Greene County, Arkansas

Meadows Grove

On the south side of State Road 141, about halfway between Hooker and Beech Grove, lies a small cemetery by the name of Meadow's Grove probably unknown to most Greene Countians. Mr. David Meadows, his wife Barbra, and some of their children moved to the area from Moline, Illinois, in the mid 1850's, purchased 43 1/2 acres of land, and built their home.

Dave and Barbra Meadows had five sons: Bartholomew, Henderson, Nathaniel, Hamilton and Buchanan. Buchanan died in 1858 as a infant, and was buried just north of the home. Within the next twenty-eight years, Mr. and Mrs. Meadows and the other four sons had died, three of the sons dying in their 20's, one at age 34. Exact dates of birth and death are given in Meadows Grove Cemetery listing.

Nathaniel Meadows and his wife both died at early ages, leaving a small son , David H., who was taken to live with the A.G. Breckenridge family. Later he married and continued to farm land in the same general area. He and his wife, Amanda were parents of six children: Fannie, Winnie, Clara, Ella, Elgin, and Cecil. Fannie was married to John Dowler.

Sometime in the late 1800's a school was built just north of the Meadows Grove Cemetery, at the foot of the hill, and appropriately named Meadow's Grove. Fannie Meadows was one of the teachers in the little school. In 1914, the Meadow's Grove district was split, with one portion being consolidated to Beech Grove. The little Meadow's Grove school was no longer centrally located in the remaining district; and furthermore, it was too small and inadequate to accommodate the growing number of students. In 1916, another school was built about two miles east of Meadows Grove, on land donated by Mr. Harris Earp. Because Mr. Alvin Jackson had the largest number of children attending the school, it was named "Jackson College" by Mr. Grover Eaker. Some of the teachers at Jackson College included: Vera Davidson, Della Breckenridge, Charles Wells, George Butler, Clara Starnes, and Hester Starnes. Mr. Jackson and Mr. Avery Cunningham both served as school directors. The school (Meadow's Grove District) consolidated with Gum Grove and Beech Grove in 1928. 

Transcribed by: Sandy Hardin

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