Part Three

Communities (first half)

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ATTICA

This village and community is located in one of the early settled spots of the county, although the village itself was not established until around 1890. Miss Clara Hill was the first postmistress. Other merchants and postmasters have been the following, and possibly others whose names we do not have. The list is as follows: Tobe Chastian, Jasper Pace, Sular McNabb, John Johnson, Curtis Williams, Raymond Elkins, Witt Waddell and Hulitt Haulcroft.

Possibly the first settlers attended their first religious services at the old Fourche de Thomas “Salem” church which was not so far away. Some of the first residents of the community, especially on the north side, may have gone to church at old Mount Pisgah on Tennessee creek, but the first church in this immediate community is said to have been an early Methodist church built sometime before 1880 at Noblin Springs, near the present home of Joseph Thomas. The cemetery was started about the same time, or possibly a little earlier. Before the cemetery was begun here the Gross cemetery was used by all the settlers for several miles around.

The author’s grandfather, Epps Marlette, and wife are buried in the Gross cemetery. They moved to this community from the Wabash valley of southern Indiana in 1879. Most all the early families are represented in the old cemeteries.

The church named above was moved from Noblin Spring to Attica soon after 1880 and has remained here since. The church is known as Oak Grove.

The Missionary Baptist church, on the hill south of the village, was built soon after the Oak Grove church. Both churches are active today.

As stated in the beginning, this is an old community. In this community settled the Biggers, Sweaza, Russell, Garrett,

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McDaniel, Simington, Johnson, Thomas and other families before the Civil War. As has been mentioned in connection with other articles in this book, James G. Russell settled where Mack Riggs now lives, south of Attica, about 1825. He and other members of his family lie buried in the family cemetery near the Riggs home. Here was held the first Randolph County court, April 3, 1836.

In this community lived Isaac L. Garrett, who was the first county surveyor of the county. The late Wiley R. Russell, who was sheriff of the county and a grandson of James G. Russell, was reared here also. His father, Marion Russell, was killed in the Civil War. William Russell, who was appointed justice of the peace for “the settlement of Fourche de Thomas,” May 27, 1815, may have been a relative of this family.

At the first term of Randolph County court, John C. Johnson, who was a resident of this community, was appointed road overseer for that portion of the old Military road from the present-day Foster bridge on Fourche to the Roanoke township line.

James F. Shaver stated in his family history in 1889 that his father, John Shaver, once told him that he hauled wheat to Russell’s flour mill to have it ground into flour in 1838. He states that this was the only flour mill in this part of the country at that time. This old mill was in this community.

Col. Thomas Simington settled in this community before the War Between the States. His wife was a daughter of James G. Russell. He was the father of the late F. L. Simington and Mrs. Frank Biggers and other children.

The Bigger family settled in this community about 1840.

The Holderby family also lived in this community during the first half of the nineteenth century.

The first settlers of the Attica community came into the county over the old Military road, which ran through the

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community. They were intermarried with the settlers in the other early communities of Columbia, Pocahontas, Warm Springs and those on Elevenpoint, which makes the recordings of the early settlers in this and other communities read much alike.

ALBERTHA COMMUNITY

This community is that section of the county lying between Maynard and Brockett. This community and its environs is sometimes referred to as “Flatlick” or Stringtown” at the present time, but the old Albertha was located on the Pocahontas-Maynard road just west of the present home of R. L. Baker. The first postoffice in the community was farther down the road and a short distance west of the present “Sago’s Store,” and was called “Columbia”. This office is not to be confused with the Columbia which the old settlement of “Fourche de Thomas” was later called. However, this is all in Columbia township, and the fact is that this was all just about referred to in the early records as “Columbia”. Sam Sago, Sr., was the postmaster at Columbia before the office was moved to Albertha. John Autrey was the first postmaster at the new location, and he named it Albertha.

Among the merchants who were in business here during the existence of the town were Joseph Marshall, G. W. Stump and Hiram Smith. Hiram Smith was the father of Aunt Mary Spencer, Aunt Amelia Phipps and Uncle Wash Smith, now living at Maynard, and the late James Smith. His wife was Betty McGregor, daughter of William McGregor, another early settler of this section.

Early settlers in this community were the Sagos, McNabbs, Stumps, Buxtons, Ryburns, Carrolls, Martins, Lambs, James Jonhston, Marshalls, Davis, Kerleys, Overbys, and others whose names are listed in the nearby communities of Jarrett, Attica, Engelberg and Maynard.

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On the hill just south of the old Albertha town site was formerly located the old Thorny Thicket or Pleasant Grove church building. This was one of the pioneer churches of this section. For many years this church was the central assembling place for the wide section of country between Brockett and Maynard, and from Fourche to Current River.

On the day of the big hailstorm, which occurred July 25, 1895, lightning struck this old building and it burned. It was not rebuilt.

The story of this hailstorm, which was heaviest in the vicinity of Middlebrook, is told in this book in the “Miscellaneous Happenings” chapter.

The Washington and Stokes schoolhouses and also two Churches of Christ of the same name are located in this section. In this community live several old families. Two of the oldest citizens of the county who live almost in the same spot where they were born are Uncle Lewis Johnston an Uncle Sam Sago, of this community. Uncle Will Luter, a member of an old family of the county and who for years was known far and wide as the “Sweet Potato King” of the county, lived at the site of this now dead town until his wife died a few years ago. He now resides at Doniphan.

BIGGERS

The town of Biggers came into existence as a town about 1900 when the St. Louis-San Francisco railroad was built through Cherokee Bay.

B. F. Bigger bought a tract of land here about 1889 and established a distillery and ferry. When the railroad came his way, he and others laid out a town and called it Biggers.

It was early known as a mill town. Several lumber and stave mills were located here and ran several years, until the timber became exhausted.

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Some of the first residents of Biggers were the Shavers, Brumleys, Rileys, Shores, Blounts, Brooks, Hites, Fords, Robinsons, Tiptons, Johnstons, Estes and Johnsons. Some of these still live here.

Some of the long-time residents who live in Biggers at present are E. C. Whittington, H. I. Johnson, H. A. Nicks, Joe H. Johnson, Dr. R. O. Smith, Myrt Bennett, George F. Johnston, J. C. Graham, Harry Hite, the Tipton and Luter families and others.

The town at present has a population of about four hundred fifty. There are four stores, four churches and a good ten-teacher high and grade school.

The country surrounding the town is good farming country.

Contrary to the story that is generally true of the communities in the lowland section of the county, Biggers is located in an early settled community.

The land where the town is located is a part of the plantation of Governor Thomas S. Drew. Drew and his family lived here around 1840.

Henry Slavens, Daniel Duckworth, the early Shavers and Luttrells were here around 1815 to 1830. Other early settlers in this community were the Blounts, Sims, Sparkman, Brimmage, and Shoemaker families.

Others who came later were the Hite, McCrary, Hatley, McIlroy, Arnold, Ford, Crawley and Brumley families.

Shaver ’s Eddy on Black River south of Biggers is an early landmark on Black River. Shumaker and Duckworth ferries on Current River and Sims Landing, also in this river, are early river points in the Biggers community.

The first church in this section was built by B. J. R. Hite, grandfather of Harry Hite, now living in Biggers. The old church was built at the Hite cemetery and was used both as

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a church and school. Hite was a Methodist minister, but the building was used by all who cared to worship therein.

Joe H. Johnson (Big 4), now almost eighty years of age, recently told the author that he attended church here March 7, 1882, with his parents. The preacher was Parson James, an early Church of Christ preacher. This was almost sixty-five years ago. The old building has been rebuilt, but the same huge cypress logs used in the original building built around eighty years ago were used and are in good condition. A photo of this building is in this book.

Another old church near Biggers was the old Yellow Hall, located just north of the present site of the Mississippi River Fuel Corporation pumping station. It was so named because yellow paint was used to paint the building. This may have been the building originally sponsored by Daniel Duckworth who died before a building was built, and which he

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had been instrumental in getting built, according to early church records. It was a Baptist church. Duckworth operated a ferry near by.

Just south of Biggers was the old Peru postoffice. This old office was the first in this section. It was first near the Hite cemetery and then moved to near the site of the present-day Current River Beach. Daniel McIlroy was the postmaster here in 1883, and the river crossing where the present-day Highway 67 bridge is located was called McIlroy’s Ferry. Later the office was moved back up near Riley’s cotton gin.

“Squire” Riley, father of the later Sid (J.S.) Riley, lived just east of the present pumping station referred to above.

Drewry S. Ford one of the men who helped hold the first county election in the county in 1837, lived near here. In his will, on record in the vault at Pocahontas, among other things, he stated that he was holding out five hundred dollars “to be used to catch and prosecute the culprit in case I am murdered by one of my enemies.”

Another resident of the lower end of Cherokee Bay was Daniel Lieb, whose name is listed in the Tennessee records of officers of the War of 1812. He came here at the close of the war. His relatives moved to Greene County after his death.

