked home, a distance of 500 miles. At the close of the war Mr. Leigh became settled in Mississippi and soon went to Tennessee, but in the fall of 1866 he moved to Arkansas, locating near Russellville, Polk County. In the year 1868 he was married to Miss Malinda Easteling, a native of Georgia, who was born near the town of Marietta, July 12, 1852, being the daughter of William and Malinda (Johnson) Easteling, of Georgia and Alabama, respectively. Mrs. Leigh’s mother died when she was only a few weeks old, and she came to Arkansas with her father, who now resides in Madison County, Ark. He is ninety years old but is well and hearty as ever, being the sire of twenty-one children. To Mr. and Mrs. Leigh have been born a family of ten children, three sons and three daughters now living, as follows: William M., Linda T., Andrew J., Rose E., Charles A. and Mary E. Mr. Leigh, wife and two oldest daughters are members of the Concord Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In September, 1871, he located on his present farm, which consists of 120 acres on Section 3 of Lonoke Township. The place was then a wilderness, but under Mr. Leigh’s management it has been transformed into one of the best farms in the county, with all the improvements to make a home convenient and pleasant. Mr. Leigh’s family is well known, and has the name of being among the most hospitable in the entire community.