Marion Co TOC

       There was pro-Union, anti-secessionist sentiment in many parts of the South in 1861. Going under various local names, Peace Society, Peace and Constitutional Society, Heroes of America, and many others, these "secret, oath-bound" organizations were discovered in 1861 and early 1862 in every Confederate state but Louisiana.
       In Arkansas those conservatives who opposed secession, and especially opposed military service to dissolve the Union, openly expressed anti-secessionist or pro-Union sentiments prior to the hard fought Secession Convention of February 1861. After Arkansas seceded May 6, pro-Union sentiment became tantamount to treason, and its expression was limited to secret, oath- bound organizations. This paper will give a brief synopsis of the discovery of the secret Unionist/anti-Confederate movement in Arkansas in 1861 and the Arkansas Confederate response.
       Although there were pro-Union organizations active as early as the secession convention, it was the Confederate efforts to raise troops that brought the anti-secessionists into real conflict with their Confederate neighbors and the Confederate authorities. Immediately after secession, Arkansas' newly formed military board began raising regiments for service both within Arkansas and east of the Mississippi. Even in strongly unionist mountain counties, men were raising Confederate companies, although some enlistees joined only under duress. Private Andrew J. Garner from Searcy County stated, "I was told I could go with Company K, 14th Arkansas or look up a tree to be hanged from." When Garner's one year enlistment was up in 1862, he left for the Federal lines at Helena and enlisted in the Federal Second Arkansas Cavalry. This was a familiar pattern for Arkansas mountaineers.
       In the Ouachita Mountains of Montgomery, Pike and Polk counties, Unionism was alive and well in the constituency of Pike County's Samuel "Preacher" Kelley, one of the five who had originally voted against secession at the Secession Convention. In October 1861, William Foster of Montgomery County reported sixteen of his neighbors to Governor Henry Rector for expressing pro-Union sentiments. He stated that he was sorry to inform the governor that Abe Lincoln had as many friends in Montgomery County as he did in neighboring Pike and Polk counties, and that they had not gone out of the Union for they stick to the Union yet. He reported an anti-Confederate service organization, a committee of Union men that dared anybody to touch one of them. They did not intend to go fight until they were drafted, and, when their community was canvassed for Confederate volunteers, they had formed a sham company of twenty-five men which would stay at home. Jack and Elijah Putnam let the secret out when they proclaimed, "Boys, come on; you shant have to go off to fight. Join us. We will stay right here." Of the sixteen men named by Foster, three are found in the 16th Arkansas Infantry, but nine enlisted in the Federal Fourth Arkansas Cavalry. Foster knew the sentiments of his neighbors.
       At the same time that the Putnams were obstructing Confederate recruiting in Montgomery County, General Edmund Burgevin was trying to raise a regiment from north central Arkansas. On October 8, Burgevin wrote to Governor Rector that no company of volunteers had yet reported to him at Carrollton and that there appeared to be a great apathy and want of spirit among the people in that portion of the country. He found that one of his greatest difficulties was that too many men wanted to be captains, and all had excuses for not joining. Burgevin feared that there was wide spread disinclination to enlist, particularly for a longer period than twelve months.
       During these recruiting efforts, John Holmes, a twenty year old married farm laborer from northwestern Van Buren County, revealed to Confederate authorities that he had been initiated into a secret society opposed to the Confederate war effort, particularly to service in the army. He told enough about the secret society that General Burgevin hurried to Clinton to meet with Colonel Jerome B. Lewis. The Van Buren County militia chief confirmed that a secret anti-Confederate organization existed and informed the General that he had called up one hundred militiamen who were arresting suspected members and who had discovered their constitution and secret signs of recognition. Within three weeks the militia's first lot of twenty-seven prisoners was marched to Little Rock where they were imprisoned. Two days later the Daily State Journal reported that the secret organization was called a Peace and Constitutional Society and that it had 700 members in Searcy, Van Buren, Newton and Izard counties with 1,700 members throughout the state. They had signs and passwords and were furnished with supplies of money from the Northern camps, as well as arms and ammunition. Their constitution made it obligatory upon every member to risk his life to aid another in distress, and to kill a member who revealed their secrets.
        Jehoiada J. Ware, a Peace Society leader, was Fulton County's representative to the Thirteenth General Assembly in 1861. He had been in Little Rock at a Special Session of the legislature the second week in November, and was going home through Van Buren County, when he learned that Colonel Lewis was arresting Peace Society members. In one day he rode the seventy-five miles from Clinton to his home where he spent five hours warning fellow society members in Fulton, Marion and Izard counties that they were discovered. Then he and forty men who felt threatened by the discovery of the society fled to Rolla, Missouri. Ware and thirty-five of his fellow Arkansans joined Colonel John S. Phelps' Six-Month Missouri Infantry Volunteers and were sworn in December 1 as Company G. Ware was made captain. The Arkansas volunteers said that a Union society in Izard, Fulton, Independence and Searcy counties was betrayed by a recent member, and was broken and scattered. Other Arkansas Unionists continued to join Ware's company so that by the end of the year his company counted seventy-eight men, sixty-three identified from Fulton and neighboring Arkansas counties. After Ware and company left Fulton and Izard counties, those left behind fell under the scrutiny of loyal Confederate citizens. Two vigilante companies began arresting suspected Peace Society members, even pursuing them twenty or twenty-five miles into Missouri as they fled, and hanging two of them.. The vigilantes sent their prisoners, whom they did not hang, to Little Rock.
       Once exposed in Van Buren and Fulton counties, adjoining Izard County discovered, on November 18, that it had a Peace Society problem in Harris and Sylamore Townships on the Searcy County line. It was identified as a secret conspiracy against the laws and liberties of the people, extending from Fulton County through Izard and perhaps Searcy and Van Buren counties. Citizens formed vigilante groups and arrested suspected Peace Society members. An ad hoc investigating committee looked into the secret conspiracy, examined the prisoners and found that the prisoners, and others not located, had formed a secret organization with a constitution, by laws and secret signs. The committee believed that the secret organization was treasonable and dangerous, but that the prisoners, whom they knew, were young and ignorant of the society's aims. Therefore, the committee decided that the prisoners should wipe out their foul stain by enlisting in Confederate service for the war. The committee gave the forty-seven prisoners the opportunity to enlist and every one of them immediately enrolled as volunteers in the Confederate service. We do not know what the alternative was. The committee reported their actions to the Governor and stated that the volunteers would leave for Colonel Solon Borland's headquarters at Pocahontas as soon as transportation was available.
       When Borland learned of the Izard County activity, he sent two infantry companies to Sylamore and Harris Townships to suppress the movement, but the troops found that the local citizens had the situation well in hand. Borland reported, ". . . the troubles in that quarter were found to be less serious than they had been represented to me, though they were sufficiently so to require prompt attention. By the time my expedition arrived at the scene of these troubles the loyal citizens of the several neighborhoods had organized themselves into companies of Home Guards for their own protection, and had so far regained the ascendancy as to leave but little more for the force I had. . . than to aid in collecting the prisoners who were taken or had voluntarily given themselves up." Inquiring into the prisoners' character and antecedents, he did not find them "guilty of such overt acts of disloyalty as would warrant any severity of punishment. . . They are not found to have engaged in any act of open disloyalty to our Government," The volunteers proclaimed their innocence, alleging that they had been misled by others who had escaped from the country, and in order to prove their sincerity and their loyalty to the South they were willing to volunteer in the military service and take the oath of allegiance.