The Luttrell family lived near the present farm home of John Luttrell before the Civil War. The Luttrell cemetery near by is the oldest burying ground in Cherokee Bay.

Hugh McCrary was an early settler near here.

The communities and towns of Reyno and Biggers have a lot of history in common. Many of the names listed in this article were also identified with the establishment of Reyno. Some of these are the Sparkman, Shaver, Luttrell and other families. In fact, the combined histories of Reyno and Biggers is just a history of Cherokee Bay.

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BLACK RIVER BOTTOMS

That portion of Randolph County commonly known as “Black River Bottoms” is the part of the county south and east of Black River and north of Lawrence County and west of Clay and Greene counties.

In this territory are the communities and towns of O’Kean in the extreme southeast corner, Surridge in the east, and Elnora, Lesterville, Manson and Shannon on the Frisco railroad. There are several other lesser communities within the general outline as given above. Some of these are Skaggs, Sharrum, Holmes (the old James Mill), and farther south, Fender, Gum Stump and Meredith.

Most of these places are no longer in existence save for a school or church. There are still trading points at Fender, Manson, James and other points adjacent to the older settlements.

Just who the first settler in Black River bottoms was is not known. The French settled at Peach Orchard on Black River, just over in Clay County, before 1800 but did not remain permanently. The first settlers at Pocahontas laid claim to most of the land near the town across the river, but most of this section was a vast, unbroken, swampy wilderness which held no inducement at that time. This was not true of all the land, as there were high ridges of very fertile land, but mostly inaccessible because of swamps around it.

The section was a hunter’s paradise. The woods abounded with bear, deer, turkey and all the smaller fur-bearing animals. It is likely that the first permanent settler was a hunter who was attracted by the fertile soil which he found on the higher ground during some hunting trip.

After a few had cleared land and built homes, roads were built, and this led others to move in. Some settlement was made here about 1840, but the coming of the Civil War

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found very few families as yet in Black River bottoms, except on the high ridges.

The Dean family settled near where some members of the family still reside about 1860. A. W. James settled on the farm, which is still owned by later members of his family, about 1855. The old James Mill was an early mill and for years a landmark for this section of the country. It was first a horsepower mill but in 1868 was changed to a steampower.

Near the close of the Civil War A. W. W. Brooks came to Randolph County and settled near the present site of the Sharum church and cemetery. For many years the Brooks plantation was one of the most extensive and prosperous farms in the county. The maternal grandfather of this author came to this farm from Gibson County, Indiana, in 1879, and he stated that there was quite a settlement here at that time.

The Brooks family intermarried with Rogers, Surridge, Fender and other families, and for many years these associated families formed a “settlement” of their own. The Surridge school is named for that family, and for several years the store, gin and farm of David Fender was a thriving community within itself.

One of the first roads laid out in the county ran from the ferry at Pocahontas in a southeasterly direction into Greene County by way of the present town of O’Kean. For miles it ran through the lowlands and was cross-laid with poles. For many years this was the only route of travel from old Greensboro and Gainesville to Pocahontas and the northwest.

Another old road was the road which in later years became to be known as the Pocahontas-Jacksonport road. This road was first called the old Litchfield road, as it ran from Pocahontas to Litchfield, an early county seat of Jackson County. This road ran down the east side of Black River through what is now the Richwoods community.

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The Armstrong and Shoffit families were early settlers in the eastern side of this section. Armstrong bend and Skaggs Ferry were well known points along the river during the early days, and the Shoffit family lived near the present Dean community before the Civil War. Another early family here was the Williams and Sanders families, who were also related to the Deans. The Holmes and Perkins families were residents of this section. The Duty family has resided in the community near where Elijah Duty now resides for over three quarters of a century. The Mays and Luttrell families have been here many years. The Luttrell family is one of the first in the county, one branch of which settled in Cherokee Bay before 1830. The Mays family came here from the Oconee community on Elevenpoint River many years ago. A son of B. J. Wiley (who was the first clerk of Randolph County and the third judge), Henry H. Wiley, married a daughter of A. W. James. Wiley township in Black River bottoms was named for this family.

After the St. Louis, Iron Mountain (Missouri Pacific) Railroad was built in the seventies an outlet was opened to the outside markets and a heavy timber trace sprang up. The town of O’Kean came into existence with the coming of the railroad and flourished as a mill town for a number of years.

State Highway No. 90 now runs from Pocahontas to O’Kean, and one of the most highly developed farming sections of the state lies along this road.

Besides Pocahontas, the first trade outlet for this section was the river traffic on Black River. Hoover’s Landing, west of Manson, was an early steamboat landing, and western Black River bottoms received its first heavy merchandise from this point.

The old Skaggs ferry on Black River, just above the mouth of Current River, was established many years ago. It served as a crossing place for the traffic from Cherokee Bay

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to Black River bottoms and farther south. The road followed to reach this old river crossing. It left what is now Highway 67, just above the bridge across Current River, and ran down through what is now the Little Brown Schoolhouse community to the ferry. After crossing over on the south side, it ran down across the bottoms in a southwesterly direction toward Walnut Ridge.

At the point where Henry Higginbotham now lives and has a cotton gin David Fender operated a large store, gin, etc., for many years.

Before the levee on Black River below Skaggs was built the river broke over during high water and flowed down across this section toward Walnut Ridge and did not run back into the river for many miles. This low “trough” which crosses this section is said to have been the actual river bed centuries ago, before the alluvial plain was built up by the steady deposits of soil carried from the uplands by Current, Fourche and Black, which caused the latter to cut a channel along the foothills.

The schools of Black River bottoms are O’Kean, Sanders, Gum Stump, Lesterville, Manson, Shannon, Carter, Meredith and the consolidated school at Surridge.

Some of the best farms in Randolph County are located in this section.

There are six cotton gins in this section of the county and the farmers here grow a lot of beans for the market, and there is also several herds of good stock cattle.

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THE VILLAGE OF DALTON

The village of Dalton has its actual beginning in 1850 when Dr. John W. Bryan established a store and postoffice northeast of the present village, across Elevenpoint River. This postoffice was called Spring Creek.

William Dalton, who lived in the community, bought the business and moved across the river. Here he secured an office which he called Dalton. This was about 1870. He was the father of James L. Dalton whose history sketch is included in this book.

Lewis Dalton, a brother of William, had already located in this vicinity, where he had married Sarah A., daughter of Fielding Stubblefield, one of the first settlers on Elevenpoint River, coming here with his parents about 1812.

After the death of William in 1870, Lewis became postmaster. He held the office several years and was succeeded by his son, Elijah. After operating the store and office several years, Elijah sold out to A. N. Kirkpatrick, who was a merchant and postmaster here many years. After the latter’s death the office has been operated by his daughter, Mrs. Basil Barnett, and at present by Earl James.

A. N. and H. T. Kirkpatrick operated stores here and at Elm Store many years.

During the early days of the town Lewis Dalton operated a saw and grist mill, and also a cotton gin, which caused the town to become an important inland trading point from the close of the Civil War for many years.

The cotton gin was discontinued in a few years, due to the fact that the farmers in this section saw the advantage of stock-raising over cotton farming.

As has been stated in another section of this book, this is one of the oldest settled communities in the county. Members

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of the Wells, Looney, Garrett, McIlroy, Vandergriff and Stubblefield families settled here soon after 1800. Others who came here soon after were the Davis, Baker, Rice, Brown, White, Nettles families. Coleman Stubblefield, from this community, was a member of the old Lawrence County legislature in 1829. William Stubblefield was a juror of the first term of court held in Lawrence County, in 1815.

Dr. J. W. Dalton came to this community from Missouri about 1875 and married Ascenith, the daughter of Lewis Dalton, and for many years was one of the leading physicians of this section.

There has been a number of persons in the mercantile business here during the years. Among them have been William T. McIlroy, members of the Stubblefield and Looney families, besides those named above. Others later are John Whittenberg, Rufe Woolridge, Joe T. Wilson, Earl James and others.

This is one of the substantial communities in the hill section of the county.

DAVIDSONVILLE

To write the story of the ancient town of Davidsonville is like writing the life story of someone long since departed and who, although he lived a brilliant life, it was a short duration.

As is generally known, Davidsonville was first known as “the town of Lawrence”. Just who named it such must have been the same individual who named the county for the noted Capt. James Lawrence, a hero of the War of 1812. This name did not last. About 1815, or sooner, John Davidson settled here and is credited with founding a town out of “a few scattered cabins which were located on the site of an ancient Indian village.” John Davidson was the son of General

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William Lee Davidson of North Carolina, who was murdered by a British Tory. The story goes that young Davidson pursued the murderer into the wilds of the west and avenged his father’s death at New Madrid in 1805 by killing the Tory. After this John Davidson, hearing of the settlements farther to the southwest, came to Davidsonville and founded the town, as described above. A postoffice was established here June 28, 1817, becoming the first postoffice in the state of Arkansas. Adam Ritchie was the first postmaster.

