Marion Co TOC

       For centuries the need to communicate has been an ever-present trait of mankind. Drum beats, Carrier pigeons, smoke signals, waving flags, speedy messengers, horns and bugles, letters, newspapers, Pony Express riders, telegraph and telephone, radio, television, computers have appeared throughout history in response to this need. Some are still with us. Some have dropped by the wayside.
       Beginning shortly after the War Between the States, Marion Co. news and local gossip could be found in a variety of local newspapers. These publications were fragile creatures that had to depend on many different things in order to remain living entities in their communities. The population was small and scattered, money was scarce, illiteracy was high, and delivery service was poor. Many papers gave up the ghost or moved to other locations.
       The first newspaper in Marion Co. was The Gazette, founded in Yellville in March 1873 by James H. Graham and Frank Mason. It was short lived, lasting a mere 17 months. Graham and Mason moved their operation to La Crosse in Izard Co. Twelve years later Isaac F. Clark began publishing The Yellville Watchman which lasted two years. About the same time publication of The Vidette began in Yellville, but only lasted a few months.
       The first issue of The Mountain Echo appeared in Yellville 5 March 1886. The first editor-publisher was H. B. Dallam who brought his sheet-fed letterpress and his limited supply of type with him for this purpose. Dallam did not have much success during his two-year ownership and was ready to sell and move on to other things. William R. "W. R." Jones bought the Echo in 1888 and became its editor and publisher. It has lasted by far the longest of all the newspapers - one hundred fourteen years and is still being published today.
       In 1891 a monthly publication called The School Journal was begun by Professor W. B. Scroggins and lasted about a year. In 1897 Colonel W. A. Webber founded a town near the Maryhattianna Mine in southern Marion Co. He served as storekeeper, postmaster, and Justice of the Peace for this small community. Webber also established the newspaper called The Maryhattianna Herald and published it for several years. During this time Maryhattianna could boast of a second paper, The Maryhattianna Signal. In 1900 this was moved to Yellville and became The Weekly Miner
       Historically, most newspapers in Marion Co. were of the Democrat persuasion until the early 1900s when the town of Dodd City produced not one, but two Republican papers. No record of the name nor how long the first paper lasted has been found. However, the second paper, The Dodd City Enterprise, owned by W. T. Williams, was first printed 27 September 1901 and ran for seven years.
        The Yellville Republican, published by A. G. Sperry, was first seen in 1905. These were the peak years of the mining boom in the area, and this paper was primarily concerned with mining news, reports, and data. The year 1928 saw the start of The Flippin Leader which was very short lived. In the early 1940s The Bull Shoals Gazette made its appearance. This paper was published in Flippin by Frank O. and Nell Strickland and later moved to Missouri.
       Roy Sizemore began publishing The Marion County News in May 1972. In March of 1973 Kerm Powers bought the name and the mailing list of this paper. As a result the then 87-year-old Mountain Echo became the only weekly newspaper in the county. This distinction was, however, not to last. In September 1979 The Lake River Times, with Sharon Herner as editor, began publication out of Bull Shoals. This paper ran until its 30 April 1992 issue.
       Art Lillo was the owner/editor of The Investigator which ran for a couple of years after its inception in 1991. In the late 1990s a newspaper called The Mountaineer was started in Flippin and is today operated by the Estes family.
       The earliest published news of Marion County begins with the first issue of The Mountain Echo in March 1886. Nearly every issue of this newspaper from then on can be found on microfilm. An interesting variety of news is found in the first issue of The Echo "Luke Matlock and family have moved back to their home at DeSoto Springs. Luke's old customers regret very much that he made this change, but wish him success all the same."
       "An elopement is the latest sensational news from Franklin Township. We learn from Deputy Sheriff Lawson, who just returned from that section, that John Yocomb last week eloped with the wife of his brother, Mike Yocomb. The elopement was something out of the usual order. John did not steal his brother's wife, but they mounted horses in the presence of Mike, John remarking, 'I have now got the woman I have wanted for the last 20 years' and Mike's wife made the same kind of declaration, only substituting 'man' for 'woman.' They then rode off in the direction of Missouri, leaving five children each to be cared for by a grass-widow and grass-widower, while they "rub out" and begin life anew, as it were. '"Such is life" over close to Missouri."
       Community news: "COWAN BARRENS. No apologies to make. Health good. Gardens short. Corn and cotton look fine. Wheat light. Oats tolerably good and about ready to be harvested. No peaches. Full crop of apples, pears, cherries, plums, and wild berries. Plenty ofrain."
       Legal notices: "WARNING ORDER. State of Arkansas, County of Marion, James Creek Township, Justice's Court. J. T. McCracken, Plaintiff, against Thomas Radcliff, Defendant. The defendant, Thomas Radcliff, is hereby warned to appear before me at my office in James Creek Township in said county, on the 17th day of July 1886, to answer the complaint of the plaintiff, J. T. McCracken."
       Editorials were reprinted from many newspapers The Bentonville Democrat, The St. Louis Globe, The Arkansas Gazette; The Chicago Tribune, and the Melbourne [AR] Clipper among others. In it's first issue, The Echo was proclaimed to be "a politically Democratic paper, not a Democrat one week and Republican or Independent the next, but always Democrat without any side shows."
       Election news and results, obituaries, births, marriages, visitings of local residents, and the weather were common and sought-after communications in the papers. After zinc was found in the mines of the county, ore sample test results, stories of new mines and mine owners, and the latest word on what was dug where and by whom were familiar articles in the local papers.
       Local Interest: "Mr. John Cheek, of Blythe Township, has in his possession a gourd 16 years old. His father used it as a powder gourd and Mr. C. uses it now for that purpose. He prizes it highly."
       Visitings: "Miss Virgie Berry returned on Sunday from a two-weeks visit in De Soto Springs."
       Truth to tell, our newspapers have come a long way in over a century. Papers no longer give the news the way it was given in 1886. But, such is progress.

