Biographical and historical memoirs of eastern Arkansas, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties named herein, and numerous biographical sketches of the prominent citizens of such counties., Part 102

Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 836

USA > Arkansas > Biographical and historical memoirs of eastern Arkansas, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties named herein, and numerous biographical sketches of the prominent citizens of such counties. > Part 102

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J. M. Weatherly, farmer, Marianna, Ark. The subject of this sketch needs no introduction

to the people of Lee County, for a long residence here and above all a career of usefulness and prom- inence, have given him a wide spread acquaintance. He was originally from Maury County, Tenn., where he was born in 1838, and is the son of David and Sallie J. (Taylor) Weatherly, the father a na- tive of North Carolina and the mother of Tennessee. David Weatherly came with his parents to Tennes- see when an infant, and settled with them in Maury County. After growing up he followed the occupa- tion of farming in Tennessee until 1852, when he came to Phillips County (now Lee County) and settled close to where La Grange now is. He came here in the employ of Gen. Pillow and con- tinued in his employ until 1857, when he pur- chased a farm and commenced tilling the soil, re- maining thus engaged until his death, which oc- curred in 1889, at Haynes, where he had been liv- ing for some time. He was over seventy-nine years of age at the time of his death. Mrs. Weatherly died in 1862. Mr. Weatherly was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was a member of the Masonic fraternity. After

the death of his wife Mr. Weatherly married, in 1868, Mrs. Sellers, who departed this life in 1872. Mr. Weatherly was then married to Mrs. Turner and became the father of two children, both de- ceased. His last wife survives him and resides in Haynes. J. M. Weatherly's school days were spent in Maury County, Tenn., and he came to this State with his father in 1852, remaining with him until his twenty-first year. In 1857 he re- turned to Tennessee and attended school at Colum- bia for two years. He afterward returned to Ar- kansas, taught school and commenced the study of law at Helena, Ark., under Adams & Hanks, em- inent attorneys of Helena at that period. About this time the war broke out and his legal expecta- tions were doomed for the time being. He joined the Confederate army in 1861, was one of the men who formed the company known as Hindman's legion, but was afterward attached to the Second Arkansas. He was a member of Company F, and served on the east side of the Mississippi River until after the evacuation of Corinth, when he was discharged on account of ill health. While on

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that side of the river he was not engaged in any battles and after returning to Helena, Ark., he could not remain there but enlisted in Company F, of Dobbins' regiment, of which he was appointed sergeant. From that he was promoted to lieuten- ant, and surrendered the company as first lieuten- ant at Wittsburg in 1865. He was in Gen. Price's raid through Missouri. After the war Mr. Weath- erly returned home and engaged in school teach- ing, which occupation he continued for a short time. In 1869 he embarked in the mercantile business at Spring Creek, but only remained there until 1877, when he sold out and went to Pales- tine, St. Francis County, where he carried on farming and merchandising. He remained there until about 1880, when he moved his mill and gin machinery to Marianna, known as Ringville, where he has since been occupied in ginning, farming, and has also followed merchandising until the last year, when he sold out. He owns 160 acres of land with eighty acres under cultivation, and his av- erage ginning yearly yields about 600 bales. Mr. Weatherly has been twice married; first, to Miss Mattie Harvey in 1873, and the fruits of this union were two children: Edgar and John H. Mrs. Weatherly died in the winter of 1877. She was a much respected and esteemed member of the Bap- tist Church. In 1884 Mr. Weatherly married Miss Bettie Moye, who bore him two children: Emma R. and Bettie. Mrs. Weatherly died in March, 1888, at Hot Springs, whither Mr. Weather- ly had gone for the benefit of his health, her health having always been unusually good. She lived but three weeks after arriving there. Mr. Weath- erly is one of the public-spirited men of this sec- tion, and favors all public improvements.

Lee Webster, one of the most extensive mer- chants and farmers of Lee County, is a native of Mississippi, and a son of James and Jane (Bank- head) Webster, who came primarily from Tennes- see and North Carolina, respectively. Mr. Web- ster was a mechanic by occupation, and was reared in Mississippi, to which State his father had re- moved when he was a small boy. He was a man of some education, and was highly thought of by all who knew him. He died near Mount Pleasant,

