USA > Arkansas > A pictorial history of Arkansas, from earliest times to the year 1890. A full and complete account, embracing the Indian tribes occupying the country; the early French and Spanish explorers and governors; the colonial period; the Louisiana purchase; the periods of the territory, the state, the civil war, and the subsequent period. Also, an extended history of each county in the order of formation, and of the principal cities and towns; together with biographical notices of distinguished and prominent citizens > Part 21
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CHAPTER XII. FROM 1840 TO 1846.
ADMINISTRATIONS OF GOVERNORS ARCHIBALD YELL, SAMUEL ADAMS AND THOMAS S. DREW.
IN the spring of 1840 the establishment of the boundary line between the United States and the Republic of Texas was begun. The Commissioners commenced at the mouth of the Sabine river, and proceeded thence northward as far as the 32d degree of north latitude, when the sickly season coming on, they were obliged to suspend operations until autumn. At that time the work was resumed, and the line was carried due north to Red river. Dr. John R. Conway was the Com- missioner, on the part of the State of Arkansas, to conduct the survey from the 33d degree, or Louisiana line, to Red river. By this survey the most of what had been the County of Miller, and in which Arkansas Judges had held Court, and over which the State had claimed jurisdiction, fell in the limits of the Republic of Texas.
During the year the United States built two arsenals in the State. One at Little Rock, the other at Fort Smith.
Archibald Yell was elected Governor in August of this year, without opposition. He was inaugurated November 5th, and chose as his Private Secretary, Thomas W. Newton.
Governor Yell was born in North Carolina, in August, 1797, but when young emigrated to Tennessee, and located at Shelbyville. He came from Shelbyville, Tennessee, to Little Rock, in January, 1832, having been on the 3Ist of
287
ARCHIBALD YELL.
Second Governor of the State.
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FROM 1840 TO 1846.
December, 1831, appointed Receiver of Public Moneys of the Little Rock Land Office. He held the office less than a year, resigning it in the latter part of 1832. In January, 1833, he opened an office in Little Rock, and began the practice of law. In 1835 he was appointed Judge of the Superior Court. On the admission of the State into the Union, in 1836, he was elected Delegate to Congress, and served as such to 1839, when he was succeeded by Judge Edward Cross. He was then elected Governor in 1840. In 1846 he was again elected to Congress, succeeding Judge Cross. During his term of office as Congressman the second time, in 1846, the Mexican War broke out, and resigning his seat in Congress, he raised a regi- ment of cavalry and went into the war. He was killed in the battle of Buena Vista, February 23d, 1847, by a lance wound in the face, received in a charge made on his regiment by the Mexican Lancers. He was buried on the field where he fell, but when the regiment returned home in the summer of 1847, his remains were brought home, and were buried at his home in Fayetteville, August 3d, 1847, where they rested until June, 1872, when they were moved to their present resting place in the Masonic Cemetery at that city.
The third session of the Legislature was held November 2d, 1840, and remained in session until December 28th.
In the Senate, Mark W. Izard, of St. Francis county, was elected President, and John Widgery, Secretary. In the House, George Hill, of Hempstead county, was elected Speaker, and Stephen S. Tucker, of Little Rock, Clerk. In this Body there were in attendance 22 members of the Senate, and 64 of the House.
In the labors of this Body matters of importance acted on by them were : providing for the construction of levees along the banks of the Mississippi river, in Chicot county ; donating forfeited lands to actual settlers; for the organization of the militia ; authorizing the Governor to dispose of the seminary
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
lands; creating the counties of Yell, Bradley and Perry ; regu- lating affairs of the Real Estate Bank, and much local bus- iness pertaining to scrips, county sites, county lines, and Acts of individual relief.
On the 9th of November, 1840, David B. Greer was elected Secretary of State, and on the 12th, William S. Ful- ton, United States Senator.
