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 24
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In 1858 the first railroad in the State of Arkansas was built. Work was begun in the building of the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad, which had been surveyed in 1854, and subsequently a section of nearly forty miles, from Hopefield, in Crittenden county, opposite Memphis, to Madison, St. Fran- cis county, was completed and operated. The first spike in the laying of the rails was driven by John Robinson, of Memphis, who was prominently connected with the enter-
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FROM 1852 TO 1860.
prise. In 1859 to 1860 a section from Little Rock to Devall's Bluff, forty-five miles, was completed, and used in connec- tion with a line of boats from Memphis down the Misssissippi and up White river to Devall's Bluff, or line of stages from Madison. This method of travel was in vogue until long after the war, when, about 1868 or 1869, the central section from Devall's Bluff to Madison was completed, making a continuous line of road to Memphis.
The twelfth session of the Legislature convened November Ist, 1858, and remained in session until February 2Ist, 1859, a period of 123 days. The Senate organized by the election of Thomas Fletcher, of Arkansas county, President, and John D. Kimbell, then of Pulaski county, Secretary.
In the House, Oliver H. Oates, of Monroe county, was elected Speaker, and Samuel M. Scott, of Clark county, Clerk-his second service in that capacity.
On the Ist of October, 1858, there was in the treasury, sub- ject to be used for the ordinary expenses of the State, the sum of $235, 194.00 in gold and silver.
The Auditor's report showed that the expenses of the swamp land system had been $57,404.00 less during the two years past than they had been for the two years prior thereto, and at the same time the levee and ditch work done amounted to 922,706 cubic yards.
On the 2d day of February, 1859, John Quindley was elected State Treasurer, succeeding John H. Crease. In the business of this long session 250 Acts, Resolutions and Memo- rials were passed. The most important were Acts to in- crease the salaries of the Supreme Judges and the Governor to $2,500.00 per annum; to further conduct the geological survey, and to establish the county of Craighead.
One of the most important Acts of this session of the Leg- islature was the establishment and incorporation of the State School for the Blind, located at Arkadelphia.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
The following are extracts from an article in the "Gazette," of October 28th, 1888, giving a full account of this Institu- tion, which, by an Act of the Legislature of 1868, was moved from Arkadelphia to Little Rock :
"It is learned from the report of Superintendent, J. R. Harvey, made in 1885, that the first organized effort made in this State for the education of the blind was by Rev. James Champlain, a blind Methodist minister, who, in the spring of 1850, opened a school for the blind at Clarksville, Johnson county. He had only five pupils, and as he received but little support or encouragement in his work, was compelled to discontinue the school, after it had been open about five months.
"Nothing more is known to have been done in this direction until 1858, in which year a Mr. Haucke, a blind Baptist minister, visited Arkadelphia, and succeeded in awakening considerable interest there in regard to the necessity existing for the establishment of an institution for the education of the blind in Arkansas. In October, 1858, a meeting of citizens was held in that town, at which meeting it was resolved to establish such an institution of learning. An association was formed, and a Constitution adopted, setting forth in the first ar- ticle, that the school should be called 'The Arkansas Institute for the Education of the Blind'-located at Arkadelphia. They provided in the organization for three departments-household, industrial and intellectual, and its general gov- ernment was to be vested in a Board of Nine Trustees, to be elected annually by those contributing to its support. The Constitution further provided that the Board of Trustees should appoint a Superintendent, to whom the immediate control and management of the Institution should be entrusted, and also pro- vided for the appointment of teachers, and for such other regulations as, in the opinion of the founders, would be necessary to constitute a first-class school for the blind. An agent was sent to travel other States to visit similar schools, for the purpose of gathering such information and material as was necessary to put the school in operation. He returned, bringing with him books, and tools and machinery necessary for the making of brooms, brushes, mattresses, and mate- rial for bead work.
"The Institute was opened in February, 1859, with Rev. Mr. Haucke as Superintendent, and an attendance of seven pupils. On the 4th of the following month, Gov. Conway approved an Act to incorporate the Institute, and appointed the following Board of Trustees: Harris Flanagin, J. W. Smith, W. A. Trigg, J. L. Witherspoon, T. E. Garrett, H. B. Stewart, J. B. McDaniel, T. A. Heard and S. Stephenson. The Legislature did not make any appropriation for its support, but the generous people of Arkadelphia subscribed $1,600 for that purpose.