Miss., at the age of sixty-five. He was a son of Walter Webster, a native of Tennessee, also a farmer by occupation, who, at the time of his death, at the age of ninety, was possessed of con- siderable property. Mrs. Webster was born in 1820 and died in 1871. She was the daughter of Thomas Bankhead, of Ireland originally, who came over to this country when seventeen years of age, and engaged in farming in South Carolina, where he died at the age of eighty years. The subject of this sketch was born in Marshall County, Miss., in 1849. He started in life as deputy sheriff of his native county, in 1868, which office he filled for several years. Then removing to De Soto County, he was occupied in trading on the Mississippi River until 1879, at which time he came to Lee County, and embarked in the mercantile business, and also in farming, both of which he still carries on. He is now the owner of four half sections of land, and has 800 acres under cultivation, devoted to the raising of cotton, of which he produces from 1,000 to 1,200 bales per annum. He opened up his store of general merchandise in 1879, with a capital of $1,400. The stock now averages over $6,000, and his annual sales have aggregated $35,000, though a more correct estimate would be $50,000 for the past year. He also owns and oper- ates a steam grist-mill and cotton-gin, of fifteen bales capacity per day. Mr. Webster was mar- ried, in 1871, to Miss Alice Gruffe, who was born in Kentucky, in 1855. They had one son which died in infancy, and they have since taken sev- eral orphan children to rear, for whom he has made provisions in his will as though they were his own. The subject of this sketch being quite a young boy at the breaking out of the war never enlisted, but took part in several skirmishes near his home. He is a stanch Democrat in politics, and takes an active part in political work of his county. He has been a member of the board of supervisors for some time.

W. P. Weld, editor of the Marianna Index, was born in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., April 8, 1862. At the death of his mother, in Septem- ber, 1875, the family was broken up, and after a two years' stay with relatives in Ohio, he came to

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this county and located. In 1882 he went to Indi- ana and attended the Valparaiso Normal School, from which he graduated in 1883. He then re- turned here and was employed as book-keeper until 1886, when he was appointed deputy sheriff, in charge of the office and collecting department, which position he held until he purchased the Index, started by John Thomas in 1874. It is a Democratic paper and the only newspaper pub- lished in this county. Mr. Weld was married in Batesville, Ark., to Miss Annie Granade, a native of this State, and only daughter of Rev. H. M. and Mrs. Anna Granade. They are the parents of one child, Jean Powell. Mr. Weld was a son of Ludovicus Weld, who was born in Vermont in January, 1802, and who came to Missouri late in the 50's, and who was a brother of Theodore D. Weld, the noted Abolitionist. He came to Ar- kansas, in 1879, to live with his children, and died in Woodruff County, in 1885, at the age of eighty- three years. His wife, the mother of our subject, was Miss Jane Porter, who was born in Ohio, in 1826, and was the mother of three children. Mr. Weld is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and belongs to the Royal Arcanum, Knights of Honor, Knights and Ladies of Honor and the I. O. G. T.

Jesse A. Wilkes, ex-assessor of Lee County, Ark., was born in Yalobusha County, Miss., in 1837, and in 1855 came to Arkansas, and located in Spring Creek Township, soon after entering the Arkansas Christian College, at Fayetteville, which institution he was attending at the breaking out of the late war. He immediately joined the Con- federate army, and after participating in the bat- tle of Oak Hill his company was disbanded and joined the Army of Tennessee, he being a member of Company I, Ballentine's regiment, and was at the battle of Atlanta. He was chosen as one of Capt. Harvey's scouts, and served in that capacity for about eighteen months. The close of the war found him at Atlanta, and from there he returned to Arkansas, making the journey on horseback, having gone there on horseback. He and his brother then formed a partnership, and for two years were engaged in the cotton traffic at Mem-

phis, Tenn., and in Arkansas, but upon the death of his brother Mr. Wilkes returned to Arkansas to settle up their business here, but found things in such a bad condition that it took him some time to adjust matters satisfactorily. Since that time he has followed various callings, and acted in various business capacities, but is now giving his attention to farming, being the owner of some excellent land in Spring Creek Township, and in other places in the county. In 1885 he was elected county asses- sor, and held the position two years. In 1882 he married Mrs. Mary E. Pascal, who is a member of the Christian Church. Eight Wilkes brothers came from England to the United States at a very early day and settled in Virginia, and now have descendants in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas and Missouri. The father of our subject was a farmer, and both he and wife died when Jesse A. was a child. The latter had one brother and one sister, both dead.

