Part Four (second half)

FAMILY HISTORY

FAMILY HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

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REV. SAMUEL LARKIN JOHNSTON

The subject of this sketch was born in Siloam township, two miles west of the present village of Middlebrook, April 6, 1866.

He was married to Sallie E. Carter, July 14, 1889. To this union was born 12 children: Otis, born April 27, 1890; Tula, born September 6, 1891; Roy W., born November 10, 1893; Lewis C., born November 19, 1895; Leland, born December 12, 1897; Lena B., born August 4, 1899; Lora B., born August 5, 1901; Mary C., born September 11, 1903; Willie May, born May 11, 1905; Liston Lamar, born December 30, 1906; Ella V., born February 2, 1909, and Nona K., born July 14, 1911.

Mrs. Johnston was born the daughter of George W. and Elizabeth Jane Austin Carter. The father was born in August, 1834, and died in January, 1880. He was born in Dixon county, Tennessee. The mother was born June 25, 1842 in Graves county, Kentucky, and died in 1925.

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The family came to Randolph county in 1872. George and Elizabeth Carter were the parents of six children: Charles H., who is a former county judge of this county; Nannie Lou; James A.; George W.; Nora Idella, and Mrs. Johnston.

Our subject and wife have 35 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren to date.

Samuel Larkin Johnston is son of Lewis B. and Tennessee Spencer Johnston, who were married February 23, 1848, in Tennessee. Lewis B. Johnston was a son of George Gregory Johnston and Martha Burton Johnston, who came to Randolph county in 1849. Lewis B. did not come here until the next year. The Johnston family first settled two miles west of Middlebrook. From here the family spread over this and Ripley county, Missouri. The Johnston Chapel Methodist church, in Ripley county, about six miles north of the first home of this family was named for Lewis B. Johnston. It was located on his farm and the family was one of the founders. Lewis B. Johnston later moved back down into Randolph county where he and his son Charles B., opened up a store at Middlebrook.

The children of Gregory Johnston, grandfather of our subject, were: Arena, who married Rev. Jesse Robinson in 1844; Rev. Larkin F., who married Permelia Ann Lawson in 1864; Lewis B., who married Tennessee Spencer in 1848; W. P. G. (Green), who married Lurana Ingram in 1853; Sarah Jane, who married D. C. Moore in 1855; George Henry, who married Myra Reynolds in 1856, and Fletcher and Margie who died young.

Arena was the mother of "Jim Lewis" Robinson and other children. He was the father of Tom H. and Charlie of Biggers, Mrs. C. K. Black and Mrs. R. E. Salle of Pocahontas, Mrs. Jim Wisner and Mrs. John T. Robinson of

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Reyno, Mrs. Sarah McCrary of Oklahoma, Mrs. Williams of Memphis and other children.

Larkin F. Johnston was the father of the late William Henry Johnston, father of Ben Johnston of Pocahontas, Green Johnston was the father of James Johnston for who the old town of Johnstontown on Current river was names; also Gregory (Mrs. F. E. Belford and Reddin Johnston's father); Rufus M. of Reyno, W. S. of Maynard and other children. Lurana Ingram, first wife of Green Johnson was a sister of the wife of Henderson Hatley.

James F. was the father of Arena Kerley, Ganie and Ellen Mock, L. F. (Albertha Lewis), William "Billy," and other children. Sarah Jane Moore was the mother of Mary Ellen Taylor, wife of Ben F. Taylor, whose family history is also in this book. The other children of Gregory Johnston, Sr., left no heirs.

The children of Lewis B. and Tennessee Spencer Johnston were: Charles G.; Sarah, who married Jonathon Pulliam; Ellen, who married a Mr. Albritton; James; William; Jess M.; Cordie, who married Robert Cox; Permelia, who married Neely Moore; Arena, who married John Williams; Martha, who married Jack Keel; Peyton and Samuel Larkin, our subject.

Several members of the Johnson family have been public officials. Rev. L. F. was county clerk in 1850-52 and tax assessor three terms. William H. was tax assessor 1882-84. Charles G. was representative in `887-88. Ben Johnston was county clerk twice by election and once by appointment. Green was coroner in 1866-68. Lewis B. was tax assessor and county judge in Ripley county, Missouri. At least a dozen have been constables, marshal and justice of the peace for many years.

There has been more ministers in the Johnston family than any other the county has produced. The first was

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Larkin F., then Jesse Robinson, Jesse's son Don M.; S. L. (our subject); his son Liston; Chester and Sam Pulliam, (Sarah Johnston's grandsons); Walter (Lewis B.'s grandson); Kenneth, (Green's grandson). They were all Methodist ministers. Oscar, another grandson of Green, is a Baptist minister. A son-in-law of our subject, Rev. Wesley Henson, is a Baptist minister, Calvin Cox (Cordie's son), and Glendon Shaver (our subject's grandson), are ministers of the Church of Christ. There may be others not listed here. The Johnston Family can be truly said to be on of the largest and best know families in Arkansas.

Our subject, Samuel Larkin Johnston, has lived a long useful life and now resides at Middlebrook with his invalid wife. He is one of the best known retired Methodist ministers in the county.

THE JOHN A. JOHNSON FAMILY

John A. Johnson was a son of William Torrence Johnson who came to eastern Randolph county in 1845. The mother of John A. Johnson was a daughter of Asa Taylor, who came here from Graves county, Kentucky, during the same period. The Taylor and Johnson families were instrumental in the establishing of the Glaze Creek Church of Christ the same year that the elder Johnson located in this section.

John A. Johnson married Susan F. Elkins, a daughter of William S. Elkins. The children of William F. Elkins and his first wife were: Sarah, who married John Riley Odom; Elizabeth, who married George Baker; Susan F. (Mrs.Johnson); Clemantine, who married Cord Parish and Alonzo and Nancy by a second marriage. Nancy married Tom Crawford and Alonzo married Ellen Hawk. Allie Baker, a niece of Mr. Elkin, was reared by him. She married Tom Luter.

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John A. Johnson and Susan F. Elkins Johnson were the parents of the following children: A. S., who married Hattie Slayton. They are the parents of Ralph E., who married Mary Rogers; Susan Teresa, who married Frank Craft; Geneva Lynn, who married Oscar Spencer; Nell, who married Rev. A. B. Constantz, and Jehu A., who married Lucy Slaughter.

Another daughter of John A. Johnston, Cordelia, married W. E. Mathis. Their children were Elsie, who married Bill Martin; Mary Francis, Norvesta and Vera May.

Sarah Ella, daughter of John A. Johnston, married DeWitt Hagood. They were the parents of the following children: Orie, who married Mayme Chorice; Gilbert, who married Essie Taylor; Etta, who married Jess R. Pratt; Lena May, who married Orace Jones; John, who married Naomi Luter, and Edgar, who married Irene Pitman.

The twin sister of Mrs. Hagood is Mrs. Etta Johnston. Etta first married R. J. Stephens at Don (now Success) in 1891. They had one daughter, Christine, who married Garve Abbott. Mr. Stephens died 15 months after his marriage. Mrs. Stephens married John Talbott five years later.

They were the parents of the following children: Hassel, who married John T. Springer; Lois, who married Harold Britton; Lilly, who married Everett Bryant; Guy, who married Jane McCauley; Harry L., who married Dora Chappell, and Robert, who married Mary Evalyn Fowler. Mr. Talbott died in 1937.

In 1943 Mrs. Talbott married W. S. (Stedman) Johnston, son of Greene Johnston, early settler of Little Black township, Mr. and Mrs. Johnston now live at Maynard.

William Torrence Johnson, the father of John A. Johnson, was also the father of the following other children: Lavinah, who married Craven Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were the parents of the following children: Mary Elizabeth,

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who married Dr. Val Seal; William Reuben to Lizzie Meeks, Johnnie Martin to Adna Jones, Chloe Hester to James Kidd, Veda Emily to Will Gillis, Fifa Myrtle to a Mr. Sadler

and Pearl Denton, Moses Talbert and Carl Craven, wives unknown. The other daughter of William T. Johnson was Mary Elizabeth, who married John Calvin Cos. Mr. and Mrs. Cox were the parents of the following children: Susan Caroline, who married John Johnston and later Bob Robinson; Robert L., who married Cordia Johnston; William David, who married Mollie Carter; Joseph L, who married Leota Vester; Mary Bell, who married George Mansker, and Malissa Jane, who married Levi Helms.

For many years after the old Glaze creek church was established there had been no cemetery. Levi Helms, a grandson-in-law of William Torrence Johnson, one of the founders of the church, was the first person buried in the cemetery 90 years after it was established.

This family is closely related to some of the very first families of the county. Craven Wilson was a son of one Benjamin Wilson who located near the "Wilson Ford" on Fourche creek about 1840. Cordia Cox was the granddaughter of Gregory Johnston, who settled west of Middlebrook in 1848. James Kidd was a grandson of old "Parson Witt," early preacher of Siloam township. The Cox and Carter families were among the first in what is now Richardson township and the same is true of many other of the relatives of the descendants of William Torrence Johnson.

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LANDON CHRISTOPHER HAYNES

Landon Christopher Haynes was born at Nacogdoches, Texas, December 26, 1865. The son of M. H. and Mary King Haynes. Their parents were Tennesseans who moved to the Lone Star State before the subject of our sketch was born. The father died soon after the latter was born and his mother married J. A. Douglas, who for many years was a familiar figure around the courthouse and well know in Pocahontas, known as "Squire Douglas."

Mr. Haynes had three own brothers and two sisters, all now deceased. They were J. D., G. M. and R. L.; the sisters were Emmaline, who married W. W. Cooper, and Mattie who married Jesse L. Lynch. Mr. Lynch is at present living with his daughters, Mrs. W. H. Phipps in Pocahontas. The half brothers, two in number, were Thomas D. Douglas, deceased and Monroe Douglas of Newport, Arkansas.

Mr. Haynes married Miss Elmyra Virgin Knotts, January 9, 1895. Mrs. Haynes was the daughter of James R Knotts and Elmyra Waldron Knotts. To this union was born one son, Thomas Dula, November 4, 1896. He lived only nine months and seven days, before the Lord called him home.

Our subject quit farming and moved to Pocahontas, April 1, 1906. He bought a grocery store from Harley Midkiff and operated this business several years. In 1922 the family moved to Success, Arkansas, where he again entered the mercantile business, in which he continued until January, 1944. Mr. and Mrs. Haynes still live at Success.

Mr. Haynes professed faith in Christ, August 9, 1899, and joined the Shiloh (Randolph county) Missionary Baptist church. After moving to Pocahontas he moved his membership to the church there and served as deacon and also church treasurer several years. After moving to Success Mr.

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Haynes served as Sunday school superintendent and church treasurer in that church a number of years. He has always been a strong Baptist and a staunch Democrat.

They have two adopted daughters, Mrs. Bell Brown of Pocahontas, and Mrs. Dorcas Smith of Corning.

