Sarah Walton was the daughter of Larkin Cleveland Walton and Nancy Walton, and granddaughter of William Walker Walton and Elizabeth (Cleveland) Walton. Her great maternal and paternal grandparents, Jesse Walton and Larkin Cleveland, were notable patriots of the American Revolution.

Sarah's father, Larkin C. Walton, was born in Georgia. In 1807, records reflect that land, originally owned by Larkin Cleveland, her maternal great grandfather, and transferred to her grandfather, William Walker Walton, was sold.

By 1823, Larkin C. Walton was noted as a resident of Perry County, Alabama on a land grant issued for acreage in the District of Cahaba, Alabama. The document was dated December 1, 1823, and signed by U.S. President James Monroe. From 1820 - 1825, Cahaba was the first permanent capital of the State of Alabama. His brother, David Franklin Walton, also received land in the same county less than a year later. Perry County was less than 100 miles from where their father, William Walker Walton, settled in Noxubee, Mississippi.

By 1830, Larkin C. Walton was enumerated in Hart County, Kentucky with his children and two slaves:

Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 2
Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35: 2
Free White Persons - Under 20: 6
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 7
Total Slaves: 2
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 9

Sarah Walton was born in the county three years later, in 1833.

In 1840, Sarah's family family remained in Hart County, Kentucky:

Home in 1840: Hart, Kentucky
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 2
Persons Employed in Manufacture/Trade: 2
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write: 2
Free White Persons - Under 20: 6
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 4
Total Free White Persons: 10
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 10

At the 1850 census, the family migrated to Scott county, Arkansas (now Logan), where they settled and established their permanent home.

1850 Census - Boon, Scott Co., AR

L C Walton 58 - farmer
Nancy Walton 57
Mary Walton 27
Kellis Walton 24
George Walton 21
Sarah Bangs 16
Celilles Bangs 13
Thomas Rose 53 - laborer

March 3, 1851, Sarah's father was appointed U.S. postmaster for Booneville, in Scott county.

Sarah Walton married Henry Bangs November 8, 1850 in Booneville, then Scott County, now Logan County, Arkansas. Henry was born in Virginia. At the 1960 census, their land was valued at $2500, their personal assets, $600.

According to a written history by Leonard Field Bangs, a grandson, Henry Bangs "joined the Civil Service and was ordered to Ft. Gibson, Indian Territory, to teach wood work to the Cherokee Indians. While enroute through North Carolina to the Cumberland Pass, he fell in with a part of Virginians on their way to Kentucky. While traveling in their company, he fell for and on November 8, 1850, married Miss Sarah Elizabeth Walton, daughter of Esquire Larkin Walton.

Henry and his bride proceeded on to Ft. Gibson where he taught the Cherokees to make wagons, plows, and other tools as well as spinning wheels, looms, cradles, and other household furniture. It was there, September 20, 1851 that their first child Emily was born followed three years later, October 14,1854 by the birth of a son, George.

Realizing that a frontier army camp was no place to bring up a family, Henry resigned his position and moved to Arkansas near his mother and brother Steve. On this homestead, ten other children were born." By that time, both Henry's and Sarah's families resided in Arkansas.

1860 Census - Boon, Scott Co., AR

Henry Bangs 30 - wheelwright
Sarah Bangs 25
Emily Bangs 8
George Bangs 5
W S Bangs 1

March 1, 1860, Sarah's father received a second land grant for 76.32 acres in Logan (formerly Scott) county. The document was signed by U.S. President James Buchanan. Mr. Walton passed five years later, in 1865.

According to the already referenced family history, "At the time of the Civil War, Henry had a hand-operated grist mill hidden in a cave some distance from his home. The neighbors would shell a bag of corn and bring it to his house. He would slip out in the night and grind it into corn meal for them. After the war and subsidence of bush wackers, he made a trip to the East and procured some blooded stock, Guernseys and Jerseys. The hogs were Hampshires. The fine animals were used as breeding stock, thus replacing the animals stolen and killed by the bush whackers. Grandfather was the champion sorghum maker and he brought the first grain thresher to that section of Arkansas. He later bought a second threshing machine."

1870 Census - Boone, Scott, AR

Henry Bangs 48 - farmer
Sarah Bangs 36
Emily Bangs 18
George Bangs 16
Arther Bangs 11
Stephen Bangs 9
Levina Bangs 6
Celey Bangs 3
Eliza Bangs 1

Census records verify that Sarah and Henry's first two children, Emily and George, were born in Creek Nation, Indian Territory. Their other children, in Arkansas.

1880 Census - Boone, Logan Co., AR

Henry Bangs 52
Sarah Bangs 47
W. C. Bangs 20
Stephen Bangs 18
Lou Bangs 16
C. C. Bangs 13
E. Bangs 10
Robt. Bangs 6
B. T. Bangs 4
Nellie Bangs 2

Sarah passed in 1882. She was a member of the Christian Church. Henry did remarry after Sarah's death. He died in 1906 and was laid to rest by Sarah. They are buried at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Booneville, Logan county, Arkansas.

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Researched and compiled by Gina Caperton Ervin, GG granddaughter.

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Biography of Henry Bangs with reference to Sarah Walton, his wife:

1891 - "HENRY BANGS, planter, Booneville, Ark. For a number of years, or since his residence in this county, the reputation which Mr. Bangs enjoys has been not only that of a substantial and progressive agriculturist, but of an intelligent and thoroughly posted man in all public affairs. He was born in the Old Dominion on January 6,1828, and is a son of Jacob and Abigail (Lawrence) Bangs, both natives of Virginia. The father was a soldier in the Florida War, in which he was killed by the Indians. The parents were married at Fortress Monroe, and to them were born three children, of whom our subject is the eldest. The other two, Benjamin and Stephen, are both farmers, and are living in this township. The mother died about 1843. Henry Bangs, at the age of thirteen years, joined the Florida troops, and was in service for five years. He came to Arkansas, and was married in what is now Logan County, in 1850, to Miss Sarah Walton, a native of Kentucky. Of the twelve children born to this union - six sons and six daughters - seven are now living, viz: George, Emily (wife of John Basinger), Levenia (wife of Andrew Smith), Adelia (wife of A. Starns), Elizabeth (wife of S. Suttles), Franklin and Robert. The mother of these children died in the year 1882. She was a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Bangs married his second wife, Mrs. E.C. Barlow, in 1886, she being a widow with five children, viz: Alonzo, Ida (wife of Joseph Stanfield), Looney (wife of B. Foster), Callie and Asa. Mr. Bangs has 240 acres of good land, has 80 acres of this under cultivation, and raises corn and hogs principally. He is a member of the Christian and his wife a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church."

Source: Biographical & Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas, The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago and Nashville, 1891. Logan County, Arkansas.

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The Osceola Times, Osceola, Arkansas, Saturday, 16 June 1906, page 5, News of Arkansas.

"Henry Bangs, an old resident of Booneville recently died at his home near that place. He was 80 years old having settled on the land where he died in 1859, and has lived there ever since. He was one of the few survivors of the Mexican war, for which service he drew a small pension. He was also a veteran of the war between the states on the side of the Confederacy."

Note: A number of persons came from the New Madrid country, the location of Osceola, soon after the earthquakes of 1811 and 1812, and settled in what is now Logan County.

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