James A. Williams, M. D., who enjoys the largest practice of any physician in Haynes, was reared on a farm in St. Clair County, Ala., where he received a common-school education, later pass- ing his time on a farm in Lee County, Miss. At the age of nineteen he was appointed deputy sher- iff of Lee County, which position he held one year. He then entered the agricultural schools of Ponto- toc, Miss., where he remained eighteen months, and was subsequently employed by Clifton & Hoyle, druggists, of Tupelo, one year. During this time he studied medicine, and after leaving the drug store attended a course of lectures at Vanderbilt University, at Nashville. In 1881 he came to St. Francis County and practiced with Dr. Zuber two years, then returning to the Medical College at Nashville, from which he graduated in 1883. Fol- lowing this, Dr. Williams returned to St. Francis County, and in 1888 came to Haynes, where he has since been actively and successfully engaged in the practice of his profession. He was born in St. Clair County, Ala., February 12, 1857, and is a son of R. M. and Cordelia (Dill) Williams, also na- tives of that State. R. M. Williams enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861, in the Tenth Alabama Infantry, in which he held the position of first

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lieutenant, afterward being transferred to the cav- alry service and serving as captain of his company. His wife died previous to his enlistment. Our sub- ject was married in September, 1882, to Miss Julia Thompson, a daughter of James Thompson, treas- urer of St. Francis County. They are the parents of three children: James Roger, Vivian and Ale- meth. In politics the Doctor is a Democrat, and he is a member of the Baptist Church and of the Knights of Honor. He also belongs to the Lee and St. Francis Counties Medical Association. He is well known throughout this locality, notwith- standing the fact that he is comparatively a new- comer.

Rev. Nathaniel L. Willson is a native of North Carolina, and a son of John G. and Sophia (Nor- fleet) Willson, who also came from that State. J. G. Willson was born in Franklin County in 1782, and was married in September, 1818, his death occurring in Marshall County, Miss., in 1874, aged ninety-two years. His father was a native of North Carolina, and died at the age of fifty-eight, and his grandfather, of Ireland, came to this country in the early part of the eighteenth cen- tury, and took part in the Revolutionary War. The father of Mrs. Willson was of Scotland birth, a soldier in the Revolutionary War, being seventy- six years of age at the time of his decease. She was fifty-eight years old when called away from earth. Nathaniel L. Willson, the only one living of a family of eight children, was born in Person County, March 12, 182 , and remained there until fifteen years of age, at which time he removed to Marshall County, Miss., with his par- ents. He was engaged in managing his father's farm, and was employed in surveying a greater part of his time, after which he learned the tan- ner's and saddlery trade, following these occupa- tions during the war and until his stock was des- troyed by the Federal army. Since that period he has devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits, in connection with his ministerial duties. He was or- dained as a minister of the Missionary Baptist Church in 1861, of which he has been a member since 1840. Removing to Arkansas in 1886, Mr. Willson purchased his present farm of 160 acres,

situated within a short distance of Moro, Lee Coun- ty, of which he has sixty acres under cultivation, de- voted principally to the raising of horses and cat- tle. He was married in De Soto County, Miss., in 1857, to Miss Nannie E. Jones, a native of South Carolina, and daughter of William and Rachel Jones. She died April 10, 1884, leaving eight children, five sons and three daughters, six of whom are still living: Priscilla M. (wife of James H. Carmichael, a farmer of De Soto County), Lafayette A. (a farmer of this county), Ethelbert W. (also engaged in farming in this county), Nan- nie E. (widow of A. J. Biggerstaff, of this county), John Bunyan and Berea B. Mr. Willson married his second and present wife, Mrs. Sarah E. Rob- bins (nee Elmore), a native of Mississippi, and a daughter of Levi and Elizabeth (Bullin) Elmore, October 11, 1887. She is also a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, which she joined when thirteen years old. Mr. Willson was initiated into the Masonic order in 1855, and has taken the Royal Arch degree. Mrs. Willson married Lee A. Robbins, in July, 1861, a native of Tennessee, who died in Lee County, Ark., in December, 1883, leaving three children, two living: Thomas L. and Shem R. Robbins. Their grandfather, Thomas Robbins, was a native of South Carolina.

John R. Wood, planter, Marianna. This prom- inent agriculturist of Lee County, Ark., owes his nativity to Hardeman County, Tenn., where his birth occurred November 7, 1835, and is the son of Dr. George Wood, who was born in Albemarle County, Va. Dr. Wood received his education in the University of Virginia, and graduated from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. He then went to Hardeman County, Tenn., prac- ticed in Hickory Valley for eight or ten years, and there married the mother of our subject, Eliza Harkens, who bore him six children. On account of failing health, he gave up his practice and en- gaged in cultivating the soil, continuing at this for ten years, when his health had so improved that he moved to Searcy, Hardeman County, and resumed the practice of medicine. He there gave his children all good common school educations. In 1853 he and his brother bought a plantation in

LEE COUNTY.