In the autumn of 1840 occurred the Presidential election, between Harrison and Tyler, candidates of the Whigs, and Van Buren and Johnson, of the Democrats. Harrison being elected by an overwhelming majority. The vote of Arkansas was for Van Buren.
The fourth session of the Legislature met November 6th, 1842, and adjourned February 4th, 1843, having made 149 enactments.
Samuel Adams, of Johnson county, was elected, President, and John Widgery, Secretary; Williamson S. Oldham, of Washington county, Speaker of the House; and Stephen S. Tucker, Clerk.
Among the laws of this session were Acts passed putting the State Bank and Real Estate Bank into liquidation; cre- ating the office of Attorney-General ; to survey the northern boundary line of the State ; creating the counties of Ouachita, Montgomery, Newton and Fulton ; providing for a geological examination of the State and establishing a system of com- mon schools.
The Act creating the office of Attorney-General, provided that the Prosecuting Attorney of the 5th Judicial Circuit should be the Attorney-General of the State until the next election. This officer was Hon. Robert W. Johnson, who thereby became the first Attorney-General of the State. He entered upon the discharge of his duties in 1843, and served as such till 1847.
On the 22d of November, 1842, Ambrose H. Sevier was elected, for a second term, United States Senator.
291
FROM 1840 TO 1846.
On the 3Ist of November, 1842, George W. Paschal, of Crawford county, was elected Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, to succeed Judge Townsend Dickinson.
In the election for Auditor, February 2d, 1843, Elias N. Conway was elected without opposition, and John Hutt, Treasurer.
The month of February, 1843, was marked by extraordi- nary high water in Red river. It stands on record as both the highest and most destructive flood in the history of that erratic stream. So sudden was the rise, that people retired to bed apprehending no danger, and at midnight had to beat a retreat to save their lives. At Fort Towson the water rose fifteen feet higher than was ever known before. Lost Prairie, and other points lower down, which had never before been under water, were inundated to the depth of several feet. The flood caught the people along the river totally unpre- pared, and swept resistlessly down, in one wide and general ruin, every vestige of human industry-houses, fences, stables, cotton presses, cotton bales, cattle, hogs, etc. The loss of human life, however, constitutes the painful feature of this great calamity. Over a hundred people were drowned be- tween Jonesboro and Fulton. Six families of Indians were drowned near the former place. Amid the general distress, Capt. Crooks, of the steamer Hunter, rendered the sufferers every possible succor in his power. He steamed from place to place, picking up survivors from house-tops and tree-tops; and rescued from a watery grave over a hundred persons. Some were necessarily left to perish in the cane and timber, as it was impossible to reach them. The distressing cries of those thus situated were often heard above the noise of the elements. The steamer Napoleon, during a trip up the river, also rescued a number of imperiled lives. At Lost Prairie two people were drowned. At this point, a man named An- derson, underwent a thrilling experience. He was caught in the bottom by the rising waters, and climbed a tree to save
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
himself. Four days and nights he remained perched in the tree, without a mouthful of food. The late Capt. Richard H. Finn was paddling about through the river bottom, looking af- ter stock. Having his gun along, he shot a turkey, and at the crack of the gun, he heard a mournful voice a short distance away, which cried out in feeble accents : "Save me, for God's sake !" Paddling in the direction from whence came the sounds, Anderson was discovered sitting in the very top of a gum sapling, not more than six inches in diameter at the butt. With black-jack vines, he had lashed himself so firmly to the tree that, had he been so disposed, he could not, in his then ex- hausted condition, have broken himself loose. By this means he was enabled to take a little sleep occasionally without dan- ger of falling into the water, which roared and bubbled like a cataract beneath him. Capt. Finn rescued the unfortunate man, and conveyed him to his house. The extent and severity of this overflow greatly surpassed that of 1834, of which men- tion has been made, and which, up to that time, was the great- est freshet that had been known along that river.
