My Genealogy Hound

Thomas R. Lane. Among the early settlers in Madison County, between the years 1829 and 1840, may be mentioned the Lane family, who left Warren County, Tenn., in 1829, and located near New Salem, Ill., but finding the climate much colder than they had been accustomed to, in 1832 left their farm in Illinois and settled on Richland Creek, Madison County, Ark. The second eldest son, Samuel Lane, was born in Warren County, Tenn., December 16, 1817, and was of great assistance to his parents in making a home in a new country. Losing both parents soon after coming to Arkansas, he was left to carve out his own fortunes, and beginning to work on a farm for $4 per month, he started in life for himself. In 1841 he married Nancy Vaughn, and owning nothing but one span of ponies and their household goods, the young couple began married life, finally accumulating 700 acres of land, which they have divided among their nine children. They are now living with a daughter. The father is a member of the Little Spring Lodge No. 230, at Hindsville. Thomas R. Lane, one of the leading merchants of Madison County, was born here February 6, 1854, and received his early education in the country schools. In 1875 he married Maggie Berry, of Madison County, and located on a farm in Prairie Township. He soon had his eight acres of land well under cultivation, to which he has added until he now has 191 acres of fine land. In 1887 he sold his farm and went into the mercantile business with Thomas W. Berry, at Hindsville, where they have a fine stock of general merchandise and are doing a good business. Mrs. Lane was born near the scene of the Mountain Meadow’s massacre, while her parents were on their way to California, August 28, 1859. She is the mother of two children, Robert L. and Nellie M. Mr. Lane is an active member of the Baptist Church, and belongs to the A. F. & A. M. He is an enterprising man, and having formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, J. C. Harris, in 1887, purchased a grist-mill, which was repaired and refitted with new machinery, now doing an extensive business in the surrounding country.