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 51

Author: Hempstead, Fay, 1847-1934
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: St. Louis and New York : N. D. Thompson Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1268

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 51

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

KARLA

ARKANSAS DEAF MUTE INSTITUTE, LITTLE ROCK.

720

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

first church or meeting house to be erected in the place-two schools : Thomas B. Malone, and Miss Lucy L. West; two printing offices : the "Gazette" and "Advocate ;" five doc- tors : Drs. R. A. Watkins; John H. Cocke; B. W. Lee; John T. Fulton and John R. Conway; seven lawyers : Chester Ashley; Robert Crittenden; William Cummins ; Orson V. Howell; Benjamin F. Potter; Peter T. Crutch- field and David Rorer, whose residence was on the opposite side of the river ; and one brick-maker : Thomas Thorn.

In 1830, William Field settled in Little Rock; in 1832 he was Postmaster, succeeding Dr. John T. Fulton.

The Town Trustees of 1831 were John McLain, Dudley D. Mason, Robert Crittenden, Emzy Wilson and William E. Woodruff.

The town was incorporated in 1831, by Act of the Legisla- ture-the first town to be incorporated in the State-and at an election of officers, held January, 1832, Matthew Cunning- ham was elected Mayor, and John McLain, Benjamin Clemens, David Holt and Charles Caldwell, Members of the Town Council. On the 16th of January, 1832, the Council elected the following officers : Charles Caldwell, Clerk ; John McLain, Treasurer; Dudley D. Mason, Assessor ; Asa G. Baker, Collector of Town Tax; Christian Brumbach, Town Constable, and Emzy Wilson, Overseer of Streets ; and these were the first persons to hold these offices in Little Rock, as an incorporated town.

The highest number of votes cast in the town election was thirty-nine.

The first fire engine in Little Rock was purchased in 1834- a hand engine, with brakes, and quite a crude affair.

The building of the State-house, which was begun in 1833, was the means of creating activity in the town, giving occu- pation to many workmen of different kinds. The work was continued off and on until about 1846, before it was finally completed.

THEATRE

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CAPITAL THEATRE, LITTLE ROCK.

722

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

Until 1834, the Eastern limit of the town was the Quapaw line, running along the east side of Rock street, but in 1832, Congress granted 1,000 acres for the building of a court-house and jail, and in 1833 the Governor was directed to make sale of it. In October, 1833, Governor Pope had a public sale of lots out of it, and in March, 1834, filed a bill of assurances, whereby a portion of the grant was added to the town on the east, called Pope's Addition, comprising 152 87-100 acres.

The first theatrical performance ever given in Little Rock, was on the evening of November 4th, 1834. "The Little Rock Thalian Society," a local organization, gave a performance of a play, called "The Soldier's Daughter," with such success, that it was repeated the following night, with the addition of a piece called "Raising the Wind," both per- formances being for a home charity. This was followed by a performance, on the evening of December Ist, of Goldsmith's comedy of "She Stoops to Conquer," and a farce, entitled, "Who's the Dupe."

James Pitcher was Mayor in 1835, with William Field as City Judge, and S. H. Tucker as Recorder.

In the year 1840 the Real Estate Bank Building, opposite the State-house, was erected, and also the buildings at the United States Arsenal.

An incident of excitement occurring during the year 1843, was the discovery of extensive counterfeiting of city scrip and shinplasters which had been going on, and in which the Mayor of the town, one Trowbridge, proved to have been an active participant. Upon his arrest, large quantities of the counterfeited bills were found with members of his family. Several other persons were engaged in the crime, all of whom were arrested and punished. Besides counterfeiting, some of the bills were raised, one being from "nine" to "ninety" dollars by the addition of "ty" to the denomina- tional word. Trowbridge, on being arrested, made a con- fession of his guilt, and was sentenced to five years in the

723

FROM 1819 TO 1890.

Penitentiary, from which he was pardoned in time for good conduct on the occasion of the burning of the Penitentiary in 1846, he having assisted the guards, and prevented the escape of the prisoners.

In 1843 Mount Holly Cemetery was first used as a bury- ing ground. John P. Karns was the sexton in charge. Before that date, the burying ground was where the Peabody School now is, between Fourth and Fifth, State and Gains streets. Most of the bodies buried there were moved when the new cemetery was commenced, but there is still one monument remaining in the old ground.

In 1846 the Anthony House, long known as one of the chief hostelries of the State, was built on the site formerly occu- pied by Peay & English's house of entertainment. It stood until about the year 1880, when it was destroyed by fire.