The land upon which the town of Davidsonville was located was purchased by Lewis DeMunn & Co. from John Fagas, John Jones, Carl LeCombe, Augustus Rowlett and Jerome Watts, who jointly owned the land. This list varies somewhat as given by different historians. The actual record in book “A”, page 38, states that this land was situated “about three miles up Big Black River, above the mouth of Spring River,” and made up a settlement by Joseph Janis, John Fagas, Cola LeCombe, Jerome Mattix and Augustus

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Revitt. The similarity of the names and spelling shows that the list originally copied from the record is in error in some respects.

Lewis DeMunn transferred this land to the county (Lawrence County, Territory of Missouri) for a price of two hundred fifty-five dollars. DeMunn purchased the land from the original owners October 16, 1815, and turned it over to the county December 16, 1815.

The original town was made up of “forty-eight lots, a public square, streets, and the commons between the town and Big Black River.”

The general layout of the town can still be seen today. The town well, the old streets and the commons, together with the public square, is located on the eastern side of the original plot of the town. This land slopes gently down toward the river and was a splendid location for a river town.

At one time the town of Davidsonville was the most important town in the whole territory of Arkansas. The population of the town has been estimated at from four thousand down to a few hundred. The fact is, there is little likelihood that the population was ever over a few hundred. But even at that it was a very important trading post during the days of the first settlement. Some of the older families now residing in this section of the state first lived in the vicinity of Davidsonville.

Among those early settlers were those named above - the Crabtrees, the Chamberlain family, John Lewis and son, Jacob Jarrett, Benjamin Porter, James Taylor, William Cox and others. In the spring of 1814 Colonel John Miller and Colonel Robert Smith jointly engaged in the mercantile business at Davidsonville. Others identified with the early town were William Robinson, Andrew Criswell, the Kelly family, Solomon Hewitt, James Kuykendall, James Campbell, William Hix and Richard Searcy.

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The population of Davidson township in 1820 was four hundred sixty-one. This included the town of Davidsonville, so the estimate made above showed decisively that the town was small, as the township evidently covered a lot of additional territory. There is little chance that the town grew a lot more before its decline in 1829. John Davidson, for whom the town was named, is reputed to have built a nice two-story home, the finest in the town. He operated a jewelry store. Davidson represented old Lawrence County in the Missouri Territorial Legislature in 1816. Dr. John R. Hume, who lived in Ripley County, Missouri, just over the state line from Randolph County, was a nephew of Davidson. He died at Doniphan in 1943. The early Lindsey family was represented here for awhile. Caleb Lindsey, who is reputed to have been the first school teacher in the county, was a resident both here and at Fourche de Thomas (Columbia). His son, John Young Lindsey, was the first Baptist minister in this section.

Besides being the first postoffice in the state, Davidsonville saw the first courthouse in Arkansas built. The mound of crumbled yellow brick can still be seen in the center of the old town. The building is supposed to have been a two-story 40x40 foot brick building. All the whole bricks have been carried away by souvenir hunters. A scene in court at the early courthouse would undoubtedly present a very different picture from the courts of today. The officials, Lawyers and jurors came from widely scattered homes. Court lasted sometimes for two or three weeks. “Court week” was the social and business bright spot of the year. People came to the county seat and put up at the taverns and left their horses in the livery stables, and after court hours much gayety and revelry was often the case. But the early court, while sometimes crude and unlearned, dealt out decisions which meant justice for all and was often the Waterloo for many day desperados who ran afoul of the early men of law.

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Besides being the site of the first courthouse and postoffice in Arkansas, Davidsonville had the first United States Land Office in the state. This office was established in 1820. Hartwell Boswell was appointed registrar and John Trimble, receiver. The United States Land Office was first established in 1812 as a bureau in the U. S. Treasury Department, and was under that department when the first postoffice was established in Arkansas. In 1849 this bureau was transferred to the Department of the Interior. This office played a very important part in the disposition of public lands until the Homestead Law was passed in 1862. Some work was done by the land office direct from Washington before the establishment of the local office. The first land survey in the state was made by the Federal Government in 1815 between the Arkansas and St. Francis rivers.

In many of the state and local histories and magazine articles of the past there has appeared the picture of a log house which was supposed to have been the courthouse at Davidsonville. This is an error that should be corrected here. The house pictured is the house where the first county court of Lawrence County was held in 1815. It was the home of Solomon Hewitt. Solomon Hewitt sold this place to Benjamin Crowley, from whom Crowley’s Ridge was named, October 12, 1819. It was located three miles up Spring River, above the mouth of Elevenpoint, on the east side, where he operated a ferry.

Historically, Davidsonville is the most important spot in Arkansas. The old town not only represented the “first” in everything political in the state and counties both Lawrence and Randolph, it was a very important industrial center, at least from its beginning until 1829.

Many stories have been told about the decline of this, our first town. It will never be known just why Davidsonville passed out of existence in such a short time after the zenith of its career. The fact is, the most logical reason appears to

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be that when the old Southwest Trail (now known as the old Military road) was permanently marked and improved, it missed the town a few miles, and Jackson spring up and grew rapidly at the expense of Davidsonville. The first road, as explained elsewhere in this book, ran by Davidsonville, but it was a mere trail and only ran this way because the town had already been established and necessity demanded it. But when a permanent road was marked out, the bad location of the old town in regards to rivercrossings and flood lands caused the surveyors to by-pass the town, going across the country from Pitman via Columbia to cross Elevenpoint near the present town of Imboden. The town of Jackson was located about three miles northeast of Imboden. Paul Starling now (1946) resides on the site of the old town. When the county seat was moved here in 1829, Davidsonville lost its importance.

The story of a dreadful epidemic of cholera wiping out the population is undoubtedly exaggerated. The true story probably is that it was on a serious decline and when the cholera or yellow fever was brought in by rivermen from the south, and many of the citizens died of the disease, the rest decided to move to the now town of Jackson and elsewhere.

It is interesting to note that, while Jackson caused the downfall of Davidsonville, it too was short-lived. There is very little on record to denote the existence of Jackson after 1835. At this date the county of Randolph was set aside from the mother county of Lawrence. The county seat of Lawrence being Jackson and Jackson being in that part given to Randolph County, Lawrence County was, for the third time in its twenty years of existence, required to seek a new town for the county seat. This was done, and Smithville was the town chosen. Randolph did not choose Jackson as its county seat but held an election (more will be said of this in another chapter) to decide whether it would be located at Columbia or Pocahontas, and Pocahontas won.

Such is a summary of the brief existence of Davidsonville, Arkansas, first county seat town and the first place in the state to be designated officially by Uncle Sam’s Postoffice Department for the receiving and dispatch of mail. Five generations of people have lived since their ancestors settled in this frontier town, but tradition and legends handed down to use will always keep alive the story of our first “settlement” within the bounds of Randolph County, even though the town has been buried in oblivion a century and a quarter at this time, in so far as visible existence is concerned.

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THE SETTLEMENT OF FOURCHE DE THOMAS

The exact location of the community which was originally called Fourche de Maux is the community which at this date is that part of the country, to state it roughly, from the “Foster Ford,” sometimes called the “Decker bridge,” along the road going northeast toward Maynard to about where William Bridges now lives.

This has been a much-named community in the century and almost one half of its existence. Dr. Englemann, noted German scientist and physician who traveled down the old Military road in March, 1837, states that at that time it was known as “Fourche du Mas,” which, he says, was a corruption of the French name, de Maux. He says that the name came from a French trapper who was the first white man in this section. The early records of the county called it “Fourche de Thomas,” presumably after some early settler named Thomas. The next name applied to this community was “Columbia.” Columbia township, in which this community is located, was named from this settlement. Sometime during this period the east end of this vicinity became known as “Lindseyville.” The first merchant here was David Plott, who ran a store here in the early thirties. Years later, and the best known merchant here (at Lindseyville) was the late

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Joe Gamel. Since the decline of the above names, the community was called “Foster,” and a postoffice west of the river was of that name. Since the decline and passing of the Foster store and office, Uncle Joe Jarrett, a grandson of Dr. William Jarrett, opened a small store on almost the exact site of the old Fourche de Thomas site, and the community is now called “Jarrett”. The school building nearby is officially listed on the school records of Randolph County as “Jarrett School District Number 9.”

Just who the first permanent settler in this community was is not known. William Jarrett, brother of the above-named Uncle Joe Jarrett who died in Little Rock in 1944, contended that his grandfather, Dr. William Jarrett bought land from Richard Fletcher at Fourche de Thomas in 1801. This Richard Fletcher was the father of John Gould Fletcher who settled here in 1815. Miss Mary Fletcher, now residing in Little Rock, a descendant of Richard Fletcher, states that he never lived in Arkansas. He was one of the original patentees who located in the first settlement of Tennessee on the Watauga River in that state in 1775. There seems to be a possibility that he at one time came to this section and entered land and then went back to Tennessee to spend the remainder of his life, but his son, John Gould, came here in 1815 to make his permanent home. He died here in 1825 and lies buried in the old Lindseyville burying ground.

