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 63
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902
THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN THE COUNTY OFFICERS.
DATE.
JUDGE.
CLERK.
SHERIFF.
TREASURER.
CORONER.
SURVEYOR.
ASSESSOR.
1820 to 1821
Richard Searcy .. ..
Charles Kelley.
John Reed
1821 to 1823
Thomas Curran ..
Charles Kelley.
John Bean
1823 te 1825
Thomas Curran.
Charles Kelley.
J. L. Daniels
1825 to 1827
Thomas Curran
Charles Kelley ..
J. L. Daniels
1827 to 1829
J. Redmon
Charles Kelley.
John Ruddell
C. H. Pelham ..
1829 to 1830
James Boswell ..
J. Redmon
Charles Kelley
A. Creswell ..
C. H. Pelham
1830 to 1832.
James Boswell ..
J. Redmon
Charles Kelley
J. Carroll
J. Trimble.
1832 to 1833
Richard Peel.
C. H. Pelham
J. Egner
J. Carroll .
J. Trimble.
1835 to 1836
[R. Peel
C. H. Pelham
J. H. Egner.
J. Merriweather.
E. Frazier ..
1836 to 1838
R. Peel
Wm. Moore ..
H. A. Engles.
J. H. Egner
C Me Arthur ..
E. Frazier ...
1838 to 1840
R. Peel
C. H. Pelham
H. A. Engles
J. H. Egner
H. W. Bandy
E. Frazier
1840 to 1842
D. W. Lowe ..
C. H. Pelham
H. A. Engles ...
¡S. B. Wycough
George Case
A. Bowman ..
1844 to 1846
John Kyler .. ..
D. W. Lowe ..
W. L. McGuire
¡S. B. Wycough
George Case.
A. Manning
1846 to 1848
John Minnikin
D. W. Lowe
W. L. McGuire, 1
¡S. B. Wycough
George Case.
George Gill.
1848 to 1850
D. W. Lowe ..
W. R. Miller
A. Alexander
S. B. Wycough
m. O'Conner
T. S. Carter.
1850 to 1852.
D. W. Lowe
W. R. Miller.
B. Lee
Wm. O'Conner .. Martin Cason ..
J. Ireland
1852 to 1854
J. C. Brickey
R. R. Kellogg.
U. E. Fort ..
G. W. Daugherty.
G. M. Miniken
J. Ireland.
1856 to 1858
N. Peed.
Henry Powell
G. W. Daugherty ..
Thomas Womack.
Wm. O'Conner ..
E. D. Rushing.
1858 to 1860.
N. Peed.
J. A. Price.
G. W. Daugherty John Bailey
T. Chaplain ..
J. Thomas,.
Robert Neill
1860 to 1862.
N. Peed.
M. A. Wycough ..
Dan James ..
T. Chaplain.
J. Bethel.
Z. D. Bozart ..
W. H. Grigsby. E. D. Rushing.
1866 to 1868.
G. W. Shaw.
Robert Neill
F. D. Denton
Franklin Perrin
S. J. McGuffin.
T. S. Carter.
R. H. Lee.
1868 to 1872
H. Hogan ..
R. Harpham ...
J. J. Palmer
J. Van Emberg ..
Charles Caw.
J. S. Smith
J. M. C. Southard. E. C. Patchell.
1874 to 1876
Henry Neill
E. M. Dickinson
John Bailey ..
B. F. Howard
W. R. Joblin
W. A. Hill
1876 to 1878
W. M .· Steel.
E. M. Dickinson
R. R. Case.
B. F. Howard
C. B. Grigsby ... ...
J. M. C. Southard. Wm. Taylor.
1878 to 1880.
S. A. Hail
E. M. Dicki son
R. R. Case
R. H. Lee.
C. D. McCormack .. J. M. C. Southard. Wm. Taylor.
1880 to 1882
W. M. Steel.
E. M. Dickinson, 4 ...
R. R. Case
R. H. Lee
K. E. Lawrence ..
John Hindman ..