       Concurrently, citizens in the eastern Searcy County township of Locust Grove discovered a similar secret society and began arresting their neighbors. On November 20, Samuel Leslie, Searcy County's militia colonel, learned that about one hundred people in Locust Grove Township were arresting and confining their neighbors. At Locust Grove, Leslie found about fifty men from Locust Grove and adjoining Big Flat Townships and from neighboring Sylamore Township, Izard County, who had discovered a secret anti-Confederate society and had turned out voluntarily to arrest the suspected society members. The first man arrested disclosed the whole secret of sworn bond with signs and passwords. The excitement was high and it did not take much urging on the part of local citizens to persuade Leslie to callout the militia. He thought that there would be a premeditated attempt at insurrection.
       The arrests of these first few days were traumatic and the Peace Society members did a great deal of soul searching to determine what was best for their families. Alexander Copeland discussed with a neighbor whether it was better to remain and take the consequences or try to make their way north through the enemy's country. Benjamin Gary had gone into the woods when he heard of the arrests being made. Militia Captain John Redwine sent word to those hiding in the woods that if they would surrender and come into Burrowville, they would not harm "airy hair" on their heads. Militia squads scoured the Searcy County countryside and took the Union men by force from their homes or wherever they found them and conducted them under close guard to the county seat.
       Disturbed by their betrayal and the aggressive action of the Arkansas Militia, between thirty and forty Searcy County Peace Society members met to protest the society's innocence. They passed resolutions declaring the peacefulness of the society and their willingness for a full investigation. They declared that the society only intended to protect its members as a last resort, without interfering with any seceder or his property, and claiming for its members only the fundamental right to think and act as independent American citizens. But they also stated that they were ready to take up arms against any body of robbers, North or South, to maintain the peace of their country and to preserve the liberties of its citizens. The members stated they would not submit to being tried for crimes of which they were not guilty and would defend themselves by force of arms.
       Concurrently at Camp Culloden in south eastern Carroll County, Captain John Homer Scott, commanding Pope County Volunteer Cavalry, discovered another manifestation of the Peace Society and arrested some of its members. Men in Searcy County's Tomahawk Township, north of the Buffalo River, were raising a company to liberate the Peace Society members held in Burrowville and Clinton. Under interrogation, Scott's prisoners identified their neighbors who were pro-Union or who belonged to the Peace Society. In response to this information, Scott began arresting suspected society members who were implicated in the plan to release the prisoners. The ringleaders of the movement were arrested and held, along with twenty others, to be turned over to Confederate authorities in Little Rock.
       Leslie informed the Governor of the situation in Searcy County and why he had called the militia into service, and asked what the Governor wanted done with the prisoners. Governor Rector received Leslie's report the same day that the first batch of prisoners arrived from Van Buren County, and cabled President Jefferson Davis to report the discovery of a secret conspiracy against the Confederate government. Then he replied to Leslie saying that he regretted extremely that any citizens should prove disloyal, and ordered Leslie to arrest all men in Searcy County friendly to the Lincoln government, or hostile to the Confederate States. He also directed Leslie to march his prisoners to Little Rock where they would be dealt with as enemies of their country. This overrode any promises that the militia officers had made of lenient treatment, or that they would not hurt "airy hair" on their heads.
       On December 3, Governor Rector advised Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin that he had notified the President of the arrest of Arkansas citizens involved in a conspiracy against the South, and that he had received no answer. The Governor wanted the approval of the Secretary or the President for enlisting the Izard County prisoners in Confederate service. The Secretary replied two days later that it was impossible for him to give directions without more information and he advised Governor Rector to use his own judgment.
       In the meantime, the Searcy County Militia continued to arrest their Unionist neighbors until there were eighty prisoners in the log courthouse in Burrowville. On December 9, Leslie started his prisoners for Little Rock, chained in pairs with tap rings around their necks, the rings connected by trace chains, a log chain connected the pairs in one long coffle. The implication was not lost on Benjamin Gary whose family remembered that they were chained like slaves. Leslie's orders to the officer in charge of the escort stated, "Sir, you will convey the prisoners now in your care safely to Little Rock, and there deliver them up to the Executive of the State. . . You will also be careful that they are not mistreated while under your care by anyone." The 125 mile trip took six days and when they arrived the prisoners were marched immediately into the senate chambers, still in chains, where Governor Rector read excerpts from the Confederate constitution and laws about treason. He informed them that they were guilty of treason according to the law, that they deserved the death penalty, and would be held for trial even if it took several months.
       The escort officers spoke in the prisoners' behalf and the Governor offered them the opportunity to join the Confederate army in lieu of being tried for treason. Everyone enlisted, except two Baptist preachers whom the Confederates thrust into jail without giving them an opportunity to enlist.
       The same day that the Burrowville prisoners were started toward Little Rock, Captain Scott ordered a 75 man guard to deliver his prisoners safely into the custody of the Governor. The prisoners included three Missionary Baptist preachers, a Southern Methodist preacher, a schoolteacher, a physician, a tanner and fifteen farmers. All but five of the Camp Culloden prisoners enlisted in Confederate service. Seven Searcy County men who had bound themselves to appear before the Governor enlisted with Captain Scott's prisoners, as well as sixteen Peace Society prisoners from Van Buren County.
       Despite Rector's threat that the Peace Society prisoners would be held several months for trial, their stay was relatively short. On December 24, thirteen Fulton County prisoners and six witnesses appeared before the Military Board to testify about the secret organization. Seven were held for trial. Of the seven who stood trial, two denied that they knew anything about a secret organization, but four admitted some connection with the Peace Society. All those who testified agreed that the society was for keeping down mobs and protecting their property, and all stated that they were Southern men. The grand jury failed to find true bills against the Peace Society members on charges of treason, so they were given the Confederate oath and released. The Van Buren County prisoners were brought before a grand jury in January which also failed to find true bills against them, because the evidence showed that their offense consisted more of words and threats than overt acts. The prisoners were released upon taking the oath of allegiance. The Searcy County prisoners were similarly released. The True Democrat feared that when these men were released to go home, that a conflict would arise between them and the citizens whose lives they had threatened. They concluded that if they really favored the South they had an opportunity to show their loyalty; if they favored the North, then they could go north, as it was cheaper to fight them than to feed them.

