MILTON
HAZELTON LANGFORD
Milton
Hazelton Langford, the son of Benjamin
Langford and Patsy Pace, was born February 27, 1815 in Greenville County,
South Carolina. He moved west with his family through Jackson County, Alabama
(1819); Crawford County, Arkansas (1829); and Pope County, Arkansas (1830).
By 1837 he was in Fannin County, Republic of Texas, where he applied for a
land grant and having complied with the requirements, received 640
acres. Later in 1841, the War Department of the Republic of Texas issued
him a promissory note for horses sold, for a total of $810.
M. H. married Mary Ann "Polly" Banta,
daughter of Isaac William Banta and Elizabeth
Barker, in Lamar County, Texas on June 22, 1843. Records show that he cosigned
the first bond recorded after the organization of Hunt County, Texas. His
father-in-law, Isaac Banta, was one of the county founders. During the Civil
War, in 1864, after three of their children succumbed to smallpox, M. H. and
Polly moved south with their family in search of a less populated area and
better grazing land for their livestock. They found plenty of grass and water
on the Seco, but the Indians became so troublesome they could not keep horses
to tend the stock. The family finally settled in Bandera for protection and
school purposes. Altogether they had 10 children: Martha Evelyn (November
22, 1845-April 30, 1922), Benjamin Franklin (September 10, 1847-February 28,
1923), John D. (August 8, 1849-February 14, 1898), Isaac Berry (June 1, 1851-March
7, 1914), Sinai W. (July 10, 1854-July 2, 1863), Alfred W. (March 20, 1856-August
15, 1863), Andrew E. (April 8, 1858-July 4, 1863), Eliza Langford (June 8,
1860-December 31, 1928), Lee Wilson (August 5, 1863-October 1, 1926), and
James Monroe (December 19, 1865-November 9, 1953). M. H. Langford was concerned
with law and order and filled a two year term as Sheriff of Bandera County
beginning in 1868 with a salary of $25.00/year. His wife, Polly, died on June
27, 1870. She was buried in the Bandera Cemetery, one of the first to be buried
there.
In 1872, M. H. married Martha Ann Rowland Cryer in
Medina County, Texas. The family, except for Benjamin Franklin Langford and
Isaac Berry Langford who remained in Bandera, moved to a ranch on the Dry
Frio, in the old Tehuacana Community in Frio County, Texas. M. H. and Martha
Ann had two children: Milton Madison (December 20, 1873-December 13, 1943)
and Mary O. (May 17, 1876-July 13, 1935). M. H. helped organize the Tehuacana
Community giving property and building to the Methodist Episcopal Church South
for a church and a school. He also served as a school trustee from 1877-1884.
After Martha Ann died in the Tehuacana Community on 11 July, 1893, M. H. returned
to Bandera. He died on October 30, 1898 and is buried in the Bandera Cemetery.
Benjamin Langford ca 1781 - 1844
+Patsey Martha Pace ca 1782 -
.............Milton Hazelton Langford 1815 - 1898
............ + Mary Ann Polly Banta 1825 - 1870
................... Martha Evelyn Langford 1845 - 1922
................... Benjamin Franklin
Langford 1847 - 1923
................... John D. Langford 1849 - 1898
................... Isaac Berry Langford
1851 - 1914
................... Sinai W. Langford 1854 - 1863
................... Alfred W. Langford 1856 - 1863
................... Andrew E. Langford 1858 - 1863
................... Eliza Jane Langford 1860 - 1928
................... Lee Wilson Langford
1863 - 1926
...................James Monroe Langford 1865 - 1953
........ *2nd Wife of Milton Hazelton Langford:
............ +Martha Ann Cryer Rowland 1834
- 1893
................... Milton Madison Langford 1873 - 1943
................... Mary O. Langford 1876 - 1935