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 105

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 105

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ARKANSAS COUNTY.

great a step, but from a town to a tumbled-down, deserted village only demonstrates the remorseless march of time. Arkansas Post is to-day but a small shipping point on the Arkansas River.

As this county has advanced with her sister counties in material welfare, so have the morals of her people been as well cared for by the different church organizations. The Methodists and Bap- tists are the strongest in number as well as the oldest, although the Christians and Presbyterians have many members.

Good church buildings dot the landscape all over the county, and in the towns and villages the spires mark the places of worship, as the deep- toned bells sound the hour.

There are between thirty-five and forty church buildings in the county, valued at about $20,000. Sunday-schools are held in many of them each Sabbath morning.

It is proof of the efficacy of the church teach- ing that here are to be found many of that truer, higher type of Christian people, with malice toward none and charity for all.

So strong is the love for law and good citizens, and for fear that the smallest possible incentive for crime might exist, the saloons were banished sev- eral years ago, and the scenes and incidents accom- panying the rum traffic were also banished with the saloons.

White River on the east of the county, with a frontage of over forty miles on a direct line, affords excellent shipping opportunities for that part of the county. St. Charles, Crockett's Bluff, Mount Adams and Casco are all on this river, and from them most of the surplus is shipped, and supplies landed.

On the Arkansas River, Arkansas Post is the shipping point for the southern part of the county. Bayou Meto River is navigable in times of high water.

Of railroads, the St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas is, for about sixteen miles in the county, running northeast and southwest across the northwestern corner. The towns it touches are Stuttgart, Gold- man and Payer, and at Stuttgart, the Kansas & New Orleans crosses the St. Louis, Arkansas &

Texas Railroad, and extends almost the entire length of the county. The Grand Prairie, con- necting with the other two roads, now being con- structed, extends from Stuttgart to Arkansas Post.

The public highways are kept up in good shape, and traverse the county in every direction.

Arkansas County boasts of the honor of pub- lishing the first newspaper ever published in the State, for in 1819 the Arkansas Gazette made her first issue from Arkansas Post, and its publication was continued there till 1820, when it was taken to Little Rock. From that time until 1862, when the Chronicle came out, there was no paper published in the county; then the Elector in 1868, and in 1871 two papers at De Witt, the Sentinel and the De Witt Democrat.

In 1873 the Enterprise echoed the voice of the populace. Following that Col. Crockett published the Gleaner. About the same time the Arkansas County Democrat had a brief life. Then came the . Arkansas Post, and in 1884 J. P. Poynter began to publish the De Witt Gazette, which enterprise he has made a success, and the paper is now recog- nized as the official organ of the Democratic party of the county. The Grand Prairie Journal, a newsy little paper, published by Clint. L. Price, at Stuttgart, is devoted to the interests of the town and the adjacent country.

There are twelve municipal townships in the county: LaGrue, Prairie, Keaton, Crockett, Point De Luce, Morris, Stanley, Mill Bayon, McFall, Bayou Meto, Chester and Arkansas.

The postoffices are located as follows: in LaGrue Township, De Witt (the county seat); Prairie Town- ship, two, St. Charles and Ethel; Keaton Town- ship, five, Bermuda, Mt. Adams, Cassco, Violet and Sassafras; Point De Luce, one, De Luce; Morris, two, Goldman and Hynum; Mill Bayou, Long Point, Prairieville and Olena; McFall, one, Stuttgart; Bayou Meto, two, Bayou Meto and Hagler; Chester, two, Tichnor and Booty; Arkan- sas, two, Stanley and Arkansas Post.

