|
| | David
Alexander Eoff
(taken from a reelection handbill) This
gentleman is the capable and efficient sheriff and collector of Boone County,
Ark., has resided in this section all of his life and was born here December 29,
1852. His grandfather, Alexander Eoff,
was a Tennesseean, came to this section of Arkansas at a very early day, settled
on an unimproved tract of land on which he resided until advancing years compelled
him to desist from work, when he gave his farm to one of his sons, with whom he
afterward moved to Lead Hill where he died in 1890 at the advanced age of ninety
years. He was a Democrat, was married to Susan Anderson, who died many years ago,
and by her became the father of nine children, of whom John J. Eoff, the father
of the immediate subject of this sketch, was one of the eldest. He
was born in Tennessee on January 25, 1832, and at the time of the family's removal
to Arkansas he was but a lad. He obtained a fair education in the early schools
of Boone County, was brought up to a knowledge of farm life, which healthful occupation
admirably fitted him for the hardships of army life, which calling he adopted
in 1862, becoming a member of the Confederate Army, and serving until the war
closed. He participated in the engagements at Pea Ridge, Oak Hill, and was with
Price in Missouri, holding the rank of lieutenant. He
has a valuable farm and a comfortable home on Crooked Creek, Boone County, and
although he is now sixty-three years of age he is yet in the enjoyment of good
health, and still looks after his estate on which he has resided ever since his
marriage, which occurred in 1851, and was to Miss Cynthia C. Nichols. He has 160
acres of land, gives considerable attention to the raising of stock, and has ever
been thrifty, industrious and enterprising. He
has ever been a staunch Democrat, is a man strong in his convictions, and socially
he is a member of Bellefonte Lodge No.65, of the A. F. & A. M. He
and his wife, who was born in Tennessee August 30, 1837, are members of the Primitive
Baptist Church, and their union has resulted in the birth of six children: David
A.; Samantha J., wife of John W. Turney, of Texas; James H., a farmer of Boone
County; Bailey B., who is living near the old home farm; Garrett, who lives the
old homestead, and Bell, who is the wife of Wesley W. Hudson, of this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Eoff have twenty grand-children. Mrs.
Eoffs parents, David and Keziah (Brooks) Nichols, were Tennesseeans, who came
to Boone County when it was known as Carroll County and settled on a good farm
on Crooked Creek, on which John J. Eoff is now living. Here the father died in
1874 and the mother in 1887, worthy members of the Primitive Baptist Church. He
was a soldier of the War of 1812 under Jackson; and his father, John Nichols,
was a soldier of the Revolution and one of the early settlers of Tennessee. To
David Nichols and wife three children were given: Cynthia (Mrs. Eoff); Charity,
widow of John Eoft; and James, who died in Missouri. On
the old home farm in this county David A. Eoff was brought up, and the district
schools in that vicinity afforded him a fair education. When starting out in life
for himself he continued the occupation to which he had been reared, and the same
year, 1872, was married to Miss Lizzie Floyd, daughter of Eloch N. Floyd, a farmer
of the county. Mrs. Eoff was born in Alabama, and with her husband resided on
their fine farm of 175 acres up to five years ago, then came to Harrison. One
hundred and twenty-five acres of this farm were under cultivation, are well improved
with a good residence, barns, fences, etc., arid Mr. Eoff devoted considerable
attention to the raising of stock. He
has always been a Democrat and in 1880 was elected to the position of constable
of Bellefonte Township, and in 1880 was elected county sheriff and was reelected
in 1890 aid again in 1892, discharging his duties with marked ability and to the
satisfaction of all concerned. He is a member of the Bellefonte Lodge No.65, of
the A.F. & A. M., and Harrison Lodge, of the I.O.O.F. He
and wife have three children: Luther, Ethel and Charles, and they are worthy members
of the Primitive Baptist Church. As
an official he is faithful in the discharge of his duties and during his service
of three terms he has had a number of noted criminals under his charge in the
Fourteenth District, and executed one crimnal, Andy Hedypeth, who murdered George
Wacikins. In l88~ David Alexander
Eoff was elected constable of Bellefonte Township. He was elected Sherrif of Boone
County in 1888 and was reelected in 1890 1892 and 1894. He was appointed a Deputy
U.S. Marshall under Jude I.C. Parker at Ft. Smith in 1896. He was reelected Sheriff
of Boone Countv two more terms serving from 1900 to 1904. He moved to Oklahoma
and served two terms as Sheriff of Huahes Countv Oklahoma from 1913 to 1917. In
his last years, he served as an overseer for prisoners in an open-camp near McAlister.
He died in 1923 and is buried in the Eoff cemetery. Luther
Eoff, Sr. served as a deputy under his father David for a period and also served
in the Spanish American War. Althouah no famous battles are noted from his service.
he was reported to have been in a skirmish with some men from Alabama who referred
Luther's unit as "those hillbilly's from Arkansas". Ethel
Eoff married John L. Harris and had one daughter who died young. Charlie Eoff
was born in Harrison in 1883 and had no children. Charlie worked on the 46 Ranch
in Texas had his own wild west show and is reported to have broke the first bronc
at the Fort Worth Coliseum when it opened in 1908. Charlie moved to Colorado for
a time then to California where he died in 1963. Luther
Nichols Eoff married Maud Crawford in Fort Worth in 1906. Maud was the daughter
of Robert Wells Crawford. Jr. and Lillie Virginia Maves. Thev settled in Indian
Territory in what later became Hughes County Oklahoma and in 1907 had their first
child, Floyd Edward Eoff followed by Robert David Eoff in 1909 and Virginia Elizabeth
Eoff in 1912 and Luther Charlie Eoff in 1916. The family moved to Oklahoma City
where Luther Sr. was employed as livestock ao'ent for a number of years. This
writer's father, Roscoc L. Eoff was born in Oklahoma City in 1922. All four sons
served in World War II Flovd and Luther Jr. having served in the Army and Robert
and Roscoe serving in the Navy and Coast Guard. Luther and Maud had ten erandchildren.
Maud died in 1948 and Luther remarried and moved to Clovis, New Mexico and died
in 1961. |