       I'm beginning to think I sound like a broken record 'cuz I keep repeating the same things. Each is so amazing to us here at the Bush that we just have to share them with all of you. "Big Blue" is still selling very well most weeks three or four more get mailed. Early Days and War Times by T. J. Estes is selling almost faster than we can keep them on the shelves. The Supplement to "Big Blue" is coming together nicely and should be ready by Christmas. Looks like it's going to be about as thick and heavy as its predecessor so you know it'll be filled with exciting data. There's no way to thank all the folks who shared their research for this book. It's just unbelievable how wonderful so many, many people have been.
       Before I forget, I want to thank James Johnston for the fine article he produced for us on the Peace Society. I, for one, learned I really didn't know anywhere near as much as I thought I did. And I'd like all of you to know that James' Eleventh Annual Ancestor Fair in Leslie in June was, as usual, everything it's cracked up to be - and more.
       And the Marion County web page on the Internet has done it again. In May it won the award from ARGENWEB as the best - the very, very BEST! - web page in all of Arkansas!! Linda Haas Davenport continues to produce one of the most exceptional, informative, educational, factual, and well-organized genealogical pages on the web. And the artful touches Rhio Gillis drops in here and there are delightful. Our hats are off to both these wonderful gals. They have our heartfelt thanks and deep appreciation for all they do for Marion County. The BEST!!! Golly!!!
       Although there was a lots of discussion and planning with the Marion Co. Library Board during all the expansion at the library, it turned out we didn't get an inch more space. We're still in that little closet-sized room. Our research collection just keeps growing, and, as many of you know, we were really hurting for space. So, two weeks ago we rearranged things and added 45 feet of shelves. We'll have skinny shelves for the microfilm too. Think you'll like the changes.
       Right now we're asking everyone to help us again. Our next big project is a pictorial history of Marion Co. For this we need pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. PLACES - houses, barns, stores, hotels, jails, bridges, churches, schools swimming holes, boat docks, grist mills, EVENTS - parades, picnics, hunts, tractor pulls, making sorghum, reunions. THINGS - grind stones, Civil War stuff, boats, wagons, muskets and old guns, wash tubs, mining stuff, horses and mules And PEOPLE, of course. The older the better, but no later than 1930. Please DO NOT send original photos. Copies only. Reprints or laser copies are the best for good, clear pictures that will reproduce well in print. Scanned into a computer is fine too, but they use a lot of memory. Be sure each one is identified with what it is, where It is, who it is, and dated. HGSMCA, PO Box 761, Yellville AR 72687 will get them to us.
           Vicki Roberts, Editor

