| Sandford C. Faulkner | |||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 3 March 1803 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Georgetown, Kentucky, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Death Place: | Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Resting Place: | Mount Holly Cemetery, , U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Resting Place Coordinates: | 34.738°N -92.2789°W | ||||||||||||||||||
| Notable Works: | "Arkansas Traveler" | ||||||||||||||||||
| Party: | Democratic | ||||||||||||||||||
| Boards: | Real Estate Bank of Arkansas | ||||||||||||||||||
| Children: | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Sandford C. Faulkner (March 3, 1803August 4, 1874), better known as Sandy Faulkner, was an American planter, raconteur and fiddler who personified the mid-19th century folk song "Arkansas Traveler," for which he received writing credit. It has since gone on to become the official state historic song of Arkansas.
Sandford C. Faulkner was born in Georgetown, Kentucky on March 3, 1803 to Nicholas and Sally (née Fletcher) Faulkner.[1] He was responsible in large part for the story forming the basis of the "Arkansas Traveler",[2] [3] which was the official song of Arkansas from 1949 to 1963, and the state historical song since 1987.[4] During the American Civil War, he served as an artillery officer detailed to ordnance duty in the Trans-Mississippi Department of the Confederate States Army.
From November 1862 through August 1863 Faulkner served as the Commanding Officer of the Little Rock Arsenal. The Little Rock facility was moved to Tyler, Texas and designated as the Tyler, Texas Ordnance Works beginning operations in October 1863. On 1 October 1863 he signed over stores to Lt. Col. G.H. Hill the officer in charge at Tyler.[5] He was then assigned as officer in charge of the Ordnance Depot in Marshall, Texas and served there to the end of the war.[6]
Faulkner County, Arkansas (established 1873) is named after him.[7]