Some members of the Fletcher family, together with the Lindsey and Davis families, removed to Saline (now in Pulaski) County soon after the death of John Gould Fletcher. The family has been prominent in that section since that date. The Lindsey family, which was much intermarried with the Fletchers, located here about the same time. The first Lindseys to come here were James, Eli and Caleb, who came from Christian County, Kentucky. The first record book of old Lawrence County shows that Caleb Lindsey was administrator of the will of Martin Miller, which was dated November 22, 1819. In this will Miller stated that he had

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already given his older children their share, among which was a pre-emption claim “on the waters of Fourche de Thomas” which he bequeathed to his daughter, Hannah, who at that time was the wife of Dr. William Jarrett. She had been previously married to Gabriel Seavers, who is reputed to have been wounded at the battle of New Orleans. Caleb Lindsey is reputed to have taught the first school in Arkansas, in a cave in western Randolph County, while he lived here. He died in Pulaski County in 1826. Eli Lindsey was the first Methodist preacher in Arkansas. He preached on a circuit on Spring River in 1815. Eli and Caleb are said to be the sons of James Lindsey, and John Young Lindsey, one of the first Baptist preachers in Arkansas, was a son of Caleb. He is said to have been one of the organizers of the church at Columbia (Fourche de Thomas at that time), which was the first Baptist church in Arkansas. Houck’s History of Southwest Missouri states that one Rev. J. M.

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Peck preached at this church in 1817. The actual date of the organization was probably 1815. This old church stood on what is now Uncle Joe Jarrett’s land, just up the hill a short distance south of his home and store building. After a few years John Young Lindsey moved to Saline County, where he established another “Salem” church. This was the name given the first Columbia church.

Other early settlers here were the Kellys, Robinsons, Davis, Martins, Plotts, Bollingers, Carrolls, Mocks, Shavers, Russells, Morris and others, including Thomas Foster, who settled here in 1820. Roy Foster and his brothers, grandsons of Thomas Foster, now own land of which they have a deed made to John Murray and signed by President Van Buren. This deed and also some owned by Mr. Jarrett are written in long-hand on sheepskin.

The old Fourche de Thomas postoffice was discontinued about 1857. Henry Schoolcraft visited this frontier settlement in 1818 and spoke favorably of it. Dr. Englemann, in his account of spending the night of March 12, 1837, at the home of David Plott here, states that the future reader of his notes refrain from thinking that he was in the midst of a settlement of ignorant backwoodsmen. But contrary to this, he wrote in his record that they were well informed and intelligent, industrious people.

On July 4, 1821, the settlers around Fourche de Thomas celebrated the forty-fifth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a big barbecue. The day was royally celebrated, according to information handed down to us. A liberty pole, taller than the trees, was erected. This pole stood for many years and became a noted landmark. A military parade was staged with Jacob Shaver as grand marshal. He was mounted upon a fine Kentucky stallion and put the menfolks through a series of marches. Daniel Plott read the Declaration of Independence with great fervor. Matthias Mock presided over the feast and was ably assisted by Dr. P. R. Pitman and Dr. William Jarrett.

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When Randolph County was organized and the time came to choose a site for the county seat, Fourche de Thomas (although it was called Columbia then) was a strong contender for the place. The proposition was left too a vote of the people of the county as a whole. The story goes that Ransom S. Bettis and his son-in-law, Thomas S. Drew, owned the land where the town of Pocahontas was located and on election day they advertised a free barbecue and picnic, where eats were plentiful and liquor flowed freely. At this time a citizen could vote anywhere in the county he desired. With a majority of the citizens of the county in attendance, and with spirits running high as a result of the free drinks, the majority voted in favor of Pocahontas instead of Columbia. If this story is true, this is why the county seat was located at Pocahontas instead of Columbia.

An old settler of Columbia was asked why the town of Pocahontas was thus named. He replied that it was supposed to have been named for the Indian princess who saved the life of Captain John Smith, but that he had a different story. He said the unfair tactics used against Columbia to land the county seat at Pocahontas justified naming it “Poke-it-on-to-us” instead of the regular ways of spelling it.

So with this we close the story of the “Settlement of Fourche de Thomas.” For almost one hundred and fifty years this ancient settlement has lived on in its place in the history of Randolph County. A traveler who passed along this way today, not knowing the history of this region, would move over soil which felt the footsteps of the Frenchmen De Maux, David Crockett, Stephen F. Austin, James Woodwon Bates, Washington Irving and all the hosts who went southwest over the old Military road trail to become the pioneers and forefathers of the millions who now inhabit Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma unawares. If the old cedars at old Lindseyville could speak they would tell us stories of long dead men who once lived and had their homes in this community, whose stories we will never know.

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GLAZE CREEK CHURCH

This old church is named for the creek near which it is located. In the early records of old Lawrence County the creek was called “Glaze Kenon” creek. The legal description of the church is: “Fractional part of the north part of the south one-half of the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section eight, township twenty-one north, range two east.”

There is something about a legal land description, while explicit, yet is vague and far away sounding. This old church is located near the eastern boundary line of Siloam township, about two miles northwest of Supply.

It was founded as a Church of Christ in 1845 by William Torrence Johnson (who was the father of the late John A. Johnson), Asa Taylor (the grandfather of Ben F. and Albert Taylor), James Tibb Johnson (father of the late William and Randolph Johnson), William McNatt and others who had formerly been members of the old Knob Creek church near Dukedom, Wheatley County, Tennessee, before migrating to Randolph County, Arkansas.

The first building was a small log house, used for both church and school. Later a hewed log house was built, about one-half mile southwest of the first one. The site was deeded to the church by William T. Johnson, one of the members spoken of above. This was before the Civil War. This same building was used until 1894, when a nice frame building was erected. This building was blown down by a cyclone June 5, 1915, and the present building was erected soon afterwards.

Some of the first ministers to preach here were Elders Lemmons, James, Rush, Hollowell, Peter Shaver, Curry and Uncle Zera Allen who lived only a short distance over the hills to the northeast. Many other leading ministers of the church have preached at this place in later years.

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Some of the first members of the Glaze Creek Church of Christ were the McNatts, Woodalls, Parishs, Rings, Jacksons, Johnsons, Cox, Wilsons, Taylors, Athys, and others who lived in this section during this time.

Uncle Ben F. Taylor of St. Louis and his brother Albert, now of Doniphan, have been members of this church over sixty years.

Two sisters, Mary Ann and Evaline McNatt, were two of the most faithful members of this old church during its first days. They helped organize it. They were both over fifty years of age before they married, and neither had ever cooked on a cookstove until after her wedding.

Descendants of all the above families still live in this section.

GRAVESVILLE

That section of Randolph County east of Elevenpoint River, north of the Imboden-Pocahontas road and southwest of Hamil and Elevenpoint neighborhoods, is a long-settled section, however lacking one definite community center or town.

On the Pocahontas-Dalton road is located the old Gravesville community. Here settled some of the Tylers, Weatherfords, Hibbards, Johnsons, Thompsons and others during the first half of the past century.

The father of Vincent Segraves, also named Vincent, settled in this community in 1833, coming here from North Carolina. The school and community gets its name from this family. Just why the first two letters (Se) were dropped is not known. Segraves opened a store here about 1880 and was later joined by W. E. Hibbard, and later by J. W. Weatherford. These families are still represented here. The Presley family also lived near here.

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A few miles northwest of Gravesville is the Elevenpoint old postoffice location which was first called Lima. Daniel McIlroy ran a store and was postmaster here around 1870. He later moved from here to Cherokee Bay, where he was postmaster at Peru, reference of which is made elsewhere in this book.

The Ross, Tyler, Vandergriff, Looney, Wyatt, Jackson, Stubblefield and other families settled here during the early thirties. Some of the oldest existing buildings in the country are in this section. The old Pocahontas-Elm Store road ran through this community.

South of the Elevenpoint and Gravesville communities is the New Chapel school district and its environs. The old McIlroy ford (now bridged), the Layl ford and the Black’s ferry bridge are crossing on Elevenpoint west of these communities.

In the New Chapel community settled the Hawkins, Hulvey, Bly, Graham, Cravens, Burke, Pierce, Cavenar, Toliver, Camp, Kirk, Farrow, Lee and other families during the early days of settlement.

The present New Chapel school is a consolidation of the original New Home and Lee’s Chapel schools. The old Pocahontas-Black’s Ferry road ran through this community. Some of the oldest settled farms on Elevenpoint River are in this section.

“Five Mile” Spring or Shiloh community is just east of here. This community had a postoffice for several years called Lorine. J. C. Mondy and others operated stores here around the turn of the century.

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THE HAMIL COMMUNITY

This section of Randolph County is located on the “headwaters of Tennessee creek,” between the Warm Springs-Pocahontas road and Elevenpoint River.

The town had its beginning about 1890 when J. D. Jackson opened a store and secured a postoffice which he named for the Hamil family.

George W. Brown was also a merchant here many years.

The Waldron, Massey, Hurn, Spikes, Johnson, Roach, Presley, Jackson, Brown, Davis, Tyler and Whitrock families are earlier residents of this community. Some of them came here as early as 1830.

