I Remember ....

Remembering Dr. Anderson ...

This article appeared in the Lincoln Ledger on 12 Jan 1994
Dr. Edmund Cheersmund Goodmund Anderson was numbered among the leading Physicians of Lincoln County.
   His birth took place in October of 1834 in the state of Virginia. He was educated at Brownsville, Tennessee and also at Richmond, Virginia where he received his Medical Degree, graduating in 1855.
   Previous to this date he had moved to White County, Arkansas, living at Searcy for several years. Later Dr. Anderson moved to Lincoln County locating on Bayou Bartholomew. In 1871 he came to Star City where he had a large and lucrative practice and where he remained untilhis death in December of 1880.
   Doctor Anderson belonged to the Masonic Lodge, The Knights of Hope, and politizally was a member of the Democratic Party. In connection with his popularity and success he was largely intereste in agricultural matters as a farmer.
   Few men have been, at any time or in any County, more generally liked and respected as was Dr. Anderson by the citizens of Lincoln County. A devoted member of the Baptist Church, a thoroughly charitabel and kindly man, and with all most intellectual, the Doctor easily won friends. He enlisted in the Confederate Army in March 1862, and was wounded in Corinth, Mississippi the same year. He was taken prisoner while there and and was tenderly cared for by the Rutledge family. Upon returning home he joined Colonel Thompson's Regiment, of which he was made a Surgeon, serving until the close of the war.
   Dr. Anderson married Maria L. Jones of Alabama, the daughter of Henry P. Jones. The ceremony was performed in May of 1861, and of this union five children were born, of whom only two survived. Their son E.C.G. Anderson born in March of 1870 and their daughter Sadie Anderson Quinn, born in 1873, both at Tyro, Arkansas.
   The family belonged to the Baptist Church. Words are after all entirely inadequate to render full justice to the memory of such men as Doctor Anderson, one of whom all men honor. Doctor Anderson is the grandfather of Mrs. Iris Anderson Curry, who is a resident of Lincoln County.

I Remember Emanuel Alexander Mullikin ...

The family moved from South Carolina to Tippah County, Mississippi between 1852 and 1854. The reason I have concluded the time period, is that the 1860 Census lists James, born in 1852, as being born in Mississippi. Emanuel Alexander Mullikin, was born November 16, 1842 in Anderson Area, South Carolina. He died December 9, 1899 in Feenyville, Star City, Arkansas, and is buried in Heflin Cemetery, Star City. The family had relocated to Tippah County, Mississippi. When the Civil War broke out, the family was still in Mississippi, and Emanuel enlisted in the 23rd Regiment of Mississippi Volunteers, at Luka, on September 19, 1861. He served with Company F, and the Blackland Gideonites. He served, along with his brother Leander, under Capt. J. M. Wells, 2nd regiment, 1st brigade. He and Leander have the same military history. They were captured at Fort Donelson, Tenn. on February 16, 1862. They were sent to Camp Morton, Indianapolis, Indiana. Here they were in a prisoner of war exchange in August 1862, and they again fought with their unit. The 23rd surrendered at Vicksburg, Mississippi on July 4, 1863. They later located in Jackson, Mississippi, and reenlisted with CSA under Capt. J. S. Thompson and Generals Tilgman, A.C. Alcorn and F.M. Boone. The continued serving until 1864. After returning home from the war, Emanuel married the widow of David W. Feagin, Edna M. Geno Feagin, on August 1, 1865, in Tippah County, Mississippi. David and Edna had married, December 19, 1860, and had one son, Thomas Jefferson Feagin, born in 1862. David served in the same unit as Emanuel and Leander, but died while at Camp Morton, and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana. Edna was the daughter of Francis and Mary Geno. Emanuel and Edna had a son, William Edward Mullikin, born June 13, 1866, in Tippah County. Edna died during the period of time and Emanuel's second marriage to Margaret Elizabeth Morgan, on December 7, 1868. She was daughter of Jacob and Allie Reed Morgan. To this union were born two children, Rufus Kendrick Mullikin, and Agnes Allie Mullikin. Rufus was born in Mississippi and Agnes was born in Arkansas. Thomas Jefferson Feagin remained in Mississippi at this time.
Submitted by Peggy J Riley Reichard.

Lera Martha Mullikin ...

