My Genealogy Hound

Miles L. Sifford, farmer and mechanic of Buena Vista, Marion Township, was born January 14, 1832, in Lincoln County, N. C, a son of John and Elizabeth (Derr) Sifford, natives of North Carolina. The father was born in Rowan County, N. C, in 1776, his parents being originally from Germany, who emigrated to this country before the birth of their son, and in time for the father (grandfather of our subject) to participate in the Revolutionary War. John Sifford (the father of our subject), was a wagon-maker by trade, residing about two miles from Catawba Springs, where he had moved previous to his marriage, and where he died in 1851. The mother was born in 1788, in Lincoln County, N. C., a daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Derr, natives of North Carolina. She died in 1862, at the age of about seventy-five years, a worthy member of the Lutheran Church, as was also her husband. They were the parents of fifteen children, ten of whom are still living at last accounts, viz.: Solomon (a farmer and mechanic of Mecklenburg County, N. C), Aaron (a farmer and blacksmith, residing in Lincoln County, N. C). Jonas (a farmer of Lincoln County, N. C.), Michael (engaged in farming in York District, S. C), Daniel (a farmer of Gaston County, N. C.), Miles L. (the subject of this sketch), Max Amelia (who married Stephen Morris, of Lincoln County, N. C.), Melinda (now Mrs. Mclntosh, widow of Alexander Mclntosh, of Mecklenburg County, N. C), and Mariah (now Mrs. Little, of the same county). Mr. Sifford, our subject, was reared on his father’s farm, and brought up to farm labor, and also learned the blacksmith and wagon-maker’s trade in his father’s shop, hence his school privileges were extremely limited. He left home in 1857, and the same year was married and commenced farming for himself in Lincoln County. In 1861 he enlisted in the Fifty-second North Carolina Infantry, but the following year he was detailed and sent to Richmond, where he was employed on Confederate works, until the close of the war. He received a furlough in April, 1865, and was at home at the close of the war. In 1870 Mr. Sifford came to Arkansas and located in this county, and in 1872 he purchased his present farm of one quarter section of land, within 100 yards of the post-office of Buena Vista, which was then unimproved, with the exception of his house. In 1857 he was married to Miss Martha Elizabeth Holiman, who was born August 22, 1838, in Lincoln County, N. C., a daughter of Moses and Calla (Lowe) Holiman, natives of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Sifford have had six children, all living, namely: Winfield (a farmer of Fannin County, Tex.), Luther (farming in the same county), and Anna, Lee, Laura and Loris (all at home). Mrs. Sifford is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and an earnest Christian woman. Mr. Sifford is a stanch Democrat in politics, and is a member of the County Wheel.