Of the whole surface of the county there is but very little waste land, and all is susceptible of cul- tivation, barring part of the two townships in the southeastern corner of the county, and they are as

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

fine land, and would be just as valuable as any along the Arkansas River, were they not subject to overflow. About one-half the surface of the whole county is covered with a growth of fine, hard timber, consisting of white burr, black, red, pin, water, post, spanish and cow oaks; chincapin oak; white and black hickory; pecan, cypress, cot- tonwood, elm, sweet and black gum, soft maple, hackberry, sycamore, basswood, ash, some few beech and poplar and wild cherry. The value of these timber lands, as the railroads open up easy transportation, is hard to overestimate, and the lumber interests of the county are as yet practi- cally undeveloped. Yet there are several large lumber plants located here, besides which several companies have been organized, and own large tracts of land.

The other half of the county is covered with prairie grass, that grows higher than the stock that feeds upon it. Now where does the raising of stock pay larger returns for the money invested than those on the prairies of Arkansas County ? The winters are mild; the numerous glades and bayous furnish an abundance of water; a few weeks' work will put up hay enough to carry them over the winter months; stock is seldom fed over two or three months. Many of the best farmers are devoting their time solely to raising mules, horses, cattle and sheep. The lands along the Arkansas River, Bayou Meto and parts of White River is the cotton growing district, which produces from one to one and a-half bales per acre; corn from forty to sixty bushels; oats about the same; millet, clover and cultivated grasses make good crops. Out on the uplands and prairie not so much attention is given to cotton, yet even there it is a good crop, yielding from one-half to three- quarters of a bale per acre; corn on the prairie, from fifteen to forty bushels, greatly owing to the manner in which it is cultivated; oats make from forty to sixty bushels; millet, two to three tons per acre. All over the county apples, peaches, pears, plums, figs, quinces, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and grapes find their na- tive home. Every, and all varieties of vegetable and garden stuffs grow to perfection, and melons are unsurpassed by any climate in the world.

Of the wild fruits and shrubs the red and black haw, hazel, elder, shumac, both black and white, wild plums of different varieties, blackberries, dew- berries, strawberries, growing on the prairies; win- ter huckleberries, wild grapes of different kinds; the Muscadine, a large grape, growing singly, or in clusters of from three to four, having a thick skin, very palatable when cooked, and three varieties of summer grapes, somewhat smaller than the Con- cord, and then the winter grapes that ripen after the frost. The cutting and shipping of the prairie hay is one of the leading industries of the citizens adjacent to the railroads and the river shipping points. This is one of the few counties of the State in which the improving of the native stock has been attempted, by crossing upon thorough- bred sires. The results have been truly gratifying and are plainly seen in the improved grade of their stock.

Of the navigable streams, the Arkansas River is the largest, and flows along the southern bound- ary line, while along the whole eastern border is White River. Emptying into White River about eleven miles north of the southern boundary line is Big LaGrue, which has its source in Prairie County, and crosses the northern line of Arkansas County a little east of the center. Little La Grue, a tributary of the larger stream of the same name, rises about five miles northeast of Stutt- gart, has a general southeast direction, flows thirty miles through the county.

Mill Bayou rises about twelve miles southeast of Stuttgart, having a general course of southeast and empties into Bayou Meto, twenty miles from its source.

The largest and most important stream that has its course within the county is Bayou Meto, which comes in from the west near the north line, where for about twenty miles it is wholly inside, and from that on is the line between this and Jefferson Counties. The streams are all bordered by a magnificent growth of hardwood timber.

The summary of the county examiner's report, 1888, for the schools of Arkansas County is as fol- lows: White children, 2,703; colored, 1,456; total, 4,159. Enrollment, white, 717; colored, 281; total,

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ARKANSAS COUNTY.

998. Number of districts, 45; number of districts reporting enrollment, 18; number of districts vot- ing tax, 8; number of teachers employed, 45; num- ber of school-houses, no report; value of school- houses, no report; number of institutes held, 1; number of teachers attending, 8.

The institute at DeWitt, only in point of num- bers, however, was a failure. There were eight teachers and three directors present. The cause of such a small attendance appears to have been the usual one in such cases, indifference upon the part of the county examiner. Information is that the county examiner of Arkansas County had failed to notify his directors as to the time and place of holding the institute, before my arrival there. The press of De Witt knew nothing of the matter, and, of course, did not notify the public in time.