"I remember" by Wendy Gayle Walkup Barry, grand-daughter of Lera Martha Mullikin
She lived with my father when she became ill from cancer, and he cared for her until she died. She had a house in Wagoner, Oklahoma that he kept until her death. She raised Toy Poodles, Miniature Schnauzer, Miniature Yorkshire Terriers, etc. She had a kennel in her back yard that they ran around in. They barked when they thought it was necessary and she would open the back door and let them have it with the loudest "Shut Up" we ever heard. You could go to her house at different times in the year and she would have newborn puppies in her den, that she was keeping warm, etc. She made them special dog food on the stove that consisted of Bil Jac and some kind of dry food with some milk or water mixed in. She would tease me and tell me that was my breakfast or that she had just made my dad a nice lunch. She also watched other people's unusual pets for them while they were out of town, etc. At one time she had 2 Myna Birds and a beautiful Parrot, and they all talked. When you walked into her house, one of the Myna Birds would wolf whistle at you. They were neat. She had some parakeets in her hallway that were laying eggs, and one morning she cracked one open and told me they were a delicacy and she was going to cook it for my breakfast!. The egg was unfertilized. She was funny. She loved Coca-Cola. For a long time the Coke truck made a special delivery to her house. She swore by the 10 oz. bottles, which, when the quit putting them in stores, she was upset since she believed they were the only ones that "tasted" right. I remember one time, she took me and my half sister, Cindy, to a Sonic (Hamburger drive in) in Wagoner, and the "waitress on wheel" had a huge "Passion mark" on her neck, and Grandma let her have it. She told her how disgusting her neck looked and how she should be ashamed of herself. I was in awe of Grandma, but my sister just put her head down in embarassment.  She loved to clip things out of the newspapers. She would always have a shoebox full of them whenever Dad and I would come to visit. We would tease her and tell her what a fire hazard her boxes were, but now we are glad she had them, because they were a great source for my genealogical research. She clipped them out for everyone, including friends. She was a big fan of the tabloids so we had to try to discern whether some of the articles came from the tabloids or not. Some of these articles were easy to tell because I am almost certain that none of our ancestors "gave birth to their own twin"! When Grandma took ill, Daddy moved into her apartment and cared for her there. Meals on Wheels came by to give her lunch if for some reason Tammara (daughter by Gordon's first marriage) could not bring her something. I guess you could say that Daddy and Tammara both took care of her. I was living in California for most of her illness. I regret that she never got to see me get married or see her two beautiful great-grandchildren. Grandma herself had 3 husbands: Harold Clifford Walkup, John Kirk, and Leo Vester Harris.  They only one I ever knew or saw was Grandpa Walkup because of course, he was my grandfather.  She divorced Grandpa Walkup when my father Harold Gordon Walkup and aunt Peggy Jean Walkup were very young.  The other two husbands were gone before I was born also, but that's another story! She sewed a lot of different things; her spare bedroom held several different projects at any given time, and I have one of her sewing machines that she used. I also have several old cameras she had. I don't think she threw much away. The camera collection included a "Brownie". I also have a pearl necklace that she had; it had one single pearl hanging down from a dainty chain, and is so old that the gold is pinkish. We miss her humor and smile very much. To view my grandmother's clippings: Grandma's Shoebox - http://www.rootsweb.com/~okbits/shoebox.html.
Submitted by: Wendy Gayle Walkup-Barry - grand-daughter Email: <WendyGayle@aol.com>

Rufus Kendrick Mullikin ...