The old Antioch church is located in this community. It is one of the oldest Baptist churches in the county. There was also at one time a church at the old Roach cemetery, the land having been given to the church by William Roach.

Just east of here is the site of the old Mount Pisgah church, which was first started by William Spikes and others about 1830.

Just east of Hamil is also the site of the old Swarts postoffice. Ben F. Spikes, Tom Tiner and others operated stores here many years ago.

The story goes that Mr. Spikes desired that the office be named for his wife and sent in the name “Neatie” or “Neetie” and that the authorities in the Postoffice Department at Washington misread the word and sent Uncle Ben a stamp with the word Necktie” on it and a commission as postmaster at “Necktie”. The name was changed to Swarts after that.

Waddells, Roaches, Cooks and others have operated stores at Hamil since the days of Jackson and Brown.

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This community has always been very civic minded. They take a very active part in the affairs of the county.

It is possible that this township (Jackson) has furnished more county officials than any other small township in the county.

There are a number of good farms along the creek, and this section is a good livestock growing community. There is also some rough land in this section with some of the highest hills in the county.

The schools nearest to Hamil are the Hamil and Pleasant Hill schools.

A number of substantial farm families live in this community and most of the mare descendants of the very first settlers who came here.

JOHNSTONTOWN, ON CURRENT RIVER

This, now dead, river town was located on Current River about one mile west of the present town of Reyno. Just when the town was first established is not known. It is possibly one of the oldest river steamboat landings in north Arkansas. In the old cemetery near the site of the old town lie buried some of the first settlers of the county, especially Cherokee Bay. The Winninham family, which is one of the first names known in this section, resided near here, and several members are buried in the cemetery near the center where the large cedar trees stand.

As is recorded elsewhere, Sherrod Winningham was ordained to preach in this community, June 7, 1834. William Macon and Henry McElmurry were also citizens of this community at the time. The Blount family was also early residents here, as were the Watsons and other families already referred to.

The place gets its name from James Johnston, who was the son of W.P.G. (Green) Johnston, who came to the village from Little Black township during the latter part of the last century and became the leading citizen and business man. He owned a lot of land in the vicinity and was a stock-raiser and cotton ginner. He died at Reyno in 1924.

The following article about Johnstontown was written by J.C. Renie of Reyno, which we publish below. It is a very good article about this place and also portrays the story which was true of the fate of so many of the old river towns of this period. It is as follows:

“Prior to the building of the Frisco railroad from Pocahontas to Cape Girardeau, in 1902, the eastern portion of Randolph County which lies east of Current River was almost completely isolated from Pocahontas on account of overflow lands and bad roads. The only dependable means of transportation to the outside world was by river boats. Numerous points along Current River became noted as boat landings. Among these was Sim’s Landings, McIlroy’s Ferry (now Current River Beach), Bigger’s Ferry, Shumaker’s Ferry, Box House Landing and Johnstontown.

From about 1880 to 1904 Johnstontown was the leading river town between Pocahontas and Doniphan. It would be impossible to enumerate all the business establishments which were located during that period at this town. There were several sawmills, one distillery, grist mills, cotton gins. One of these gins was the only cotton gin ever operated in Randolph County which produced round bales. There was also a brick and tile manufacturing plant, a heading and stave factory, shops and stores too numerous to mention.

The railroad missed Johnstontown about a mile. A spur switch was built from the main line to the town and river. Quite a lot was done by the enterprising citizens of the town to hold the trade at Johnstontown, but most everyone wanted to see the cars go by, so other sites were secured along the railroad.

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The towns of Reyno and Biggers, on each side of this ancient town, sprang up, and old Johnstontown began to go down. The slow steamboat gave way to the train which was so much faster.

All this was the death knell of Johnstontown. All that is left of the old town at this day is a memory of former glory. Nobody ever goes there or is interested in this, one of the county’s first towns, except to fish. This is a good place for fishing and is now known only as “Johnstontown’s Eddy on Current River.”

HIGH POINT SCHOOL

The subject of this article is a little one-room school, tucked back on a common country road in western Siloam township. There is nothing unusual or spectacular about the place in the least, except it happens to be the spot where the author of this book attended his first day of school in July, 1906. The first building was about a mile east of the present one. It was in the old building that this writer began his upward climb on the ladder of education. (We did not climb high enough.)

Mrs. Joe Perry Spikes, now living in Pocahontas was my first teacher. She was then “Miss Dora” King. Other teachers that we can remember at this time were Lindsey and Myrtle Miller, Martha Acree Grissom, Ed Buston, Lora Poynor Wilson and Mara Stubblefield Crews. We believe that these were all the persons whom we had the pleasure of studying under at this place.

This old school was established sometime between 1885 and 1890. Before it was established the children in this community attended school at an old house which Uncle Bert Grissom built on this farm near the state line. Those who did not go there were sent to old New Hope, on Mud creek near the old Mock farm, or down “in the Jarrett Settlement.”

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We can see the old building today through the eye of memory. It was about eighteen by thirty feet in size. Two windows on each side and a double door made up the openings. It was ceiled on the inside with pine lumber at least twelve inches wide. The outside was “boxed and stripped.” It stood in a grove of virgin white oak trees which grew acorns by the bushels, the long shiny brown ones which look like machinegun bullets. At the rear of the house, on the east, was our ball ground. “Home base” was about thirty yards down the road from the school building, and it was definitely a mark of distinction to anyone who could bat a ball that “hit the schoolhouse.”

The seats were home-made. A wide desk was built on the back of the seat, which was too heavy in proportion to the seat front. There were easily overturned, often a whole row falling over at one time. A “good” blackboard was nailed

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to the wall at the back of the room and a black strip about three feet wide was painted along the wall on both sides to provide extra writing surface when needed. The painted part was slick and the chalk did not adhere to it very well. A long varnished veneered Rand-McNally map case was hung on the wall near the blackboard, on the south side of the room, but was seldom used.

The inside of the building was never painted, and during all the years which we attended the school the smell of pine rosin was in the room. A cistern was dug at the south-eastern corner of the building, but it soon caved in, leaving the corner of the house suspended in the air. After that water was carried from a small spring about three-fourths of a mile northeast of the school in “Turkey Pen” hollow, near Fourche Dumas creek.

During the days of heaviest population in the district there were around forty-five pupils. While there was never over one teacher, there has been some of the best teachers that the county ever produced who taught here.

During the days when the school fairs were popular, and one was held each October at Pocahontas, this little backwoods school carried away several top honors. From about 1910 to 1918 this was considered the champion school of the county for good “spellers”.

On Friday afternoon “between recess and turning-out time” there was usually held a spelling and ciphering match. Sometimes neighboring schools would visit there and hold contests. When there was no spelling or ciphering match there was usually a “program.” Poems were recited, dialogues were rendered and sometimes debates were held.

The last day of school was always a gala affair. The teacher always brought a “treat” of candy for the children and several of the patrons attended. Prizes were awarded for those who “got the most headmarks.” Such was a picture of

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High Point school during the first years of this century. The district now has a nice, new building, built on modern lines, and, like all other rural schools of the county, has a lot of advantages over the old-time ones.

While this school district has not produced any Henry Fords, Abraham Lincolns or John D. Rockefellers that we know about, yet it has turned out many good and useful citizens who have made their mark in life.

MIDDLEBROOK

The town, or village, of Middlebrook is located about one mile south of the early trading post called Cedarville was a trading center a hundred years ago. A mile and one-half southeast of Middlebrook is located the old Siloam church which was also built about a hundred years ago. Two miles west of Middlebrook is located the “Old Hall” place. This old two-story log residence is reputed to have been the site of the first, or one of the first, Masonic lodges in Arkansas. Three miles east of this village is located the old Glaze Creek church which is also a century old. Thus the town of Middlebrook is located in the midst of a very old section of Randolph County.

The town of Middlebrook proper came into existence about 1878. The late Charles G. Johnston and Ruben Wilson opened up a small store here in that year. The name of the town was taken from the creek which runs just south of the village and is supposed to be half way or the “middle brook,” between Doniphan, Missouri, and Pocahontas.

Johnston and Wilson built a large store building about two years later and in 1885 Lewis B. Johnston became a partner with his son in the store. A few years later they sold the business to Eli Abbott and J.M.C. Lehman. In 1889 G.H. “Dock” Ingram built a cotton gin at Middlebrook and

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for many years it has been a good inland trading post. W.M. Hogan , ex-sheriff of the county, who was a well known timber dealer, opened another store to supply his trade, and later sold out to Rev. J. A. Spence, who operated the store and postoffice for over twenty years. Other merchants who have been in business at Middlebrook are S.I.D. Smith, Bob Cox, S.M. Johnson, M.J. Pace, Jess Burrow, and of late Ellis Wright, Clifford Phipps, Barkley and Son, J.T. Jones, and at present J.G. Jones and Son. Tom Phipps operated a store a long time just west of Middlebrook at his mill, now the home of his son, Claud, and family.