Statement of number and salaries of teachers, year ending June 30, 1888. Number employed: males, 30; females, 15; total, 45. Average monthly salaries: Grade number 1, males, $45.00, females, $35.00; grade number 2, males, $30.00, females, $27.50; grade number 3, males, $25.00, females, $20.00.

Statement of revenue raised for the support of common schools, as shown by the report of the county treasurer, year ending June 30, 1888: Amount on hand July 1, 1887, $4,457.87; com- mon school fund, $3,165.65; district tax, $7,198. - 32; poll tax, $2,085.04; total, $16,606.88.

Revenues expended for support of common schools, and the balance on hand, year ending June 30, 1888: Teachers' salaries, $5,831.30; purchase of houses or sites, $340.60; buildings and repairing, $1,112.96; purchasing apparatus, $157 .- 85; total, $7,442.71; total amounts unexpended, $9,464.17.

Besides this, there is as much, if not more, money spent for subscription schools, for in many districts private schools are continued more months of the year than are the public schools. One private enterprise, a college, located in the south- ern part of Stuttgart, is under the direction and control of Prof. Jones, assisted by an able corps of teachers; the building is large and commodious, and was opened for the first time in October, 1889.

Jacob Alexander, book-keeper in the large dry- goods establishment of J. J. Woolfolk, of St. Charles, is a native of the Key Stone State, and a son of Jacob and Margaret (Moon) Alexander, both of whom came originally from the Emerald Isle to this country when young. They were mar- ried in Pennsylvania, and engaged in farming in Lancaster County until 1840, then removing to Ohio, which was their place of residence three years; later they went to Indiana. In 1857 Jacob Alexander came to Arkansas. In 1860, going to Independence, Missouri, he remained until the war broke out, when he joined the Federal army, being employed as scout throughout the war. He was born in 1837, and while in Indiana was apprenticed to a carpenter, and learned the trade. After the war he worked at his trade in Memphis, Tenn., until 1867, at that time coming to Arkansas and embarked in farming. In 1871 Mr. Alexander located at St. Charles, and was employed as clerk by the Farmers' Supply Company one year, after- ward entering the employ of Mr. Woolfolk, where he is still engaged. He married Miss Mary Gun- nell, a native of Mississippi. They are the parents of seven children, two of whom are living: Leona and Belle. Mrs. Alexander is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Alexander is a member of the Masonic order, and is the present Master of the lodge. He is a Republican in politics, and was nominated for sheriff in the last campaign. He has had a notary public's commission for seven or eight years, and is the owner of some property, besides which he has an interest in the store where he is employed.

Alwain M. Almond, one of the oldest settlers of Arkansas County, is a native of Tennessee, in which State he remained until twenty-eight years of age. He was married there to Martha Murphey, of Mis- sissippi birth, and in 1857 came to Arkansas, locat- ing in this county, where he rented land until the war. Mrs. Almond died in 1888, at the age of fifty-six years, having been the mother of eleven children, seven of whom survive: James, Sallie, William, Mollie, Mattie, Lou and Thomas. Mr. Almond's second wife was Mrs. Sallie Martin (nee Hewett), a daughter of Caleb Hewett, who

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

came to Arkansas in 1851. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church (as was also the first wife), in which he is one of the stewards. He has a fine farm, with 100 acres under cultivation. Mr. Almond was born in Franklin County, Tenn., in 1819, as a son of James and Jane (Martin) Almond, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. James Almond moved to Tennes- see when about seventeen years of age with his mother, his father having died when he was young, and engaged in farming in Franklin County. There he remained until 1845, when he removed his family to Mississippi, and six years later to Arkansas, set- tling on the same section of land which the prin- cipal of this sketch occupies, and where he died in January, 1857, at the age of sixty years. His wife died in 1887, when eighty-seven years old. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were the parents of ten children, three of whom are living: John, Jonathan and Alwain M., our subject.