T. B. Padgett
1884 to 1886
R. H. Griffin.
E. M. Dickinson, 4 ...
R. M. Desha.
R. H. Lee .
Kent Lawrence ....
John Hindman ..
Thomas Owens.
1886 to 1888
A. J. Craig
M. A. Wycough
MeCurdy Hail ..
J. A. Hinkle
W. S. McGuire ..
John Hindman ..
C. H. Webb.
1888 to 1890.
A. J. Craig.
M. A. Wycough.
McCurdy Hail.
L. C. Lindsay
J. L. Ellis
G. M. Thompson ..
Josiah Martin.
*J. H. Dickinson
1-A. Alexander from September, 1847. 2-Record of this term incomplete. 3-R. C. Bates, Circuit Clerk. 4-M. A. Wycough, County Clerk. *- 7 Circuit Clerk.
-
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
T. A. Baxter.
1872 to 1874
W. H. Berry, 3
J. W. Kennedy
J. H. Foster.
W. R. Joblin
B. F Howard
W. R. Joblin
James Grisham
1864 to 1866.
H. Hogan, 2 ..
R. Harpham.
John Palmer.
R. Harpham
H. Blevens.
C. P. Head
J. A. Price .
A. Alexander U. E. Fort.
[B. Lee
D. W. Lowe ..
W. R. Miller
Js. B. Wycough
W. W. Baltimore .. Samuel Weldin
1842 to 1844
D. W. Lowe ..
C. H. Pelham
W. L. McGuire.
Robert Bruce ..
J. Trimble.
1833 to 1835
R. Peel
C. H. Pelham
J. Egner
·
1882 to 1884
R. H. Griffin.
E. M. Dickinson, 4 ... R. M, Desha
J. M. C. Southard. D. R. Ford. Wm. Taylor.
1862 to 1864.
N. Peed.
T. S. Carter
1854 to 1856
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY.
903
particularly noticeable in this respect. This singular name is said to have been given to the locality from the fact that in early times an old hunter was accustomed to deposit there the bears' oil which he obtained in hunting, in a hollow trough, for safe keeping. Charles Kelley opened a store there and
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY COURT-HOUSE, BATESVILLE.
erected a cotton gin in 1829. The products of the county are all manner of grain, fruits, grasses, and the usual staples, cottton and corn. The first steamboat to visit the county was in 1831, when Captain Philip Pennywit made a trip to Batesville, January 3d, of that year, with the
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH, BATESVILLE.
905
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY.
steamer "Waverly," and found the river good for boating, and business fair. He also explored Black river and found it good for boating. Following his lead the "Laurel," a small boat commanded by Captain Smith, began to run reg- ularly on the river, and had made three trips by the last of March of that year, and in the next year, the "Bob Handy" also made trips regularly on White and Black rivers.
There are fine stone quarries in the county, a short distance from Batesville, where a splendid brown sand-stone is obtained in great quantities, admirably suited for building. Much of the building done in Batesville is with this stone, which dresses well and presents a handsome appearance. The county is traversed by a railroad from Newport to Batesville, called the White river branch, being a division of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway.
White river is navigable as far as Batesville in boating sea- sons for even large boats. The waters of the river are clear and transparent, and above Batesville flowing through hills and high lands on either side, affords much picturesque and beautiful scenery.
Batesville was established about 1821, and was located on lands donated by Robert and Jesse Bean, and through con- veyances from Richard Searcy, Joseph Hardin, Charles Kelley and Thomas Curran. It was named after James Woodson Bates, first Delegate in Congress from Arkansas Territory, and Judge of the Superior Court. A post office was estab- lished there October 15, 1822, and Nathan Cook was ap- pointed Postmaster. William R. Miller was born there November 23d, 1823, and lived there until he became Auditor in 1854, and at intervals afterwards. John Redmon lived there in 1824; was Clerk in 1826, Receiver of Public Moneys in 1828. He died August 25th, 1832. Charles H. Pelham, who assisted in surveying the southern boundary of the State, was a citizen of the year 1825. Colonel Hartwell Boswell was Postmaster in 1827. Charles Fenton Mercer Noland was a
1
ARKANSAS MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGE, BATESVILLE.
fammi
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY.