In pursuance of the Act of the previous Legislature, pro- viding for a survey of the northern boundary line of the State, the Governor appointed Hon. Davis Thompson, Commis- sioner to take charge of the work. The State of Missouri appointed Governor Dunklin its Commissioner. The two Commissioners met October, 1843, and began the survey ; commencing on the 36th parallel of north latitude, they ran west to the St. Francis river. Deeming, that by the mean- ders of the river Nature had herself sufficiently marked the line, the Commissioners proceeded up that river to 36 degrees, 30 minutes, and from there ran west to Big Black river. Here the weather became so severe as to compel a suspension of operations until spring. In the meantime Governor Dunklin died, and this, with other delays, prevented further progress of the work, until the autumn of 1843, when it was begun and prosecuted, until in the summer of 1845 it was
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FROM 1840 TO 1846.
completed. Dr. George Penn was appointed by the State of Missouri to take the place of Gov. Dunklin.
Some idea of the difficulties encountered by the Commis- sioners will be gathered from the following extracts from the report of Commissioner Thompson :
"It will be perceived that the portion of the line surveyed (from the Mississippi to the St. Francis, up the St. Francis to 36 degrees, 30 minutes, thence west to Big Black river) lies in a low, marshy region, known by the name of the 'Swamp. of the Mississippi, Saint Francis and Black rivers.' The difficulty of accurately tracing that portion of the line was exceedingly great, and the obstacles thrown by Nature in the way of the surveyor can hardly be estimated by one unac- quainted with the character of the district. The whole coun- try 'is flooded nearly every spring, and the depressions, whether naturally existing or caused by the earthquakes of 1811, are filled with water, which, having no outlet, stagnates in them until the next annual freshet. The water-courses, not being confined by banks, spread over a wider or narrower space, according as the season is wet or dry. That portion of the land which is comparatively dry, is occupied either by dense cane-brakes or tangled thickets of brushes and briers, re- quiring much time and labor to penetrate. Some delay was incurred on account of the unfavorableness of the weather for those astronomical observations on which the correctness of the line depends. An additional expense also arose from the greater number of horses and men required to transport the baggage of the party through so difficult a country."
The line as established by the Commissioners varied only slightly from that established by Joseph C. Brown, in 1823 and 1824.
On the 29th of April, 1844, by the resignation of Gov. Yell, Mr. Samuel Adams, President of the Senate, became Governor, holding the office until November 9th.
SAMUEL ADAMS, ACTING GOVERNOR.
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FROM 1840 TO 1846.
Governor Samuel Adams was born in Halifax county, Virginia, on the 5th day of June, 1805. When a child, his father moved to Humphrey county, Tennessee, where he was raised. On the 16th of December, 1824, he married Re- becca, the daughter of John W. and Elizabeth May, of Dick- son county, Tennessee, who died at Clarksville on the 4th day of June, 1840. They had six children, two of whom are liv- ing, i. e., Major John D. Adams, of Little Rock, and Mrs. Martha J. Mills, of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He moved from- Tennessee to Johnson county, Arkansas, in the spring of 1835, where he remained until the winter of 1846, when he was elected Treasurer of the State, and moved to Little Rock. While in Johnson county, after the death of his first wife, he married a second time, Mrs. Catherine A. Fagan, of Little Rock, in December, 1842. There were no children by this marriage. General James F. Fagan, who now lives in Lit- tle Rock, is a son of Mrs. Fagan by her former mar- riage. Governor Adams died February 27th, 1856, while on a visit to his farm, on Saline river, in Saline county, and was buried in Mount Holly Cemetery, in Little Rock.
When the election occurred in August, Thomas S. Drew was the choice of the people for Governor, and was inaugu- rated November 19th. Governor Drew was born about the year 1801, in Vermont; emigrated thence, when a young man, to Missouri. He came to Arkansas in 1821 or 1822, and settled in Clark county, of which he was Clerk from 1823 to 1825. He afterwards moved to Lawrence county, and rep- resented that county in the Constitutional Convention of 1836. He was twice elected Governor, in 1844 and 1848, and at the time of his first election was a resident of Independence county. He moved from Arkansas at some date after his sec- ond election. He died in Lampasas county, Texas, in 1880, at an advanced age.