THE HOLT FAMILY

The Holt family of Randolph county is descended from one Tom Holt, who was born in Pennsylvania about 1790. His parents died when he was young and a neighbor family took the boy to their home. This family is said to have been so mean to the boy that a number of neighbors who were preparing to migrate west stole the boy and took him with them. They moved to Illinois to make their home. Here Tom Holt lived until he was grown. He then went to Madison county, Missouri, where he married and then later moved down to this county. He settled on the place which later became known as the Uncle Dee Mock farm. He was the father of three boys. Their names were John, William and David. Dave died a bachelor, John was the grandfather of John R. Holt of Pocahontas, and W. A. Holt of Warm Springs. William was the great-grandfather of Tom and Edd Holt of Pocahontas.

John was the eldest of the three sons of Tom Holt. He was born about 1812. He married Mary Barrett and settled on what is now known as the old Isaac Whittenberg place. They were the parents of four boys and five girls. They were: George, who was killed in the Civil War, William (Dock), Jim and Henry. The girls were Betty, Rebecca, Nancy, Eliza, and Martha.

John Holt, the father died in 1861. William married Nancy Phillips and settled on a creek one mile east of Warm Springs. He was the father of John R. and W. A. He was

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always called "Dock." He was in the war with General Price. Jim died young; Henry married Sis Thorn. He died at Hoxie in 1886. He was a Baptist preacher. William (Dock), was born January 1, 1842, and died in 1926.

William A. Holt married Malissa Dalton. They reside at Warm Springs at present where they have lived almost three-quarters of a century. They have three sons and five daughters.

John R. Holt lives in Pocahontas at present. He was first married to Carrie Boas of Doniphan, Missouri. They were the parents of nine children, George W., Chester (deceased), Lilly (deceased), John Randolph, Freeman L., Perry Benton, Ena, Heber, and Winnie. Chester married Laura Booger, Randolph married Mabel Mitchell, Freeman married Carrie Moore, Benton married Martha Yarbrough, Ena married Guy Chick, Heber married Judith Johnson and Winnie married Cleatus Price. George is not married.

After the death of Mr. Holt's first wife he married Estelle Tullis of Fairfield, Illinois, who became a very kind and thoughtful step-mother to the Holt children. The Holt family is well know in this section of the state.

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THE JOHN H. LAMB FAMILY

John H. Lamb married Josephine Hatley. He was a grandson of William Lamb, who was born and spent his life in central Kentucky. He was the father of a number of children, of these Wiley and William came to Randolph county in 1860. They settled in the community east of the present village of Maynard. Here they spent the balance of their lives and lie buried in the old Lamb cemetery near the present homes of Eugene Athy and William Evans.

William Lamb, Jr., married Lucy Ann Mills and they became the parents of two children, John H. and Amanda. After the death of William Lamb, his widow married D. Blackburn and they became the parents of three children, Delia, Bessie and Charles.

Amanda married James Reddin Hatley and they became the parents of six children who grew to adulthood, Zella, who married Floyd Flanders; Elvin, who married Della May McIlroy; Vera, who married Walter Strayhorn; Ila, who married Ayliffe Tipton; Crystal, who married Carl H. Brooks, and Rita, who married Jake Dunn.

Mrs. Hatley lost her life in a car wreck at Benton, Arkansas, in 1932. After the death of Mrs. Hatley, he married Nora Riley. Mr. Hatley died at Biggers in 1938.

John H. Lamb married Josephine Hatley, a sister of James Reddin Hately. This making Mr. and Mrs. Hately and Mr. and Mrs. Lamb double "in-laws."

To the union of John and Josephine Hatley Lamb were born eight children, six of whom grew to adulthood. They were Marvin, who married Jewell Baker; Christine, who married Aubrey Carter (she died in Washington D. C. in 1935); Irene, who married Lawrence Dalton, the author of this book; John, who married Fay Bundren; Sherrill, who married Jessie Parker, and Norma, who married Vince Manning.

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John H. Lamb was born in Kentucky, November 29, 1855, and was brought to Randolph county by his parents when five years of age. He spent his boyhood near Maynard and removed to Reyno when a young man. Here he spent the remainder of his life. He died in 1920. Mrs. Lamb survives him. She lives near Biggers at the present time, with her youngest daughter.

Josephine Hatley Lamb is descended from George and Elizabeth Mansker who came to Randolph county from Sumner county, Tennessee, in 1817, settling on the creek which bears his name just north of the city of Pocahontas.

A daughter of George Mansker married James P. Ingram (the fourth county judge of this county). Her name was Rebecca. James P. Ingram and Rebecca Mansker Ingram became the parents of several children, among them were William (know as Uncle Blind Bill); George H. (known as Dock); Lurana, who married W. P. Green Johnston, and Leddie B., who married Henderson Hatley.

Henderson and Leddie Hatley were married January 14, 1866. To this union were born six children who grew to maturity. They were; James Reddin, George, Presley, Lou, Estis and Josephine.

As stated above, James married Amanda Lamb; George married Minnie Myers; Presley and Lou died before marriage; Estis married Ava Cherry, and Josephine married John H Lamb. Estis and Ava Cherry Hatley had two children, Milford and Vivian. The children of Josephine have already been named above. The above are the maternal relations of Josephine Hatley Lamb.

The paternal grandparents of Josephine Hatley Lamb were Reddin and Delphia Kelley Hatley, who were born in North Carolina. Their parents came to America from the British Isles in 1770. Of the seven sons born to Reddin and Delphia Kelley Hatley we know of two of them. These were

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Albert H. and Henderson, the father of Mrs. Lamb. The children of Henderson are named above. Albert H. first married Nancy Mitchell and they were the parents of two children. After her death Albert Hatley married Mahulda Abbott and they became the parents of several children, among these were Ellen (who first married Gus Reynolds and after his death, Isaac Ebberts); Atlas, who married Tura Phipps, and Eli. The latter two now living in Missouri and Oklahoma respectively. Naomi married Will Witt and Gussie, who married John McCrary.

The Hatley family came to Randolph county in 1851 and settled at Maynard. Among the first cotton gins established in the county were built by members of the Ingram and Hatley families. Both are large families and having intermarried with the other early families of the county, the result is that they are related to many of the leading families of this section of the state.

There are other branches of the Hatley family which we do not have the family data on. However, they are all of the same family origin.

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Elder John M. Lemmons

(Early Randolph County Church of Christ minister, one of the founders of Hubble Creek Church.)

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THE LEMMONS FAMILY

John M. Lemmons was born in Virginia in 1816. He moved with his parents to Warren county, Tennessee, in 1818. He married and lived in Warren county until 1851, when he moved to Arkansas, locating first in Independence county. After one year he moved to Randolph county.

In the same, year, 1852, he and his older sons and two or three neighbors built a log church house on Hubble creek, one mile south of Birdell. In 1862, during the Civil War, this house was burned and in 1866 Mr. Lemmons with the help of others, built another house on Carter creek. However the name "Hubble Creek" was retained.

John M. Lemmons was the father of seven sons, Thompson, Manson, Mannon, Josephus, Caleb, James and Peyton. He also had two daughters, Emmaline and Margaret. He died in 1898 at the age of 82.

Thomas Lemmons moved to Illinois in 1861. The other children all settled in Randolph county, and during the years have contributed much toward the development of the civic, religious and political interest of the county.

John M. Lemmons was a preacher of the Church of Christ and did much to help establish the church in north Arkansas. His son Josephus was licensed to preach July 18, 1868, upon the endorsement of the elders of the Hubble Creek church. He was called Amos (Josephus Amos). The elders of the church at that time were: His father, John M.; Cullen Pyland, L. D. Cartright, Samuel Donnell, and S. M. Hufstedler.

Peyton was also a preacher of ability. These two brothers were among the leading preachers of the Church of Christ of north Arkansas and south Missouri during this period.

The sons and daughters of John M. Lemmons have all passed on but their children, grandchildren, and great-

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grandchildren are among the leaders in the affairs of Randolph, Greene and other counties of the state today.

There has been a number of ministers in each generation and family of the descendants of John M. Lemmons. There has also been many successful farmers, teachers, in fact all professions are represented in this family.

A number of the grandchildren of John M. Lemmons are living in the county today, among them are George F., A.T., Mrs. Vessie Bates, children of Mannon Lemmons and the widow of Riley, another son; George H., a son of Caleb is also living in the county.

There are scores of later generations of Lemmons living in this and surrounding communities. This is a well known family and the old church which they established is one of the very first in this section of the state.

CHARLES WILEY McCARROLL

The subject of this sketch is descended from one James A. McCarroll, who came to old Lawrence county from Kentucky about 1808. His son, James A. McCarroll, being the grandfather of our subject.

James A. McCarroll married Rebecca Forrester. They were the parents of three children, Charles (known as Boob); Jane, who married James McGlothilin, and Andrew J.

Andrew J. McCarroll married Lucinda Milam, daughter of John B. Milan. They were the parents of three children who grew to adulthood. They were John H., Lucinda, who married J. A. Melton, and Charles Wiley, our subject.

Charles Wiley was born July 24, 1870, in Butler township, in Randolph county, Arkansas. His father and family moved to what is now the Engleberg community in 1874.

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At the time the family moved to this section there were only about half a dozen families living in the community. Mail was carried from Pocahontas to Pitman’s Ferry and the settlers in the Engleberg community were obliged to go to old Albertha on the Doniphan-Pocahontas road for their mail. Some of the settlers in this community in 1874 were Dock Davis, Jess Norman, the McAfees, Knotts, Fosters and Hanleys.

Our subject helped Isaac DeBow secure the DeBow postoffice in 1905 and was assistant postmaster for a period of 16 years, and served as postmaster for a period of 16 years. Serving a total of 32 years in the employ of the United States Postal Department. He retired in 1940, being the first man in the state of Arkansas to retire at the age of 70 years on postal employees retirement compensation.

When the postoffice was discontinued at DeBow and a new office established at Engleberg, Mr. McCarroll became the first postmaster. He has the honor of being the first postmaster, first merchant and first justice of the peace at Engelberg.

Mr. McCarroll relates that he and Mr. DeBow carried the mail from DeBow to Brockett, a distance of two miles, free of charge to the government the first six months after the former office was established, until the office was on a paying basis.

Our subject married Susanne Ulmer February 16, 1914. She was a daughter of John Ulmer, early settler of the Stokes community. She had previously married Jake Lawrey, and they were the parents of four children. Their names were Horace, Raymond, Mrs. Norman Harris and Van B. Mrs. McCarroll died December 4, 1941, and was buried “Pearl Harbor Day.”

Mr. McCarroll and wife became the parents of two children which grew to adulthood. They are Eugene, who married Charlene Jackson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gola

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Jackson, and Catherine, who married Seigfried Yordt. The latter live in St. Louis, and the former lives with his father. Eugene and wife have one child and Catherine and husband have two children. Eugene’s child, a son, is named Robert Eugene, born on V-J Day; and the daughter’s children, a boy named Billy, and a daughter, named Margie.