907
resident from about 1829 to 1840. In 1830 Batesville is de- scribed as being a thriving, busy little village with three stores, three brick buildings and a court-house, "which would do credit to any part of the Union." This court-house was abandoned after some years and another one built higher up the side of the hill, on which the town is built. It was men-
ESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BATESVILLE.
tioned, as a credit to the county, that the jail, an appendage of the court-house, had not at that date been tenanted by a single occupant in five years' time.
Richard Searcy was a citizen of Batesville from its founding until his death, December 25th, 1832. He came to Arkansas
908
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
from Tennessee, in 1817, and settled in Lawrence county, and, although only 21 years of age, was appointed Clerk of the County. He was of the age of 36 years at his death.
Aaron W. Lyons had a flourishing school there in 1835, which became the Batesville Academy in 1836. A fine Aca- demy, of which William Byers was President, was destroyed by fire in 1855.
The town was incorporated December 20th, 1848. Dr. W. M. Lawrence became a citizen of the place in that year, and still resides there, a prominent physician. Governor Elisha Baxter and Judge James W. Butler settled there in 1853. Judge U. M. Rose was a citizen of the place from 1853 to 1860, when, being made Chancellor, he removed to the capital.
James Rutherford settled in Batesville in 1849, coming from Rutherfordton, Rutherford county, North Carolina, a town and county named after his family. He was born in that town July 7, 1825.ª
John Miller, the father of Governor William R. Miller, settled in the county in 1818 and lived at Batesville from its founding until his death, August, 1885. He was about 97 years old when he died.
The town is well situated upon a high hill, with a gentle slope to the river, and is in the midst of attractive mountain scenery. Its altitude is thought to add to its salubrity and to make it a place of extraordinary healthfulness. Longevity among the citizens is quite common. Batesville has six churches : M. E. South, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and two churches for colored persons ; has three schools, a college, the Arkansas College, I. J. Long, Principal, a foundry., wagon factory, lumber mills ; an opera house, for seating 350, an efficient fire department, private bank and two weekly news- papers, the Batesville Guard, W. Y. Tolison, editor, and the North Arkansas Pilot; has many stores, general and special, and is in every way well equipped as a flourishing place.
RIVER VIEW, BATESVILLE.
910
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
Judge Hulburt F. Fairchild was a resident of Batesville from 1845 to 1855. He was born in New Lisbon, New York, December 25th, 1817. From 1835 to 1837 he was a student of Williams College, Massachusetts. In 1838 he moved to Louisville, Kentucky, and there read law in the office of Pirtle & Sneed. He was admitted to the Bar in 1841, and in December of that year located in Pocahontas, Randolph county. He practiced law there until 1844 when, he moved to Batesville. In January, 1855, upon the estab- lishment of the Pulaski Chancery Court, Governor Elias Conway at once tendered him the appointment of Chancellor. He accepted the position, and discharged its duties until 1860, when he was elected Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. He served in this capacity until 1864, when he resigned his commission and moved to St. Louis, but being debarred from practicing law there by the severities of the Drake Constitu- tion, he made a tour of European travel in 1865. Returning, he took up his residence in Memphis. In January, 1866, he left Memphis for a business trip to his old home at Batesville, but being taken ill on the journey died at Jacksonport, Feb- ruary 3d, 1866, aged 49 years.