Included here is more of the 1893 County Voters' Lists. This list is now on-line at the Marion Co Site

Included here is more of the 1891 Real Estate Tax List. This list is now on-line at the Marion Co Site

       At an early date these Ozark Mountains attracted settlers of whose descendants are found here today. For many years as the population increased people were left having the gospel preached by anyone who happened to drift in among them.
       It seems there is no positive date available as to the birth of Methodists in this area. The records at hand show that long before the Civil War, Methodists were from time to time sending men into the roughest of these mountains with the good news of the gospel.
       In fact, the Arkansas Conference tried for 50 years to gain a "foot- hold" in the mountains of North Arkansas. Our earliest records show in 185l Isacc Wilson was one of the first members and Henderson Fee in 1853 was recorded to have been part of the Methodist Society.
       Sometime before the Civil War, a little frame building was constructed as a place of worship for these Methodists here in Yellville. Marion County was on the border line between the North and the South during the Civil War and Yellville was overrun by both armies. The Methodist Church (as the other churches in the county) was burned during this time by bushwhackers.
       However, in the year 1866, Rev. John Henry Wade, came to Yellville where he held a revival meeting under a brush arbor at what is known now as Camp Creek (south of Yellville off highway 14). It was at this time that the Methodist Church of Yellville was reorganized with Huldah M. Berry, Amanda M. Oliver, and James B. Wilson professing faith in Jesus Christ and Rebecca M. Bearden, Harriet C. Carlyle, and Martha Tatum joining the church by transferring their membership to the Yellville Methodist Episcopal Church, South.  
       The Rev. Wade served as pastor until the Arkansas Conference met at Dover, Arkansas, on November 3, 1867, when he was ordained an Elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church by Bishop Marvin. Rev. Wade was sent back to the Yellville Circuit where he reorganized Methodism in Marion, Baxter, Boone and Searcy Counties in the hills of Arkansas until his death Decemberber 7, 1895, at which time under his leadership and circuit preachers, 314 people had found faith in Jesus Christ through the Methodist Church, at Yellville and our present sanctuary was built (1889).
       He died in great faith saying, "Tell the preachers the way is clear!" And the preachers came and the lay men and women worked and prayed and the Yellville Methodist Church began a work for Jesus Christ.