Mr. McCarroll is a member of the Methodist church, becoming a member in 1915 at Oak Grove (Attica). He is a well known citizen of the county. Has served in a number of places of public trust and is a Democrat and always takes a great interest in the political campaigns.

It is a well known fact that when a man announces for office in Randolph county he does not wait long to approach Uncle Wiley, with the expressed intention of attempting to “get him on his side.” But unless he can prove his worth, he is not always successful in the undertaking.

Mr. McCarroll is a good citizen, a good man and Randolph county is proud to claim him as one of her native sons.

THE W. L. (FAYETTE) MOCK FAMILY

W. L. Mock, always known as Fayette, married Miss Ganie Johnston January 19, 1888.

To this union the following children grew to maturity: Evaline, who married Lewis Wilson, Lehman, who married Gertie Mock, Grace, who married Lester Johnson; Isabella, who married Buell Loftis; Jessie, who married Crawford Teula Lewis; Ouida, who married Robert Mattson, and Myra Lou, who married Arlo Tyler.

Mr. Mock passed away December 14, 1936, and Mrs. Mock makes her home at Maynard with her daughter. Myra Lou, who is a teacher in the Maynard school.

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Mr. and Mrs. Mock reared their family on the old Mock homestead, on Mud creek just north of the old Ingram ford on the creek. The family resided here many years and for a long period of time Mr. Mock operated a large store and also a postoffice which was known as Mock.

The home has been known all through the years for its hospitality. All visitors were welcome and Sunday and special occasions usually found more “company” at Uncle Fayette and Aunt Ganie’s home than any in the community. This family is descended from several of the very first families which came to this part of Arkansas during the days of early settlement.

W. L. Mock is a great-grandson of Matthias Mock, who settled on Mud creek in 1815, only a short distance up the creek from the old family home. The grandfather of W. L. Mock was Thomas J. Mock, who was a son of Matthias and Leah Shaver Mock. Leah Shaver was the daughter of John Shaver, who was also one of the first settlers on this creek. A sister of Mathias Mock, Matilda by name, married Minatree Carter about 1821. They were the parents of R. J. Carter, who was the father of the late Min Carter of Pocahontas. The wife of Thomas J. Mock is not known. Thomas J. Mock was the father of Francis Marion Mock (who was known as General Mock).

Among the brothers of Thomas J. Mock were Griffin C., who was the father of the late Uncle Tom D. and other children and Isham J., who was the father of the late Elias C. and T. L. (Tive) Mock, and other children.

Francis Marion (General) Mock, married Jane Carter, who was descended from Minatree Carter, referred to above.

To the union of General and Jane Carter Mock a number of children were born, among these were A. T. (Gus), who married Ella Long and W. L. (Fayette), our subject.

After the death of General Mock’s first wife he married America Shaver, daughter of Peter Shaver, who was descended

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from the first John Shaver named above. To this union two children were born. They are Otis M., now living in Pocahontas, and Mrs. Notra Price of Jonesboro.

Mrs. Mock (Ganie Johnston) is a granddaughter of George Gregory Johnston and Mary Burton Johnston, from who all the Johnston’s of this section of Arkansas descended. The father of Mrs. Mock was James F. Johnston, whose brothers were Rev. Larkin F., Lewis B., W. P. G. (Green), George H., and sisters Arena, who married Rev. Jesse Robinson and Sarah Jane who married D. C. Moore.

James F. Johnston married Martha McDaniel and they became the parents of the following children: Gregory, Dock, Jess, William, Sidney, Lewis F., Arena who married Tom Kerley; Ellen who married Rive Mock and Ganie, the wife of Fayette Mock.

The Mock family intermarried with several of the first families of the county. Among these are the Flecher, Stubblefield, Nettles, Morris, Johnston, Johnson, Dalton, Carter and Shaver Families. The Shaver-Mock-Johnston family is the county’s largest related family.

The children of Fayette and Fanie Mock have generally adhered to the tradition of the family by marrying members of the old families of the county. Evaline married Lewis Wilson who parents, Johnny and Molly Murdock Wilson, were both early settlers children. Lehman married Girtie Mock, whose parents, Thomas D. and Zilpha Dalton Mock represented two old families. Grace’s husband, Lester Johnson, is a son of Tom and Minerva Carroll Johnson, whose families would be eligible to join a century club. Hite married Essie Pitman. Her family is one of the oldest in the county and related to Spencers, Smiths and other early Tennessee residents. Buel Loftis, the husband of Isabella, represents early Jones, Crossen, Loftis and other early comers to Little Black township. Jessie’s husband, Crawford Hamm, claims his ancestry to the Hamm, Brown, Wilson

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and other early “Columbia” settlers. Teula Lewis, the wife of Abe Mock, is descended from a family which came to old Lawrence county and settled at Davidsonville about 1812. Myra Lou’s husband, Arlo Tyer is a member of the Tyer-Vermilye family. Ouida’s husband, Robert Mattson, is the only member of the family not native of Randolph county.

Two outstanding characteristics of the Mock family is the inclination of different members of each generation toward the vocations of merchandising and school teaching. There has been merchants with Mock blood in their veins, in business in this section for a century and a long line of educators in this family signify their interest in education.

The family religious affiliation all down through the years has been almost 100 per cent with the Church of Christ, and early members of this family were instrumental in the establishment of some of the first congregations of this church in Randolph county.

THE MARLETTE FAMILY

The Marlette family is of Dutch descent. The ancestors of this family are reputed to have come to Pennsylvania from eastern Europe sometime near the close of the Revolution. From Pennsylvania the family came to the Wabash valley of southern Indiana about 1812. Epps Marlette was born in Pennsylvania about 1810. He married Nancy McDonald in Orange county, Indiana, about 1838.

To this union was born the following children: John, who married Anna Purcell in Gibson county, Indiana, and later married Molly Parker in Randolph county, Arkansas; Chessley, who married Martha Morris, sister of Jeff Morris of Randolph county; Isaac, who married Wilda Wallace, also of Randolph county; William, who married

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Lula Lane; Alice and Perry, who never married. Alice died when a young woman and Perry lived about 60 years.

The Marlette family came to Randolph county from Gibson county, Indiana, in the fall of 1879, in a wagon train, crossing the Mississippi at Bird’s Point and on down to this section over the old Military road.

The first night the family spent in this county was at the old Jarrett homestead. The next day they drove on down the road, through Pocahontas, to locate on the A. W. W. Brooks farm in Black river bottoms. After spending the winter there they decided to move back to the hills. Epps located near the Jarretts and Fosters and his son David lived his first year five miles north of Pocahontas on the old Biggers farm on Knotts creek. In December of 1880, a cyclone blew down the house they were living in, but no one was injured. The next year the family moved to near the village of Attica, locating on Fourche, east of the town. Here Epps Marlette spent the remainder of his life.

David moved up Fourche, and finally located across Fourche west of Middlebrook, where he lived many years dying in 1930. Chessley, who married Martha Morris, lived several years in the vicinity of Ingram. They had two children who died when small. Here he and his wife died a few years after marriage. Isaac, who married Wilda Wallace of the same community, lived here a short time after his marriage but moved to Oklahoma, locating in the vicinity of Bristow. Here he died in 1942. His family resides in that section. The eldest son, John never lived in this county. He spent his life in the vicinity of Carmi and Crossville, Illinois. William lived for many years in the Attica vicinity, but moved to near Light, in Greene county, about 25 years ago. After living there a few years his health failed and he came back to the vicinity of Middlebrook. Here he died in 1933.

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Perry, who never married, living alone after the death of his parents. He spent the last known years of his life in Greene county, where he died about 1934.

Epps Marlette and wife are buried in the Gross cemetery. He died in 1905 and his wife died in 1907.

David Marlette and Sarah Spore were married in Indiana in 1870. Sarah Spore was a daughter of William Spore and a Miss Wade Spore.

They were the parents of the following children: Pinckney Monroe, who married Anna Grissom, daughter of John M. and Celia Poynor Grissom; Della (the author’s mother), who married Elijah F. Dalton, son of David and Christiana Everett Dalton; Dolphus S., who married Laura Davidson, daughter of William and Amanda Davidson; Isaac Elvin, who married Josie Davidson, sister of Dolphus’ wife; W. C. (Chessley), who married Lois Stuart (of Illinois), and Pearl, who died young.

After the death of Sarah Spore, the first wife of David Marlette, he married Molly Parker, daughter of James Parker, native of eastern Randolph county. To this union was born three children, Arvil, who married Mina Davidson on Monette; Luther, who married Lola Dalton, daughter of Joseph and Dilla Grissom Dalton; and Lucy, who lives with her mother west of Middlebrook.

David died in 1930. His first wife died in 1886. Both are buried in the Siloam cemetery near Middlebrook. Luther lives at Biggers. Arvil lived at Monette until 1943, when he moved to California where he died a short time after arriving in that state.

P. M. (Monroe) died in 1939. His family lives in the county. The other children of David Marlette live in Randolph county, except W. C., who lives part time in Michigan and Success, Clay county.

The family of Epps Marlette is the only family of this name which has ever lived in this section of the state.

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THE MAYNARD FAMILY

One of the pioneer families of Randolph county was the Maynards. The first Maynards to come here were three brothers, John, Stith and Thomas, and their families who came here from Tennessee, settling in the then, undeveloped part of the county where the thriving little town of Maynard is now located. The family is of French-English ancestry.

John came in 1872 and Stith and Thomas in 1884. The town of Maynard derived its name from this enterprising family. John and Stith both served their county in the Civil War, John acquiring the office of captain.

John was a pioneer in the mercantile business, having established the first store in Maynard, which he named “New Prospect.” It was located on the hill where the old Maynard home now stands. He later moved it to a place nearer where the present business section is located. He also owned and operated an old-time treadwheel cotton gin, which served the surrounding country at that early date. Stith and Thomas were engaged in farming and stockraising.

John married Sally Adams of Missouri, and to this union was born three children: Fayette, now of Mobile, Alabama; Eugenia, deceased wife of the late Dr. H. L. Throgmorton, and John of Colera, Oklahoma.

Stith married Elizabeth Tuck of Tennessee and to this union three children were born: Ed R. of Tucson, Arizona; S. L. of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Vera, wife of Clifford Price of Pocahontas, Arkansas.

Thomas was married twice, first to Mat Glasco of Tennessee, and to this union six children were born: Thornton, deceased; Ethel, deceased, she was the wife of Robert Anderson; Toby, deceased; Mrs. C. E. Witt of Little Rock; Elvis of Maynard, and Eugene of Pine Bluff.