       Once again, as we look back over the past year, we're somewhat amazed at the number and variety of accomplishments that have been made by our members. The 45 feet of new shelves in our Research Room at the Marion County Library are filling up quite quickly. We've added many resource books and had boxes and boxes of wonderful books donated. We'd planned to list them all so you'd know what's new, but they number around 200 volumes.
       We participated in the 11th Annual North Arkansas Ancestor Fair held in Searcy County and in the 5th Annual Ozark Cultural Celebration held in Boone County and in the 55th Annual Turkey Trot held right here in Yellville. We acquired the remainder of Marion Co. AR 1890 from compiler Helen McMindes. This important book, together with "Big Blue I," Early Days and War Times by Thomas Jerome Estes, Marion Co. 1880 Census transcribed by Gladys Horn Brown, Marion Co. 1870 Census transcribed by Nancie Todd Weber, to say nothing for all of Marian Burnes' wonderful books, are all selling well and keeping USPS rather busy.
       "Big Blue 2" is still under construction and, unfortunately, won't be ready for Christmas 2000 as we'd planned. The recent discovery that a couple of families are actually two families, not one, and that a couple of others are actually one family, not two, have sent us scurrying back to "research mode" to sort out all the kinfolk.
       The newest project, Pictorial History of Marion County, is well under way with about 1/3 of the pictures we'll need already in the works. Member J. L. Pearce is doing a fantastic job of scanning and perfecting all the pictures he even makes those from old newspapers just as sharp and clean as photographs. If you have oldies and goodies to share, please contact us.
           Vicki Roberts, Editor

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

Laser copies or copies of photographs are perfect. Send these to: Vicki Roberts, HGSMCA, PO Box 7611 Yellville AR 72687.

Scanned copies are also perfect. E-mail these to: J. L. Pearce jlpearce@southshore.com.

       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.
       FORD --GILLAM TAYLOR Seek info and correspondence on Roy Samuel b 17 Nov 1923, son of William Walter FORD b June 1893 & Iia May GILUAM, son of Samuel FORD b March 1860 d 1947 bu Fallen Ash Cemetery & Nancy Ann TAYLOR. Theda Ford, 2600 Vale Street, Des Moines fA 50317 <willford2600@aolcom>
       FREEMAN - JODE - KING - PANNELL. Wish to exchange info on the surnames FREEMAN, JODE, KING, PANNELL. Linda Moilanen, Rt 2 Box 183A, Fouke AR 71837.
       HODGE - DAVIS - SMITH. Seek info on Mary HODGE aged 19 of Flippin and Clarence DAVIS aged 26 of Baxter Co. AR who marriedMCAR 7 Nov 1901. Clarence m/2 Baxter Co. AR 1907 Mrs. Lulu SMITH. Bertha Davis, 1066 Hollywood Ave., Salt Lake City UT 84105-3445 <jleon1946@aol.com>

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

        Annual dues of $12 must be received by HGSMCA no later than 31 DECEMBER 2000 to continue to have Bramble Bush at your fingertips quarterly through 2001. Don't miss a single issue. Get those dues in the mail today.

ABSALOM O. WATERS b1755-1759 d Rutherford Co. NC 1816 m Rutherford Co. NC ca 1779 JANE OWENS (daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth [ ___ ] Owns) b Rutherford Co. NC 1759 d Rutherford Co. NC 4 June 1849.

SOURCES: Evelyn G. Waters, 340 s. Guernsey Road West Grove PA 19390; IGI Record 1985524 at familysearch.com

       SERVICE DIRECTORY is published in Bramble Bush as a service to those who may wish to advertise some of the many books, products, and services available that relate to historic and/or genealogical research. Ads from both members and non-members are accepted. The name and address of a contact person must accompany each ad.

       GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH. Marion Co. AR and surrounding areas. Experienced researcher. $10 per hour plus copy costs and postage. Vicki Roberts, 2362 MC 5032, Yellville AR 72687; (870)-449-6195 aft 6:00 pm CST.
       GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH. Marion Co. AR area. $10 per hour plus copy costs and postage. Experienced researcher. Mysty McPherson, 35 MC 6023, Yellville AR 72687; (870)-449-5223. E-mail: shakerag@mtnhome.com

       Membership in the Historical Genealogical Society of Marion County Arkansas is $12 per year.
       Membership for one year runs from 1 January to 31 December of that year.
       Membership includes the quarterly newsletter Bramble Bush.
       Membership begun later in the year includes all issues of Bramble Bush for that year.
       Make your check for $12 payable to HGSMCA and send to HGSMCA, PO Box 761, Yellville AR 72687-9612.

       The Bramble Bush is published quarterly by the Historic Genealogical Society of Marion County Arkansas, PO Box 761, Yellville AR 72687. EDITORIAL STAFF: Editor, Vicki Roberts; Design/Production, Mysty McPherson; Art Work, Bonnie Sanders; Queries, Mary Birrer; Subscriptions, Barbara Holland; Printing, Rapid Rabbit, 25 Nabco Avenue, Conway AR 72O30; Contributing writers, Bonnie Sanders. HGSMCA OFFICERS: Chair, Vicki A. Roberts; Vice-Chair, Don Duggins; Secretary, Mary Birrer; Treasurer, Barbara Holland; Grants/Purchasing, Mysty McPherson.