"The following summer a vacancy occurred in the office of Superintendent, which was not supplied until December 1st, when Mr. Otis Patten became Super- intendent. In the first report of the Board of Trustees, made in the fall of 1860, ten pupils are reported to have attended the Institute. The second session opened September 4th, 1860, with six pupils. Much of the time of the Superin- tendent was employed in traveling over the country with some of the pupils, giving exhibitions and concerts. The Legislature of 1860 to 1861 appropriated $200 a year for each pupil, and $900 a year for teachers.
ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, LITTLE ROCK.
22
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
"The success of the school in its early days was largely due to the earnest . efforts of the Superintendent, Mr. Otis Patten, and Mr. Isaac Lawrence, of this city, both of whom spent much of their time in traveling through the State, en -. deavoring to have the parents and guardians of the blind to send their children to the Institution to gain the advantages it offered.
"The Institution continued to prosper and grow until September, 1863, when, on account of the unsettled condition of the country, in consequence of the ad- vancing armies of the Union, the removal of the State Government, and it being impossible to secure provisions and supplies, it was closed with nineteen pupils.
"It was re-opened in March, 1867. The Legislature of 1866 to 1867 appropri- ated $8,000 for building and furnishing necessary buildings, $200 a year for each pupil, and $1,200 per annum for the Superintendent's salary.
"At the session of the Legislature of 1868, on July 22d, an Act was approved for the removal of the Institute to Little Rock. It was closed at Arkadelphia, September 16th, 1868, and re-opened at Little Rock the second week in October, in 'Rose Cottage,' the Board of Trustees being Hon. Liberty Bartlett, C. C. Farrelly, and Dr. R. L. Dodge.
"By an Act approved March 15th, 1879, the name of the school was changed to 'The Arkansas School for the Blind.'
"In 1885, Hon. George W. Caruth, Dr. Andrew Hunter, Thomas Fletcher, S. P. Hughes and J. W. Cypert, as Trustees, in their report made an urgent ap- peal to the General Assembly for an appropriation for new buildings, as a result of which, on the 1st of April, 1885, an Act was passed, and approved by Gov- ernor Hughes, appropriating $60,000 for the purpose of building, equipping and furnishing additional buildings. .
"Mr. Otis Patten resigned the superintendency March 25th, 1885, and April 2d, Mr. J. R. Harvey was elected as his successor. At this time there were thirty-seven inmates, and by November the number was increased to sixty-one.
"The following were the Trustees, under whose supervision and faithful man- agement the new, magnificent and imposing buildings, now situated on Eight- eenth street, between Center and Spring, were erected and equipped ; Dr. John B. Bond, President; Dr. W. A. Cantrell, Vice-President; S. N. Marshall, Secre- tary; Prof. J. R. Rightsell, W. C. Ratcliffe; B. J. Bartlett, Architect; C. W. Clark was the Contractor; F. J. H. Rickon, Superintendent of Construction.
"Rev. J. R. Harvey tendered his resignation as Superintendent of the School December, 1886, which was accepted, and Rev. John H. Dye, D. D., was elected in his stead November 4th, 1886. He entered upon the discharge of his duties at once, and has devoted his entire time and energies to the responsible duties of the position . ..... The grounds have been beautified and a number of needed improvements made, which elicits much favorable comment from visi- tors and citizens who now throng that delightful drive leading to and by the school.
"Board of Trustees : J. R. Rightsell, President; S. N. Marshall, Vice-Presi- dent; W. C. Ratcliffe, Secretary ; J. W. House, D. G. Fones.
"Officers : John H. Dye, D. D., Superintendent; H. M. Bennett, Steward; Mrs. Kate .S. Dye, Matron; W. A. Cantrell, M. D., Physician; T. E. Murrell, Coulist.
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FROM 1852 TO 1860.
"Teachers : Miss Annie B. Wells, Prof. T. N. Robertson, Mrs. L. V. Shannon, Miss Maggie Jones, in the literary department; A. O. Kenney and Miss N. M. Moore in the handicraft departments; Prof. E. Trebing and Mrs. E. E. Collins in the music department.
"T. G. Ringgold, Engineer; Mrs. Annie Roberts, House-keeper; Miss S. E. Dunlap, Visitor's Attendant."
