My Genealogy Hound

M. L. London was born in Tennessee in 1837, and is the second son of John J. and Juda (Burnett) London, natives of South Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. The parents were married in Tennessee, and in 1846 came to Crawford County, Ark., where they afterward resided engaged in farming. Four of their children are still living: R. H. London, of this county; Mrs. J. Barker, of Prairie Grove; Mrs. Ruth Hale, of this county; and our subject. Mr. and Mrs. London died in 1878 and 1877, respectively. The grandfather, John J., and his wife, were natives of Virginia and wealthy farmers. The maternal grandfather, John Bernett, was born in Virginia, and in 1846 came to Crawford County, Ark., from Tennessee. He was a farmer and a soldier in the War of 1812. He died in 1872 aged one hundred and ten. The grandmother, Saldie Burnett, was born in Virginia, and died in Crawford County in 1872. Our subject received but a limited education, and when eighteen began life on his own account by stock raising. In 1855 he married Angeline R. Hargrove, who was born in this county in 1839 and died in 1858. She was the mother of two children, John Houston and Angeline Briscoe, both of whom still live in the county. She was a daughter of William and Angeline R. (Whitehall) Hargrove, natives of Mississippi. Mr. Hargrove assisted in driving the Indians into the Territory, and then came to Crawford County. Mr. London was afterward married in Denton County, Texas, to Mrs. Lucy (Tolle) Briscoe, who was born in Lewis County, Mo., in 1840, and is a daughter of Nimrod and Sidney (Mallory) Tolle, natives of Virginia, who went to Texas from Missouri in 1859. Mr. Tolle was a farmer, and in 1861 enlisted in Company E, Twenty-ninth Texas Cavalry, under Col. De Moss. He was killed in Texas by bushwhackers in 1864. By his second marriage Mr. London has seven children, all of whom live in Crawford County. They are Ella Hargrove, Nathaniel W., Juda, Rose, Fanny, Samuel and Maude. In 1859 Mr. London went to Texas, but ten years after came to Crawford County, where he owns a farm of 364 acres on Cove Creek, 165 acres of which he cultivates. Cotton and corn are his principle productions. He also owns a store, grist and saw-mill, and a cotton-gin. He cast his first presidential vote for Stephen A. Douglas in 1860, and has since voted the Democratic ticket. In 1861 Mr. London enlisted in Company E, First Choctaw Regiment, commanded by Col. Walker, and for one year served under Capt. Welch. He was then transferred to the Twenty-ninth Texas Cavalry, commanded by Col. DeMoss, and served until discharged at Galveston in July, 1865. Among the battles in which he participated may be mentioned Elk Horn, Newtonia, Possahola, Salina River and Mark Mills. Mr. London belongs to the Masonic fraternity.