Judge W. C. Bevens settled in Batesville in 1846. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1806. In youth he made preparations for reading law, but abandoned it for other pursuits. After unsuccessful ventures, he removed to Texas in 1837, where he taught school and took up the study of law. He was admitted to the Bar in 1843, but leaving Texas in 1846, came to Arkansas and settled at Batesville. Soon afterwards he was appointed Financial Receiver, and afterwards attorney of the Batesville Branch of the Real Estate Bank. In 1853 he became a member of the State Legislature, and in 1856 Circuit Judge, serving two years. He died at Little Rock, September 28th, 1865 ..
Dr. William M. Lawrence located in Batesville in 1848, and has practiced medicine there ever since, now a period of
EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BATESVILLE.
912
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
40 years. He was born in 1828, and commenced reading medicine in 1845 at Fulton, Missouri. He next attended the Medical Department of the University of Missouri, under Dr. Joseph N. McDowell, where he graduated in 1847. In the war he became Assistant-Surgeon in Churchill's Cavalry Regiment, the First Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and served in it and in other medical capacities until the close of the war, when he resumed the practice of medicine in Batesville. On the 13th of September, 1848, he married Miss Sophia A. Hynson, daughter of Henry Hynson of Batesville. By this marriage there are three sons : Laclede M., William Berkeley and Kent E. Lawrence, all grown men and citizens of Bates- ville. Dr. William B. Lawrence is also a physician, prac- ticing with his father.
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CHICOT COUNTY.
Chicot County, the tenth county formed, was established October 25th, 1823, out of territory taken from Arkansas county. Its name comes from Point Chicot, a point on the Mississippi, known from early times. As we frequently see the remains of Indian words existing in our present names, though often in changed form, it is not improbable that the name Chicot is the remains of the ancient name Chisca, which we have seen was the name of an Indian village found by De Soto, on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, and near which he crossed the river. By the Act establishing the county, John Weir, Thomas James, Ennis Bogy, Joseph Boone and Abner Johnson were appointed Commissioners to locate the seat of justice.
The Commissioners selected the town of Villemont, on the Mississippi river at Point Chicot, for the county seat, and some considerable improvements were made there. John C. Jones built a large hotel and a residence there, at a cost of
913
THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN THE COUNTY OFFICERS.
DATE.
JUDGE.
CLERK.
SHERIFF.
TREASURER.
CORONER.
SURVEYOR.
ASSESSOR.
1823 to 1825
John Clark.
William B. Patton.
Richard Latting ...
1825 to 1827
Geo. W. Ferrebee ..
William B. Patton.
Francis Rycroft ....
1827 to 1×29
Richard Latting.
Thomas Knox
1829 to 1830
W. B. Duncan.
Richard Latting
J. W. Boone.
H. S. Smith
William Hunt ..
1830 to 1832
James Blaine.
Abner Johnson ..
John Fulton
William. Hunt.
1832 to 1831
W. B. Duncan
James Blaine
Abner Johnson.
John Fulton.
William Hunt ..
1834 to 1836
B. Magruder
James Blaine ..
J. T. White.
Reuben Smith
William Hunt.
1836 to 1838
W. P. Reyburn.
James Blaine.
Hiram Monell.
A. W. Webb
Hiramn Bryant
William Case ..
1838 to 1840
W. H. Sutton.
J. Chapman.
W. Garner
A. W. Webb
Hiram Bryant.
John Bledsoe.
1842 to 1844
A. W. Goodloe.
J. Chapman
W. Garner.
Wm. Van Dalson.
B. G. S. White
J. H. Gorman.
1844 to 1846
A. W. Goodloe.
W. J. Neal
T. H. Rives ..
J. M. Craig
G. Rainey ..
J. C. Lybrand
1846 to 1848
John A. Craig
C. Ashbrook.
T. H. Rives.
J. M. Craig
E. P. Gaines
J. C. Lybrand, 1.
1848 to 1850
M. R. P. Mathis ..
J. B. Stedman.
J. B. Threadgill ..
J. M. Craig
James Gray ..