Jonathan N. Almond owes his nativity to Mis- sissippi, where he passed his youth and early man- hood up to the age of twenty-two years. Coming thence to Arkansas, he has since made this State his home, with the exception of two years spent in Texas, in 1863 and 1865. He bought his present place in 1853, but was not married until 1861, when he was united in the bonds of matrimony with Martha A. Burnett, a native of Arkansas, and daughter of Lemuel F. Burnett, of Pennsylvania origin. Mr. Almond was born in Franklin County, Miss., in 1831, the son of James and Jane (Martin) Almond, natives of North Carolina. They moved to Tennessee in their younger days, and in 1853 to Arkansas, locating in this county, where the father was engaged in his occupation as tanner until his death, in 1857, at the age of sixty years. His wife was born June 11, 1799, and died in De- cember, 1887. They were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and were the parents of ten children. Six of the sons served in the Confed- erate army, and only two of them came out alive. Mr. and Mrs. Almond have a family of five chil- dren. He owns a fine farm of about 100 acres, under cultivation, on which he lives and also has

other land throughout the county, all made by hard work since coming to this county. He is a Democrat in politics and a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, as is his wife.

P. M. Black, the well-known and faithful sher- iff of Arkansas County, came originally from Peoria County, Ill., being a son of Thomas and Isabella (Brunson) Black. Thomas Black was born in Pennsylvania, and is a distant relative of John C. Black, of the United States Pension Office. He was a son of Michael Black, also of that State, and of German descent. Moving to Illinois when Thomas was a boy he located eighteen miles north of Peoria, where he owned a large farm and where he died at an old age. Thomas Black was the youngest of seven children, four still living. He remained in Illinois until 1864, when he went to Iowa and engaged in farming in Dallas County, then becoming occupied in the real estate business at Des Moines, Polk County, for five years. On May 15, 1874, he came to this county and still makes his home here. His wife died in 1881, at the age of fifty years, and had borne ten children, six of whom survive. Phineas M. Black was born January 7, 1855, was married in 1876 to Miss Car- rie Stillwell, a native of this county, and a daughter of Asher and Carolina (Maxwell) Stillwell. Mr. Black started in business after his marriage with nothing but determination and a strong will-power to rely on, but has been prosperous in all of his undertakings. He was elected sheriff in 1888 and still holds the position, serving in an acceptable manner. He is also engaged in stock raising. Mr. and Mrs. Black are the parents of two children: Hattie O. and Lester A. Mr. Black is a member of the I. O. O. F. and is a stanch Democrat.

Rev. George Adam Buerkle and family, of Stuttgart, Ark., trace their ancestry back to the year 1372 to the Earl of Buerkle, whose coat-of- arms is still on exhibition. Rev. G. Adam Buer- kle, was born in Plattenhardt, Germany, January 25, 1825, and he was there married to Barbara Roth, who was born at the same place on May 23, 1823, and by her became the father of the follow- ing family: Carolina M. (born March 25, 1848, in Plattenhardt, married to Rev. S. Poppin), Maria