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His first wife died in Tennessee before the family came here. His second wife was Lizzie Beemis of Kentucky. To the last marriage three children were born; Almus, deceased; Ella, wife of Earle Richardson, now living in Texas, and Paul of Little Rock.

These brothers were together in many things, but politically were different, John being a Democrat and Stith and Thomas, Republicans.

These three brothers and their families were progressive, energetic Christian citizens, ever ready to help in any worthwhile project which would make their community better or help their fellow man.

They were all Missionary Baptists. John, Stith and their wives helping in organization of the Baptist church at Maynard, being charter members. Thomas and his wife joined later. They were also members of the Masonic Lodge and Mrs. Stith Maynard was a member of the Eastern Star.

These families were also interested in the educational and political growth of their community and county. Mrs. Thomas Maynard taught music for many years at Maynard.

The Maynards are truly one of the best known families of Randolph county.

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THE MARTIN FAMILY

James Martin was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1808, and died in Randolph county in 1863. The family came to the vicinity of St. Genevieve, Missouri, and lived a short time, coming on to Randolph county in 1833.

The home of James Martin was in Columbia township and the place is still called Martin’s Spring. The Martin family purchased this farm from Thomas Foster, who had settled here about 1820. Mr. Martin built a fine southern style home and developed the farm into a typical Southern plantation. Here the family lived many years. They were living here when the Civil War broke out. Two of the sons of the family died in service of the Confederacy. It was at the home of James Martin that Henry Wythe, brother of Mrs. Martin, was killed by jayhawkers.

The eldest daughter of James Martin married Capt. Wibb Conner. Her name was V. Ellen. She lived to a ripe old age, dying at Reyno a few years ago at the home of her daughter, Mrs. L. W. Hogan.

James Martin was appointed postmaster at Pocahontas in August, 1838. In 1842 he was elected to the office of county judge and served four years. Judge Martin was a man of means and a leading citizen of the county. He was identified with the affairs of the county for many years.

Four of the sons of Judge Martin, Andrew, Joseph, John F. and James, are remembered by many persons today as composing the firm of Martin Brothers, pioneer business men of the of town of Reyno, before the coming of the Fisco railroad, which spelled death to the old town. It was here that one of the sons, Joseph, married Anne E. Reynolds, daughter of Capt. D. W. Reynolds, founder of the town, February 9, 1888. The mother of Mrs. Martin was Mary Ellis, who married Captain Alvah G. Kelsey, the officer under whom Capt. Reynolds served in the Confederate Army.

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After the death of Captain Kelsey she married D. W. Reynolds.

Joseph and Annie Reynolds Martin were the parents of Lancelot R. (Lantie) Martin of Pocahontas. Other children of this union were Lila, Edith, Thelma and Joseph. Lantie Martin married Ona Sallee, daughter of the late Joseph Sallee, well known farmer and manufacturer of Pocahontas. To this union was born two children, Joseph and Jean. Jean married C. E. Olvey, Jr. They are the parents of one child. Joe married Jo Ann Belford.

C. E. is a son of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Olvey, Sr., of Harrison. The Olveys are leading people of Boone county. Mrs. Joe Martin is a daughter of J. B. and Grace Creason Belford of Corning. J. B. is a leading business man of that city and Mrs. Belford is a member of an early Randolph county family.

C. E. and Joe are both associated with Lantie in the Martin Insurance Agency of Pocahontas. Anytime there is a movement on foot for the advancement and betterment of the city you will find Lantie Martin, if not at the head of it, one of the major boosters.

He is the head of the Martin Agency which was established in 1908, and is one of the largest and most successful agencies in north Arkansas. He is also associated with the Pocahontas Federal Savings and Loan Association, and the Guaranty Investment Company, which are located in the same building with the Martin Agency.

The Martin and Reynolds families have been identified with the business and political history of Randolph county for over a century.

Mrs. Anne Martin, widow of Joseph Martin , Sr., is living in Pocahontas at the present time, in the old family home on Thomasville Avenue.

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JUDGE OSCAR PRINCE

Oscar Prince, Sr., is the grandson of Peter Prince and Miss Davis Prince, early settlers on Janes creek, in western Randolph county. The parents of Oscar Prince were Thomas J. Prince and Malissa Bloodworth Prince. Thomas Prince was born in Janes Creek township and Mrs. Prince was born in Oregon county, Missouri.

The parents of Mrs. Prince were Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Bloodworth, who came to the Ravenden Springs community from Tennessee. Mrs. Thomas Prince was married to James Higginbotham before her marriage to Mr. Prince. To this union were born R. L., Henry and Rosa (Henley) Higginbotham. After Mr. Higginbotham’s death she married the father of our subject and they became the parents of four children, Oscar, Alfred, Ed and Birdie.

Oscar Prince was born December 13, 1890. He was married to Lockie Campbell, daughter of the late John D. and Beulah Brady Campbell. The Campbell family is one of the oldest in Lawrence county. Oscar and Lockie Prince are the parents of one child, Oscar, Jr., who has recently been discharged from three years service in the U. S. Army Air Corps, serving in the European theater.

Oscar, Sr., is the present county judge of Randolph county, having entered the office January 1, 1945, and recently received the Democratic nomination for a second term without opposition. This is the first time on record in the county where a county judge of Randolph county had the honor of being unopposed for his second term. Besides being county judge he is associated with the son in the mercantile, farming and livestock business. Judge Prince has spent several years of his life as road contractor, besides dealing extensively in cotton farming and livestock raising

He is a member of the Arkansas Livestock Sanitary Commission, this being his sixth year on this board. He has been

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justice of the peace years, is a member of the Surridge School Board, and takes an active interest in all things of a civic nature.

Judge Prince is well known over the state and the Prince family is one of the leading families of the county.

THE A. F. RICKMAN FAMILY

A. F. Rickman, known during the past few years as “Uncle Frank,” was born on Janes creek in Randolph county, the son of John and Dicy Bellah Rickman. His parents both died before he can remember. He had two brothers, James, who lived near Ravenden Springs, and Levi, who moved to Texas many years ago.

For many years Frank Rickman has been known as one of the best farmers in the county. He received very little schooling when young, but this did not keep him from being a success in life.

Mr. Rickman married Maud G. Wells, August 2, 1883. To this union were born eight children. Seven are living now. They are, Daley, who lives in Craighead county; Tom and Leo, who reside in this county; O. B. of Ravenden Springs, also of this county; and three daughters, Disa Cochran, Lovis Peevyhouse and Johnnie Cochran, all of Craighead county. They have 24 grandchildren living; of these, five grandsons served in World War II.

The Rickman family are of the Church of Christ belief and affiliation, and are all good Democrats.

One son, Leo made the race for county treasurer in 1934, and carried more townships than the winner, however, losing two large townships to the latter. He entered this race again in 1938, but withdrew on account of the condition of the health of his aging parents.

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Mrs. Frank Rickman is the daughter of John Wells, who was born in Washington county, Missouri, January 4, 1821, and was brought to Randolph county by his parents the same year. John Wells married Harriet Alcorn, July 13, 1848. She was the daughter of Isham Alcorn, one of the early settlers of this section, and was born on the farm where the Rickmans now reside, February 5, 1828. The children of John and Harriet Alcorn Wells were: Margaret, who married Shelton White; Susan, who married James McLain; Thomas H., who married Nettie Tweedy, who died young. He later married Lively Dalton; Lola, who married Robert Stubblefield; Mollie, who married Rufus C. Dalton; James P., William and Mrs. Rickman.

The father of John Wells was Thomas Wells, who married Barbra Mabrey. He was born in North Carolina in 1796 and she in Virginia in 1798, and died in Randolph county, Arkansas, in 1866 and 1869, respectively.

Mr. and Mrs. Rickman celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary lately.

THE RUFF FAMILY

Dr. Redman Ren Ruff moved to Pocahontas from Hollow Rock, Tennessee, in 1866. In 1870 he moved to Pitman Ferry. He was born at Hollow Rock, Tennessee, April 25, 1831. his father, Major John Ruff, was born in North Carolina in 1770. The family originally came to Virginia from Scotland, in 1700, and then moved to North Carolina later.

Dr. R. R. Ruff’s mother was Chloe Eason. The Easons were natives of Virginia. They moved to Tennessee about 1775. Dr. Ruff’s first wife was also an Eason. Four children were born to this union. Mrs. Leota Ruff Shemwell of Batesville, Arkansas, the only one now living. She was born in June, 1860, at Hollow Rock, Tennessee. Dr. Ruff’s

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second wife was Amanda Wilson Legate, whom he married at Pittman in 1873. Her father was Rev. John Tarpley Legate, a Methodist preacher, born in Tennessee, October 15, 1818, died at Pitman, March 15, 1871. Amanda Legate’s mother was Isabella Jennings Reeves, born January 17, 1822, died March 21, 1860. Mrs. Ruff was born October 21, 1848, in Tennessee, and died at Pitman, May 28, 1920. Dr. Ruff died at Pitman, September 21, 1898.

Horace Ewing Ruff, son of Dr. R. R. and Mrs. Amanda Ruff, was born at Pitman, July 15, 1873. Attended common schools and Southern Illinois Normal University, Carbondale, Ill. Graduated from the Missouri Medical College, now the Medical Department of Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, March 26, 1894, with the degree of M. D.

Dr. Horace E. Ruff first married Charity Brown, daughter of Frank and Amanda Brown, October 6, 1895. She died at Pitman, December 11, 1905. To this union were born two children. Horace Ewing, Jr., July 2, 1899, and Flavia, July 16, 1897. Dr. Ruff was married a second time to Effie Agnes Lehman, daughter of John Milton Clayton and Tommie Harris Lehman, at Maynard, December 23, 1906. To this union were born two sons, Lehman Ren Ruff, November 3, 1907 at Pitman. He died at Heber Springs, Arkansas, November 13, 1913. John Legate Ruff, born at Heber Springs, June 15, 1913.

Dr. Horace Ewing Ruff was elected representative of Randolph county in the lower house of the General Assembly and served the terms of 1905 and 1907. He was elected senator from the 26th district, composed of the counties of Cleburne, Conway, Van Buren, and Searcy, and served in the sessions of 1915 and 1917. In 1900 he was chairman of the Randolph County Democratic Committee; a member of the Arkansas State Democratic Central Committee and a delegate to, and attended every Democratic convention from Little Black township to the National

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Democratic Convention in Kansas City. The Ruff family are good Democrats and Methodists.

Dr. Ruff was commissioned first lieutenant in the Medical Corps of the Arkansas National Guard, October 30, 1915; promoted to captain, June 19, 1916; major, January 8, 1917; on the Mexican border at Deming, New Mexico, with the first Arkansas Infantry, 1916 and 1917. Later served with the National Guard Division at Camp Beraregard, Ls., from November, 1917, to March, 1918. Major Ruff was sent overseas in May, 1918, where he joined the Third Division of the U. S. Army as surgeon of the 7th Infantry. He was in practically all the engagements fought by this U. S. Army. His outfit was in the Meuse-Argonne over 30 days. He was wounded and gassed at Cunel, France, October 21, 1918. After two month’s hospitalization he rejoined his outfit at Andernach-on-the-Rhine and arrived at Camp Pike, Arkansas, September 1, 1919. He was later commissioner in the Medical Corps, January 9. 1926.