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this county, and he abandoned his practice and moved to Arkansas in 1869. He sold the place on which Marianna now stands to his brother, and in January, 1870, when he came out he bought an- other farm, then in St. Francis (now Lee) County. Here he died in 1872, at the age of seventy-one years. He remained at his home in Tennessee dur- ing the war, but was a Union man. John R. Wood attended school in Bolivar and Jackson, Tenn., fin- ishing his education in West Tennessee College, at Jackson. He wished to become a civil engineer, and after working two years at this his father had him give up the profession. In 1859 he engaged in merchandising with J. A. Jarrett, father of J.R. Jarrett, of Marianna, and continued at this business until the breaking out of the war. He then enlisted in the Confederate Army of Tennessee, was commis- sioned captain, but not liking the position resigned. He returned home, and there joined Gen. Forrest's regiment as a private, participating in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth, and fell back with the army to Tupelo, Miss. There his health failed him, and

he hired a substitute. He then went to Columbus, Miss., and entered the commissary department, as an agent to buy corn and beef, etc. He remained six months, when, his health still continuing bad, he went home and remained on his father's planta- tion, in Hardeman County, for twelve months. He then went to Memphis, and clerked in a whole- sale grocery and cotton house, until the close of the war, when he returned to Hardeman County. He farmed during 1867, 1868 and 1869, and in 1870 moved to Lee County, Ark., with his father, remaining with him until after the latter's death, since which time he has carried on the farm. He was married in 1860 to Miss Paulina Guy, a na- tive of Hardeinan County, Tenn., and the fruits of this union have been five children: George, Lucy (wife of Mr. Millett), Paulina, Fannie and Mary W. After the death of his first wife Mr. Wood married, in Arkansas, Miss Mary Pugh, a native of Greene County, who bore him five children, two now liv- ing, Samuel and Thomas; those deceased were named John R., Eliza and Jane.

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CHAPTER XXII.

ARKANSAS COUNTY-BOUNDARY AND AREA-VALUATION-TOPOGRAPHICAL PRESENTATION-SPRINGS AND MOUNDS-EARLY SETTLEMENT-NAMES OF PIONEERS-POPULATION-DURING WAR TIMES-BENCII AND BAR-PROMINENT CASES-INTERESTING HISTORICAL RECORDS-TERRITORIAL OFFI- CERS-CITIES, TOWNS, ETC .- CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS-TRANSPORTATION FACIL- ITIES-COUNTY PAPERS-MUNICIPAL TOWNSHIPS AND POSTOFFICES- RESOURCES-SCHOOLS-BIOGRAPIIICAL MEMOIRS.

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O, those blessed times of old, with their chivalry and state! I love to read their chronicles, which such brave deeds relate; I love to sing their ancient rhymes, to hear their legends told, But, heaven be thanked-I live not in those blessed times of old .- Brown.

HE early boundaries of Ar- kansas County were de- fined as follows: " All that portion of the territory bounded north by the south line of the county of New Madrid, east by the main channel of the Mississippi River, south by the 33d° of north lati- tude, or the northern boundary line of the State of Louisiana, westwardly by the western bound- ary line of the Osage purchase, and by a line to commence upon the River Arkansas, where the boundary line of the Osage pur- chase intersects the same, thence in a direct line to the main source of the Wachita, thence south to the northern boundary line of the State of Louisiana, or 33d° of north latitude, shall compose a county, and be called and known by the name of the county of Arkansas." This bill, creating this county, was passed December 31, 1813. The county at one time covered the whole

State, but new counties being formed from time to time, it has been reduced to its present bound- aries, which are as follows:

On the north by Lonoke and Prairie Counties, on the east by Monroe, Phillips and Desha Coun- ties, White River being the dividing line, on the south by Desha and Jefferson Counties, the Ar- kansas River, the dividing line between Desha and Arkansas Counties, and Bayou Meto River, be- tween Jefferson and Arkansas Counties, for about one-half the distance, and there Jefferson County is the boundary, Bayou Meto being wholly inside Arkansas County.