W. L. Maulding .. ..
1850 to 1852
A. H. Davies.
S. W. Cooper
J. B. Threadgill, 2 ...
J. M. Craig
N. O'Neal ..
L. P. Graig
1852 to 1854
S. W. Cooper.
W. J. Neal.
J. M. Craig
M. Doran.
L. P. Graig ..
1854 to 1856
M. R. P. Mathis.
S. W. Cooper
C. Ashbrook
M. Frank ..
B. T. Davis.
D. Sumner
1856 to 1858
A. H. Davies
S. N. Caughey ..
C. Ashbrook.
J. P. Parish ..
Samnel Parker
D. Sumner.
1858 to 1860
A. H. Davies.
B. T. Stephenson
W. J. Neal.
W. F. Franklin.
Samuel Parker
T. H. Goodwin.
1860 to 1862
Henry Hayes.
B. T. Stephenson.
J. W. Bowie ..
G. Rainey ...
A. C. Wells.
A. J. Maxey.
1862 to 1864
Henry Hayes.
E. T. Wills.
A. S. Paine.
G. Rainey
David Hollis
B. McGehee
1864 to 1866
Henry Hayes.
B. T. Stephenson
T. Hunnicutt
G. Rainey.
J. M. Parker.
W. C. Smith.
1866 to 1868
John D. Coates
Henry Smith, 3 ...
T. Hunnicutt.
G. Rainey ...
W. A. Blary ..
C. W. Fry ..
William Smith.
1872 to 1874
H. W. Graves.
J. W. Mason
Robert James ..
Charles Doty ..
J. B. Tallman ..
W. H. Benton
1874 to 1876
F. Downs.
S. H. Holland.
G. H. Jones
Cyrus Cook ..
J. B. Tallman
A, Hanna.
1876 to 1878
F. Downs.
H. W. Graves ..
S. H. Holland ..
L. C. Crutt
H. A. Haniman.
J. B. Tallman.
G. H. Jones.
1878 to 1880
H. A. Harrison.
G. T. Wilkinson
S. H. Holland.
S. F. Whithorne.
W. White.
J. B. Tallman ..
W. W. Johnson.
1880 to 1882.
H. A. Harrison
G. T. Wilkinson
S. H. Holland ..
R. M. Gaines
W. White.
J. B. Tallman ..
J. W. Freer.
1882 to 1884.
H. C. Newsone
G. T. Wilkinson
W. W. White, 6.
R. M. Gaines
Septimus Turner ..
S, F. Whithorne ...
B. M. Ralph.
1884 to 1886
H. A. Harriman.
G. T. Wilkinson ..
H. A. Johnson
B. M. Ralph.
B. D. Bosley.
R. E. Craig
J. T. Scott.
1886 to 1888
H. A. Harriman.
Geo. T. Wilkinson.
H. A. Johnson
Cave Johnson.
Neil Griffin ..
R. H. Connerly .....
R. C. Cox.
1888 to 1890 ..
J. M. Worthington ... C. L. Mead
Abner Gaines ..
J. N. John on.
H. M. Miller.
C. D. Whitthorne. H. R. Pierson.
1-Maulding appointed in Lybrand's stead. 2-Died and W. J. Neal appointed. 3-James Murray, Curcuit Clerk. 4-J. B. Tallman from 1870. 5-J. E Joslyn from 1871 6-Joseph Davis, Collector, February 14, 1884, vice W. W. White failed to give bond.
58
CHICOT COUNTY.
1840 to 1842
A. W. Webb.
J. Chapman.
W. Garner.
Wm. Van Dalson.
M. R. P. Mathis.
van Sumner.
