In the County: April 2, 1953

Editor's Note -- This is the first of a series of articles about the people who live in Bradley County. One of the main obligations of any newspaper is to keep in contact with the people it serves. By this method, we hope to preserve and strengthen the bond that has grown up between the citizens of Bradley County and The Eagle Democrat, through the Eagle's sixty-eight years of service.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. G.C. Chandler on the New Edinburg Highway was the first stop on what we hope will be a long and enlightening series of trips through the county. Mr. and Mrs. Chandler have lived in their present home about four years. Prior to that time, they lived in the old B.S. Hargis home about two miles farther out the highway. The Chandlers have ten children...two at home: Charles and Bobby. Their other six are as follows; Willis Chandler of Johnsville, Willard Chandler of Richmond, California, L.C. Chandler of Warren, Malvin Chandler of Warren, Pauline Chandler of Tulsa, Okla., Mrs. Claude McKinney of Warren, Burton Chandler of Crockett, California, and Harold Chandler of Pine Bluff. What began as a hobby for Mrs. Chandler branched into a small business recently. Some years ago, she began making artificial flowers from crepe paper and other materials. With the introduction of wood fiber as a material for making artificial flowers, Mrs. Chandler's hobby came into its own. She makes strikingly realistic orchids, roses, gardenias, violets, sweet peas...and many others. They look like they've just been picked...and they stay that way. They can be worn as corsages many, many times, she says. Anyone who is interested in seeing some of Mrs. Chandler's work may do so.

Fermon L. Adams, who gave up farming near Rye a few years ago, lives on the top of the hill across the road from the Joe Thompson place. Mr. Adams has lived there for four years. He has four children: Charles Adams of Warren, Mrs. Burton (Mary Evelyn) Chandler of Crockett, California, Betty May Adams of Warren, and Doyle Adams of Warren. Three cut grandchildren, Wanda Fay, Brenda May, and Jerry Donald Adams were playing in the front year at the time of our visit. Since giving up farming, Mr. Adams has worked at the local mills.

Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Harton, and their four children, Genelle, Lester, Jean and Donna Fay have their home just past Mr. Adams' place. Mr. Harton is a dragline operator for Earl Reynolds. Mrs. Harton is the former Nellie Cox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Cox of Wilmar. Mr. Harton is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Harton.

Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Jacobs live near the Hartons. They have two children, Devon and Rickey Jo. Mr. Jacobs had worked at the Southern Lumber Company planing mill up until a few days ago, when he went to work in the corresponding department at the Bradley. He has been in sawmill work for six years. Mrs. Jacobs is the former Blanche Spakes of Herbine. Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Spakes.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hogue live on the top of the next hill. Mr. Hogue works at the Southern and the Hogues have lived on the New Edinburg highway for eight years. They have two children, Mary Nell and Glenda Carolyn. Mrs. Hogue is a native of Northern Arkansas, where she lived in the Ozark mountians. Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Garland Rawls.

Mrs. Hogue's sister, Mrs. Will Harton and her family, live on the Abernathy place on the old Kingsland road. Mr. Harton formerly worked at the Bradley Lumber Company, but because of ill health, has not been able to work for the past few months. The Harton's have eight sons, and no daughters. Their boys are: Floyd, Leroy, Curtis, Herman, Billy, Jimmy, James and Fay. Four of the boys are still at home with their parents. They've lived on the Abernathy place for eight years.

On through the wooded section on the highway, near the Emmaus road, live Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Trussell, next door to their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Sanders. Mr. Sanders is one of the farming modernists in the county, since he is successfully combining cattle raising with row-crop farming. Mr. Sanders just purchased a new place recently and is spending most of his time clearing it out. Mr. Trussell is a real Bradley County pioneer. he was born and raised near Pattsville and farmed in that neighborhood until a few years ago when he retired. He hopes to work his garden again this year though a heart condition curtails his activities pretty severely. Mr. Trussell is a cousin of Rev. Gerald W. Trussell, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Warren. Mr. Trussell's children are: Mrs. Bernard Sanders, Mrs. Earl Ferguson of near Pattsville, Hoyle Trussell of Corpus Christi, Texas, Claude Trussell of North Little Rock, and Mrs. W.W. Killod [sic] of Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Submitted by Jann Woodard

In the County: April 9, 1953

From The Eagle Democrat

Our trip this week began near Rev. Eb White's home a few miles north of Warren on the New Edinburg Highway. All the people we visited this week live on the gravel road from the New Edinburg Highway to Emmaus Church

Our first stop was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lane Robinson, off the highway. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are natives of northern Arkansas. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Robinson of Hardy. Mrs. Robinson is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Campbell of Pocahontas, in Randolph County. The Robinsons have nine children and all of them are still at home. They are: Trecia Yvonne, Willine, Roberta Lee, Donnie Lane, James Elbert, Jerry, Nora Sue, Mary Laverne and Douglas Allen.