Colonel Ruff was recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross, received the Purple Heart, Order of the Silver Star. These medals were publicly presented to Colonel Ruff by Colonel (now President) Harry Truman at Camp Pike, Arkansas. He also was given a Mexican border medal and French Medal of Honor. After discharge from the Army, he was appointed general medical examiner and chairman of the rating board for 10 years. He now resides at Thirteenth and McAlmost Sts., in Little Rock.

Dr. Horace E. Ruff, Jr., the eldest son of Dr. Ruff, Sr., married Neecy Wood of Strong, Arkansas. Was in the Navy during World War I. Has his A. B. degree from Hendrix College; his Masters degree from Louisiana State University and Doctor of Philosophy from Ames, Iowa. He is now a professor of science at Louisiana Polytechnic Institution, Ruston, Louisiana.

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Flavia Ruff married Capt. William L. Thompson, Jr., at Camp Beruregard, Louisiana, Christmas Day, 1917. They have three children, William, III, Julia and Rosemary. His son William served in World War II, is married and has one child, Patricia Ann. He is still in the Army Air Corps.

Dr. John Legate Ruff married Ruby Allen, January 11, 1943. They have one child, Marilyn, born in Little Rock, July 24, 1944. Dr. J. L. Ruff is a graduate of Little Rock High, Little Rock Junior College, Hendrix College, Conway, Arkansas, and the Medical Department of the University of Arkansas. He interned at Iowa Hospital, Iowa City, and was resident physician at Midway Hospital, St. Paul, Minn. He entered the service May 4, 1942, as first lieutenant, Medical Corps; promoted to captain, May 15, 1943. Wounded by Jap sniper on Leyte, December 16, 1944. Received special citation and Bronze Star. Honorably discharged January 29, 1946, and returned to private practice.

SHRIDE FAMILY AND ANCESTRY

Arthur Monroe Shride is the oldest son of D. H. Shride. He was born December 23, 1900, at Wirth, Sharp county, Arkansas. He is the grandson of the late J. M. and Sarah Francis Shride of Ravenden Springs, Arkansas. His mother was Zilla Belle White, daughter of the late Howell and Susan White, early residents of Randolph county.

The brothers of Arthur M. Shride are Clifton of St. Louis, Missouri; Floyd of Manila, Arkansas, and Orville of Rector, Arkansas. His sister, Mrs. Monnie Bran, lives near Dalton.

The Shride family are descendants of European immigrants who first settled in Pennsylvania. Howell White was a native of North Carolina.

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Ruby Blanche, wife of Arthur M. Shride is a daughter of B. E. and Zilpha Chester Brown, and a granddaughter of the late George W. and Martha Brown. George W. Brown was born in Georgia, moving to Texas in an ox wagon, and later came to Randolph county, where he spent the remainder of his life.

B. E. Brown was born in Texas, August 5, 1872. He came with his parents to Randolph county, where he met his wife, Zilpha, daughter of James and Caroline Chester. Mrs. Shride has four sisters, Mrs. Henry King, Mrs. W. T. Foster, Mrs. Hershel Hackworth, all of Dalton, and Mrs. L. C. McIlroy of Little Rock.

A. M. Shride and Blanche Brown, teachers in the public schools of Randolph county, were married September 18, 1925. They have two daughters, Peggy and Janell. Peggy was born November 7, 1931. She likes music, books and outdoor sports. She is now a junior in high school. Janell was born February 5, 1938. She is in the fourth grade and likes books, bicycling, boatriding and both indoor and outdoor games.

Arthur has served the public in various capacities. In addition to his regular profession as a teacher, he has served as school director, justice of the peace, chairman of the Randolph County Teacher’s Association, a member of the County Equalization Board, assistant tax assessor and barber.

The family has made Randolph county its home, with the exception of two years spent in Detroit, Michigan, during the recent war.

This family is related to many of the first families who settled on Elevenpoint river.

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THE WILLIAM TIPTON STUBBLEFIELD-
NANCY DALTON STUBBLEFIELD FAMILY

William Tipton Stubblefield and Nancy J. Dalton were married February 25, 1880. The former is descended from one of the very first families settled on Elevenpoint river. He is a grandson of Fielding Stubblefield, who settled on this stream at an early date, probably coming here with his father and other members of this family before 1820.

When the first courthouse was built in Pocahontas, Fielding Stubblefield was one of the public building commissioners. Another member of this family, Coleman Stubblefield, was a member of the Territorial Legislature from old Lawrence county in 1829.

The parents of our subjects were Tipton Stubblefield and Sarah Garrett Stubblefield, who were married September 8, 1858. Our subject was the only child of this union. After the death of Tipton Stubblefield, his wife married Felix Mock and they became the parents of two son, Tom and Jack Mock.

A sister of Tipton Stubblefield married Lewis Dalton, January 1, 1860. Her name was Sarah Anne, but was known as Aunt Sally. A cousin of William Stubblefield, Jeff D. Stubblefield, married Zilla Dalton, daughter of William Dalton.

The Garrett family was French. They came to America as refugees of the French Revolution.

William Tipton Stubblefield was born August 3, 1860, and died in August, 1941. He and Nancy J. Dalton were the parents of seven children. They are Rufe, who married Katie Cohn; Sarah, who married Thomas Carroll; Lawrence, who married Elvie Magruder; Myrtle, who married Myrt Bennett; Mara, who married Leonard Crews; Orlean, who married Major Christian, and Thomas and Pearl, who are not married. There are 20 grandchildren now living.

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Mr. Stubblefield was a learned man. He was known to have been one of the best authorities on county government in the state. He served the county as tax assessor in 1892-3, and auditor for the county many years. For many years this family had more public school teachers than any family in the county. It was a common saying in Randolph county for many years, “If you want to know anything about the records of the county, see Bill Stubblefield.”

The family lived at Warm Springs many years, moving to Pocahontas about 1905. Uncle Bill and Aunt Nancy kept open house and hundreds of people enjoyed the hospitality of this home. She was a good cook and was always courteous and cheerful toward their guests.

Nancy J. Dalton Stubblefield is a descendant of one John Dalton, who was born in Ireland and came to the United States about 1760. He first settled at Dalton, Georgia, and from there the family moved to North Carolina, Virginia, and later to Kentucky. John Dalton served in the Revolutionary War. After the close of the Revolution he moved with his family to Madison county, Missouri. From here he came on down into Ripley county, where he spent the remainder of his life. This was about 1812.

He settled on Fourche Dumas creek at what is still known as the Dalton Mill ford, where the old Warm Springs-Doniphan road crossed this creek. He and other members of the family lie buried out in the bottom field near the present ford.

John Dalton was the father of Elijah, Jack, David, Maria and other children. Elijah was the father of Lewis Dalton and other children. Jack was the father of “Forg” Dalton and other children, who was the father of Dr. J. W. Dalton late of this county. Maria married James Keel. David married Priscilla Dennis of Greenville, Missouri, in 1826. They were the parents of another Elijah, another David, Sarah married George Matney, Susanna who married William Cross, John who

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died in the Civil War, Nancy who married Harrison Davis, Ruth who married James Parker, Priscilla who married John Bond and David who first married Christiana Everett.

Elijah, son of David Dalton and Priscilla Dennis Dalton, was the father of Nancy Dalton Stubblefield, one of the subjects of this sketch. This Elijah Dalton was born in southern Ripley county, Missouri, October 28, 1829. He married Grace Jane Head in 1857. They were the parents of the following children besides Nancy Stubblefield, our subject. They were John C., who first married Susan Poynor and later Sally Spencer; James who married Nora McIlroy (who married Joseph Dalton after James died); Mary, who married William McIlroy; Sarah M., who married W. A. Holt: Elijah A., who married Ida Bell Mock, and Rufus, who married Daisy Downey.

The mother of our subject was, as stated above, Grace Jane Head, who was a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Head of Wayne county, Missouri. Mrs. Head’s maiden name was Clubb. Elijah Dalton died in 1906 and his wife died some 10 years previous.

Nancy Dalton Stubblefield, our subject, died June 14, 1936.

The sponsor of this article, Mrs. Myrt Bennett, is a daughter of William T. and Nancy Dalton Stubblefield. Mrs. Bennett was born February 17, 1893, her husband, Myrt Bennett, was born November 3, 1891. They are the parents of one son, William Myrt, Jr., who was born January 12, 1920. The son has recently been discharged from the U. S. Navy, where he served from August, 1942, to February 3, 1946. He was a lieutenant junior grade and served as air traffic controller on the aircraft carrier “Intrepid, “ and was also an officer on an LST.

Mryt Bennett is the son of Henry S. Bennett and Sadie Pratt Bennett, who were married July 20, 1878, and lived south of Warm Springs.

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Both Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are former Randolph county school teachers, but for several years Mrs. Bennett has been engaged in the mercantile business at Biggers. He also owns considerable real estate. His business is located at present in the three-story Biggers building, which he purchased from the Biggers family in 1945. He does a general furnishing business and has one of the best locations in the county.

The Bennett family are early residents of the central part of the county.

THE EUGENE GARDINER SCHOONOVER FAMILY

Miss Estelle Waddle and Eugene Gardiner Schoonover were married June 10, 1896, both of them being members of old and leading families of Randolph county.

Eugene G. Schoonover was a grandson of Daniel and Elizabeth Jacks Schoonover, natives of Pennsylvania. Jacob Schoonover was the son of Daniel and the father of Eugene.

Jacob Schoonover came to Arkansas in 1858, first settling in the town of Marion, but at the outbreak of the Civil War he was living in Randolph county and joined the Confederate Army under Col. Robert G. Shaver, at Pocahontas. He was married to Martha J. Wear of Pittstown, Pennsylvania, in 1870.

To this union five children were born, Eugene, Herbert W., Adelaide Virginia, and Parke and Vista, twins, the latter dying in infancy. Herbert was never married; Adelaide married Rev. W. R. Bennett and had two children, Katherine and William R., Jr. Martha Wear Schoonover died December 22, 1878, and her children were taken by Jacob Schoonover’s various sisters in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where they were reared to maturity and only Eugene and Herbert ever returned to Arkansas to make their homes. On January 5, 1882, Jacob Schoonover married Miss Ella Bolen, daughter

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of Capt. J. N. Bolen, a former newspaperman and postmaster of Pocahontas, and Mary Caroline Bolen, later affectionately know as “Granny,” who died in the year 1941 at the age of 104 years. Jacob and Ella Schoonover had three children, Robert N., Jacob and Mary, Jacob dying at the age of 15 years and Mary becoming the wife of Ulric H. Reynolds. Jacob Schoonover was engaged in the mercantile business in Pocahontas for several years, but was elected to the office of circuit and county clerk in 1876 and served six years in this capacity. He was a Mason. Ulric Reynolds died in 1923, leaving two children, Ulric, Jr., and Curtis Dennis. Both served in World War II and are now living in California.

