Izard historians learn of Regional Archives and Lawrence County
The Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society met on Sunday, January 8, 2012, at the Izard County Senior Citizen's Center at Brockwell, Arkansas. President W. J. "Bud" Cooper, Jr. called the meeting to order. The Opening Ceremony, which included the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, the Salute to the Arkansas Flag, the American's Creed, and the singing of America, was conducted by Deloris Bookout and Margaret Mason.
The Inspiration Activity, led by Bookout and Mason, related the importance of the fireplace in the early pioneer homes. A display showed a small fireplace and family heirlooms representing the center of an early pioneer living space.
During a brief business meeting, President Cooper announced the Committee Chairmen for 2012. These include Debra Sutterfield, Archival; Nancy Pratt, Audit; Sandy Smith, Budget and Finance; Mary Miller, Editorial; Dorothy Sanders, Historical Preservation; Beth Peck Cooper, Membership; Deloris Bookout, Memorial; Roy Bookout, Nominating; Roy Runsick, Program & Hospitality; Suzanne Runsick, Projects & Events; Justin Daigle, Policies & Procedures; Elizabeth Daigle, Protocol; Jan Rorie, Rublic Relations & Promotions; Linda Cooper, Yearbook.
Roy Runsick, Vice President, announced the 2012 scheduled quarterly meetings dates and locations: April 15 at the Senior Citizen's Center with Dr. Brooks Blevins as the speaker; July 8 at the Brockwell Music School Auditorium to enjoy the monthly singing of the Izard County Singing Convention and to hear the history of the Convention and of the Brockwell Music School; and October 14 for the Annual Meeting at the Senior Citizen's Center. All meetings begin at 2 P.M.
Dr. Lisa Perry of the NorthEast Arkansas Regional Archives at Powhatan addressed the group. She presented an overview of the services provided by the archives, which is a branch of the Arkansas History Commission. Opened in the Spring of 2011, this facility houses traditional archival materials, Lawrence County government records, and information from numerous counties in the region.
Steve Saunders, a park interpreter at the Powhatan State Park, presented a Power Point Presentation, titled Territorial Lawrence to Izard County, and described the 1815 formation of Lawrence County and its subsequent subdivision up to the formation of Izard County. Lawrence County, known as the "Mother of Counties," was established prior to the creation of Arkansas Territory. It encompassed most of north Arkansas was later subdivided into more than thirty modern counties in both Arkansas and Missouri.
"Serving Up History" was the theme presented by the Hospitality Committee hosted by Dot Byler Sanders and Suzanne Cook Runsick of Melbourne and Bonnie Williams Hooper of Little Rock. Members and guests were treated to tables elaborately decorated with fresh greenery, fruits and fall garden vegetables as would have been used "in times of old."
The Menu focused on 19th Century recipes offering traditional goodies such as sugar and peanut butter cookies, pound cake, fresh fruit, mixed nuts and horehound candy, mulled cider and punch as well as the more unusual fare of beet pancakes, crackels (caraway cookies), and Ratafia cakes.
Along with the refreshments, committee members served up a historical display featuring a Power Point Presentation of historic sites in Izard County nominated for signage consideration, an example of making "powered sugar" using mortar and pestle, and a "Domestic Arts" textbook used by the St. Louis Public Schools during the Victorian era. The committee presented members and guests with booklets featuring recipes served at the meeting, information on cooking methods and measurements used during the 1800's, and the history of punch and peanut butter.
Dr. Brooks Blevins addresses Izard historians
Dr. Brooks Blevins autographs his latest book for Charlotte Sharp, left, and Sandy Smith.
The Spring Quarterly Meeting of the Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society was held on April 15, 2012, at the Izard County Senior Center south of Brockwell. President W. J. Cooper, Jr. welcomed the members and guests to the session. Justin and Elizabeth Daigle conducted the opening ceremony which consisted of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States, the Salute to the Arkansas Flag, the Recitation of the American's Creed, and the Singing of America.
The Inspirational Activity was a display of various sewing items used by homemakers in past years. Vintage clothing, an antique quilt, sewing baskets, older patterns, and pieces of lace and tatting, along with an old Singer sewing machine, were displayed. Elizabeth Daigle read a vintage poem titled Grandma's Sewing Basket.
During the business meeting, President Cooper recognized Jana Cowgill, a member of the society, as the recipient of the Walter L. Brown Award for the Best Family History Award presented by the Arkansas Historical Association for her article titled "The Tapestry: Hall, Wayland, Skidmore, and Cowgill Families" presented during the 2011 Fall Quarterly Meeting and published in the October, 2011, Izard County Historian publication. Cowgill received one of the ten awards given to county and local journals around the state at a ceremony during the Association's annual banquet on April 13, 2012, at Fayetteville.