The next home we visited was that of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Bryant. Mr. Bryant was out plowing. That doesn't sound like anything to get particularly excited about, does it? Know a man's plowing isn't too different from the usual run of things. The amazing thing, here, however, is that Mr. Bryant is 89 years old. Born in 1863, just west of Parnell Springs in Cleveland County, Mr. Bryant has lived in Cleveland and Bradley counties all his life except for a two year period in 1928-1929 when he lived in Pine Bluff. This year he plans to plant watermelons, potatoes and then a small garden. Mrs. Bryant is the former Rosie O'Mary of Hampton.

John R. Thompson, who lives on the road from the Bryant place, makes his home with his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John F. Thompson. He is a widower and has lived all his life within five or six miles from where his home is now. Mr. Thompson's children are as follows: J.D. Thompson, who lives on the New Edinburg Highway; Billy Thompson, who is at home with his father and brother; Mrs. Carey Boney of the Hebron community; Mrs. Pithey Barnes, who lives on the Emmaus road; Mrs. Marguerite Hall of Pascagula, Miss.; and Mrs. Rhodene Moody of Borger, Texas.

The attractive two-story home of Mr. and Mrs. E.R. Sims was our next stop. The fact that Mr. Sims is a welder is made evident by an attractive steel fence that encloses the yard. Mr. Sims, the son of Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Sims, is a native of Cleveland and Bradley counties and is now working for the Blaw-Knox Construction Company in Pine Bluff. Mrs. Sims is also from that section of the county, though she moved to Little Rock when she was a child. She has also lived in Denver, Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. Sims returned to the Emmaus community and built their home in 1947.

E.E. Moseley, who lives alone with his two dogs and a cat just down the road from the Sims home, is "taking life easy, now." "He spends a good deal of time just sitting and watching the world go by," he says, and he is doing a fine job of letting the world see something beautiful. Mr. Moseley has beautiful tulips in bloom all over his yard and other flowers, too. A native of this section, Mr. Moseley lived in New Mexico from 1911 until 1937. He worked for the Texas Company for many years in Albuquerque and was on the police force in Roswell, N.M. for 11 years. In 1937 Mr. Moseley returned to Arkansas and has lived in this section since that time.

Mr. and Mrs. V.R. Norton operate a general store adjacent Emmaus Church. Natives of the Woodlawn community in Cleveland county, they have operated their store since they purchased it from Marvin Williams eight years ago. They still find time, however, to do a little farming and cattle raising, Mrs. Norton says. Their son, Travis, has begun raising rabbits recently, and plans to market some of them this summer. The Norton's have six children, two of them still at home: Travis and Marnell. Their other four children are: Mrs. Jimmy Wright of El Dorado, Miss Joyce Norton of Memphis, Voy Ray Norton of Greenville, Miss., and Lloyd Norton, who is in the army in Korea.

G.A. Williams, 81, has never lived more than a mile and a quarter from Emmaus Church since he moved to Arkansas 66 years ago. Mr. Williams was born in LaFayette County, near Holly Springs, Miss., and came to Arkansas with his parents. Mr. Williams has nine children living, 27 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. His children are: Mrs. Claude Bryant of Pine Bluff, Marvin Williams of Warren, Mrs. C.A. Brown of Pine Bluff, Mrs. Aubert Moseley of Warren, Mrs. Arlie Thompson of the Emmaus community, Mrs. James Clark of Warren, Mrs. Fred McKinney of Warren, Mrs. Barney Sims of Warren, and Clyde Williams of Warren.

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Parnell live just past Emmaus Church. Mr. Parnell was in the field plowing when we made our visit. He plans to plant corn and potatoes mostly this year. The Parnells have tow children. They are: Mrs. W.P. Roark of Redwood City, Calif., and R.W. Alfred of Greenville, Miss.