Eugene Gardiner Schoonover was born in Pocahontas September 30, 1871, and died February 5, 1944. Shortly before his death it was said that he was the oldest man living in Pocahontas who was born there. For more than 50 years he was a member of the Randolph County Bar, was considered the most eminent attorney ever produced in Randolph county and had a statewide reputation for legal learning. He was graduated from the Law School of the University of Michigan in 1893. He was a member of the Methodist church and a Royal Arch Mason. He was a Past Master of Randolph Lodge No. 71.

Estelle Waddle Schoonover, on her paternal side, is a granddaughter of Dr. Jacob Waddle and Sarah Elizabeth Crepps Waddle, who were natives of Virginia and Kentucky. Her maternal grandparents were Dalphus H. and Mary A. McElrath Kibler, both of whom came to Randolph county in 1856 from North Carolina. Adolphus Kibler was county treasurer from 1878 to 1886. He was a Methodist and a Mason. His parents were Michael and Catherine Lorance Kibler.

Dr. Jacob and Sarah Elizabeth Waddle had two children, William H. Waddle (father of Mrs. Schoonover), and Isabella, who was the first wife of John P. Black. After the death of Dr. Waddle, his widow married William A. Hamil.

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and they became the parents of Robert N. Hamil and Kate Hamil Henderson.

Adolphus Kibler and wife were the parents of seven children, Hattie, who married Dr. Crosby; Alice, who married Dr. Wise of Greene county; Ada, who died when 17 years of age; George, who married Louisa Bollinger; an infant named Willie; Bettie Ida, who died in infancy, and Augusta L., who married William H. Waddle to become the mother of Estelle Schoonover.

William H. Waddle and Augusta Kibler were married April 4, 1867, and were the parents of six children, as follows: John A., who died in infancy; Jacob Adolphus, William Walter, who died July 14, 1904 at age 26; Gordon Kibler, who died when four years of age; Mary Ives and Estelle. William H. Waddle died December 29, 1919, and his wife, Augusta, died in 1930, each at age of 82.

Mr. Waddle was a leading merchant of Pocahontas in the late 60’s and early 70’s. After this time he was prominent in insurance and real estate business. He was an Odd Fellow and member of the Methodist church.

Mrs. Waddle was also a Methodist and was active in church work as long as she was able. She fell, breaking her hip in 1912, and was never strong afterwards.

Jacob a. Waddle resides in Pocahontas at the present time, with wife, the former Mayme Clopton, whom he married in 1920. Mary Ives married Harvey Midkiff in 1903. Mr. Midkiff died in 1941. The widow lives in Brinkley, Arkansas. They were the parents of the following: William Gordon, Mary Afton, Samuel Waddle, Richard H., James P., Thomas Woodrow and John Harvey.

Four children were born to the union of Eugene Gardiner Schoonover and Estelle Waddle. Martha Sylvesta and Eugene McDowell died in infancy in 1897 and 1899. William Jacob was born August 27, 1903, and Wear Kibler on

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March 18, 1910. Jacob is a practicing attorney in Pocahontas, where he has been so engaged for 21 years. He was graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1923 and also from his father’s alma mater, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, in 1926. He married Miss Verma Decker, in June 1932. She is the daughter of Judge Joe S., and Oma Pickett Decker. They have one daughter, Adelaide Virginia, born May 17, 1933. Jacob Schoonover is a Mason; a Past Master, and also has been secretary of the local lodge for years.

Wear Kibler Schoonover, unmarried. With the exception of three and one-half years in the U. S. Navy, has been an attorney in the solicitor’s office, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., for more than 10 years. He attended the University of Arkansas for seven years and was graduated with honors from both the Literary and Law School. He attained national prominence in athletics, having been selected on the All-America football team in 1929, and was an all-conference performer in basketball, and also a member of the University baseball and track teams. In 1930 he accompanied a group of noted football players to Hollywood, where they made the picture “Maybe It’s Love,” which was shown in all leading theatres in the nation. He was a lieutenant commander when discharged from the Navy.

Eugene Schoonover died in February, 1944. Mrs. Schoonover still lives in the old home in Pocahontas. She is a member of the Methodist church and is active in religious and civic activities.

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S. A. (DORE) SMITH

S. A. (Dore) Smith was born April 18, 1882, in Terre Haute, Indiana. Maud L. Murdock was born June 25, 1884, at Oxford, Arkansas. This couple were married March 4, 1904.

The father and mother of S. A. Smith were James Madison Smith, born in 1856, at Frankfort, Kentucky, and died July 4, 1918, at Datto, Arkansa, and Maria E. Herrington, born January 20, 1859, died February 15, 1905 at Datto, Arkansas.

The family of S. A. Smith moved from Terre Haute, Indiana, to Greenville, Illinois, in 1884. The family lived there 17 years, moving to Greenville, Missouri, in 1901. The next year, in 1902, they moved to Datto, Arkansas. In 1905, the year after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Smith moved to St. Louis, where S. A. took up an apprenticeship in the monument trade. They moved to Pocahontas in 1907 and have resided here ever since.

Politically, Mrs. Smith has always been a Democrat. Religiously he first joined the Methodist Church in childhood. After his marriage he became a member of the Church of Christ. This is the church affiliation of the family, both Mr. and Mrs. Smith being consistent members.

Before becoming interested in the monument business Mr. Smith served 12 years as a baker.

Maud L. Murdock is a daughter of James Murdock and Martha Wallace Murdock. James Murdock was born in the state of Georgia and came first to Missouri with the Hamilton family, who adopted him after the death of his parents. He lived a short time in Eastland county, Texas, but died in Weber Falls, Oklahoma, in 1897. Mrs. Murdock is still living at the present time, in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Smith, in Pocahontas at the age of 86. Her father was

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Silas Wallace, who lived in Siloam township, this county, about 40 years ago. There were 10 children in the Murdock family, four boys and six girls. There were seven children in the James Madison Smith family, four girls and three boys.

S. A. Smith and Maud L. Murdock are the parents of the following children: Cordia, born March 12, 1905; Henley, born March 21, 1909; Burrus, born May 30, 1912; and Lucille, born May 11, 1911. Lucille died May 6, 1946.

Cordia married Abe Hepner, April 16, 1944. She has two children by a former marriage, Jeanne and Patsy. Patsy married B. E. Foster in 1946. Henley married Mary Lou Stricklin, June 30, 1938. Burrus married Earlene Weir, October 13, 1939. They have one child, Dianne. Lucille married Elmer Bowen, February 1, 1932. They were the parents of one son, Joe. Lucille and family lived at Jonesboro at the time of her death.

Henley and Burrus are the owners of the Imperial Theater in Pocahontas, and have made an outstanding success in this business.

Cordia now lives in Indiana.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith recently moved into their new home, on the Dalton road near the Baptist College. Until this year Mr. Smith was engaged in the monument business, which he had followed several years.

The Smith family is well known and a highly respected family of Pocahontas, where they have lived 39 years.

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THE SHAVER FAMILY

The Shaver family is one of the largest which has lived in Randolph county. Being one of the first in the county, they have intermarried with many of the other first families, the result of which is that many person in this section of the state today have Shaver blood in their veins who have varied family names.

There are three “families” of the Shavers in this section of the state who trace their ancestry to a common source. One of these is the family now represented in Sharp and Fulton counties. Another is the Shaver family which settled in the extreme lower end of Cherokee Bay, soon after 1800. Col. Robert G. Shaver of Civil War fame was a member of the Sharp county Shavers. Shaver’s Eddy on Black river about 10 miles above Pocahontas is near the first home of the Cherokee Bay Shavers. This is just south of the lower end of Cherokee Bay. Here Michael, Daniel, Jacob W. and other Shavers lived around 1820 or before. This branch of the family is closely related to the Shavers of which this article will deal.

John Shaver came to Randolph county from Georgia about 1828, after other members of this family had already settled here. He settled in what is now possibly Ingram township, where he lived the rest of his life, dying in 1850. He was married in 1823 to Nancy Cook, before coming to this county. To this union was born 11 children, eight reaching maturity. They were William, Robert, James F., Alexander, Martha who married C. Johnson; Caroline, who married John Johnson; Nancy, who married Jesse Johnson; John, who was killed at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862, and Peter. William was a minister of the Church of Christ, as was Peter. The two brothers organized and preached to some of the first congregations of this church in north Arkansas.

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There is in this section of the state today descendants of all the children of John and Nancy Cook Shaver, named above, especially that of James F. and Peter.

The children of James F., who married Elizabeth Waddle, were: Alexander, Jacob, J. H., Louis, James, Matilda, who married Jeff Morris; Sarah, who married Eli Morris; Rufus L., Peter M., W. M., Joseph A., and Daisy, who married Lee Bolen. Peter Shaver married Lucinda Waddle, sister of James F. Shaver’s wife.

The parents of Elizabeth and Lucinda Waddle were Henry Waddle and Sarah Biggers Waddle. They were married in 1836. Mr. Waddle came to this county from Tennessee in 1832. Besides the wives of the Shaver brothers, they were the parents of the following children: Sarah, who married (Muxy) Jim Johnson; Susan, who married David Roberts; Caroline, who married Vincent Segraves; Marietta (Aunt Queen), who married Frank Hawk and T. J., Tiner; Mathilda, Jefferson, James and George.

Peter Shaver married Lucinda Waddle in 1853. To this union was born the following children: Louvenia, who married Alexander Davis; Jane, who married J. B. Long; American, who married General Mock; Susan, who married James Edwards; Nancy who married Alfred Payne; Robert D., William (twins), G. R., Joseph and A. B. (Robert, William and Joseph died young.)

The only living members of this family at this time are Mrs. Edwards, G. R. and A. B. Mrs. Edwards live in Clay county; G. R. (Ran) lives on the site of old Ingram (Gooberhull), the old Shaver homestead, and A. B. lives in Pocahontas. A. B. is a minister of the Church of Christ and has spent many years in faithful service of the cause of Christ.

A. B. Shaver and Martha Fowler were married in July, 1897. To this union were born eight children, six sons and two daughters. They are, Horace, who married Glen Kerr;

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Hardy, who married Amy Ford; Willie, who married Lilly Rice; Carl (deceased); Curtis and Arlo, who have recently been discharged from service in World War II, they are not married; Florence, married Walter Mays and Hassel married Delbert Johnson.

A. B. Shaver entered the ministry when he was 25 years of age. During these long years of service for his Master, he has baptized over 4, 000, held over 3,000 funeral services and performed over 2,500 marriage ceremonies. He has the honor of performing the first marriage ceremony in the new Randolph county courthouse.