Methodist Church

Prepared by Mae Patterson

Membership Info. by Nancy Holochwost

Edited by Richard Schisler

John Henry Wade was born in Tennessee, November 5, 1861 and was married to Miss Julia Ann Davidson and moved to Dunklin County, Mo., joined the St. Louis Conference in 1861 and was at the same time ordained deacon. His first appointment was Chalk Bluff Mission, which he had during the entire period of the Civil War, the St. Louis Conference not meeting till 1866. At which time he was sent to Grand Prairie Circuit. (The records show that many of the preachers at the close of the war did not take the charges they were assigned to.) But he came to Yellville, Ark., instead, where lie was ordained elder by Bishop Marvin. He was sent back to the Yellville Circuit, where he reorganized Methodism in Marion, Baxter, Boone, and Searcy counties. The remainder of his ministry was in this section. Four children grew to maturity: John, George became ministers Jonas and Mary (were the other two children). His second marriage was to Miss Henrietta Wells. He died December 7, 1895, and is buried at Valley Springs, Arkansas. His preaching was of the evangelistic type. He was a great exhorter and was successful in holding, organizing churches, and defending the doctrines of the Church, especially against the exclusive immersionists of that day. He was small of stature, but had great energy. He hated sham and pretense, but loved the Church and humanity. He died in great faith, saying: "Tell the preachers the way is clear!"
Taken from Centennial History of Arkansas Methodism, By- James A. Armstrong D. D., LL. D. Page 147. Mrs. Mae Patterson, Church Historian

1. JOHN HENRY WADE, Parson, b KY 1822 d Boone Co. AR 7 Dec 1895 bu Valley Springs, Boone Co. AR m/l Scott Co. MO 12 Oct 1843 JULIA ANN DAVIDSON/DAVISON b McCracken Co. KY 1826 d MCAR 1887 bu Adams Cemetery; m/2 HENRIETTA WELLS.In Union Township 1870.

SOURCES: "Cemeteries of Marion Co. "by Marian Burnes; Marion Co. 1870, 1880 census; "Marion CO. 1890" by Helen McMindes; "Marriage Records of Marion CO. 1887-1896" by Marian Burnes & Vicki Roberts; "Marriage Records of Marion CO. 1896-1905" by Marian Burnes & Vicki Roberts: "Marriage Records of Marion CO. 1905-1917" by Marian Burnes & Vicki Roberts; "Genealogies of Marion Co. Families 1811-1900" by Mysty McPherson & Vicki Roberts.

       Queries is published in Bramble Bush as a service to researchers who may wish to exchange information of mutual historic and/or genealogical interests. Queries from both members and non-members are accepted, and are published in order of receipt, as space permits. If you respond to a query, kindly send a copy of your answer to Bramble Bush. Responsibility for accuracy of data in queries rests with the submitter.

       The Bramble Bush is published quarterly by the Historic Genealogical Society of Marion County Arkansas, PO Box 554, Yellville AR 72687. EDITORIAL STAFF: Editor, Vicki Roberts; Design/Production, Mysty McPherson; Art Work, Bonnie Sanders; Queries, Mary Birrer; Subscriptions, Barbara Holland; Printing, Quality Quick Printing, 828 Pine St., Harrison AR 72601; Contributing writers: L. Don Ott, Mysty McPherson, Janice Mears, Angela Miller. HGSMCA Officers: Chair Vicki Roberts; Vice-Chair, Don Duggins; Secretary, Mary Birrer; Treasurer, Barbara Holland; Grants/Purchasing Mysty McPherson.