Our Memories, by Peggy J. Riley Reichard & Margaret Ellen Mullikin Scifres
Rufus Kendrick Mullikin, or Kendrick, as everyone called him, was born in Tippah County, Mississippi on October 16, 1869, a son of Emanuel Alexander and Margaret Elizabeth Morgan Mullikin. On October 20, 1947, he suffered a stroke (arteriosclerotic heart disease) at his home in Feenyville, and died. He is buried between his two wives in Heflin Cemetery, Star City. Emanuel Alexander, his father, owned a lot of land in Arkansas, and gave to Kendrick, the "Old Cunningham Place", located at Feenyville. The pre-civil war house still stands (1999) but is only used for storage now. Kendrick married Ellen Anne Blasengame on September 11, 1889, at Star City. She was called "Annie" by all. Annie was born July 8,1868 in Mississippi, and died August 10, 1907. She had a child, Rufus Kendrick Mullikin, Jr. on April 13, 1907, and never recovered after the birth. She died of what they termed "milk fever". We have been unable to get a death certificate so we do not know exactly what the diagnosis was at the time. Kendrick and Annie were farmers. It was a hard life, but a good life. Besides farming, Kendrick ran a store at the crossroads, about 1/4 mile north of the farm. When he needed supplies, he drove the horse and wagon to Pine Bluff. Here he slept in the wagon, in the wagon yard, before making the return trip home. The family attended the Lone Grove Missionary Baptist Church, also located north of the crossroads. It was a weatherbeaten, plank building. The church is now located at the crossroads, but is now a brick building. All that were baptized here went to Griffith Springs, and were baptized in Turtle Creek. All the roads in the area were dirt, and were either dusty or muddy. Many people had trouble getting their wagons through the mud. "The Old Military Road" runs past the farm. This is the road the soldiers, on their way to fight at Vicksburg, cut out. The road is now blacktopped and well travelled. The farmhouse had a wide galley, or open hallway, that ran from the back to front of the house. Some people called this a "dog-run". The house was whitewashed and had blue shutters. It had a large porch across the front, and a board fence around the yard to keep the animals out. The stock ran free in the woods, and there was an abundance of food for them there. There were blackberries, persimmons, acorns, grapes, and other wild berries. The family cattle brand was M, and the pigs has a semi-circle at the top of the ears, called an overcrop. Pork hung in the smokehouse, at the rear of the main house, on Bear Grass or Yucca Plant from the front yard. All the cooking was done on an open fireplace or on the old iron cookstove in the kitchen. Flour was kept in a large wooden barrel in the kitchen, and sifted each time before use, to make sure there were no weevels in it. Butter was churned by hand, and then put into a wooden butter mold with a wheat shock pattern on it. This butter mold is now in possession of Margaret Scifres. The kitchen table was made out of planks and had long benches on each side. Kendrick always sat at the head of the table in an old rush chair. The most amazing thing about him was that he did not use a fork to eat his food. He had a thin, flexible, round end knife that he used. He could roll peas down that knife and into his mouth and never miss a one. Everyone ate off of enamelware plates and drank from enamelware cups. Some of the silverware had wooden handles. The only refrigeration they had was a lard can lowered into the hand dug well in the back yard. There was a pie safe in the kitchen where non-perishable food was kept. Wood was used for cooking and heat. All the food was home grown and preserved by smoking or canning. Visitors were always welcome at this home. There was plenty of food, fun, laughter, work, and a place to sleep here. We remember the deep feather mattresses on the beds. The beds were made out of thin rods of iron and then painted. It was wonderful to snuggle there on a cold winter night. The hayfields were seeded with Blue Stem Grass. Once it was seeded, it grew on its own. Hickory Cane Corn was always planted, and the fields were plowed in two directions. This was called Checking. A one room log house stood across the road from the farmhouse. This is where Kendrick went to school. Another school was built later, 1/4 mile west of the crossroads. It was made of planks instead of logs. A mile east of Kendrick's farm stood another log house. This was the home of his father and mother, Emanuel and Margaret. These two buildings no longer stand. All the water was drawn from hand dug wells. There was one in the front and one in the back of the house. Kendrick always grew big, lucious watermelons and cantaloupes. He would put them in the branch (creek), which ran in front of the house, to cool them before cutting. This branch had an old wooden bridge over it so that cars and wagons could approach the house. As children we were permitted to wade in the branch, and sometimes we fell in accidently and got out clothes all wet. Ha. We were then permitted to swim, or "MudCrawl" since the branch was very shallow. The branch had smooth, white, washed stones on the bottom, and water was crystal clear. There wasnt much pollution then. The creek no longer runs. There was an apple orchard and a pond near the house. We fished there with string and a bent straight pin and caught "Sunnies". Around 1900 there was a sawmill that stood near where the pond. This was the sawmill of Stephen O. Feeny. Sunday afternoon was a wonderful time to sit on porch and laugh and talk. This was the only day of rest on the farm. The children played hopscotch in the dirt. There was no complaining about being bored, or work was found for you to do. One thing "I" remember, being the youngest, the older kids always tried to get away from me. My sister, Mickey and Margaret Ellen tied me to a tree and ran off before I could get loose. I remember the two of them hanging on the cow's tails and being pulled along, as they brought them in for milking in the evening. Even in those days, there were few "Angels" flying over Feenyville. The lye soap was made in large iron kettles in the back yard.  Unfortunately, this was tragic for one of the children, Margaret Agnes. She was playing and fell into the pot of boiling soap. As a result of the severe burns, she died 2 days later. She is buried beside her mother, Annie, in Heflin Cemetery. The laundry was done in wash tubs and scubbing board. They were rinsed and wrung out by hand and pinned on clothesline to dry. The ironing was done with a cast iron iron, heated on the back of the stove in the kitchen. To the union of Rufus Kendrick Mullikin & Ellen Anne Blasengame Mullikin were born the following children: Chester Irene, Maggie Mae, Infant, Emanuel Frank, Lewis Dee, Arthur Jackson, Margaret Agnes, Eshter Ophelia, and Rufus Kendrick, Jr. To the union of Rufus Kendrick Mullikin & Belle Monk Mullikin were born the following children: Grace Mae, Buck Creed, Gus Collins, Gladys Inez, Margaret Ellen, and Jake William. Kendrick was a tall man with dark wavy hair and dark brown eyes. Later in life he had snow white hair and a mustache. He was a quiet man, but a stern man. In later years he walked with a cane, and if he pointed that cane and told you to do something, you moved. He loved his family and his God. Ellen Anne had dark hair and eyes. Belle was a tiny woman, standing only 4 foot 11 inches. She had gray eyes and black hair with tiny waves all over. Belle, or Miss Belle, as everyone called her, was always laughing. She was an excellent cook, and made the best fried chicken in the world. She would have surely put Colonel Sanders to shame. She always made everyone that came to her home feel welcome, and we know that we loved her dearly. Gus was retarted and lived with the family until after the death of his mother and father. He died in a nursing home in Star City of poor circulation and heart disease. He is buried beside his mother and father in Heflin Cemetery. We will always remember the warm glow of the fireplace as we sat there in the evening. The only light was the fireplace and an old coal oil light. We will cherish the thoughts for the rest of our lives.
Submittted by Peggy J Riley Reichard, granddaughter.