At the Congressional election Governor Yell was elected to succeed Hon. Edward Cross.
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THOMAS S. DREW. Third Governor of the State.
297
FROM 1840 TO 1846.
The autumn of 1844 witnessed an exciting national elec- tion between Henry Clay and Theodore Frelinghuysen, candi- dates of the Whigs, and James K. Polk and George M. Dallas, of the Democrats, for President, in which the latter were elected by an electoral vote of 170 to 105. The vote of Arkansas was one of the States given for them.
It seems that there was diversity in pronouncing the name of the State in those days as well as recently, and it is related that Mr. Dallas, when presiding over the Senate, recognized the two Senators from Arkansas according to each one's particular style of pronouncing the name. When Col. Sevier was recognized, it was as "the Senator from Arkansaw," and Col. Ashley as "the Senator from Arkansas."
The fifth session of the Legislature of Arkansas was held, commencing November 4th, 1844, and continuing until Janu- ary Ioth, 1845. The Senate organized by the election of John Williamson, President, and John M. Ross, Secretary. In the House, John S. Roane, of Crawford county, was elected Speaker, and Stephen S. Tucker, of Little Rock, Clerk.
The records of this Legislature contain a statement which is worthy to be noted. Governor Adams, in his message upon the organization of the two Houses, made the announce- ment that, whereas the sum of $288,425.00 had been appro- priated by the previous General Assembly for the support of the government, yet, "owing to the enconomy and fidelity of its officers in their administration, only $163,005.00 thereof had been expended, leaving on hand at this time $125,409.00, which will be subject to the direction and control of the Legis- lature."
In 1845, Luke E. Barber was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court, which office he held continuously until his death, in 1886, with the exception of a period from 1868 to 1874, a period of service covering a period of 35 years. About the same date, or in 1846, Elbert H. English was ap- pointed Reporter of the Decisions of the Supreme Court, and served as such to 1853, when he was succeeded by L. E. Bar- ber, as Reporter ..
LUKE E. BARBER. Clerk of Supreme Court for thirty-five years.
CHAPTER XIII.
FROM 1846 TO 1848.
THE MEXICAN WAR PERIOD.
THE next matter of public concern was the war with Mexico, growing out of the annexation of Texas. Texas had originally been claimed by the United States as a part of the Louisiana purchase, but had been sold to Spain in 1819, in exchange for Florida, and was made a part of Mexico. In 1821 Mexico threw off the Spanish yoke, and in 1836 Texas revolted from Mexico, and established her independence as a Republic, with limits extending to the Rio Grande. She soon made proposals to be admitted into the American Union. Mexico claimed Texas, and declared that to admit her would be regarded as a cause for war. The matter dragged along for nine years, until, in 1846, a Bill was passed in Congress ad- mitting Texas. As soon as this occurred, President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to take a position on the Texas side of the Rio Grande, and defend her soil from inva- sion. Upon General Taylor doing so, the Mexicans opened fire on his camp at Matamoras, and attacked his troops at other points. The Congresses of both countries formally declared war, and called for volunteers. Those called for from Arkansas were speedily raised, more men offering to enlist than were authorized to be received. One company marched 250 miles to the rendezvous, but, the regiment being full, returned home, dependent upon their own means.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
Companies were organized in many parts of the State, and rendezvoused at Smithville, Lawrence county; Fay- etteville, Washington county ; Fort Smith, Sebastian county ; Dover, Pope county; Clarksville, Johnson county, and Little Rock, Pulaski county. At Little Rock, Albert Pike had an artillery company already formed, organized as early as 1840. Under the President's call, 27 of them en- listed at once, mainly young men of the place, and the re-
Solon Bor- mainder were recruited in Pulaski county.
land also raised a company in Pulaski county. William S. Davis, a well known citizen, now of Little Rock, was the man who blew the fife, with Christian Tscheimer beating the drum, arousing enthusiasm by parading the streets of Lit- tle Rock for volunteers, and by their efforts did considerable to promote the organization of the company. Archibald Yell left his seat in Congress to go to the war. He enlisted as a private in Borland's Company.