1868 to 1870
J. F. J. Lewis, 4.
H. W. Graves ..
F. P. Walker
J. Berryman, 5.
H. Clark
H. W. Graves.
914
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
about $5,000.00. There proved, however, to be some indefin- iteness to the title, it being located on the grant made by the Baron de Carondelet to Don Carlos de Villemont, Spanish Commandant at the Post from 1795, from whom the town was named, and no patent had been secured for it.
Accordingly, about 1840, the county seat was moved to the town of Columbia. After remaining here a number of years it was moved to Lake Village, where it has since remained.
Dr. A. W. Webb was a practicing physician at Columbia, in 1835 to 1840, but removed from there to Little Rock in 1844.
J. Van Matre was a lawyer there, of the year 1829 to 1830. D. L. F. Roysdon, Hedgeman Triplett, Peter Hanger, William H. Gaines, of Gaines Landing, on the Mississippi river, afterwards a resident of Hot Springs, and for so long a time contestant for the property there representing the Beld- ing or Gaines Claim, were all early residents of the county and Members of the Legislature.
Chicot county is situated in the extreme southeastern corner of the State, bounded east by the Mississippi river, which lies along its entire eastern point, south by the Louis- iana line; west, by Ashley and Drew counties ; north, by Desha county. Its present area is about 820 square miles, or 528,800 acres. The population is about 12,000, of which about 9,000 are colored. Its surface is level, and is in some places subject to overflow ; but is largely protected by levees. The soil is of extraordinary fertility, and the production of cotton, the chief staple of the county, is very great. It is conveniently near to Arkansas city, in the adjacent county of . Desha, which being the river terminus of the Arkansas Valley route is a point where a large amount of shipping is done, and where there are commodious warehouses for storage. The Little Rock, Mississippi River & Texas or Valley route runs through the upper part of the county, affording easy means of reaching markets. There are twenty public schools in the county.
7
916
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
There is a tract of land embracing several hundred acres, called Belle Point Island, which is a part of Chicot county, although lying east of the main channel of the Mississippi river The land was originally on the west bank of the Mis- sissippi river, which there ran in a loop, known as "American bend." At the neck or narrow part of the loop, it was but a short distance across, and thinking to preserve the land in the bend from overflow a ditch was cut through this neck of land. The current of the river running directly against the bank, where the ditch began, poured through the canal cutting it and widening it until it became the main channel of the river, thus leaving the island to the east. In the establishment of the constitution of 1874, "Belle Point" Island was expressly declared to be within the limits of the State of Arkansas, though in other instances the eastern boundary line of the State is declared to be the middle of the main channel of the river.
Hon. Anthony H. Davies was a resident of Chicot county for 26 years, from about 1836 to 1862. He was born at Derby, Connecticut, in the year 1798, son of Joseph and Ruth Davis, who was Ruth Harpin. In youth, after his 12th year, he had little opportunity for an education obtained at schools, as in 1810, at the age of 12 he left home, and, depend- ing on his own resources, supported himself ever afterwards. But by means of persistent study and home application, he became a finely educated man. He came to Arkansas in 1829 or 1830, and settled in Pulaski county, where he lived until 1834 or 1835, when he moved to Chicot county, where he engaged in planting and merchandising. He was Mem- ber of the Legislature of 1836, County Judge in 1850 to 1852, and was President of the Real Estate Bank, after John Wilson. He was an ardent whig in politics, and was a member of the Convention of 1840, which nominated William Henry Harrison for President. His descendants preserve, as a memento of those times, a walking cane presented to him
917
CHICOT COUNTI.
while at the Convention, the knots on the stick being made to spell'the name of the nominee. He was twice married. About 1830 he married a Miss Aldrich, and after her death married in Chicot county, in 1846, Miss Mildred P. Gaines. Four of his descendants, sons, are now living, to-wit : Harpin, Walter, Joseph and Robert Geddes Davis. He died at Lake Hall Plantation, Chicot county, Arkansas, in the year 1862, at the age of 64 years.