On the 28th of August, 1859, David B. Greer, who had been Secretary of State for 13 years, died at the residence of C. W. Jackson, near Nashville, Tennessee. Governor Con- way appointed Alexander Boileau his successor. Mr. Boi- leau himself died January 18th, 1860, having discharged the duties of the office only four and a half months. On the 2Ist of January, 1860, Samuel M. Weaver, of Little Rock, was ap- pointed to fill the vacancy, and discharged the duties of the office until the election of John I. Stirman as his successor, by the Legislature, November 17th, 1860.
In 1859 Judge Felix I. Batson resigned the office of As- sociate Justice of the Supreme Court, and was succeeded by Hon. Henry M. Rector. Judge Rector himself resigned in 1860, to become a candidate for Governor, and was succeeded by Hon. Freeman W. Compton.
In the following year (1860) a public improvement of in- calculable benefit was put into effect in the building of a tele- graph line from Memphis to Little Rock, the first telegraph line established in Arkansas. The line was owned by H. A. Montgomery, of Memphis. Charles P. Bertrand was Presi- dent of the Company, and James A. Henry, Secretary, both at Little Rock. Larry C. Baker, now of St. Louis, was the first operator at Little Rock, opening an office in that year.
The year 1860 witnessed the white heat of that political excitement which party antagonism and the seeming conflict of sectional interests had been inflaming through several presi- dential campaigns. Four parties were in the field. The Re- publican party was led by Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin. The Constitutional Union party nominated John Bell, of Tennessee, and Edward Everett. One portion of
340
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
the Democratic party nominated Stephen A. Douglas for President, and Herschel V. Johnson for Vice-President, and another wing of the same party nominated John C. Breckin- ridge, of Kentucky, for President, and General Joseph Lane for Vice-President. The campaign which followed was one of tremendous excitement. The land was fairly ablaze from one end of it to the other, and the excitement was intensified when the election of the Republican candidates took place. The vote of Arkansas was given for Breckinridge and Lane.
The election of Lincoln and Hamlin was regarded in the South as fatal to its interests. Mr. Lincoln's well known hostility to slavery, and the position which he had announced in his debates with Senator Douglas, that this Union could not continue part slave and part free, was taken as an in- dication of what his course in the administration would be. Fear was also entertained, that the repetition of such raids as Brown's at Harpers Ferry, would occur, and such efforts made to incite slaves into revolt and insurrection, as would endanger public peace and individual safety. The State of South Carolina at once called a convention to consider the question of secession from the Union. The convention met December 17th, at Columbia, and on the 20th, unanimously adopted an ordinance of secession. Other States followed, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas, in the order named, organizing at Montgomery, Alabama, a Southern Confederacy, for which they chose Jefferson Davis, President, and Alexander H. Stephens, Vice-President.
In our State the excitement was very great. Dr. John A. Jordan, F. W. Hoadley, N. B. Burrow, Thos. C. Hindman and Col. F. A. Terry, of the Arkansas Delegation to the Charleston Convention, had withdrawn from the "Regular Convention," and taken part with the "Cotton States Con- vention." T. B. Flournoy had remained and supported the Douglas ticket. Arkansas had also been represented in the Convention that nominated Bell and Everett. C. C. Danley,
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FROM 1852 TO 1860.
J. B. Keats and M. S. Kennard were Delegates to that Body from Arkansas. The land was ringing with discussion. The subjects of the preservation of the Union on the one hand or of secession on the other, occupied the attention of the peo- ple through the columns of the press, in debates and speeches, and in private discussions, to an unprecedented degree. Great debates were carried on in many parts of the State, some pertaining to the local canvass for State officers, others being conducted without reference to any candidacy for office, but simply growing out of the exigencies of the times. T. C. Hindman, Albert Rust, James B. Johnson, John Kirk- wood, Lorenzo Gibson, E. A. Warren, Dr. Charles B. Mit- chell, E. W. Gantt, T. B. Flournoy, E. C. Jordan, John R. Fellows and many others disscussed the issues before the peo- ple, from stump to stump. One of the most notable of these debates was one which was carried on for several days in Lit- tle Rock, and was then transferred to other places, between E. C. Jordan, in favor of secession, and John R. Fellows, of Camden, now District Attorney for the City of New York, speaking in behalf of the Union. Col. Fellows was an ora- tor of extraordinary eloquence and power, and aided by a grand voice and emphatic delivery, made a plea for the pres- ervation of the Union, the equal of which has rarely been heard. It won for him a fame as an orator, which will never be forgotton among the people of that day and who lived in those crucial and trying times.