The general rendezvous of all the troops destined for ser- vice in the field, was appointed to be at Washington. The several companies gathered there in June, 1846, and organ- ized a regiment, of which Archibald Yell was elected Colo- nel; John Selden Roane, Lieutenant-Colonel; Solon Bor- land, Major; Gaston Mears, Adjutant; Josiah Houston, Sergeant-Major; Dr. Craven Peyton, Surgeon; William Quesenbury, Quartermaster.
The regiment was composed of the following companies :
Company "A," raised in Pope county, was at first com- manded by Capt. James S. Moffett, afterwards by Capt. H. W. Taylor; Cincinnattus Trousdale, First Lieutenant; Wal- ter F. Scott and Addison Cochran, Second Lieutenants ; J. H. Shinn, Sergeant ; strength, 67 men.
Company "B," known as Borland's Company, from its having been raised by him, but owing to his being elected Major of the regiment, he never commanded it. C. C. Dan- ley being chosen as Captain ; Isaac D. Hamilton, First Lieu- tenant; Hiram Carr and Josiah M. Giles, Second Lieuten-
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FROM 1846 TO 1848.
ants. Fifteen officers, commissioned and non-commissioned. Sixty-six men. Total strength, eighty-one men, recruited from Pulaski county.
Company "C," George Washington Patrick, Captain ; John F. Hill, First Lieutenant. And at the close of the war James F. Fagan, was Second Lieutenant, and John D. Adams was Orderly Sergeant, having enlisted at the age of 19. James F. Fagan also enlisted in it as a private, at the age of 18 years, but rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant. The company was recruited from Johnson county and vicin- ity, and numbered eighty men.
Company "D," was first commanded by Capt. Andrew Porter, with Franklin W. Desha, First Lieutenant ; Jesse Searcy and Richard Searcy, Second Lieutenants. Captain Porter was killed at Buena Vista, and Franklin W. Desha . became Captain, with Robert F. Finley, First Lieutenant ; Jesse and Richard Searcy, Second Lieutenants. This was a company raised from Batesville, and Independence counties, composed of seventy-nine men.
Company "E," Albert Pike, Captain ; Hamilton Reyn- olds, First Lieutenant ; William H. Causin and John C. Peay, Second Lieutenants. Strength of company about 70 men, recruited from Little Rock and Pulaski county. Among the enlistments from Little Rock were Alden M. Woodruff, the late George S. Morrison and Jacob Tscheimer. A. M. Crouch, now of Hempstead county, was the bugler of the company.
Alden M. Woodruff becoming Second Lieutenant in the 12th United States Infantry, was transferred to that company.
Company "F," J. J. Dillard, Captain ; George S. Foster, First Lieutenant ; Alex Stewart, and Leonard Wilhoff, Second Lieutenants ; recruited in Crawford county. Strength 81 men.
Company "G," Edward Hunter, Captain; J. S. Dollar- hide, First Lieutenant ; Roger McCann and George C. Stew-
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
ard, Second Lieutenants ; recruited in Sevier county. Strength of the company, 81 men.
Company "H," William G. Preston, Captain ; Thomas G. Tomberlain, First Lieutenant; John W. Tomberlain, and after his death, John R. DeGraffenreid, and Richmond B. Sedgely, Second Lieutenants; recruited in Franklin county. Strength of company, 79 men.
Company "I," William K. English, Captain ; Thomas A. Reeder, First Lieutenant; William Albert and John C. Douglas, Second Lieutenants ; recruited from Saline and Hot Spring counties and vicinity. Strength of company, 79 men.
Company "K," John Preston, Captain; Lewis S. Poe, First Lieutenant; Ezekiel Gilbert and Dane Thompson, Second Lieutenants ; strength of company, 79 men; re- cruited in Phillips county; total strength of the regiment, 870 men, enlisted for twelve months.
