Page 135 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

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HISTORY O F ARI(IWSAS.

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a slave in the Ashley family. They are the par- accompanied to Arkansas, locating in Dallas Conn

Ienta of three children: J. E., Annie M. (now , ty, at Princeton, where they remained four years.

widow of W. L. Copland, deceased) and Alice (de- Camden, h h i t a Connty, was their stopping

/ceased). J. E.Rector, his son, served as page in place for two years,when A. L. was aold to Parson

tbe lown houee in the State legislature, and A H.Winfield, in March, 1856. He then moved to

afterward attended school. His father wished ' Little Rock, Ark., remaining two years (lmtil May,

him to enter the Military Lodemy, at West Point, 1858), then to Pine BlnB, where in December,

and he was appointed as a candidate for entrance 1859,he was sold, to C. C. MeAlmont. He was

to that institution, but failed in the examination. freed by the Union army upon its entrance into

He then retnrned to Little Rock, and was em- Little Rock, September 10, 1863. Mr. Richmond
ployed for fonrtsen years as ~uperintendentof had leamed the carpenter's trade dnring his eerv-

Im i n k He was e l d a d three n u s ~ v teime3 r itnde, and for twelve years previous to the war

'circnit clerk of the county, but, being eo1111ted out, had been allowed his own time, paying his master

he was not allowed to serve, and was a delegate $40 per month for same. His wonderful bnsiness

of the State at large, to the Republican conven- tact neaessitated hie employing both white and

tion, in 1888,which nominated Harrison. He is colored men to work for him as carpenter and con-

now in the mail service, between Little Rock and tractor, he having saved $1,200 for the purpose of

Memphis. Mr. Rector's first wife died in 1858. buying his freedom. Since the war he has con-

He afterward married Miss Stagwer, by whom he tinned in his bnsiness as contractor, and has been

had three children: J. K. (a graduate of Lincoln very sucoessful. He owns thirtythree houses in

University, of Pennsylvania, now principal of the Little Rock which bring him $200 per month

high school at Hot Springs, and studying law), rent. He wae married at the age of eighteen to

Willie L. (deoeased) and Charles (also deceased). Miss Mary Brown, a native of Virginia, who is

Mr. Rector is the only snrvivor of the famous Ash- one-fonrth white. They are the parents of eight

ley Band. On a return trip from Memphis, while children: Alice (who was Mrs. Handy, and died

furnishing the milsic at a celebration, the boiler of the mother of three children), Angustua, (who is a

the steamer they were on burst, and four of the , clerk in the postoffice at Little Rock), Rachel

/brothers were killed, only one of the bodies being ' (deceased), William (deceased), John (a Methodist

recovered. Mr. Rector had a marvelons emape. preacher at Newport), Mary (deceased), Annie

He enjoys a wide and favorable acquaintance I (now Mrs. Childress) and Asa, Jr. Mr. Riohmond

throughout this locality, and has won many friends i bas given all of his cbildren a good edncstion.
1by his upright, consistent coarse.
He is one of the wealthiest colored gentleman of

A. L Richmond is numbered among the snb- Little Rmk, and highly respected.
stantial residentsof LittleRock, and as a person of ' Calvin Sanders, of Little Rock, was born the
means and influence is well known. He was born I slave of Dr. Allen, of Alabama, in 1837,and was

in Caswell Connty, N. C., in 1833,being a son of taken to Mississippi when an infant. At the age

Lee Richmond, a grandson of his mothen's mas- of fourteen he was brought to Arkansas and sold

ter. His mother was quarter white. When A. to William Sanders, a farmer of h l a s k i Connty,

L. Richmond was horn, her master waa "Billy" with whom he remained until the emancipation

Richmond, who at his death gave his slaves to his proclamation. After his purchase by Mr. Sanders

son. They then emigrated with their master to he was known aa Calvin Sanders, which name has

,Missieaippi in 1843,the mother s u b q n e n t l y mar- since clung to him. The subject of thie sketch

rying Robert Stevens, a colored man; she died in I was married at the age of nineteen to Harriet San-

Mkei~ippi,having five children by this marriage. ders. a slave of William Sanders. They were the

A. L. Richmond came west in 1848, having be- parents of nine children, all of whom are living: 1

-come the property of Net Richmond, whom he I Emmdine (wife of Jones Ambrose), CaHie (wife of