Middlebrook has always had a good one-room country school.

The physicians who have served this community during the years were Dr. W. T. Swindle, Dr. Moses Wilson, Dr. William Carrens, who lived here, and Dr. J. R. Loftis, Dr. C. Finnie and others from Maynard and other nearby communities.

Some of the early families in this community were the Luters, Raperts, Jones, Odoms, Spencers, Lindseys, Spences, Parkers, Wilsons, Phipps, Johnsons, Toys, Wrights, Johnstons, Browns and others too numerous to list here.

MAYNARD

In the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, eleven miles north of Pocahontas, nestles the little town of Maynard.

Maynard is at the crossing of the old Military road and the Doniphan-Pocahontas road, also the old road which ran from the old Columbia settlement to the old Perkins (later the Downey and other) Ferry.

Captain John Maynard settled here in 11872 and established a mercantile business. This store was located on the

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hill where the old Maynard home now stands. He called the place “New Prospect”.

Captain Maynard also owned an old-time treadwheel cotton gin.

In 1885 a postoffice was established here and called Maynard for the Maynard family. Claiborne Tipton was the first postmaster.

J.M.C. Lehman had the first drug store in Maynard.

James Brockett came to Maynard in 1884 and installed a flour, saw and grist mill. He later moved down the road to the present steel bridge across Fourche and built another mill, secured a postoffice and put in a store, and the place was named Brockett.

Albert Hatley built a cotton gin in Maynard in 1888.

The town has three churches, a Missionary Baptist, Methodist and Church of Christ. All three churches have held regular services for many years.

Prof. R. L. Williford and S. O. Penick established the first newspaper in Maynard in 1895. The paper was moved to Pocahontas but later W. R. Lindsey secured full ownership and moved it back to Maynard and named it the Northeast Arkansas Enterprise. A “Boom Edition” of the paper which Mr. Lindsey published a short time before his death was a notable issue and several copies of it are still in existence.

In 1884 E.C. Mock opened up a store in Maynard and for over one-half a century was one of the leading merchants of Randolph County.

The town of Maynard has three fine springs which have never failed. These are the Abbott, the School and the Big Spring. They furnish cold, healthful mountain water for many people.

In 1899 the Bank of Maynard was organized by E.C. Mock, Eli Abbott, J.M.C. Lehman and others, and for

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almost forty years was a thriving institution, until it was moved to Pocahontas and merged with the bank there a few years ago.

Eli Abbott built a school of higher learning in Maynard in 1894. A more complete story of this institution is recorded in a special chapter, Maynard Schools.

The town and community has always been strong for education.

Prof. John and “Miss Eliza” Hogan were the town’s most noted educators. Other educators, most of whom were college graduates (even during the days when educational requirements were low), were the Hogans, Rorex, Shaw, Downs, Orr, Myrick, Johnson, Wyatt, Hamil, Peters, Cummins, Freeman, Goodgame, Phipps, Williford and others whose influence will never die.

Many persons who have become noted were educated at Maynard.

The story of the town’s schools, including the Abbott Institute, Ouichita Maynard Academy and the present-day school is recorded in a separate article.

The brothers of Captain John Maynard, Thomas and Stith, were also early residents of the town as were many others including A.J. Weaver, father of J.B. Weaver of Maynard at present.

J.B. Weaver should be included as one of the builders of the town. A resident of the town said a few years ago that when they needed something done, instead of applying the old familiar saying of “Let George do it”, everybody would say “Tell J.B. Weaver, he will do it.

The writer is indebted to Mr. Weaver and Mrs. Clifford Price for the following list of other early residents of Maynard. Mrs. Price is a daughter of Stith Maynard. The list is as follows:

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J. C. Phipps, S. R. Phipps, the Templetons, the Hogans, the Richardsons, Dick Beemis, Uncle Hiram Smith, William Bradford, David Culver, J. S. Anderson, Uncle William Lewis, C. H. Carter, Rev. Downey, Dr. Slaughter, J. D. Poynor, W. H. Tipton, J. R. Acree, W. A. Hurley, Rev. M. D. Bowers, Jeff Woodall, W. H. Johnston, John Vester, R. A. Lentz, Rev. E. T. Lincoln, T. J. Redwine, D. H. Hawkins, J. A. Spence, W. D. and C. M. C. Spencer, H. M. Crockett, Dr. J. B. McClure, W. R. Bolen, W. E. Navy, J. Q. Pond, T. W. Campbell, H. R. King, Adam and John Anspach, W. M. Crismon, Joe Lomax, H. M. Bishop, Doss Pratt, Dr. W. T. Swindle, Marshall Weaver, J. L. and Don Robinson, O. H. L. Cunningham, H. S. Burton, John Spikes, Bud Brooks, C. L. Cate, Dennis Downey, Uncle Jim Chester, R. E. Anderson, Milton McNabb, R. J. M. Wyatt, B. Short, A. S. Johnson, Tom Johnson, the Pattersons, Willis Hufstedler, and others not remembered at this time.

J. R. Acree and J. D. Poynor were the “Village Blacksmiths” of Maynard for many years. Mr. Acree and Jim Lindsey were possibly the best known “hack line operators” during the days when the mail was carried to Pocahontas by horse-drawn vehicles.

Among the physicians of the town were Slaughter, Hogan, Swindle, McClure, Finney, Carrens, and Loftis.

Dr. J. R. Loftis lived here many years before moving to Pocahontas.

The names which are associated with the life of the town of Maynard during the three-quarters of a century of its existence is a roster of the names of the early settlers of the northeastern part of Randolph county.

The town is a wide awake high type town of around three hundred people.

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MAYNARD’S SCHOOLS

Abbott Institute - Ouichita Academy - High School

The village of Maynard has long been known as a town which worked for and appreciated it’s schools. As is true of the other communities of the county, Maynard’s first school was a one-room school with limited advantages.

About 1893, Eli Abbott, wealthy citizen of the town, seeing the need for a school for higher grades, built what was to become known as the Abbott Institute. The first school taught here was in 1894, beginning in the fall of that year. Prof. R. L. Williford was principal and John Q. Pond and L. F. Maynard were assistants. Miss Jesse Lehman (now Mrs. Ben A. Brown) taught the primary grades.

The school proved highly successful and in a few months young folks were coming to Maynard to attend school from a radius of many miles. Several out-of-the-county pupils attended.

In the fall of 1895 Prof. S. O. Penick from Tennessee came to assist Prof. Williford in the upper grades. By 1896 several from Missouri were enrolled here. In that year Prof. Johnson, also from Tennessee, came to assist Prof Williford. His wife taught elocution. Mrs. Lizzie Maynard was the music teacher. The fall of 1898 found Prof. Tom W. Campbell and H. W. Roberts at the head of the school. William Henry Johnston was a teacher in the grades. Roberts and Campbell also taught in 1899, but Mr. Campbell’s health failed and he resigned. At the close of this term of school Prof. Roberts conducted a normal. In the years previous to 1899 the following had conducted normals here after the regular term had closed, they were Jordon, Gardner and Paisley. When the fall term began in 1899, Prof. Hugh Bishop and a Prof. Haggard from Tennessee were in charge. When school closed for Christmas that year Prof. Haggard

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did not return to finish his term. Prof. Rorex was also a teacher in the Abbott Institute.

Early in 1900 the Baptist church of Arkansas was establishing schools around over the state, known as “mountain schools”. Maynard looked like a good place to establish a school, so they bought the Abbott Institute and opened a school known as the Maynard Baptist Academy.

Under this plan and leadership the school continued to grow and the town of Maynard became known far and wide as one of the best “school towns” of the state. We remember an advertisement of the school about 1910 which stated, “Maynard Ouichita Academy is located in the foothills of the Ozarks, far away from the death-lurking swamps of the South, and the dangers associated with the metropolitan areas of the North and East.”

For a period of twenty-eight years, from 1900 to 1928, the school flourished. In 1928, the Maynard school district purchased the building and equipment of the Ouichita Academy and after that date the plant was used by the Maynard public school.

During the lifetime of the Abbott Institute and the Ouichita Maynard Academy, many young men and women received their education there. Several hundreds of good citizens, now scattered over the nation, owe their success in life to the training which they received in these two pioneer seats of learning. Many of these people are now holding responsible positions of trust and honor.

After the establishment of the various high schools in the towns, the Academy ceased to prove profitable to the Baptist Church, which had established several of these “preparatory” schools around over the state. Due to this fact they offered the Maynard plant to the school district at an attractive price and the latter purchased it.

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The old Academy building was used as a high and grade school until 1937-38 when a public works program was secured and the present new building was erected.

The new building is a credit to any town much larger than Maynard. The school now employs ten teachers and has recently annexed several adjoining rural districts and operates buses to transport the pupils from their homes to Maynard each day.

This is one of the best schools in Randolph County today.

NOLAND

The village of Noland is located a short distance north of the site of old Davidsonville, the first town of the county. Some of the families still living in this community are descendants of some of the people who settled here when Davidsonville was a town.

