My Genealogy Hound

Capt. James R. Lafferry, a prominent planter of Logan County, Ark., was born in Hall County, Ga., on February 7, 1824, and was reared on the battlefield of Chattanooga, his father being the owner of the land on which both the battles of Chattanooga and Chickamauga were fought. During the Mexican War Mr. Lafferry enlisted and was in most of the hard fighting of that war. In 1848 he was married to Miss Martha Smith, who bore him the following children: George, Mary Ann, Margaret, Catherine, Nancy, Julia, Curley, Josiah, James, Reuben and Amanda (twins), Mattie and Virginia. Mr. Lafferry removed from Tennessee to Lawrence County, Ark., in 1851, remained there until the summer of 1851, and then returned to his old home in Tennessee, where he remained for six years. In 1858 he again removed to Arkansas, and in 1862, enlisted in the United States Army, First Arkansas Cavalry, under Col. E. Harrison. He was captured in Missouri, in June, 1862, retained a prisoner until February 20, of the following year, and was paroled, in February, 1863. After this he enlisted in the United States Army, First Arkansas Infantry, was in the Fayetteville fight, and was with Gen. Blount in the actions at Fort Smith and Honey Springs. He was with Gen. Cloud, when Dardanelle was captured the first time, and was also in the Haguewood fight, where he was captured and exchanged. He was captured again at the second fight at Dardanelle, again exchanged, and was in the third fight at that place, January 15, 1865. He was in the fight at Ozark, with Brooks on his retreat from Fayetteville, and was wounded in the knee at that place. He also had his horse shot from under him, and in the fall his leg was broken. He was elected captain of Company B, Fourth Arkansas Cavalry, September 10, 1863, and served in that capacity until the close of the war. Mr. Lafferry has been a participant of forty battles, including those in the Mexican War, and was a brave and trustworthy soldier. He returned home at the close of the war, and has been a resident of Ellsworth ever since. He has followed agricultural pursuits, and is the owner of 318 acres of land with 50 acres under cultivation. The Captain is one of the pioneer settlers of Arkansas, and is a man who has passed an unusually eventful life. He was appointed United States receiver in the land office at Dardanelle, by President Grant in 1873, and was also one of the commissioners appointed to appraise the Fort Smith Reservation. Mr. Lafferry is one of Logan County’s most highly-respected citizens and oldest settlers. He is a member of the G. A. R., and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which he is a liberal contributor, as, in fact, he is to all worthy movements. His father, George W. Lafferry, was born on the ocean as his parents came from France, and was reared in Lancaster County, Penn. The mother of our subject, Catherine (Rogers) Lafferry was a native of Georgia. After their marriage they removed to Chattanooga, Tenn., where the mother died in 1840, and the father in 1842. They were the parents of seven children, Capt. Lafferry being the eldest. George W. Lafferry served in the War of 1812, and was with Gen. Jackson at the battle of New Orleans; was in Texas with Maj. Fanning, and was a participant in removing the Cherokees to their present homes in the far west. He served under Gen. Winfield Scott, at the battle of Lundy’s Lane. His great-great grandfather, Roger, was killed at the battle of King’s Mountain.