There are about 35 active congregations of the Church of Christ in the community and Eld. A. B. Shaver has the distinction of being instrumental in the establishment of as many as 20 of them. He has also met in public discussion 10 times.

Louvena, daughter of Peter and Lucinda Waddle Shaver, a sister of Eld. Shaver named above, married Alexander Davis, a native of Illinois, in 1876. She was born December 23, 1854. Mr. Davis died April 22, 1916. Mrs. Davis died April 28, 1942. To this union was born three sons and one daughter. They were G. G., A. B., J. B., and Essie May.

J. B. (Baxter) married Emma Wright, daughter of George W. Wright. They were parents of two children. Charles E., a barber of Corning, and Lessie Mae, who married George Guyns. She also lives in Corning.

A. B. (Amos) married Ganie Mock, daughter of Isham and Elizabeth Morris Mock. They live in Pocahontas. They are the parents of four children, Arvil C., who recently returned from overseas service in the German area; Marie, who married Fred Cousins. Her husband also is a veteran of World War II; Lowell R., who married Jessie Long, daughter of Rayburn and Vada Long. Lowell also served in the late war, in the Japan area; Athlene, unmarried at home.

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Essie Davis married Press Ramsey, both are deceased, as is one of the four children. The living children are, Gladys, who married Martin Fowler; Charlie, who married Laura Hayes; Jessie, who married Burley J. Sutherland, and Beulah, who is deceased.

G. G. (Green) married Nettie J. Starling, August 12, 1900. Mr. Davis was a daughter of George W. and Fronia Howard Starling.

They were the parents of four children. Three died in infancy. One, Rector L., lives in Pocahontas, and is a barber by trade. Rector married Ada Spikes, daughter of Jack W. and Ina Johnson Spikes. Rector and wife have one son, Henley Leland. Nettie Davis died October 12, 1944. G. G. survives her. He lives with his son in Pocahontas at the present time.

Green Davis is native of the Ingram-Palestine community where his maternal ancestor (the Shaver family) have lived for a century and a quarter. He served for many years as justice of the peace of Ingram township, and other official capacities. Since the death of his wife he has resided in Pocahontas, where he is now serving his second year as deputy tax assessor of Randolph county. G. G. is noted for his penmanship, being possibly the best Spencerian penman in the county.

During his younger days he also built up quite a reputation as a “southpaw” pitcher on the Ingram ball team, which for many years was one of the best in the county. This family history article was sponsored by Eld. A. B. Shaver and G. G. Davis.

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Photos of Uncle William Henry Johnston and Aunt Martha Johnston dated September 8, 1878 and September 8, 1928.

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THE SPIKES FAMILY

(Contributed by Ben Johnston)

William (Pappy Billy) Spikes, born in 1784, and died in 1855. The family is of English descent. Part of William Spikes’ family was born in or near Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1815 they moved to Graves county, Tennessee, remaining here only five years, landing in 1820 in the foothills of the Ozarks, on a beautiful creek which he named “Tennessee,“ at a point near where the Ingram postoffice is now located. He build his log residence near an evenflowing spring, and in 1828 homesteaded the land. In 1830 he built his first church on this land and named it “Mount Pisgah.” This house soon proved to be too small, on account of the increase of new settlers, and a larger one was built in 1840.

William Spikes died in 1857 but the settlers continued to fill this area and a third church was built between 1880 and 1885 by his family and friends. All these buildings were built by donation labor. Just who did the work on the first two in not known. Of the last building, we have the names of William Deaver, James Hurn, James Barnett, Isaac and Thomas Hopkins, Frank Tiner and Nathaniel and Jackson Cox, in addition to the Spikes family. Of course, there are other names who assisted as it was a large well-built frame building, a credit to any rural community.

Possibly Rev. Larkin F. Johnston, my paternal grandfather, a young minister from Tennessee, was the first resident preacher of this church.

William Spikes first married Elizabeth Biddle, of Scotch descent, and to this union were born Jesse, Joseph, William, Nancy and Martha. His second wife was Malinda Masterson, and to this union was born Flin, Samuel, Elizabeth and Mary.

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Due to the time involved and the fact that the family is so badly scattered, I will confine this article from here on, to my own branch of the family tree.

Jesse Spikes was born April 2, 1808 and died, January 7, 1887. He was my grandfather. The information included herein is taken principally from an article prepared by my mother, about the family, for her children, kinsmen and friends.

Jesse Spikes first married Nancy Copeland and to this union were born, William Anthony, Nancy, Joseph Washington, David Lafayette, James Monroe, Jesse Hezekiah and Elizabeth. His second wife, my grandmother, was Eliza Stone, maiden name Kersey. She had two little girls, Mary and Octava, daughters of her first husband, Rufus Stone, another Tennessean. To the union of Eliza Stone and Jesse Spikes were born Ben F., John W., Martha and Malissa.

James, William and David were Confederate soldiers. James died in Bowling Green, Kentucky; William in Little Rock, Arkansas, and David soon after he returned home from the war, from exposure during the service. Nancy married Tone Carroll; Joseph W. married Judy Nelson; Jesse H. married Nancy J. Early; Elizabeth married John R. Davis; Ben F. married Sarah R. Dalton; John W. married Tuda Foster; Malissa married Rufus C. Dalton and Martha, my mother married William Henry Johnston.

My father and mother were married September 8, 1878, to which union were born Ben E. (the writer); Anna E., Magdeline, and Martha Ella. Father was born January 5, 1852 and died December 20, 1929. Mother was born August 2, 1859 and died February 10, 1838. Anna E. was born March 1, 1886 and died July 14, 1908.

The Spikes family, generally have been tillers of the soil, however several have been public officials of Randolph county and elsewhere. Some are teachers, doctors, preachers, lawyers, merchants, etc.

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In the deed records of Randolph county will be found proper deeds for the four-acre church lot and the four-acre cemetery lot which was deeded to the Methodist Episcopal Church, south, and for use as a cemetery, by Jesse and Samuel Spikes. Soula M. Spikes lives on a little farm nearby and takes great interest in the property.

Some day, who knows, when the cycle is turned, but what this now almost abandoned section may again become the pride of the county, and some far-seeing future “Pappy Bill” lead the way to the erection of a shrine in the form of a church, school or hospital, on this beautiful little four acres of gently rolling primitive land. Then this courageous pioneer can look back with pride to this, once wilderness spot, which he and his neighbors dedicated as a pioneer community, a better place to live and enjoy God’s blessings.------------Ben Johnston.

THE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TAYLOR FAMILY

Benjamin Franklin Taylor was born September 9, 1860, the son of Alexander Taylor and Martha Dismang Taylor, near Supply, Randolph county, Arkansas. He married Martha Ellen Moore in September, 1880. She was a daughter of D. C. and Sarah Johnston Moore. Mrs. Taylor was born January 12, 1859, and died July 26, 1929, in St. Louis and was buried at Poynor, Missouri. Elders W. A. Goodwin and T. E. Sherrill of the Church of Christ conducted services.

To this union was born five children, three girls, Francis Evaline, born November 3, 1882; Alice, born March 31, 1884; Jessie May, born March 3, 1886; two boys, Robert Lee, born April 13, 1888, and Benjamin Palmer, born October 19, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor moved over the line into Ripley county, Missouri, in September, 1892, where they cleared a large farm and reared their family.

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The father of Benjamin Taylor was born November 19, 1823, and died in 1880. His mother died in 1859. To this union was born five children. They were, Sarah Francis, born in 1850; General Marion, born in 1852; Albert Anderson, born in 1856, our subject, and an infant named Ollie. After the death of his first wife, the father of our subject married Miss Candy Pearce and to this union was born three boys, Columbus, Andrew and Henry, all deceased.

The grandfather of Benjamin Taylor was one Asa Taylor, who moved from Graves county, Kentucky to settle near Supply, Ark. Asa Taylor was born February 5, 1801, and died in 1865. His wife was born November 29, 1803, and died about 1856. Asa Taylor was married a second time July 3, 1858, to Miss Nancy Ainley. William Torrence Johnson, who was the father of the late Uncle John A. Johnson, was a son-in-law of Asa Taylor. The elder Johnson settled near Asa Taylor in 1885.

The Taylor family is of Scotch descent and a majority of this family are members of the Church of Christ. This family, together with the Cox, Johnson and other families established the old Glaze Creek Church of Christ, which is still in existence and one of the very first churches in this county. Our subject, Benjamin Taylor, states that “while none of the family have been known to turn the world upside down they have been honest and I never knew of one of them going to jail.” He remembers when almost everything used in the home and otherwise, was home-made. He states that he can remember, as a boy, watching his father grind the tanbark for use in making his own leather, with which he made shoes for the family and neighbors. When the doctor was called in that period, Mr. Taylor states that he brought a “saddle bag full of roots and herbs which he brewed up his remedies of, and after treating the patient, charged a dollar and went home.” In giving us this family history article of his family, Mr. Taylor dedicates it to the pioneers who, as he states it, “I hold a warm spot in my

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heart for all those old pioneers, including my ancestors, who fought through thick and thin, so we might have a Christian nation to live in.

As a parting admonition to his children and grandchildren he states, “I am writing this, in order that you and your children may know more about your foreparents than we at present do. Also, in closing, I admonish you, girls when you start out in life and choose a companion, resolve never to allow lips which touch liquor to touch yours, and to the boys, remember that boys who go to Sunday school regularly seldom ever go to prison for committing crimes.”

WILLIAM JEFFERSON McCOLGAN

(Contributed to his memory, by the Author)

The subject of this sketch was born in south-central Illinois about 1856. The writer knows very little about his family, except that he had a sister, Mrs. Tom J. Buck, who lived at Reyno several years and a brother, Wesley, who was a prominent citizen of Dexter, Missouri, 25 years ago. “Uncle Jeff,” as he was familiarly known, married a cousin of the late Judge J. W. Meeks, a long resident of Pocahontas, and was the father of one daughter, who married Rolla Irvin. Uncle Jeff was an early educator of Wayne county, Illinois. Judge Meeks was a pupil of his. He was also a schoolmate of the late Senator William Borah of Idaho, who was reared at Fairfield, Illinois. Uncle Jeff was one of the commissioners who designed and built the present courthouse at Fairfield, Wayne county, Illinois.

Uncle Jeff McColgan came to Reyno about 1910 and stayed a while and then came back in 1924, to spend the rest of his life there, where de died in March, 1935. He was mayor of Morehouse, Missouri, when that town was a much larger town than Sikeston. After coming to Reyno, he served

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as mayor for about six years and was one of the best officials which this town ever had. It was the privilege of the writer to serve as recorder of the town at the time Uncle Jeff was mayor. He dealt justice to all who came into his court “without fear or favor” in the fullest sense of the word. We served during the hectic days of the bootlegging heyday. While other folks would have made a lot of enemies, Uncle Jeff had a way that kept most of the folks as his friends. One fellow who often found himself in the mayor’s court, said: “We cuss Uncle Jeff all winter and then vote for him in the spring,”

In memory of one of the greatest characters I ever met, I dedicate this brief article to the memory of William Jefferson McColgan, pioneer educator, public official, and my departed friend.