Among these families are the names of Cox, Hardin, Davis, Sloan, Pyland Leathers, Ragan, Gwin, Slayton, Penn, Level, Van Hoosiers, Sissons, Hufstedlers, Lemmons, Pace, and possibly others which should be listed here, which are not available to the author at this time.

The actual first settlers here are the ones listed in the article on old Davidsonville, but the list above also includes others who have come to this community at later dates. This community also includes the Cedar Ridge community, and which is made up of the same families.

The village of Noland was first known as Cherry Hill. On the old Jim Slayton farm are still to be seen a few scrubby old apple trees which are said to have been brought here during the early days from Tennessee, in a pair of saddle bags.

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B. A. Pyland was the first postmaster at Noland. The office is said to be named for his wife, Nova Pyland, using the first and last part of her whole name. Some have thought that the name originated with Charles Fenton Mercer Noland, early resident of Davidsonville and Batesville, who was at one time U. S. Land agent here. The first postoffice was established here about 1890. The first school building was an old log house on Gwin creek.

For many years the Clark brothers, J. C. and J. E., were merchants here, until bad health forced them to retire. Mack Hufstedler has been the postmaster many years and is now the merchant of the town.

Old Scott’s Ferry on Black river is at the old Davidsonville site, and for many years afforded a crossing from this ancient community to the bottom country around Manson. The Scott family is also an early family here.

The old Burn’s Ferry is across Spring river between this community and Black Rock, in Lawrence County.

On the east side of the Noland community is Black river. On the river was an early boat landing known as “Hoover’s Landing.” A postoffice was established here about 1890. A Mr. Mercer was the first postmaster and he kept the office in his residence.

This office gave way to the village of Manson which came into existence when the railroad was built from Hoxie to Pocahontas. The name came from a village of the same name in Clinton county, Indiana, where a number of settlers in this community had formerly lived. Mrs. W. J. Matthews was the first postmaster.

In the Noland section of the county we also find the location of one of the county’s oldest churches. This is the Hubble Creek church, which was first established by John M. Lemmons and others in 1852, as a local congregation, but did not own the site of its church building until 1868

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when A. J. and Helen Pace deeded the site to the Church of Christ, on September 1 of that year.

There are three school houses in this community. They are Hubble Creek, Noland and Cedar Ridge.

A number of the leading families of Pocahontas at the present time are natives of the Noland community and some of the best citizens of the county still live in this section.

WATER VALLEY COMMUNITY

This community is that section of Elevenpoint river valley around what has been Black’s Ferry ever since David Black settled here in 1815.

The next settler of which he have actual record was James Taylor Haas who came here not long after Black and settled west of the river when only two tracts of land was cleared in what is now Water Valley township.

The first postmaster at Water Valley is said to have been D. C. Black, who lived on the old Mattix farm at the time. Later it was moved farther west to the old McMillen place and D. B. McMillen became the postmaster.

The Haas family is still represented in that section. Uncle Jim Haas of Ravenden Springs is a son of the James T. Haas named above.

The first schoolhouse was built by Newt Williams in 1870, with the help of colored hired man, Kit Shockley. The first schoolmaster was Dr. A. G. Henderson, who is still living at Imboden.

The first mail route ran through this community to Kingsville, later called Walnut Hill, just below the town of Ravenden Springs.

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W. M. Clark was postmaster about twenty-five years, prior to this death in 1944. Mrs. Deward Helms is the present postmistress.

There are a number of good and substantial families living in this community. The McMillen family is still represented here. One of Lawrence county’s pioneer families is represented here in the person of Ray Pickett and family. The Picketts moved here about sixteen years ago from Lawrence county, where foreparents of the family have lived over a century.

It is in this community that the proposed Water Valley dam site is located. If built, it will dam up Elevenpoint river a distance of many miles, and will cover up some of the best farm land in the United States.

Millions of dollars in farm revenue will be lost to the county for all time. Since the dawn of Randolph county’s first settlement, Elevenpoint river has contributed financially to the upbuilding of Randolph county in a major degree. We hope that if the dam is built that it will bring in the advantages its sponsors claim, to offset this loss.

THE OCONEE COMMUNITY

One of the oldest inland communities of Randolph County is the community known as Oconee. Being situated in Dry Creek valley, it is the site of some of the first homesteads in Elevenpoint river valley.

Among the first families to settle here were the Rices, John Wells, Rodney Crawford, the Selbys, Barbers, Howell White, some of the McIlroys, some of the Stubblefields, Davis and Jacksons.

Ezekiel Rice was one of the first Justices of the Peace in Davidson township, in which this community is located. Isham Alcorn was also an early settler here.

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The first school house is reputed to have been built on the north bank of Dry creek near the present Oconee ford, about 1874. It is possible that an earlier “meeting house” had been built in the community at an earlier date, but nothing definite is known of this. The house built in 1874 was used both as a school and church until 1894.

Near this date both the Baptists and Church of Christ built churches here.

Oconee was first known as Ricetown. William C. Rice was the first postmaster after the office was established in 1894. He gave it the name Oconee. The following have been among those who have been merchants at this place: H. M. Rice, J. A. Rice, Thomas White, Harve Boling, Avery Nuckles, Charles Casey, Freeman Owens, M. A. Baker, and Ora Sullenger.

Dry Creek, while not a large stream, flows down out of the dividing brakes between Janes Creek and Elevenpoint River and possesses a nice fertile “bottom” which was taken up by the early settlers and made into a number of nice farms. The old Crawford house is one of the oldest existing buildings in the county.

Near this community were also found the Bellahs, Moores, Rickmans, McLains, James, Taylor and other families during the very first days of settlement.

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PITMAN’S FERRY AND COMMUNITY

The country around the present-day villages of Pitman and Supply in Little Black township, is one of the earliest settlements in north Arkansas. As we also have said about the old Fourche de Thomas (Columbia) settlement, the historian who states that Pitman was the first, or next to the first settlements in Randolph county, would have a lot of evidence to support his claim. At this place the old Natchitoches Trail, later known as the old Military road, crossed Current river. A ferry was established here about 1803. William Hix was the first owner of the old ferry and the place is marked on the first maps and records as Hix ferry. The noted German scientist and physician, Dr. Englemann, made a trip from St. Louis to Little Rock in March, 1837. He states in his report that Dr. Peyton R. Pitman lived here at this time and had been here over twenty-five years at that time. This would make him a resident here in 1812. It is known that William Hix operated the ferry many years, so it must have been opened not later than 1803. Dr. Englemann states in his notes that, “On March 12, a gloomy rainy day, we passed the boundary of Arkansas. The border is marked by scores hewn into the trees. A quarter of a mile south we crossed the Current river, a beautiful clear stream, which, though larger than the Black, which we passed two days before, empties into the latter a short distance from here. On the south bank of the Current is situated a beautiful plantation, with a handsome dwelling surrounded by a veranda, many outhouses and extensive fields on both sides of the river. Dr. Pitman, the owner, has lived here for twenty-five years.”

Jess Cheek and Bernard Rogan laid out a town just south of Pitman in 1820 and called it “Currenton.” It did not last and the residents and owners really became a part of Pitman. At one time the village of Pitman was a hustling trading port. Some of the first settlers here were the Kellys,

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Picture of Old Pitman Ferry Site

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Daniel Ashabranner, Eli Lindsey, John Pierce, Looneys, Berrys, Bells, Tom and John Gambill, and also William Hix and Dr. Pitman. The Hanover brothers, Jews, were among the first merchants. Michael Looney, Erasmus Pitman and others, were also early merchants.

A plat of the town of Pitman was entered on the deed record of Randolph county in 1853 and showed a town of considerable proportions. It contained twelve blocks. The names of the streets were, Sunny, Second, Third, Center, Mill and First. First street was located 99 feet from the river front. E. D. Pitman and Michael Looney gave a mortgage to Clark, Renfrew and Co. of St. Louis, in 1853, on the following property: “Situated in the town of Pitman, Arkansas, one steam, saw and grist mill, and distillery, with all fixtures, also the ground upon which this is located, bounded on the north and east by Mill and Second streets, on the south and west by Current river, containing nine acres.” Edward McDonald, who represented old Lawrence county in the Territorial (First) Legislature of Arkansas at Arkansas Post in 1820, lived near Pitman. Joseph J. Anthony, who was Randolph county’s first representative in the State Legislature, and who was murdered in this first term by John Wilson from Clark county in 1837, was also a resident near here.