Among many other speeches in favor of the Union was one by John M. S. Causin, at Little Rock, which received widespread comment, and was published and noticed in many papers. It was an eloquent and forcible exhortation for the perpetuity of the Union, and made a profound im- pression at the time. It was in the midst of this excitement that the election for Governor took place.
The Democratic State Convention met in June, and nomi- nated Col. Richard H. Johnson for Governor. Judge Henry
HENRY M. RECTOR. Sixth Governor of the State.
343
FROM 1852 TO 1860.
M. Rector resigned his position, and became an independ- ent candidate on a platform embodying the Union sentiment. A joint canvass was made by the two candidates, and speeches delivered at many points throughout the State. It was in the midst of all the excitement of the Breckenridge, Douglas, Bell and Lincoln candidacy, making it additionally heated. Judge Rector's position was conservative and tem -.. perate, advocating moderation during the then existing crisis. At the election, which took place in August, he was elected by a majority of 3,461. The total vote cast was 61, 198, of which he received 31,948, and Col. Johnson 29,250.
Governor Henry Massie Rector was inaugurated the sixth Governor of the State, November 15th, 1860. His inaugural address, dealing with current topics, recommended that, al- though the Northern States had ruthlessly broken the Federal compact, no hasty action should be taken, but if any en- croachment should be attempted upon the first rights of the South, that Arkansas ought, in right and honor, to unite her fortunes to those of the other Southern States.
Governor Rector was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1816, son of Colonel Elias Rector of that place, and after the death of his father, came to Arkansas, a youth of 19, to look after his landed interests inherited from his father's estate. He was United States Marshal in 1843 to 1845, and Judge of the Supreme Court in 1859 to 1860. Many years of his life were employed in carrying on a law-suit for the possession of his property in Hot Springs as against other claimants, and finally against the Government. He has been twice married. The children by the first marriage, now living, are Dr. H. M. Rector and Hon. E. W. Rector, of Hot Springs ; Mrs. W. M. Matheny, and Mrs. Dr. Mitchell. There were also two other sons, Frank and William F. Rector. The former died at manhood. William F. Rector was killed at the battle of Helena, July 4th, 1863. By the second marriage, there is one daughter, Ernestine, who is now Mrs. McGhee Williams.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
His first marriage was in October, 1838, with Miss Jane Elizabeth Field, daughter of William Field, formerly Clerk of the United States Court. She died in 1857. In 1860, at Little Rock, he married Miss Ernestine Flora Linde, of Memphis. For a part of the time he lived on a farm in Sa- line county, but for the most part made his home in Little Rock, though for some years he resided at Hot Springs.
On the 17th of November, 1860, E. H. English was re- elected Chief Justice ; Hurlburt F. Fairchild, Associate Jus- tice, and John I. Stirman, of Yell county, Secretary of State. In this month Senator John William K. Sebastian was elected United States Senator, for the term of six years, from the 4th of March, 1861. Charles B. Mitchell succeeded Robert W. Johnson as Senator, but did not occupy the seat, except to attend one executive session after March 4th, 1861.
In the congressional election, Thomas C. Hindman, of Helena, was elected to Congress from the first district, and E. W. Gantt from the second district.
The thirteenth Legislature assembled at Little Rock, November 5th, 1860, and held to January 21st, 1861, with special sessions held November 4th to November 18th, 1861, and March 8th to March 22d, 1862.
Thomas Fletcher, of Arkansas, was elected President of the Senate, and John D. Kimbell, of Pulaski, Secretary, and William H. Rosson, of Izard county, Assistant Clerk. In the House, Bradley Branch, of Carroll county, was elected Speaker, and Samuel M. Scott, of Clark county, Clerk, and Humphrey Enyart, of Madison county, Assistant Clerk.
From Governor Conway's final message, delivered on the 8th, it appeared that the increase in the taxable property of the State in two years was $42,601,988.00.
On his retiring from office, Governor Conway left in the vaults of the treasury $300,000 in gold and silver, applicable to the general expenses of the State Government. One of his principal achievements was the regulation of the currency
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FROM 1852 TO 1860.
of the State. On his entering upon his office, bank bills of all kinds were in circulation; but, by his efforts, laws were passed preventing the circulation of any bill less than $20.00, and by this means the general circulation was established, and preserved in gold and silver.
