by E.W. Alley
In leaving Uncle Bill Hovel's we travel on down the road keeping to the right. We now reach the home on the left of Silent Charley Jackson. Charley talks very little, but just at the right time. From Charley's house we descend down a ravine to Bluff Branch. This is a very treacherous crossing. Many good citizens live beyond this stream who trade at their county seat. From here, some one half mile lives hard working Lon Pope and his family. From the best information we can gather, here occurred a great tragedy 68 years ago. A family Doctor was accused of trespassing the sanctity of another man's home. The man followed him to this place and when the smoke cleared the Doctor was dying. This was a hot day in mid-July of 1881. Doctors where scare then and sickness high, and he was sorely missed.
It might not be amiss to say here, builders of good firm dry homes of the past, as now, do their own covering, using the best of solid heart shingles for the work. Outside help never did the job right, as theirs were sap shingles, badly placed and fastened, causing leaks which soon rots the home from inside out, from which vermin and disease spring.
About one half miles east of Lon Popes, we come to the O.M. Radford home on the left and his son, Lonnie's on the right. They have nice homes well built, being frame structures. O.M. Radford's home has been recently built, and it is yet unpainted. They have about 40 acres here and have a fine herd of whiteface cattle. The Radford's own a major portion of the old George P. McKinney farm where he lived long and prospered, following the Civil War.
On May 8, 1882, one of the most devastating storms or cyclones came through Montgomery County destroying everything in its path. (See Hurricane Grove) This farm was in the middle just in front of where Lonnie Radford now lives. His home was a large double room log house. This was swept away with some half dozen tenant homes on his farm. Only one man is said to have lost his life. Mr McKinney then rebuilt down beside a small ravine and built his store to the right of the road on a higher ground facing the road. Here he lived with his family until he passed away October 26, 1897, at the age 65, being born March 18, 1832.
George McKinney was a rather tall wiry man; slow spoken, always measuring what he said. He owned about 640 acres of land, most lying in the board valley of the South Fork and all in one tract. Following the Civil War days he had an uncle whose name was Jimmie. Jimmie lived with him, looking after the farm and tenants while George ran the store and financial end. Jimmie died in 1887, leaving George on his own. Jimmie had no family.
George had twice been married. His first wife was Elender Fryar, who could not write her name. There children were Minerva, Price, Jeff and Kay. His second wife was Sue Adison. Her father at one time being a tenant on the farm. Sue was Mr. and Mrs. McKinney's housemaid, at the time Elendar died in 1887. George married her a year or so later, she being a young girl. To this last union two children were born, Lee and Lydia. They were fine children and Lydia being one of the fairest flowers of the valley. She married George Speer and they lived in San Antonio. She is the only child we know still living.
We looked across the old yard for Lee and Lydia's old home. It was gone, but the little firebrush out front was still there with its pretty flaming red flowers gaily drinking from the morning sun. The old pear tree also still stands that afforded them fruit and shade in which to play barefooted with neighbor children, near three score years ago.
A few years after George's death, his wife Sue, married Andy Smith, a son of Jack Smith, Soon thereafter they moved to Mount Ida where they engaged in the mercantile business. Some years after this they, along with Lee, who had married Amanda Elder, Lydia and her husband, George Speer, sold out their mercantile business and moved to the Rio Grande Valley, buying much acreage at a low price.
From here we travel on east about a half mile passing the home of Boss Sheffield and wife to an old cemetery known as the George McKinney Graveyard. This lies to the north of the road about a hundred yards on the summit of a flat topped ridge. Here as we enter, is Jimmy McKinney's grave. Born May 13, 1829, died September 13, 1887, enclosed with heavy iron fence and an eight foot marble stone. At his feet lies George with six foot stone and iron fence. To one side Elender lies, so does Ida and her infant son. Ida, the early wife of Price and a sister to Sue. She died at age 22. About twelve graves comprise this family of McKinneys, hovered together.
To the east of them lie Rueben and Norsiss McKinney, his wife. They were hard working children of the soil. There is also Johnnie McKinney, a brother of Rueben, a bugler in the Civil War, who fell at the hands of Pink McKennon on the streets of Silver in 1885.
There is William W. Meeks, an early settler and many of his children. James Pope and his wife Cynthia Jane. Parents along with some of their children are found here. Some of the Sheffields and many unmarked graves, and who knows some of them might have been the purest strain of the flock, and as sweet strains of life as ever told, could be embososomed in their bones. None of the beautiful flowers blooming by the wayside ever bore an epitaph.The last grave we visited was that of John Freeman Bates, whose death occurred May 3, 1936, at age 77. He sleeps here alone, although he grew up in this County and had three wives in his time. His first two wives were sisters of Jack Smith, another pioneer who lived a short distance below him down the South Fork. His last wife was Ianthis Peters, who is living. John Bates was one of the most honorable citizens of this county and reared ten wonderful children. Children's names are: Willie Garn, Clark, Owen, Mark, Clifton, Dennis and Lavina, children of Janice John's first wife. Then Eunice, daughter of Ianthia. The last two being girls. Lavina married Ernest Black and Eunice married Bill Wingfield.
Probably one of the earliest unmarked graves is that of Som (Sam) Murders. He was killed during the war and is buried in this cemetery. He was a grandfather of Lila Smith, wife of Will Smith, deceased. His son-in-law Cearly settled the Boss Sheffield place at the same time. They were from Tennessee.
George P. McKinney b. March 18 1832 - died Oct. 26 1897
The newspaper clipping is courtesy of Gabrielle McKinney. Please Gabrielle if you have further information on the McKinney family or you would like information. Posted 18 August 2001.
Montgomery County ArkansasGenWeb Project