Joseph "Joe" Floyd Newman ...

I remember going 'down home' to visit my grandpa, Joseph "Joe" Floyd Newman, in the late 1940's. His brother, George Newman had a one room house that sat back off the road that Joe lived in, as Joe never kept anything that he owned. There was an old iron bed with a homemade mattress which was made from ticking and stuffed with hay or cotton, a small dining table, a pot belly stove and a couple of cane bottom chairs. There were nails on the walls for Papa to hang his clothes, saddle, bridle or anything else he could think of. Out back was a smaller house that the roof slanted on and used as a summer kitchen. He would smoke meat in it and cook on the pot belly stove in the winter. He didn't have running water, electricity, telephone, or an intdoor toilet. He rode his horse every where he went. He would only get in a car if he was going a long way from home. If he accepted a ride from anyone, he would stand on the running boards instead of getting inside. The horse had a colt, so you could see Papa riding his horse and the colt following them. Papa had an old fiddle. He played it at barn dances sometimes, but he carried it with him every place and would play it for us anytime. Once at Uncle George's house, my Aunt Cille asked George's wife, Aunt Alice (Blasingame), if she could have a beautiful old highboy dresser if anything happened to her ... this gave me an idea. I went into the parlor and asked Papa if he died could I have his horse. Of course, I got into trouble about doing so, but Papa just laughed and said "Okay, I'll die and will you my horse." Joe was born October 26, 1878 to Charles Vernah and Elvira "Missy" Melissa (Reynolds McLemore) Newman in Feenyville, Lincoln Co. and died August 8, 1950 about one mile from where he was born. He was a horse trader ... trading one thing for another ... and hardly work during his life. He married Virgie Mae Spears on February 24, 1905. They had six children; Effie Harriett, Lucy Elvira, Stark Joseph, Susie Melissa, Julie Mae, and Ralph Leroy (Roy) before Virgie died in 1920. In about 1925, Joe married Ollie Belle (Reaves) Stringfellow. Children born to them were: Herbert McKinley and Ruby Mae. They were divorced around 1930. When Papa died, they sold the horse and colt to buy a tombstone. The old furniture was just left in the house, which fell in. His only other possession left was the fiddle. It had been promised to all of Joe's grandchildren but my mother, Sue, inherited it. It is now encased in a nice shadow box with Papa's pictures and names of old tunes he used to play and a story about it. It hangs in my dining room. I didn't get the horse, but I got the fiddle!
Submitted by Diann McDaniels grand-daughter of Joe Newman E-mail: <DMcda6708@aol.com>