The Government census for the year showed a population, on January Ist, of 435,450 persons ; 324, 143 white, and III,- 307 colored.
The disturbed state of the country did not prevent the Assembly from transacting a large amount of local business, in fact, rather made it necessary. The volume of business amounted to 238 Acts, Resolutions and Memorials. The chief ones, not relating to local domestic affairs, were for arming Militia Companies to keep the peace on the Western border, where disturbances were apprehended from the unset- tled condition of affairs ; appointing Thomas J. Churchill and Christopher C. Danley, as Commissioners, of date January 2 Ist ; to buy arms for the Volunteer Militia, for which $100,000 was appropriated ; and then in the midst of so much looking like war, one that savored entirely of peace, was the incorporat- ing, on January Ist, 1861, of a cottonseed oil mill at Pine Bluff, the first of the kind to be chartered in the State.
The Commissioners to purchase arms expended $36,702 out of the appropriation for that purpose, but the entire amount of articles purchased never reached the State. A portion of them were seized in Cincinnati, and were not allowed to come through.
The most important action of the session, however, was the one of date. January 15th, 1861, providing for the calling of a State Convention, and directed that the Governor should issue his proclamation, ordering an election in all the counties of the State, to be held February 18th, 1861, submitting to the people the question of "Convention" or "no Convention," the votes to be opened and counted by the Governor, Auditor, Treasurer and Secretary of State, or any three of them, on
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
the 2d day of March, 1861, and if the vote should be in favor of holding the Convention, then the Governor should issue his proclamation, requiring the Delegates elected thereto to as- semble at the capital on the following Monday, "to take into consideration the condition of political affairs, and determine what course the State of Arkansas shall take in the present political crisis."
Thus the close of this period witnessed a condition of things never beheld before in this country. The very land in a blaze of excitement over the situation, the whole Nation in the throes of political convulsion ; divisions among the people ; trade prostrated ; industry paralyzed; attempts to withdraw from the Union at the South; stupendous preparations for war at the North, and everything wearing the cast of that ap- proaching conflict, which was so soon to open upon us with all its terrors.
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PERIOD V. THE CIVIL WAR. FROM 1861 TO 1865.
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CHAPTER XVI.
1861.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR HENRY M. RECTOR .- THE ORDINANCE OF SECESSION.
THE opening of the year 1861 found the country in a state of great excitement, but friends of the Union had not aban- doned hope that a peaceful settlement of existing difficulties, honorable alike to both sides, might be arrived at. In the Senate, John J. Crittenden, of Kentucky, strove to fill the part of Mr. Clay in times gone by, in bringing forward a compromise measure, about the same as the original Missouri compromise of 1820, which he proposed as a constitutional amendment. There was a strong feeling in the North in favor of the adoption of this measure, and letters and peti- tions in great numbers were presented from that section in favor of it. Leading Southern Representatives favored it ; but when the subject came to a vote, the entire strength of the Northern Delegates was cast against it, and so the measure was rejected. .
The State of Virginia had also taken measures to secure the holding of a general Peace Convention, in the hope of averting the evidently approaching hostilities, but nothing was effected by the Convention when held, and the entire aspect of the times was gloomy and foreboding. Early in the year two incidents of an ominous aspect took place in our home affairs. They were the taking possession of the United States Arsenal, at Little Rock, and the post, at Fort Smith, by
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
a force of armed citizens. In November of the previous year a force of sixty men, under command of Capt. James Totten, of the 2d U. S. Artillery, was moved from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and stationed at Little Rock, re-inforcing a smaller number of troops previously there, occupying the Arsenal, at which, as we have seen, a quantity of arms and munitions of war belonging to the State were stored. In view of the in- creasing excitement of the times, this movement of the troops was regarded as suspicious, and as designed to have a menac- ing effect upon the action of the State in adopting its course of action. A sentiment prevailed that the State of Arkansas should take possession of the Arsenal and secure her property therein; and hold both intact until the State's course and po- sition should be determined, neither permitting the arms therein to be destroyed, nor permitting the garrison to be farther re-inforced. This general opinion grew to such pro- portions that it first took definite shape in a mass meeting of citizens held at Helena, who telegraphed to Governor Rector their opinion, that it was his duty to take possession of the Arsenal, and tendering 500 men for the purpose.
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