Submitted by Jann Woodard

In the County: April 16, 1953

From The Eagle Democrat

Our tour this week continued in the northeast section of the county near the Parnell Springs, Hopewell-Centerpoint communities.

Mrs. Edna Williams, with her two sons, Tommy and Jimmy, live in the handsome brown home just at the turn-off into the Emmaus community. Mrs. Williams' husband, Preston Williams, works in Camden and Mrs. Williams works in Fordyce. Tommy Williams is still in school in Warren, but her oldest son, Jimmy, has joined the Air Force and is waiting for his orders to report for duty. The Williams have lived in this house for three years. Two daughters, Mrs. Buck Avent and Mrs. J.T. Gresham, both live in Camden.

Mr. and Mrs. J.B. St. John and their two year old daughter, Carolyn Ann, have an apartment in the old Patton homestead with Miss Kate Patton. Mr. St. John, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence St. John of New Edinburg, works in Warren for Michey's Lumber, Inc. Mrs. St. John is the former Betty Ross, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ross.

I was disappointed not to find Miss Patton at home. "Miss Kate" or "Kate" (as she is called by her friends) has lived practically her entire life on this site, assuming the care of her aged parents and being a friend to many. We'll say a few words about her anyway. "Miss Kate" was the first "sitter" Warren people ever had for their children. She pioneered in the tailored slip-cover field. She excels in making window curtains and drapes. If all the gold pounds of real butter and gallons of delicious buttermilk and plump fryers she has dispensed to Warren clients were stored in one place, it would be a sight to see. If all the cheery, kindly words she has spoken to her fellowman were on record, they would sound like Dr. Norman Vincent Peale's essays.

Mr. and Mrs. Orie Galloway have lived on the same place on the new Edinburg road since 1918. Their house, however, hasn't always been in the same place. Mrs. Galloway says they moved their house from out of the hollow and up on the highway about five years ago. Mr. Galloway, an excellent carpenter, will continue to farm in his spare time this year, according to Mrs. Galloway. However, spare time for Mr. Galloway, as well as for other carpenters in this neighborhood is pretty light these days, since houses seem to be sprouting more than a garden. They also are raising a few head of beef cattle. he plans to cut enough hay to feed his cattle through the winter. Mrs. Galloway was a member of the Parrott family, one of the pioneer ones in Cleveland county.

Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Joyner lived across the highway from the Galloways in an almost new home. They lived about three miles down the Parnell Springs road until a short time ago. Mr. Joyner was born in Dallas County, but he's lived in this neighborhood since he was a young man. Mr. Joyner, like Mrs. Galloway, is a carpenter and is very busy these days. The Joyners have two children, Mrs. Christine Forrester Norton, who is here while her husband is in Korea, and Oma Jean Norton. Mr. Joyner's farming this year will be of the part-time variety. He has kept his land on his other place and has a pond, pastureland, and some cattle there. Mrs. Joyner's 86 year all mother lives with them. She is Mrs. Jim Wolfe, and a picture of Mrs. Wolfe and four generations of her family may be found in this issue of the Eagle.

Mrs. G.W. Jeffers, who lives alone runs her store at the Parnell Springs turnoff, was working in her small garden at the time of our visit. Mrs. Jeffers explained that she can't work very long at a time, but that she intends to work her gard in short bursts again this year. "I love fresh vegetables, and this is the best way to get them," she said. Mrs. Jeffers and her husband, the late G.W. Jeffers, have been in the grocery and general store business on the New Edinburg road for 52 years. Mrs. Jeffers remembers well when theirs was the halfway point for the mail hacks of Warren and New Edinburg. The trip took nearly all day from Warren to New Edinburg. Mrs. Jeffers was born in Winchester, Mississippi, and came to Warren as a child. Mrs. Jeffers has three children: Mrs. Cap Harris, Noah Jeffers, and Russell Jeffers, all of Warren.

Submitted by Jann Woodard

In the County: April 23, 1953

From The Eagle Democrat

All the people visited this week lives west of the new Edinburg Highway in the northern section of the county.

