My Genealogy Hound

Charles G. Britt. In Union County, Ark., near the present town of Three Creeks, there was born on January 11, 1845, to John M. and Amanda (Lofton) Britt, the subject of this sketch, the second of their fourteen children. In his case the much oft-abused phrase, “self-made man,” seems to have a true illustration, for his rise in life has been accomplished through his individual efforts, and by a constant and early industry. He received the advantages of the country schools in his youth, but at the age of eighteen years he dropped his books and farming implements and enlisted as a private in the Confederate army, becoming a member of Company I, Fifteenth Arkansas Infantry, under Capt. Land Matthews and Col. Ben Johnston, of Ouachita County, and was present at the surrender of Port Hudson, receiving his parole there. He then went to the parole camps near Washington, Ark., and was afterward one of the sixth company, in McNair’s brigade, soon after which he was appointed sergeant. He was in an engagement at Mount Elba, Ark., on April 15, 1864, in which he was wounded in the left arm, which, although painful, was not serious. At the time of the surrender he was at Marshall, Tex., and he afterward returned to his home in Arkansas, and resumed his former occupation of farming. He now has fifty of his 220 acre farm under cultivation, which yields about one-third bale of cotton and fifteen bushels of corn to the acre. He was married in 1870 to Miss Nancy Cole, a daughter of Charley and Sarah (New) Cole, who were residents of this State, in which Mrs. Britt was born. Of a family of seven children born to them, six are now living: Ida O. (who was married in January, 1890, to Bernard Allison, of this county), Arlecy E., Sarah, Amanda, Lulu J. and Julia A. Mr. Britt is a Democrat, and besides serving in the capacity of school director, is the present justice of the peace of his township. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, which he joined in 1872, and is a supporter of worthy enterprises, such as schools, churches, etc. His parents were married in Union County, Ark., and here are residing at the present time. Of the eleven children born to them five are dead, and the remaining six are scattered throughout Union, Nevada and Howard Counties, Ark., and Claiborne Parish, La.