The town officers of the year 1848 were: S. H. Webb, Mayor; D. W. Galloway, Recorder ; Lambert J. Reardon, Roswell Beebe, Ebenezer Cummins, Thomas D. Merrick, J. W. Parker, Philip Prasch, Alexander George and William Haney, Aldermen; and Hugh Brogan, City Constable.

In 1856 John Robins built a row of two-story brick houses on Main Street, between Second and Third streets, west side, which bore the name of "Robins' Row." The upper story was used for a theatre, and for a long time was the only building in the place for that purpose. A theatre was opened there some time before the war, by a company of players, under Nick Maroney. The first play given in the place was "The Lady of Lyons," with Nick Maroney as "Claude Melnotte" and Mrs. M. A. Pennoyer as "Pauline Deschappelles." The company became a resident company, and numbered among its membership T. L. Connor, George Huntley and other actors of note, and was occasion- ally called to the support of star actors of prominence. The house was destroyed by fire November 18th, 1888, and was replaced by elegant brick structures, now occupying the site.

724

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

In 1857 the St. John's College Building was begun, and com- pleted in 1859. It was opened as a Military Academy in Sep- tember, 1859, by Professors John Baker Thompson, of Staun- ton ; Frank Bronaugh, of Richmond, and John B. Lewis, of Lexington, Virginia. It was successfully conducted until closed by the war, and was re-opened in 1869, and continued until 1883, when it was finally closed. In 1860 Gordon N. Peay organized a military company, called the "Capital Guards," composed of the young men of the place. In this year a shooting match took place between them and the Cadets of St. John's College, at 100 yards range. The target was set up at the place where the residence of the late M. W. Benjamin now is, which at that time was all dense forest, and far out of town. The College buildings were de- stroyed by fire, January 17th, 1890.

In 1859 the streets were first lighted with gas.

In 1860 the first telegraph line was built to Little Rock, and the first office opened there. The line was owned by H. A. Montgomery, of Memphis, Tennessee. Charles P. Bertrand was President of the Company, and James A. Henry, Secretary; Larry C. Baker, now of St. Louis, was the first operator, and first in charge of the office. He was succeeded, in 1864, by Ed. C. Newton, who is still Superintendent in charge.

The first railroad to reach the town was the portion of the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad, from Devall's Bluff to Little Rock, which was completed to the place in 1860. The trip then was by boat from Memphis to Devall's Bluff, and from Devall's Bluff by rail, and thus it remained until 1868 or 1869, when the railroad was completed to Memphis. The first spike driven in the building of this road, and consequently the first spike in railroad building in Arkansas, was driven by John Robinson, of Memphis, Tennessee, in the year 1858, and was at the commencement of the eastern end of the line, which ran from Hopefield to Madison, about 40 miles.

725

FROM 1819 TO 1890.

In the spring of 1861 the excitement of the approaching war, was the absorbing topic, and when the contingency actually arose, the town was fairly depopulated by the num- ber of men who went into the Confederate Army. The Capital Guards, Gordon N. Peay, Captain, enlisted to a man. Woodruff's Battery of Artillery, recruited largely from the .

VII

CONVENT SISTERS OF MERCY, LITTLE ROCK.

town, entered the service at once. The best men in the place enlisted in different organizations, and those who were left behind, above arm-bearing age, or unfit for active duty, formed companies of Home Guards. As that unhappy strife progressed the loss of men of the place was great. There

726

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

was mourning in many homes. The first to fall was Omer R. Weaver, who was killed at the battle of Oak Hills, August 10th, 1861; Carl Hempstead and Colonel John Baker Thompson were killed at Shiloh, April 6th, 1862; Prof. Frank Bronaugh at Seven Pines ; Daniel Ringo, Jr., in one of the battles in Virginia, being wounded and dying in the hospital in Lynchburg; Robert Watkins Ringo, his · elder brother, dying of disease in hospital; William C. Osborn died in prison at Alton, Illinois; F. W. Hoadley was killed at Vicksburg; Simpson Walker at Perryville, Kentucky, and E. C. Jordan at Port Hudson, all three of them being lawyers. Frederick Brack was killed at Chickamauga; Julius Levy and Henry Fisher at Murfreesboro; Walter Pike was killed in a skirmish in Missouri; William F. Rector at Helena; J. K. Thibault at Pilot Knob; Solon Borland, and George Borland, his son, died from exposure; and Henry Brookins and David Dodd lost their lives; T. C. Scott and Frank T. Vaughan each lost an arm, and Joseph W. Martin, Ben. S. Johnson, John G. Fletcher, Leslie Savage, L. Berkeley Noland, A. H. Sevier, Anderson Mills, George A. Gallagher and W. C. Ratcliffe were among the wounded.

