CAPT. HAMPTON B. FANCHIER. The intelligence and ability shown by Capt. Hampton B. Fancher, as a progressive tiller of the soil, and the interest he has taken in the advancement of measures for the good of Boone County, Ark, caused him long since to be classed as one of the leading citizens of his section. The most that he has achieved or gained has come as the result of his own efforts, and he deserves much credit for his industry and enterprise. He is a native Tennesseean, born in Overton County in 1828.
The son of James and Elizabeth Carlock Fancher, natives of North Carolina, the former born in 1790 and the latter on March 18, 1800. This worthy couple were married in Tennessee, whither they had moved with their parents when young, their nuptials being celebrated in 1818, and about 1838 they came by ox-team to northwest Arkansas, being about two months on the road. They located at the head of Osage, eight miles west of Carrollton, on a claim for which he paid $700 in gold. This he at once began improving and soon had a good home. He was one of the most prosperous, practical and enterprising farmers and stock traders in the county, and accumulated a fortune. However, he lost nearly $50,000 during the war, besides many slaves. He represented Carroll County in the Legislature in 1842 as a Democrat, and was instrumental in the formation of Newton County. That was the only official position he would ever accept. He sympathized with the South during the Civil War but took no part. For a number of years he was a Cumberland Presbyterian and was one of Carroll County’s most honest and influential citizens. His death occurred on his farm in Carroll County in 1865. He was one of eleven children, one of whom died in Illinois, two in Arkansas and the remainder in Tennessee. Mr. Fancher was in the Creek War with Jackson, and was in the fight at Horseshoe Bend. His father, Richard Fancher, was born on Long Island and the latter’s wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Jerniga, was born in Virginia. They were married in North Carolina but removed from there to Tennessee at a very early day. Mr. Fancher died there but his wife came with her son to Arkansas and died in this State. She was entirely blind the last ten years of her life. Mr. Fancher and several of his brothers were in the Revolutionary War. They were of French origin. Our subject’s maternal grandfather, Isaac Carlock, was a native of the Old North State, as was the grandmother, Sarah (Rutman) Carlock. They moved to Tennessee at an early day, and from there to Dade County, Missouri, where Mr. Carlock died, and where some of his descendants are now living. Twelve children were born to our subject’s parents and named in the order of their births as follows: Asenath, deceased, was the wife of William Morris; Arminita, deceased, was the wife of William Coker; Martha J. is the widow of William Boatwright; Hampton B., subiect; Sarah, wife of Amos Kindall, of Madison County, Arkansas; Thomas W. was killed in August, 1892, in Carroll County, while defending his son who was being assaulted (he was a Confederate soldier, and held the rank of lieutenant in Harrold’s battalion of cavalry); Henrietta, widow of Robert Dixon; James P., the present county clerk of Carroll County (for a number of years he served as circuit and county clerk, and was afterward a member of the Legislature; during the Civil War he was in the Confederate Army and was captured at Vicksburg;) George M.; Dallas died in infancy, and two others died in infancy.
Until ten years of age our subject remained in his native State and then moved with his parents to Carroll County, Arkansas, where he grew to manhood with limited educational advantages. On July 26, 1858, he was married to Miss Eliza 0. McKennon, daughter of Dr. Archibald and Sarah McKennon. Mr. and Mrs. McKennon were natives of South Carolina, but came to Tennessee when young, were married there, and subsequently moved to Carroll County when Mrs. Fancher was a girl. From there they removed to Johnson County, and there received their final summons. He was a successful physician for many years. He had four sons in the Confederate Army, one of whom, Hon. Archibald S. McKennon, a prominent lawyer of Clarksville, Arkansas, is one of the United States Commissioners now treating with the five civilized Indian tribes for the abandonment of their tribal relations. The names of the other sons are unknown. Mrs. Fancher was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, and died in June, 1892. Eight children were born to this union: Elizabeth, wife of John H. Walker, of Carroll County; James Archibald, died in infancy; Thomas H., a lawyer of Clarksville, Arkansas Virginia Lucretia, deceased, was the wife of Thomas N. Lancaster of Texas; Sallie Mac., wife of Jeremiah Bentley, of Boone County; Susie Jessie; Maggie Polk, died young, and Grover Cleveland, a little girl.
In 1861, when the war cloud hung darkly over the nation, Mr. Fancher enlisted in the Fourth Arkansas Infantry, State troops, as Captain of Company H, and fought at Oak Hill. After a few months this company disbanded and he was then enrolling officer for about a year. After that he went with his father to Texas, and after his return was in Harrold’s battalion until the war closed. Afterward he followed farming in Carroll County until 1880, when he came to Boone County and settled five miles northwest of Lead Hill, where he has a fine river farm of over 400 acres. For some time both before and after the war he was engaged in merchandising at Fair View. Fraternally he is a member of Polar Star Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 224, at Lead Hill, and was W. M. two terms. He is also a member of Berryville Chapter. Mr. Fancher was made a Mason when twenty-two years of age, and was a delegate to the Grand Lodge in 1853, obtaining the charter of Yell Lodge No. 64, at Carrollton. For many years he has been a prominent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and his wife held membership in that church also. In politics he is a Democrat.