Sandford C. Faulkner was an early resident of Chicot county, of from 1836 to 1844. At this latter date he moved to the capital, where he died August 4th, 1874. A son, Sandford C. Jr., is the only member of his family now living. Col. Faulkner is widely known as the author of "The Arkan- saw Traveller," a humorous composition which he was accustomed to recite, accompanying his recitation with play- ing the tune on a violin. The composition represented a primitive state of life among the backwoodsmen, which the author is said to have encountered in travelling at an early day.
General Daniel H. Reynolds settled in Chicot county in 1858. He was born near Centerburg, in Knox county, Ohio, on December 14, 1832. He attended school at the Ohio Wesleyan University, in Delaware, Ohio. Went from Ohio to Louisa county, Iowa, in 1854, and thence to Somer- ville, in Fayette county, Tennessee, in 1857. He taught school in Ohio, and read law in Iowa and in Hardeman county, Tennessee, and read law in the office of Hon. John W. Harris, in Somerville, and was admitted to the Bar there on May 13, 1858. He removed from Tennessee to Arkansas in May, 1858, and was admitted to the Bar in Arkansas on June 8, 1858, and on June 15, 1858, located for the practice of law at Lake Village, where he has since resided, and en- gaged in the practice, except during the time he was absent in the army and returning from it, i. e. from May 25, 1861, to June 15, 1865. On the breaking out of the war, he raised a
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'S,
n
a
918
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
company of cavalry and at once enlisted. By the end of the war he had risen to be a Brigadier-General. He was wounded at the Battle of Bentonville, March 19th, 1865, losing his leg. At the close of the war he resumed the prac- tice of law in Chicot, and is now at the head of the Bar in that county. On the 24th of November, 1868, he married, in Chicot county, Miss Martha Wallace, daughter of Jeremiah Wallace, of Scotch descent. By this marriage there were four children : three daughters and a son.
CONWAY COUNTY.
Conway County, the IIth county formed in the territory, was created October 20th, 1825, out of territory taken from Pulaski county, and was named after Henry Wharton Con- way, the Delegate in Congress. An election was directed to be held under the superintendence of James Lemmons and Thomas White, to elect Commissioners to locate the county seat, and until a place should be selected, the seat of justice was directed to be at the Cadron. The location of the county seat was the subject of many changes, and it was not perma- nently located until 1831. In 1827 Elisha Welborn and Wil- liam G. Saffold were appointed Commissioners to locate it, and an effort was made to have it at a place called Marion. In 1828 a second set of Commissioners were appointed for the purpose, consisting of Thomas White, Lewis Jones, Rodney Earheart, Peter Kuykendall and Daniel McElmurry. In the year 1830 it was located at a place called Harrisburg, but in the Legislature of 1831 a Bill was passed to locate it at a point on the river on lands donated by Nimrod Menefee, and be called Lewisburg. The county seat remained at Lewis- burg until 1853, when it was moved to Springfield. It remained here until 1873, when by Act of the Legislature, approved April 16th, it was moved back to Lewisburg, where it remained until November, 1883, when it was moved to Morrillton, where it now is.
919
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THOSE WHO HAVE HELD OFFICE IN THE COUNTY :
DATE.
JUDGE.
CLERK.
SHERIFF.
TREASURER.
CORONER.
SURVEYOR.
ASSESSOR.
1826 to 1827
David Barber
James Kellam 1.
Reuben Blunt.
1827 to 1829.
David Barber.
James Barber ..
1830 to 1832
W. G. Saffold.
James Ward
James Kellam.
John Houston.
E. W. Owen
1832 to 1833
Thos. Mathers
James Kellam.
Wm. Ellis
1833 to 1834
Thos. Mathers
B. F. Howard.
N. H. Buckly ... ...
James Ward.
1834 to 1835
B. B. Ball
J. I. Simmons.
B. F. Howard.
Win. Ellis, Jr ..
1835 to 1836
Robert McCall
J. I. Simmons.
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