He was the first county clerk for Izard County.∼John Paxton Houston, born 1790 in Rockbridge Co, VA, the 4th child of 9 children born to Major Samuel Houston and wife Elizabeth Paxton. Their 5th son was Samuel Houston born 1793-1863 of Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas fame. John married Margaret Manson with whom he had 4 children. He faked his death by drowning in Memphis, Tenn by plunging into the Mississippi River and is reportedly buried in a pauper's grave in Elmwood Cemetery. However, he 'resurfaced' in Little Rock where he was practicing as an atty when he met Jacob Wolf (Arkansas Territorial documents). He moved to Norfork, Arkansas (present day Baxter Co, Wolf House Settlement the first courthouse of the Arkansas Territories)where he was elected as the first clerk of the newly formed Izard County. He served until his death in 1838, other than one 2 year term in which he was beat by Jesse Adams. In August 1838 he was found dead at his desk at the second courthouse for the territory, Athens, Arkansas (present day Izard Co, 3 miles south of Calico Rock.) A memorial was erected in 2005 by the Daughters of the American Colonists at the site and a new headstone put in place.
He was the first county clerk for Izard County.∼John Paxton Houston, born 1790 in Rockbridge Co, VA, the 4th child of 9 children born to Major Samuel Houston and wife Elizabeth Paxton. Their 5th son was Samuel Houston born 1793-1863 of Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas fame. John married Margaret Manson with whom he had 4 children. He faked his death by drowning in Memphis, Tenn by plunging into the Mississippi River and is reportedly buried in a pauper's grave in Elmwood Cemetery. However, he 'resurfaced' in Little Rock where he was practicing as an atty when he met Jacob Wolf (Arkansas Territorial documents). He moved to Norfork, Arkansas (present day Baxter Co, Wolf House Settlement the first courthouse of the Arkansas Territories)where he was elected as the first clerk of the newly formed Izard County. He served until his death in 1838, other than one 2 year term in which he was beat by Jesse Adams. In August 1838 he was found dead at his desk at the second courthouse for the territory, Athens, Arkansas (present day Izard Co, 3 miles south of Calico Rock.) A memorial was erected in 2005 by the Daughters of the American Colonists at the site and a new headstone put in place.
Gravesite Details
John is actually buried about 300 yards from the site of his Marker. The rock was moved with his initals when a chicken house was built on top of cemetery and used the head marker rocks. Headstone was made and put in place several years later.
Family Members
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