A battalion for the defense of the frontier to garrison forts on our western border, from which the regular troops had been withdrawn, was also formed, consisting of six com- panies, under Lieutenant-Colonel William Gray; Caleb Davis, Adjutant, and Oliver Basham, Sergeant-Major.
These companies consisted of :
Company "A," P. B. Collins, Captain ; 72 men, enrolled at Clarksville, July 22d, 1846.
Company "B," David West, Captain; Stephen Pye, First Lieutenant ; Newton W. Brown, Second Lieutenant; 72 men, enrolled at Dover and Fort Smith, July 16th, 1846.
Company "C," John S. Ficklin, Captain ; A. N. Imboden, First Lieutenant ; N. G. Tucker, Second Lieutenant. 69 men, mustered in at Smithville, Lawrence county.
Company "D," John H. Felch, Captain; Charles M. Hudspeth, First Lieutenant; Charles W. Russell, Second Lieutenant. 94 men, mustered in at Fort Smith.
Company "E," David West, Captain. 71 men, mustered in at Dover.
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FROM 1846 TO 1848.
Company "F," Stephen B. Enyert, Captain. Organized at Fayetteville, June 1847; marched to Fort Smith, distance 60 miles, arriving there June 13th, 1847. Strength of com- pany, 100 men.
Total strength of the battalion, 478.
In addition to these troops, two companies of the 12th In- fantry, Regulars, were largely recruited from Arkansas. The 12th Infantry was a regiment composed of troops from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri, who had enlisted for the war, or longer, if the Government desired to retain them. One com- pany was commanded by Captain Allen Wood, of Carroll county, and its ranks contained about 30 men, who had been recruited by Alden M. Woodruff, Second Lieutenant of the company, in Little Rock and Pulaski county.
The other company contained about the same number, making the number in Col. Yell's regiment, 870; in Col. William May's battalion, 478; in 12th Infantry, say, 52; total of Arkansas troops in the service, 1,400.
By the last of August, 1846, various detachments of the American Army concentrated at San Antonio de Bexar, where some time was spent in drill and thorough military or- ganization. By the 25th of September the stores had all ar- rived, and the 26th was the day appointed for the Division to move. Yell's regiment was placed in the Division of General John E. Wool, called the "Division of the Center."
On the 23d of January, 1847, a disaster befell a portion of the Arkansas troops, in which a number of them were made prisoners.
Rumors were afloat that General Santa Anna was rapidly approaching with a large force, and Major Solon Borland, with Captain C. C. Danley, and 35 men, went on a recon- noitering expedition to ascertain the correctness of the report. When near the Hacienda of Encarnacion, they were overta- ken by Major John R. Gaines, with Captain Cassius M. Clay and Lieutenant Davidson, from Col. Humphrey Mar-
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
shall's First Regiment of Kentucky Volunteers, and Lieuten- ant Harris, of Texas. With these officers there were 30 men. The two detachments camped together near the Hacienda. During the night of the 23d of January, they were surprised and surrounded by a large force of Mexican cavalry, num- bering 3,000, under General Minon, and were made prisoners.
Among them were Thomas Smart, Stephen Jester, Joseph Jester, W. Montgomery and A. Stinson, of Captain English's Company "I." E. P. Martin, C. P. Whitten, C. S. Mooney and J. E. Brown, of Captain Danley's Company "B." John Magness, Moses Nelson, George W. Rainey, Wash- ington Trigg, Simon Carson, James Richmond, J. Crooks and W. L. Edwards, of Captain Desha's Company "D." Charles C. Lyon and George Underwood, of Captain Ed- ward Hunter's Company "G;" and W. R. Speegle, J. W. Curtis, L. J. Webb, R. Williams, W. Rieves, R. J. Steele and R. F. Huggins, of Captain William G. Preston's Com- pany "H."
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