Mass poultry raising seems to have come into its own in this section. Many of the people we visited were raising up to 5,000 chickens. Rev. and Mrs. Carl Wheeler are among the leaders in the field. Mrs. Wheeler was out seeing to the care of their 5,000 at the time of our visit. This flock is the fourth the Wheelers have raised. "We've done pretty well with them so far," Mrs. Wheeler pointed out, "but don't know about this bunch." The Wheeler chickens were suffering from the hard winds on the day we visited there. Rev. Wheeler, who is a Baptist preacher, had three churches. They are, Hopewell, Sulphur Springs, and Pine Crest, which is located on the other side of Fordyce. The Wheelers have five children: Mrs. Hazel Owens of Pine Bluff, Donald Wheeler of Gary, Indiana, Mrs. Floyd Connell of Warren, Knox Wheeler of Little Rock, and Sue Carolyn Wheeler, a student at Southern State College at Magnolia.

Mr. and Mrs. W.O. Moore have spent all their lives in this area, but they've been on their present place only five years. The Moores had a store on South Myrtle street in Warren for a while. It was narrowly missed when the tornado struck. They moved back to the country shortly after, and Mr. Moore now works in the woods for the Southern Lumber Company. In their spare time, the Moores see to the care of the Moseley cemetery, which is only a short distance from their home. They have one son, Robert, who lives in West Monroe, Louisiana.

Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Beard live in the first home on the right after the turn onto the gravel road near Miss Bess Lowe's home. The Beards built their home three years ago. Two nephews, Billy and Bobby Coats, live with Mr. and Mrs. Beard and accompany Mr. Beard to Warren each day. They attend school in Warren and he works as a maintenance man at the primary school. Mr. Beard drives the school bus from this neighborhood. Mrs. Beard is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. P.B. Coats who lived on the old Camden road. Mr. Beard was born and raised and has lived all his life on the spot where he is now living.

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Young and their two sons, Charles Ed and Joe Bill, live in a handsome home on the old T.D. Wardlaw place. The Young's son, Charles Ed, has just returned from eleven months with the army in Korea. Mr. Young's parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Young, live with their son and daughter-in-law. Like many people who live on a farm these days, Mr. Young has two jobs--farming and an outside one. He represents a Little Rock produce firm three days a week and then has the other three to farm. Charles plans to plant cotton this year along with his father. They also plan on some sweet potatoes. Mrs. Young says she will have a little tomato patch. Mr. and Mrs. Young lived in Warren for some years. They operated a grocery-service station at the corner of North Martin and West Pine.

Mr. and Mrs. Orlan Carter live about a mile from the Youngs. They've lived there for 22 years, and all their children have been raised on the place. Mrs. Carter is the former Edith Wells of Monticello. She is a former teacher and is the Hopewell-Centerpoint correspondent for the Eagle Democrat. The Carters have four children. They are: Mrs. Gorman Grider of Warren; Orlan Carter, Jr., who has just finished Army basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Billy Ray Carter, who works for the Warren Produce Company in Greenville, Mississippi, and Kay Carter, who is still in school in Warren.

Mrs. Austin Myers and her family live just down the road from the Carters. Mr. Myers is a spot welder and works for the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan. Mrs. Myers says the family will probably join him there this summer. They Myers have six children. They are: Dixie Carolyn, Lena Inez, Mary Evelyn, Dennis Lee, Charles Richard, and Jerry Glenn Myers. Mrs. Myers is the former Geneva Parker of the Macedonia community.

Submitted by Jann Woodard

In the County: April 30, 1953

From The Eagle Democrat

All the people visited this week live in the north central section of the county in the vicinity of Parnell Springs.

O.F. Plair's fine-looking farm shows the effects of well planned soil conservation work. Mr. Plair's son, James, has been associated with the Warren unit of the Soil Conservation Service for some time. Mr. Plair has lived on this place since 1912. He carried the petition for the road that passes his house and a few months ago, took a leading part in the reconstruction of the road. There was a low place in the roadbed next to his farm and every time a big rain came the road was inundated and neither the school bus nor the mail carrier could get through. Mr. Plair took it on himself to set his fences back so the place could be built up and a bridge built. Mr. Plair has one daughter, Mrs. Phinis Sligh of Warren.