Suzanne Runsick, Chairman of the Projects and Events Committee, announced the Annual Essay Award Winners. Paige Yutsus, a sophomore at Calico Rock High School, and Kaylee Guthrie, an 8th grade student at Izard County Consolidated High School, received certificates, $35 in prize money, and a subscription to the society publication for submitting their essays.
Dr. Brooks Blevins, a Violet Hill native, was the speaker for the program. He is the Noel Boyd Associate Professor of Ozarks Studies at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. He reviewed his latest book titled Ghost of the Ozarks: Murder and Memory in the Upland South, which was released in March by the University of Illinois Press. The book details the 1929 murder of drifter Connie Franklin and the rape of his teenage fiancée in Stone County, Arkansas. The arrest and trial of five men for these crimes brought national attention to Stone County. Blevins recounted the events of the murder investigation and trial when a man claiming to be the murder victim – the "Ghost" of the Ozarks appeared to testify.
The Hospitality Committee, composed of Suzanne Cook Runsick, Dot Byler Sanders, and Beth Peck Cooper, presented "Fruit of the Vine and More", a historic look at fermentation as a food preservation technique and the rise and fall of the Ozark "Moonshine" industry. The committee's historic research and recipes were included in a complimentary booklet titled "Fruit of The Vine" presented to the members and guests.
The refreshment tables featured grapevine focus with floral arrangements in antique crockery surrounding by display board of vintage photographs. The various arrays of treats, included "spirited" and "non-spirited" goodies, were all homemade by Joan Mabry, Loye Dean Lawrence, Bill and Chieko Johnson, and Delmus and Betty Johnson, the Hosts and Hostesses of the meeting, using vintage recipes.
Jana Cowgill receives award from Arkansas Historical Association
Jana Cowgill, left, winner of award, with Mary Cooper Miller, Editor of the Izard County Historian.
Photo submitted by Frances Jernigan
The Izard County Historian, the quarterly publication of the Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society, won the Walter L. Brown County and Local Journal Award for the Best Family History at the 2012 Arkansas Historical Association's annual convention.
Held on April 13, 2012, in Fayetteville, the award was presented to Jana Cowgill of Mountain Home, author of "The Tapestry: Hall, Wayland, Skidmore, and Cowgill Families", which was published in the October, 2011, issue of the Historian. Also present for the presentation of the award was Mary Cooper Miller of Batesville, Editor of the Historian.
Cowgill, who owns the Cowgill Insurance Agency at Mountain Home, is a graduate of Calico Rock High School and the University of Arkansas.
During her research on the Hall family, Jana discovered her ancestor John Hall, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, was a native of King and Queen County, Virginia. In his later years, he moved to Williamson County, Tennessee. His descendants were listed in Izard County, Arkansas, on the 1850 census.
Cowgill received one of the ten awards to county and local journals around the state. These annual awards were presented during the banquet. The theme for the 71st annual conference was "A Divided Arkansas" commemorating the Arkansas Sesquicentennial observance of the 150th anniversary of the War Between the States.
Arkansas Pioneers held Centennial Celebration Luncheon
Arkansas Pioneers members include left to right: Justin and Elizabeth Daigle, W. J. Cooper, Jr.,Frances Jernigan, Carolyn and Ben Atkinson, and Linda Carol Cooper.
Not pictured Clint Harris and Mary Cooper Miller.
Photo submitted by Keith Jernigan
The state association of Arkansas Pioneers held a Centennial Luncheon at the Arkansas Governor's Mansion in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Thursday, April 5, 2012.
Organized in 1912 by Mrs. Harriet Woodruff Jabine, daughter of W. E. Woodruff, founder of the Arkansas Gazette, the objects of the association are to honor and preserve the traditions of Pioneer Ancestors and to quicken and preserve the spirit of patriotism; to promote the study and preservation of the History of Arkansas; to locate and preserve historic spots and memorials dedicated to these; and to foster loyalty to Country and State.
Richard Butler, Jr., President of the Arkansas Pioneer Association of Pulaski County, served as Master of Ceremonies for the Centennial Luncheon. Speakers for the celebration included the following panelists: The Honorable Morris Arnold of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals; The Honorable Robert Brown of the Arkansas Supreme Court; Ms. Cathie Matthews, Director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage; and William Worthen, Jr., Director of the Historic Arkansas Museum.
Arkansas Pioneer members with Izard County Ancestors are Clint Harris, Bonnie Williams Cone Hooper, and Keith and Frances Hook Jernigan of Little Rock; Mary Cooper Miller of Batesville; W. J. Cooper, Jr., Linda Carol Cooper, and Justin and Elizabeth Daigle of Melbourne; Waylan Cooper of Russellville, and Ben and Carolyn Atkinson of Leachville. They are also active members of the Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society.
