McLeod Family History

In the year 1857 Murdock McLeod and his wife Barbara Matthews McLeod and their 10 children, six boys and four girls came from Harnett County North Carolina to Arkansas. They landed by boat at Powhatan, Christmas week. They brought slaves with them which Barbara had inherited from her fathers estate.

The parents of Murdock McLeod were John McLoed, born in Scotland and died in America, and Mary, last name unknown, born in Scotland and died in America.

The parents of Barbara Matthews McLeod were Simon Matthews and wife Elizabeth. He was born in America and moved from Virginia to North Carolina.

In 1858 Murdock and Barbara McLeod and their ten children and slaves moved to the Coffman farm east of Black River about 2 miles south of Portia and made a crop. In the fall of 1858 they came on to the west side of Black River and bought the Sampson Dodson farm near the site of old Bethel Church, which is known as the McLeod farm. Murdock McLeod died here in 1861.

James McLeod, the oldest, born in 1834, married Jane Webb. They had four children, Barbara, William F., Mary Ladona and John H. James was a carpenter. He and his family lived on part of the McLeod homestead which his father gave to him. He died in 1926, living the last three years of his life back at the old home place with Hector, his youngest brother and wife caring for him.

J.A. McLeod (John Archibald) second son of Murdock and Barbara was born in North Carolina in 1837. He enlisted in the Confederate Army July 12, 1862 and served with Company D, 38 Shavers Regiment at Smithville, Arkansas. Surrendered May 26th, 1865 at New Orleans. he was paroled at Shreveport on June, 1865. J.A. married Lucy Dodson Christian in 1866. Lucy was the widow of his friend and army companion who died in the war. She had three children by her first marriage. One child was born from this marriage,John Simon McLeod. J.A. was a farmer and fruit grower.

Simon McLeod, thrid son of Murdock and Barbara, was born in North Carolina in 1843, and came with his parents to Lawrence County when he was fourteen years old. He served with the Confederate amry in the Civil War and was stationed east of the Mississippi River. He was in the battle of Cornith and the siege of Fort Hudson and was mustered out at Shreveport, Lousiana. After the war, in 1868, he married Sally C. Judkins. They located three miles east of Smithville. Nine children were born to them, Walter E., Maggie, Lettie, Bessie, Joseph H., Luther H., Eva Ann and Lawrence S.

William McLeod, born in 1850, also the son of Barbara and Murdock. William married Harriet Gutherie and settled near New Hope Church at Denton, Arkansas. They later moved to Lowell, Arkansas. Thier children were, Cora, who died young, Tommie and Emmett. Afteer the death of his wife William married Sarah Estes. Five children were born of this union. They are Cora Emma, John Cleveland, Charles, Jimmy A. and Edna.

Alexander McLeod, date of birth, 1846, married Jane, last name unknownm and settled at Imboden, Arkansas. They had three children, Milton, Lee and Cora. The family went to the home of Murdock McLeod to attend the wedding of Hector McLeod and Margaret Davis in 1878. Jane was sick at the time and was never able to return to her own home. She died that year, Alexander and children continued to stay at the home place. Alexander died the next year. After his death, Hector took Milton and Lee to raise, they died while still children.

Hector, youngest son of Barbara and Murdock was born in 1854. He married Margaret (Maggie) Davis in 1878. They lived in the McLeod homestead for the rest of their lives. They had four children, Leona, henry, Cornelius (Neill) and Nellie. They not only raised their children but cared for Alexanders two children until their deaths. They took care of Barbara until she died in 1888 and James the older brothwe for three years before his death in 1926.

Barbara and Murdock had four daughters born to them in North Carolina. Elizabeth born in 1835, Christian born in 1838, Nancy born in 1841 and Mary born in 1848. All four daughters died in 1865 in eight weeks from the first to the last. Their sickness and deaths were suppose to have been caused from exposure and hardships during the Civil War. The only one to marry was Christian, who married Jimmy Walling. No children were born to them,

End of Story

This has been passed down in my husbands family. His grandmother was Cora Emma McLeod, born in Lawrence County july 15, 1884 and died in Lowell March 8, 1972. She married John Simeon Garrett. JoAnn Bradford Garrett