--photo courtesy Wanda Wise Thompson

This is the Bill Howell store at Clay c1914. Shown (left to right) are William Pelly Howell, Mr. Hall, Bill Howell, Foy Pate Wise, Grace Howell Marshall, John Henry Pate, Myrtle Smith Fields and Ruth Fields Duboise. William P. Howell was appointed Clay postmaster on three different occasions, the first time March 24, 1884. He was the great grandfather of Wanda Thompson of Little Rock, the White County Historical Society member who provided this photo; John Pate was her grandfather and Foy Pate Wise was her mother. Wanda did not know Mr. Hall’s first name but said he was the grandfather of Mattie Ellen Pool; Myrtle Smith Fields married Conrad Fields and was the mother of Dean Fields. William M. Howell served as postmaster from September 25, 1912, until he was succeeded December 11, 1918, by Mrs. Vona Ray Burns, who operated the post office out of this building until it was discontinued June 30, 1932, and mail was transferred to Pangburn. The building no longer exists.