The town was not greatly exposed to the incidents of the war. It was captured by the Federal forces under General Steele, on the Ioth of September, 1863, and remained in their possession until the close of hostilities. The first man of that command to enter the town was Colonel A. H. Ryan, riding at the head of a squadron of cavalry. He remained here after the restoration of peace, and was for many years a citizen doing an extensive lumber business.

After the conclusion of the war, there was a great revival of trade and business activity which had lain dormant for so long. There was from that time on an advancing demand for property, which reached a high point in 1873, and after- wards went back somewhat, but which began again in 1880, and has continued ever since.

727

TROM 1819 TO 1890.

In 1870 the Cairo & Fulton Railroad, afterwards called the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway, reached the place, and has since proved to be the great medium of communication with the outside world. In the years 1871 to 1873 the upper bridge was built, adding greatly to the facilities of travel.

PHILANDER-SMITH COLORED INSTITUTE, LITTLE ROCK.

In the year 1870 the City Council passed an ordinance changing the names of such streets as ran East and West parallel with the river, except North, Water and Markham streets, and giving them numbers instead of names. Taking Markham street as equivalent to First street, the names of the

728

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

streets were changed as follows, to wit: Chester street became Second street, Mulberry street became Third street, Walnut street became Fourth street, Orange street became Fifth street, Elizabeth street became Sixth street, Chestnut street became Seventh street, Holly street became Eighth street, Hazle street became Ninth street, Caroline street became Tenth street. Other streets which had been graded and

COLORED BAPTIST CHURCH, LITTLE ROCK.

opened since the filing of the original plat, also received con- secutive numbers, until now they have reached the number of Twenty-fifth street, which is in Ropley's Addition.

The Brooks-Baxter war of 1874 was a period of great ex- citement and danger about Little Rock, as the city was the focus of the struggle. A full account of this remarkable occurrence has been given in the history of Governor Baxter's administration.

729

FROM 1819 TO 1890.

In November, 1879, a Telephone Exchange was opened in Little Rock, by the Western Union Telegraph Company, under the management of Arthur F. Adams, which was shortly after the invention of the instrument. The office is still conducted by Mr. Adams, and is now one of the oldest Exchanges in existence. Its present name is the Erie Tele- phone Exchange, and it operates instruments of the Bell patent, the invention of Augustus Graham Bell. In 1887 a rival telephone office was opened in Little Rock, under the name of the Southern Telephone Company, but its existence was broken up by an injunction obtained by the Bell telephone owners, for an infringement of their patent, and it ceased operations after May Ist, 1888.

An incident of interest, in the year 1880, was the visit of General U. S. Grant to this city, in the month of April of that year. He was on a tour of extensive travel, and visited this place among many others. He was given a reception in accordance with his prominence ; and on the evening of April 15th, 1880, a grand banquet was given him at Concordia Hall by citizens, at which about 300 guests were present. The city was full of people, many of whom had come from long distances to do him honor ; and the concourse of people forming the procession to the reception stand, where public addresses were made, was immense; and was by far the largest crowd of people ever seen together in the place at any one time.

In the year 1881 the United States Court house and Post Office was built. The Post Office was moved into it, and opened in November, 1881, in the latter part of the term of O. A. Hadley, as Postmaster.

In the year 1883 the Street Car Company began operations ; and in the same year the Little Rock Oil Mill was constructed for the manufacture of oil from cotton seed.

In 1884 the system of waterworks was established by a joint-stock Company. After passing through several owner-

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731

FROM 1819 TO 1890.

ships, the plant became the property of Colonel Zeb Ward, who began, in 1886, the construction of the large reservoirs in the western part of the city. The works were to be com- pleted by November, 1887, but an accident delayed com- pletion until May 4th, 1888, when water was turned on to . flow through the city pipes. Before that the supply had been from the stand pipe on the river bank, near the Union Depot. In the summer of 1889 the plant and franchises of the Water Company were purchased by Eastern capitalists, who are now engaged in operating them.