The members and guests enjoyed a tour of the Governor's Mansion and the gardens following the 100th Birthday Celebration Luncheon.
Brockwell gospel singers and Izard historians met
Ms. Anna Floyd shared the history of the Izard County Singing Convention
and the history of the Brockwell Music School at the July meeting of the Izard
County Historical and Genealogical Society.
and the history of the Brockwell Music School at the July meeting of the Izard
County Historical and Genealogical Society.
The Izard County Singing Convention met for the regular monthly Sunday afternoon singing on July 8, 2012, at 2 p.m. in the Orgel Mason Memorial Auditorium on the campus of the Brockwell Music School on Highway 9 North at Brockwell, Arkansas. Reverend Mike Haney, president of the convention, welcomed guests and members of the Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society to the session of gospel singing and music.
Following the singing, the historical society met for their summer quarterly meeting. The Inspirational Moment, presented by Margaret Mason and Deloris Bookout, featured a reading titled, "The Touch of the Master's Hand", which recognized the importance of religious beliefs in the lives of pioneer families. Several antique photos of the Reverend F. E. Hall family were displayed along with musical instruments and old convention song books of the Hall and Cooper family ancestors.
W. J. "Bud" Cooper, Jr., president of the society, introduced Anna Floyd as the guest speaker for the meeting. Floyd has served as Manager of the Brockwell Music School for the past eleven years. Floyd earned a BA degree in Music from Oklahoma City University, and she is the daughter of the late L. L. Floyd, a founder of the music school and of the singing convention. Floyd discussed the history of the Izard County Singing Convention, which began in 1910, and the Brockwell Gospel Music School, which was established in 1947.
The music school recently concluded its 65th session on June 22, 2012, with a closing program that featured Southern Gospel Music written in the shape note method performed by approximately 125 students who completed vocal, guitar, and piano lessons; music theory; sight reading; ear training; and song directing instructions. The Izard County based school, one of the few active music schools in the southern states specializing in the shape note method of music writing, is widely known and respected in the gospel music field.
The Hospitality Committee of the society, composed of Suzanne Cook Runsick, Dot Byler Sanders, and Beth Peck Cooper, served as hostesses for the meeting. The committee presented "Garden Fresh", a historic look at vegetable cultivation and programs established in our country in the early 1900's. The Victory Gardens were established under the National War Garden Commission in 1917-18 and encouraged Americans to assist with the war effort. The United States School Garden Army during World War I was an effort to make agricultural education a formal part of the public school curriculum in the nation's schools. The committee's historic research and recipes were included in a complimentary booklet given to the guests and members.
The refreshment tables featured fresh garden produce, flower arrangements, herbs, and displays of pictures taken during the early 1900's. The various treats were all homemade by the committee using vintage recipes.
Izard historians hold annual meeting
The fall quarterly meeting of the Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society was held on Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 2 p.m. in the Izard County Senior Center south of Brockwell, Arkansas.
Deloris Bookout and Elizabeth Daigle conducted the Opening Ceremony, and the Inspiration Activity was presented by Deloris Bookout during this Annual Meeting.
President W. J. “Bud” Cooper presented the Board of Directors Report for the year. Officer and committee chairmen reports were presented. Officers for the year 2013 were elected, and the Installation Ceremony was conducted by Mary Cooper Miller. The new officers include W. J. “Bud” Cooper — President; Justin Daigle — 1st Vice President; Terry Williams — 2nd Vice President; Deloris Bookout — 3rdVice President; Jan Rorie — Recording Secretary; Carolyn Atkinson — Corresponding Secretary; Sandy Smith — Treasurer; and Wayne Moore — Executive Member. Musical entertainment of county, bluegrass, and gospel music was provided by Gerald Cooper, Wayne Moore, W. J. “Bud” Cooper, and Linda Carol Cooper. Billy Brooks, another musician and singer with the group, was unable to attend that afternoon.
The Host and the Hostesses of the meeting, Justin and Elizabeth Daigle, Debra Sutterfield, and Linda Carol Cooper, served refreshments that featured the savory flavors of the fall season.
Following the meeting, members, guests, and the public were invited to visit the society’s new Archival Room in the Old Hospital Building in Melbourne to view the room and to examine and purchase back issues of The Izard County Historian publication for sale. All back issues currently in stock are priced at $3 each. Contact the Izard County Historical and Genealogical Society at P.O. Box 877 Melbourne, AR 72556 for issue availability and mailing instructions.