The old town of Pitman was located on the river quite a distance northeast of the present postoffice of Pitman. It was located near the state line and at the edge of what is now Clay county. The first deed record of Lawrence county shows that James Smith sold to William Linn his “improvement on Glaze Kenon creek, a branch of Current river,” for $100, November 15, 1818. A neighbor, Alexander Dunin, was a witness to the deal and stated that he knew that Smith had cultivated the place in 1812. This was near Pitman. The first election in Randolph county which was held in 1836, named Dr. P. R. Pitman as county judge, Jess Driskill, James P. Ingram and Thomas Hinton were

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(picture of War Battleground - Old Pitman Ferry Cemetery and Civil)

the election officials for Little Black township and the election was held at Pitman. The Cockrum and Pierce families have long been represented in this community. James Cockrum and Levina Pierce were married December 19, 1822. Henry Cockrum was county judge from 1862 to 1868. The Randolph county tax book for the year 1854 only listed seven merchants in the county. There were a lot more than this, but they evidently were overlooked by the assessor. Four of these were in Little Black township. They were J. W. Crossen, H. Fredrick, Michael Looney and J. C. Whitesides. Dr. Englemann stated that in 1837 he found several pretty, but old, peach and apple orchards in this section. Henry Schoolcraft, who passed down the old Military road and who stopped for awhile at both Fourche and Pitman, stated that there were many nice improved farms along the road in 1819. William Hix, the first owner of Pitman, evidently invested in the closeby proposed town of Currenton, as the records show that on March

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15, 1821, he sold lot 3, in block 1, and lot 38 in block 7 of Currenton, to William Rogers of Tennessee.

Mount Pleasant Baptist church at Pitman is one of the oldest churches in Arkansas, and possibly is the oldest in continuous existence. It was established in 1826 by Tom and John Gambill, John and William Berry, William Bell and others whose names are not available.

The old Antioch Methodist church was organized at Pitman in 1850. The organizers are not known. Some of the early preachers were Philemon Wright, Larkin F. Johnston, W. H. Phipps, W. A. Downing, Jesse Robinson and Willis H. Hall. This church no longer exists.

Here at the old town of Pitman, besides being the oldest ferry in Arkansas is the site of one of the major battles of the Civil War in Arkansas, and one of the oldest cemeteries in the state.

In the old cemetery which is now abandoned and neglected, lie buried some of the leading citizens of early south Missouri and north Arkansas.

This old townsite is now owned by a Mr. Clark and son. A previous owner, a few years ago built a house in the old cemetery and it is said that he used monuments from the graves for a foundation. At any rate, very few stones are in order today. Many have fallen. On the face of one, this writer recently read the following inscription: “Sarah Kelley, wife of J. Kelley, born in 1799 and died in 1861.” The stone had been erected by a daughter, Susan “Hanauer.” The latter spelling was either the original Jewish way of spelling “Hanover” or the last “A” had been actually an “O” and the “U” was an “N”, making it Hanover instead of Hanauer.

The Hanover family were early residents here, and stated elsewhere in this book, were Jews, who operated stores here and later at Lindseyville and finally in Pocahontas.

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It is a melancholy sight to look across this old cemetery which was begun before our grandfathers were born, and see how it has been abused by those who thoughtlessly and carelessly wrecked and spoiled the last resting place of those who came here during the misty morning hours of the nineteenth century to build a home and civilization for we who live now.

There is a long sunken trench, plainly seen today which is the grave of many men who died in battle here, and were later removed to other places.

The old battle ground is adjacent to the cemetery and many “minnie” balls can be picked up today. Down next to the river is an old well which was dug during the time the Confederate army and encamped here. The river became polluted after battle and continual occupation of the area and the leaders fearing an epidemic as a result, dug this well as a source of pure drinking water.

Possibly some in the future, some descendant of the Kellys, the Hanovers, the Pitmans or somebody else who lies smoldering in this old burying ground, will come forward and restore the spot as best as is possible and erect a marble shaft in honor of the legion of unknown, who are sleeping here, forgotten, unhonored and unsung.

It is difficult for the historian to record a true and unbroken story of a community like Pitman. The early importance of this gateway to the great southwest is recorded in legal documents and old stories, tradition, etc. With the further settlement of the county as a whole and the center of population shifting to other places, naturally causes a decline in such places of very early importance. There likewise follows a period of unrecorded time and incidents. Later the place again assumes some importance and there is a gap for the writer to bridge. The very earliest history of Hix’s Ferry and Pitman is well known, but it is left to the families of the early settlers to preserve the history of that

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period from about 1850 and 1880, except for the stories of the wartime sixties.

Many families well known today came into this community during this “middle period.” The Ruffs, Shemwells, Legates, Wrights, Halls, Lewis, Reeves, Cunninghams, Jollys, Ingrams, Allens, Dismangs, Taylors, Fowlers, Redwines, Hawkins, Pringles, and many others, have taken up residence in the Pitman community of Little Black township sin e the days of Hix, Dr. Pitman, Ashabranner and Cheek and Rogan.

It is said that this community has produced more physicians and ministers than any other community in north Arkansas.

The Ruff, Shemwell, Reeves and Hawkins families have been the merchants the greater portion of the past three-quarters of a century, with a sprinkling of the other names along in between.

Another characteristic of this community is, that it has had a large group of Republicans in their political setup, possibly more than any other community in the county. But even with Randolph with heavy Democratic majority, this community has furnished several county officials during the years since the county was organized.

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PALESTINE CHURCH AND THE INGRAM COMMUNITY

The postoffice now named Ingram, which is located on the Warm Springs-Pocahontas road is several miles from the spot where the first postoffice of that name was located.

The first Ingram postoffice was located at the “Dock Ingram Ford” on Mud creek, which is now known as the Price farm. Here G.H. “Dock” Ingram operated a cotton gin and mill during the last quarter of the past century. There was also a still house and other businesses there, including a blacksmith shop. Power to operate the machinery came from a dam which was built on the creek.

The first postoffice was established n the store of Rufe Roberts and a Mr. Keith, about 1890. Henry Ator operated a store there about this time and the office may have been in his store part of the time.

Later Roberts moved his store and the postoffice over to his farm southwest of the first location. Here it remained until about 1910, when he was succeeded by Jeff Morris, who moved the office to what was generally known as “Henpeck.” Peter Ator and Rob Morris were already in business there. This location was about one-half mile south of the present-day Palestine church building. Prior to this, since about 1885, Bart Long operated a store over on the Belview road east of the church. The postoffice remained at the Henpeck location until about 1924 when it was moved to the present location. During this time a number of parties were in business there, among these were Joe Price, J.D. Driskill, W.E. Tiner, Dock Condict and others at the old location, and several others later at the present site.

The first school house in this community is said to have been about one-fourth mile east of the present home of Ran Shaver. It was an old log house and was used for both]

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school and church. The next schoolhouse was west of this location near the Beasley spring. The first house served from about 1880 until 1892 and the second until a house was built on the present location about 1900 and called Palestine, the name that had previously been applied to the church building.

The first church building was the one referred to above as being the schoolhouse and also a church. This old building was called “Gooberhull.” This was actually the first church that was the forerunner of the present-day Palestine, however church had been held for many years at homes in the neighborhood. Chief of these was the home of Uncle Isham Mock. He had a large two-story log house and the upper story was used by the neighbors for a church building.

The present building was built about 1890 through the efforts of Isham Mock, Jake Waddle, the Shaver families and others living nearby.

This community has always been made up principally of families whose religious affiliation was with the Church of Christ. The first Mocks, Shavers and others were of that belief and their influence spread.

The above is the “modern” history of the Ingram-Palestine community. Many years before the above places came into existence, there was a postoffice up the creek a short distance from Palestine called “Mud Creek”, and Mathis Mock was postmaster in 1836. This is probably the first trading place in this section. He had been living there twenty-one years at that time.

John Shaver settled in this community in 1823, coming here from Georgia.

Henry Waddle settled there in 1832. The Fletcher and Morris families were early settlers there as were the Davis and Carter families. Levy Fletcher married Elizabeth Shaver in 1823. Matthias Mock married Leah Shaver there about

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1817, as this union was the parents of four children before the mother died about 1827. He married Margaret Hill Mansker in 1828. Other early families were Condicts, Wallaces, Longs, Tiners, Spikes and Shocklees. The census of 1820 gave John Shaver as being over eighty years of age.

His son, John Shaver, was appointed by the first court of Randolph county “to serve as road overseer for the Belview road, from Ransom Eldridges on Fourche creek to the state line to Jumping Springs.” Just where the latter place was located is not known, but was possibly somewhere near the Military road crossed the old Belview road.

Michael Shaver, Minatree Carter and James G. Russell were appointed by this same court to mark out a road from Duckworth’s Ferry on Current river to this community.

The old New Hope church school and church which is mentioned in connection with the article about Warm Springs was only a short distance north of this community and was possibly used at an early day as a place of worship by the folks who lived in this section as well as those at Warm Springs, next community northwest of here.

Some of the first Church of Christ preachers of Arkansas lived in this community. Among these were William and Peter Shaver, Newton George, Eld. Norwood, Parson James and Brother Zera Allen who lived near Supply but who helped establish the church here.

Besides the Ingram postoffice, there was another postoffice in this community called Mock. It was established by the late W. L. (Fayette) Mock and was at the store which he and his father, General Mock, had previously established on Mud creek about a mile north of the first Ingram office. Near here settled Parson Isaac Witt, Bias Russell and others soon after the close of the Civil War. Some of the folks living in this community are the seventh generation since their forefathers landed in Randolph county.

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