Mr. and Mrs. Cloyce "Shorty" Reep live on the Robbins place adjacent to O.F. Plairs' farm. The Reeps purchased the place from Mrs. Willie Robbins in December and are farming it for the first time this year. The Reeps plan to plant most of their acreage in cotton and to plant enough corn to feed their cattle. Before buying the Robbins place, the Reeps lived near Rye, a half mile from Galloway's store. The Reeps have three children. They are: Derwood, Alma Rita, and Jimmy Reep. Mrs. Reep is the former Edna Ashcraft, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Ashcraft. Mr. Reep is the son of Mr. and Mrs. S.J. Reep of Warren.

Judge T.A. Carter, one of Bradley County's most well known and respected citizens, has a handsome place just up the road from Mr. Plair's. Though he is 83 year old, Judge Carter was out plowing at the time of our visit. "I'm planning to do a little experimenting on this plot of land this year," he said. He plans to put out five hundred pounds of compost fertilizer on the acre and a half he is planting and hopes to raise 100 bushels of corn on this plot. Judge Carter was born near Bluff City in Nevada County in 1870. He served from 1914 to 1918 as county judge of Bradley County and has been the county surveyor since 1908. He worked for the Southern Lumber Company 20 years...from 1920 through 1942 (he was out two years)...and was a surveyor and timber buyer for the company. Mr. Carter has ten children. They are: Oliver Carter of Warren, Mrs. J.D. Murry of Fordyce, Orlan Carter, who has his home close to his father's, Mr. Jesse Little of Strong, Edward Carter of Shreveport, Louisiana, Leonard Carter of Little Rock, Clyde Carter of Stuttgart, Marvin Carter of Springdale, Emily Carter, who lives with her parents and teaches in the Warren schools, and Mrs. J.T. Eliff of Kansas City, Missouri. Always closely identified with the work of the Baptist Church, Mr. Carter is a deacon in the church, five of his sons are deacons, two of his daughters married ministers and one of his sons-in-law is a deacon.

Mr. and Mrs. R.P. "Pete" Saunders live in the bed of the road just up from Judge Carter's place. They live with Mr. Saunders' father, Sam Saunders, who has lived on this place for 38 years. Pete Saunders is with the forestry department of the Southern Lumber Company and has been with the company seventeen years. The Saunders' have seven children. They are: Rufus, Bobby, Roy, Virginia, Glynn, Kenneth and Gary Saunders. Five of the Saunders children are in school in Warren. Mrs. Saunders is the former Kathleen Roark, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Roark. Like Rev. and Mrs. Carol Wheeler, the Saunders' are in the chicken business, and they are raising 5000 for market at this time.

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Parrott have lived in their home near the Saunders place since 1945, when Mr. Parrott returned from the service. The Parrotts pioneered in mass chicken raising in this community. They are raising 5,000 for market now. Before moving to their present home, the Parrotts lived on the old Henry Peek place just off the main highway. Mrs. Parrott is the former Zula Belle Carr, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Carr.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Armstrong live about a mile past Parnell Springs. They've lived here for two years. Mr. Armstrong works in the woods for the Southern Lumber Company. In his spare time he plans to put in a crop of corn, cotton and tomatoes. The Armstrongs have four children: Frances, Verlon, Herschel, and Billy. Three of them are in school at Warren. Mrs. Armstrong is the former Beulah Hall of Macedonia.

W.D. Ashcraft and his mother, Mrs. J.J. Ashcraft, live just on the other side of Parnell Springs. They've lived here for around thirty years, moving to this place shortly after the end of World War I from another farther farther down the Parnell Springs road. Mr. Ashcraft does some farming and keeps some cows. Though he raises chickens, he doesn't do it on the grandiose scale that some of the people in his neighborhood are doing.

Just down the road from Mr. Ashcraft's place, and across from Norman Moseley's handsome home, is Parnell Springs, which at the turn of the century was a noted health resort in Southeast Arkansas. Old residents tell of the fine pavilion over the mineral springs, of the good hotel located at the site, and of the guest cottages located there. They tell of sick people who received benefit from the springs and of the fun and good times summer visitors had at the dances. They like to tell about Mr. Smith, a conductor on the Missouri Pacific, who operated the hotel for several years and who had a famed trotting mare who made it from the Springs to the Missouri Pacific depot at Warren in record time each morning. Those days, however, are long since past. The hotel burned many years ago, the cottages and dance pavilion have collapsed with age...only the springs with their minerals remain. People do not flock there for health as they did long ago. You might call this place a "ghost resort."

Continue to May 1953

Submitted by Jann Woodard