The buildings of the State School for the Blind, at Twenty- second and Center streets, were erected in 1885 and 1886. The corner stone of the main building was laid November 24th, 1885. It consists of several buildings for the purpose, grouped or connected together, built of brick, and finished in modern and attractive style. The first building, which is used as one of the present collection, was erected in 1880, upon the removal of the Blind School from Arkadelphia, where it was formerly located. In the tower is a large clock and pleasant chime of bells, the second chime to be used in the city. A fuller account of the School for the Blind, with its history as an Institution, will be found in Chapter XV, in the recital of events of the year 1859, the year in which it was established.

In 1886 electric lights were introduced in private or busi- ness use, but not for public lighting, and the lower bridge was built.

The Board of Trade Building was begun in 1886 and completed in 1887, at the corner of Scott and Second streets. The following were the officers for 1888: J. A. Fones, President; G. F. Baucum, Vice-President; P. K. Roots, Treasurer; Geo. R. Brown, Secretary, and E. S. Greene, Assistant Secretary. The Directors were: J. A. Fones, G. F. Baucum, R. A. Little, P. K. Roots, Jos. Wolf, J. B. Miller, John G. Fletcher, W. H. Wright, W. E.

BOARD OF TRADE, LITTLE ROCK.

733

FROM 1819 TO 1890.

Tobey, John W. Deshon, C. H. Whittemore and S. O. Smith.

In the summer of 1887 the Southern Oil Mill was built in the eastern part of the city, the second one of its kind to be erected in the place; and the mammoth Cotton Compress, the largest in the South, was begun, and was completed in 1888.

During the summer of 1887, the first street paving with stone was done. Markham street was paved from the State- house east to Rock street, with granite blocks, quarried at the Fourche Mountain quarries. As soon as this street was com- pleted, the work was commenced on Main Street, and it was paved from Sixth street to its intersection with Markham Street, and thence north to the river. The work was done by David Clough, under a contract with the City Council, and was completed the last day of June, 1888.

In the spring of 1888 a new line of street railroad, called the Dummy line, was begun, and was finished so as to be opened for business July 4th, 1888. The trial trip over the route was made with a party of citizens July 3d. It began at Second and Louisiana streets, and ran westward beyond the limits of the city, to within one square of the West End Park.

In the months of May and June, 1888, the Town Branch was arched over from Second to Third streets, to permit the completion of the street paving. It was spanned by a num- ber of short arches running north and south, springing from stout iron trusses reaching across the branch. As soon as this work was completed, the granite blocks were laid over it, and the pavement of Main street was concluded by the last of June.

During the months of June and July the Town Branch cut off, down the alley between Louisiana and Center streets, from Fifth street to the river, was built. A strong brick cul- vert was constructed at a distance of from twelve to eighteen

SPECIMEN OF RESIDENCE ARCHITECTURE, LITTLE ROCK.

735

FROM 1819 TO 1890.

feet below the surface of the ground at the mouth, and grad- ually rising to Fifth street, where it intersected the original Branch.

In May, 1888, a charity hospital was opened in the city, and placed in charge of sisters of charity, five of whom under

CAPITAL HILL COLORED SCHOOL, LITTLE ROCK.

Mother Cleophas, their superior, came from Nazareth, Kentucky. The project was instituted by a bequest in the will of Alexander Hager, and was aided by the efforts of Edward W. Parker, who advanced means to it, procured sub- scriptions, and interested himself greatly in the cause.

736

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

The first four-story building in the city was that of the Fones Hardware Company, corner of Main and Second streets. A two-story building had been erected on the spot by the Fones Brothers about 1875, but the growing demands of their business requiring more space, two additional stories were added in July, 1888.

This was followed in the summer of 1889 by the elegant buildings of Fletcher & Hotze, on Main street, between Third and Fourth, west side, which was built four stories above ground, with basement.

In the summer of 1888 preparations were made for light- ing the streets with electric light instead of gas. Four star towers, 125 feet in height, carrying five lights, were erected. One at the head of Rector avenue, at Ninth street; another at south Main street, at Eighteenth street; a third on Capital Hill, and a fourth on the hill near the depot; and a suffi- ciency of pole lights on the principal streets. The plant was used for the first time on the night of September Ist, 1888, and proved to be successful ; the use of gas in street lighting being discontinued at that date. Prior to that time, electric lights had been used in business places as matters of private enterprise, and for a time the electric light company had con- tributed the use of a public light at the corner of Main and. Fifth streets, but the city had not been otherwise lighted by electricity.