EUGENE THOMPSON

Louis Thompson, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Ireland in 1776. His father had lived in the Colony of Virginia many years, but, being a loyal supporter of the English Crown, he returned with his family to Ireland about 1775 when the war clouds began to gather over the American colonies. As a youth he was imbued with the spirit of American freedom, and the fireside stories of his parents augmented his desire to cast his lot with the peoples of the New World. So, on reaching his majority, he came to Virginia, and a few years later migrated to Tennessee, the youngest and perhaps the wildest state in the Union. Here on December 15, 1805, he married Nancy Biddle, a daughter of a Scotch landholder, who was a well-to-do planter of that time.

He fought with Jackson in the War of 1812. After the Battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1825, he returned home on the Biddle plantation in Hawkins county, Tennessee,

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where he died a short time later from the ravages and exposure of war. So far as is known he was the only member of his family to make a permanent home in America.

The family records show that he and Nancy Biddle were the parents of five children, all born in Hawkins county, and that the mother died, 1817. The children, John Biddle, 1806; Nancy, 1808; Elizabeth, 1809; Mary, 1811, and William, 1813-were placed with Biddle relatives, inasmuch as there were no Thompson relatives in America to

share them. An uncle, William Spikes, received our subject’s grandfather, William Thompson. In 1820 he came with this Spikes family, who settled on Tennessee creek in Randolph county. He lived the rest of his life there.

He was a farmer and wagon maker and served as a judge of the county (1860-2). January 2, 1836 he married Mary McLain, a lady of Irish descent, who was the mother of John Biddle, William Washington, Nancy, Elizabeth, Samuel Wilson and David Dixon. By a later marriage to Sarah Jane McCoy he was the father of Gideon, Olin, Stephen Tell (Pocahontas postmaster Cleveland first administration), and Willis (McIlroy), who have descendants in Randolph county. John Biddle and William Washington fought with the Confederacy in the War Between the States, and , as his father often said; “They fought all day on Sunday hard; the latter one was slain at sundown of the second day on Shiloh’s bloody plain.”

Sam Wilson Thompson, born December 9, 1845, was married to Maria Elizabeth Adams, born April 20, 1849, in Bedford county, Tennessee, on December 20, 1866. To this marriage two daughters and two sons, living in Randolph county, were born-Beatrice Hufstedler, Birdell community, who has three sons and four daughters living there and two daughters in Oklahoma: H. Ella White, whose son Tell Thompson lives in Philadelphia; Edward, who sons, Earl of Kansas, Ralph and Joed, in Memphis, and a daughter,

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Jessie Lee Davis, Pocahontas; and Eugene, subject of this sketch. He served the last two years in the War Between the States with Capt. Wibb Conner’s Cavalry Company and was elected first county tax assessor under our present State Constitution. He farmed practically all his life on Massingale (Thompson-Baker) creek and died there April 20, 1921. Mrs. Thompson’s father came from Tennessee in 1856 and settled on Elevenpoints, the farm later being known as Pratt place and is now owned by Judge Bledsoe. She died November 15, 1914.

Eugene Thompson was born on a creek farm in what is now Shiloh township January 14, 1882, did farm work and attended rural schools. Later he attended high school in Pocahontas and Walnut Ridge under the tutorship of Professor Watkins and went to business school in Little Rock. From 1901 to 1915 inclusive he taught in grade and high schools of Randolph, and played first base for Water Valley, Shiloh and Ouachita-Maynard Academy teams. He was county school examiner (1910-14) and in 1931 was elected to a six-year term on the County Board of Education, of which he was chairman. He was elected county coroner in 1942 and is incumbent.

In 1916 he went into the general mercantile business on Bettis Street with his brother-in-law. On account of age Mr. White retired in 1931, and in 1934 Thompson changed to groceries exclusively and was in that business until 1942, when he retired to retain his health.

November 8, 1918, he married Ethel Miller, daughter of Martha and the late William F. Miller of Ravenden Springs. Born to this union were one daughter and two sons-Mrs. Eileen Moore of Park Avenue; Samuel William, instructor in University of Minnesota working for doctor’s degree in chemistry, and Everett Eugene, GI student in Arkansas University since being discharged from Air Corps as Lieutenant. She died April 17, 1925. Two years and two

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months later he married Mae Galbraith, daughter of the late George and Belle Galbraith, granddaughter of John Janes, reputed to be the first white settler of Randolph county about 1805 on Janes’ creek.

(Author’s note: A few days after the article above was submitted to us for publication in this history, Samuel William, son of the subject of this sketch was accidentally drowned. This occurred June 16, 1946, in Minnetonka Lake, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Young Thompson was with a Sunday school party when it happened.)

THE WYATT FAMILY

The Wyatt family is descended from a long and honorable line of Norman, French and English stock. Adam Guiot (the Norman spelling of the name), came over with William the Conqueror, and took part in the Battle of Hastings, and settled in south England, where his descendants took a prominent part in English history.

Sir Henry Wiat (a later spelling which still later became Wyat), was a favorite of King Henry VII and King Henry VIII. He was the father of the famous poet, Sir Thomas Wiat.

Sir Hawthe Wiat was a minister at the Coloney of Jamestown, under the governorship of his brother Sir Francis, and became the head of the Wyatts of Virginia. A descendant, Daniel Wyatt took part in many engagements of the Revolutionary War, and was also an early settler in Tennessee. Daniel Wyatt, the head of the Randolph county clan, came to this county in 1837, accompanied by his wife, Janesy Nichols Wyatt and three children, Daniel, Evaline and Albert P. Seven others stayed at their old home in Stewart county, Tennessee. The writer has not been able to secure much information regarding this part of the family.

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Daniel was educated in the schools of this county. On Elevenpoint river still stands an old rock chimney which he helped to build when 11 years of age. He was married three times. His first wife was Nancy C. Burrow, widow of Jesse Burrow. They had five children, Letha C., Ella, Marion and two that died in infancy. Letha married J. T. Bennett. They moved to Oklahoma and reared a large family. Ella married J. W. Knoy and they moved to Texas and also reared a large family. Marion married Ella Jane Bryan. He became a teacher for many years in the schools of Randolph county. His last home was at Maynard where he died in 1914. They had 10 children, four of whom are living, in 1946. Oscar E., postmaster at Bono, Arkansas; Katie Clarice Wilkinson, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Vera Mabel Watkins, Monette, Arkansas, and Daniel Bryan, Richmond Heights, Missouri.

Daniel’s second wife was Bethany J. Flannery and they had three children, Marvin (his children are a son, Daly who lives at Kennett, Missouri, and a daughter, Mrs Tola Johnson who lives in Pocahontas); John, who has a large family living at Havana, Arkansas, and Nancy Jane, who with her husband, C. H. Tyler, lives on the old homestead built near Elevenpoint by her father. The Tylers have a son, Arthur of St. Louis; a son Hubert, assistant postmaster at Newport, and a daughter Elsie Magruder, living in Chicago.

Daniel’s third marriage was to Mrs. Ellen A. Chesser, maiden name Ellis. They had one son, Jethro, who married Florence Lemmons and had three children, Dora, Dorothy, and Eugene. He died at Egypt, Arkansas, in 1938.

(Contributed by Oscar E. Wyatt.)

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SOLOMON M. WHITE

The subject of this sketch is one of the best known citizens of the county. He was born April 22, 1859 in Lyons county, Kentucky, and came to Randolph county in September 1880. For several years he was one of the county’s leading teachers. Mr. White was county treasurer four years and county judge four years. “Uncle Sol,” as he is affectionately known, is a member of the Church of Christ and is a very devout member, seldom missing Sunday services. He is an active justice of the peace and keeps regular hours at the courthouse each day.

Mr. White has the following to say about his family:

“My grandparents on my father’s side were Ezekiel and Elizabeth White. They lived in Beverly, Massachusetts. I only know of three children of this union: my father George, an Uncle William and Aunt Edna. My father was a sailor on the high seas from a boy until about 40 years of age. At that time he came to Kentucky where he met and married my mother, about 1838. To this union nine children were born. Their names are as follows: Mary Susan, who married Dr. Martin Hogan, Samuel, Eliza, Matthew, Elizabeth, John E., Sarah, Edna and myself. I am the only one living of the family at this time. I never knew my uncle William or Aunt Edna. They settled somewhere in Tennessee. Aunt Edna married a Mr. Fraizer and they moved to Texas. I made some effort to locate the families in recent years but failed to find them.

“My mother’s people came from Vermont to Kentucky about the close of the seventeenth century, and settled on the east side of the Cumberland river, in what was then called Caldwell county, now Lyons county. The settlement was called ‘Yankeetown.’ My great-grandparents were named Hill. I do not know their given names. My grandparents

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were Jonas and Mary Martin. They were the parents of six sons, as follows; Solomon, for whom I was named; George, Henry, William, Truman and Isaac. Five daughters, Mariah, Sarah, Lucy, Susan, and Catherine, my mother. I only remember seeing Uncles Solomon and George, Aunt Sarah and mother.

“My father died when I was a small child and I remember very little about him. My mother also died when I was small. I was reared by other folks who told me very little about my people. My mother’s relatives, who came to Kentucky from Vermont, were the Hills, Martins, Hawleys, Walkers, and Lyons. This Lyon family was the same as General Matthew Lyons.

“Since I came to Arkansas in September, 1880, I have taught school, worked in stores, in fact did almost all kinds of work except make ties.

“In 1881 while making my home with Prof. John Hogan and wife, I met Miss Katie E. Jones, a sister of Mrs Hogan. She and two sisters, Miss Annie Jones and Mrs. Lillie Curd, a small son and daughter, came here from Murray, Kentucky.

“On December 7, 1884, I married my present wife, Miss Katie Jones, at the home of the late W. H. Tipton, just east of Maynard. To this union three children were born. They were, Annie Maye (now Mrs. Annie Maye Cherry), born February 21, 1886; Jimmie, born September 11, 1888, died in infancy; Thomas, born September 9, 1889, died September 19, 1903.

“After the death of my first wife I married my present wife, Miss H. Ella Thompson, September 29, 1895. To this union one son was born January 15, 1897, named Tell Thompson White. Tell is a civil engineer and works for the Federal government. He is stationed at present in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated as civil engineer at the University of Arkansas at 18 1/2 years of age. He is also a geologist and petroleum engineer.

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“ I was elected to the office of county treasurer in September, 1902, and served four years. In 1906 I was elected county judge and served four years in this office.”

Such is the family story of Judge Solomon M. White, aged 87 years in the year 1946.

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