The county has an area of about 900 square miles, or 596,000 square acres, and of this amount 507,974 is subject to taxation, 30,440 acres being school land, and 57,587 acres being United States and State lands. The school, United States and State land is all exempt. The taxable land in the county is assessed at $1,178,850, an average rate of $2.32 an acre, and when it is taken into considera- tion, that $171, 550 is town lots, it makes the valua- tion still lower. Also $131,210 to the Texas & St. Louis Railroad.

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ARKANSAS COUNTY.

The town property is divided as follows: Stutt- gart, $105,450; De Witt, $34,820; St. Charles, $15,970; Goldman, $11,880; Crockett's Bluff, $2,- 410; Arkansas Post, $1,020. Total, $171,550.

The personal property is divided as follows: 4,350 horses, valued at $176,300; 24,467 cattle, valued at $183,790; 1,270 mules and asses, valued at $73,329; 2,029 sheep, valued at $3,070; 18,976 hogs, valued at $27,144; 51,092 all kinds of do- mestic animals valued at $463,633; all other kinds of personal property valued at $498,450, making a total of all personal property valued at $962,113. Total of all real property, $1,178,850 a grand total of $2,140,963 representing the taxable wealth of the county.

The surface is comparatively level, being one long rolling swell after another; just rolling enough to give good drainage, yet not so much so as to wash after it is put into cultivation. There is not a foot of land in the entire county that is not sus- ceptible of cultivation. With an altitude at no place but little over 100 feet above high-water mark on the Arkansas, White and Mississippi Rivers, a gradual incline from the rivers, rises above the bottoms, so imperceptible as to be scarcely distinguishable. The line between the river bottoms and the upland is not strongly marked, as in most cases. A relief map would present a picture, wherein the timber and prairie would be the only distinctive feature. Right down the center runs Grand Prairie for forty miles, and is from ten to fifteen miles wide, crossed by nu- merous strips of timber, and having groves or islands of this dotted about here and there. The largest of these is Big Island, with an area of about 4,000 acres; the smallest, Young's Island, covering only about 160 acres. The one lying nearest the northern line of the county, and just east of Stutt- gart, is called Lost Island; two miles south is Maple Island, and Big Island is one mile west of Maple; four miles south of Big Island is Mud Island, and five miles south of Mud Island is An- gelico. Besides Grand Prairie there are several other smaller areas of grass land. In the eastern part of the county is White River Prairie, ten miles long and four miles wide. Lying just west of

White River Prairie is La Grue, four miles long and one and a half wide; Halleys two miles long and one-half wide, near La Grue. These are all skirting along White River, and are but a few miles away from it. Sassafras Prairie setting in about five miles north of De Witt is two and one-half miles east and west, and two miles north and south. In the extreme southeastern corner of the county is Little Prairie, right between the Arkansas and White Rivers, being ten miles long and one and one-half miles wide; Cash Prairie, an arm of Grand Prairie, making off between Big and Little La Grue. La Grue Springs, ten miles southeast of De Witt, is quite a notable place, and its waters are said to be a sure remedy for malaria. Essies Springs has very cold water, and is favorably lo- cated, both for fishing and hunting, and is a resort of no little local celebrity, as in the summer and fall it is not unusual for fifty or seventy-five fam- ilies to camp there at one time and remain for sev- eral weeks.

To the disciple of Izak Walton the streams of Arkansas County would have a wonderful fascina- tion, as in their season fish of many varieties are easily caught.

Formerly wild game of all kinds abounded, and the earlier settlers depended as much or more on the rifle for supplies for the smoke-house as they did upon domestic animals. In fact, the numbers of wild animals, and the boldness they displayed in, their depredations, made it no easy matter to raise pigs and lambs. Nor were the fur-bearing animals without numerous representatives, and this was no small source of income. Deer, bear, panther, wolves, wildcats, catamounts, beaver, otter, fox, 'coon, 'possum, mink, squirrels and rabbits were very numerous, and even now the bolder and more adventurous hunter can, by penetrating into the swamps, find game that will well repay him for his time and labor.

The feathered tribe had many representatives, turkey, prairie chicken, quail and the wood pigeon on the land, wild geese, brants, swan, crane and ducks and plover furnishing sport in the lagoons and bayous. Even now, in their season, the sports- man need not come home empty handed, who seeks

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the wild fowl in their haunts. Besides the game birds, there are crows, hawks, owls, black-birds, meadow-larks and, chiefest of all, the Southern mocking-bird. The game disappears as civiliza- tion encroaches on its haunts, but there are yet sequestered places where the slyest is to be found.

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Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 836

Author: Goodspeed Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; St. Louis [etc.] : The Goodspeed Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 836