In the years 1887 and 1888 much was done towards constructing a system of sewerage for the city, the pipes being laid in many streets ; and in 1888 particularly, many miles of concrete sidewalks were laid. One of over 1,000 feet in length, being in front of the U. S. Barracks, on Ninth street, south side.

The public school buildings of the city are numerous, and many of them are splendid structures. The public school system of the place is admirable, and is well conducted by Prof. J. R. Rightsell, the Superintendent of City Schools, employing

738

HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

sixty teachers, and having about 3,000 pupils, white and colored.

The first public school building in the city was what is now the Peabody school. It was a one-room building, put up prior to 1869, at which date the School Board was organ- ized. This was added to from time to time, until it reached

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FORT STEEL SCHOOL, LITTLE ROCK.

its present condition. A handsome building, the finest in the city, was erected on the grounds in 1890, and was made the High school.

The Sherman school was built in 1870, and the Union school for colored children shortly after. The Arsenal school,

teer Car

739

FROM 1819 TO 1890.

likewise for colored pupils, was built in 1873-frame build- ings all three.

The Forest Grove school houses were built in 1877.

The Scott Street school house, a fine large building of brick, was built during 1880 and 1881 ; the first session of school being held there 1881 and 1882.

The Fort Steel school house was built in 1885. It is of brick ; of neat and tasty design, with all modern embellish- ments, and finished inside in elegant style. It is a building which is an honor to the city, and reflects credit upon the School Board which built it.

The Capital Hill school house, a handsome brick structure in the west part of the city, was built in 1886. It is for colored scholars, and was built on the site of a former frame school building, but which proved too small for the annually increasing number of pupils.

Other public schools for colored pupils are the Arsenal and the Union schools.

In the years 1882 and 1883, the Little Rock University, occupying a commanding position on the river near the Union Depot, was built. The corner stone was laid by the Masonic Fraternity, November 30th, 1882. It is a handsome building of brick, excellently adapted to its purposes, and commands a view of city and country for a long distance. In the tower is a large clock which possesses a chime of bells to strike the hours, halves and quarters, the first chime of bells ever used in the city. The institution is well conducted, and is in a flourishing and prosperous condition.

The following farther account of it is from the columns of the "Little Rock Gazette :"

"THE LITTLE ROCK UNIVERSITY was founded six years ago, under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal church. Six- teen gentlemen, among whom were: Rev. T. B. Ford, F. Carland, W. G. Whipple, L. H. Roots and J. H. Barton, now residents of Little Rock, were 'constituted a body cor-

LITTLE ROCK UNIVERSITY.

741

FROM 1819 TO 1890.

porate, by the name of Little Rock University, for the pur- pose of founding and maintaining a university at the city of Little Rock, and of establishing seminaries throughout the State.' The leading spirit in the enterprise was Rev. Dr. R. S. Rust, the Representative of the church, and with him the first President, Rev. Dr. G. W. Gray. After a long search, the site on Lincoln avenue was chosen and purchased for the uses of the institution. A good subscription was made locally, which materially aided in erecting the main building, known as University Hall. This edifice, an imposing and elegant four-story brick structure, with two commanding towers, was designed wholly for recitation and lecture rooms and offices. Other buildings for dormitories and residences are to follow as soon as means are provided. The institution was opened in Methodist Block, on Main street, in the fall of 1882, and was domiciled in the new building a year later."

In the matter of churches no city in the Union, of its size, can show more beautiful and tasty church edifices than Little Rock, and they are at this time either all new, or else have been recently improved, enlarged or renovated.

The first church house built in Little Rock was in 1825, by the Baptist denomination. Rev. Silas T. Toncray was the Minister in charge, and preached for them until 1829, when the death of a brother called him to Memphis, and after that date the pulpit was vacant, except when they could find an occasional Minister to officiate for them. But though they had no regular Minister in charge, there were seven devout ladies of the congregation who went regularly each Sunday and held services or some form of worship. This they con- tinued for three years, until in May, 1832, Rev. Benjamin F. Hall, a Minister of the Christian Church, coming from Kentucky, obtained permission to hold the services of his church in the building, and on the 4th day of July of that year, organized the Christian Church, the members of the Baptist denomination going into his church. These seven

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Author: Hempstead, Fay, 1847-1934 Publication date: 1890 Publisher: St. Louis and New York : N. D. Thompson Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1268

Author: Hempstead, Fay, 1847-1934
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: St. Louis and New York : N. D. Thompson Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1268