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R. (born in Ann Arbor, Mich., July 14, 1853, and is the wife of Rev. F. Jelden), Eliza B. (also born in Ann Arbor, July 4, 1854, and is the wife of Rev. J. M. Johanssen), Christina (also was born in Ann Arbor, December, 20, 1856), Emanuel L. (born in Lansing, Mich., November 16, 1859), Adam F. (was born in Lansing, May 20, 1861), Carl W. and M. Luther (twins, born in Lansing February 14, 1863), Paul J. and M. Paulina (twins, born in Lansing March 17, 1865), Herman A. (born in Lansing March 31, 1867), and A. B. Clara (born in Woodville, Ohio, August 6, 1869). M. Pau- lina is the wife of Robert Harper. Rev. G. Adam Buerkle was educated at Esslingen, Wurtemberg, Germany, and was married during the year 1847, and in 1852 emigrated to the United States, and after spending one year in Lancaster County, Penn., he moved to Ann Arbor, Mich., and four years later to Lansing, where he made his home for ten years. He then spent twelve years at Wood- ville, near Toledo, Ohio, and on October 6, 1879, landed in Arkansas with his family. During 1876-77 he was president and visitor of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio, and during 1878 he organized a colony and brought them to Grand Prairie, Ark., and caused a postoffice to be estab- lished, which was named after his former home in Germany-Stuttgart. He was postmaster at this point, with E. L. Buerkle as assistant. He has spared no pains nor expense to promote the ad- vancement of the town and vicinity. When the St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas Railroad was being built the company seemed to have a prejudice against Stuttgart and would not stop their mail trains, but Mr. Buerkle promptly moved his postoffice to the railroad and erected a small house, which was the first house erected in the now town of Stuttgart. Owing to his age he turned the postoffice over to his assistant, who also became railroad and express agent at that place, and, notwithstanding the fact that his compensation was a mere pittance, he re- mained faithfully at his post and the afore-men- tioned brothers now compose the well-known firm of Buerkle Bros., they being also the leading mem- bers of the Stuttgart German Brass Band; the band is more commonly known as Buerkle Brothers'

Brass Band. Rev. Buerkle, like the majority of Germans, is energetic and enterprising and in his calling has carried out these principles. He owns several thousand acres of land in Stuttgart and vicinity. He has been a minister of the Gospel for over thirty-four years and is still a worker for the Master, preaching every Sunday, and although his congregation 'is small, it is steadily growing.

Hon. Robert C. Chaney deserves prominent mention in the present volume as one of Arkansas County's representative citizens. His father, Rev. J. H. Chaney, was born in the State of Mississippi in 1805, in which locality he was reared and edu- cated, there being married to Sarah B. Chambliss, on July 27, 1827. She was born on Christmas day, 1807, also in Mississippi, and was a daughter of Peter and Mary Chambliss. Shortly after his marriage Mr. Chaney moved to Louisiana, and in 1860 came to Arkansas, where he was engaged in his work of preaching the Gospel, being a local minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was the principal organizer of the Hallas Chapel Church, in this county. He had been connected with the Methodist Church for forty years at the time of his death, in 1864. His wife who still survives him lives with the subject of this sketch, and is now in her eighty-second year. They were the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are living: Robert C., Sarah A., Mary F., William W., Emma K., Adaline B. and Mattie B. Robert C. Chaney was born in Louisiana on January 15, 1832. He was married in that State November 22, 1855, to Miss Caroline Dubose, of Louisiana birth, born on November 3, 1837, and who died in January, 1869, leaving nine children, four of whom survive: Holcomb D., Rosa F. (who mar- ried H. M. Dubose), Robert C., Jr., and Eugene R. On August 17, 1872, Mr. Chaney was married a second time to Miss Corene Hinman, also origin- ally from the Creole State. She was called away from earth on October 7, 1889, leaving seven chil- dren, all living: Lee M., Ethel C., Ernest L., Beulah I., Rife P., Lucile B. and Horace P. Mr. Chaney owns 2,000 acres of land, of which 200 acres are under cultivation. He is also engaged in the mercantile business at Stanley, and though

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

starting with about a $2,000 stock, he has by honest dealings and good management built up a large trade, enjoying a patronage of $15,000 per year. He is a prominent man in the politics of Arkansas County, and represented his county in the State legislature three terms, from 1874 to 1882. Be- sides this he has held the office of associate county judge, and has been postmaster of Stanley for the past six years. He is a member of the Masonic order, and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which both of his wives were members.

Frank B. Childers is the son of John P. Child- ers, a native of Virginia, who was taken to Ken- tucky by his parents when but a young boy, where he was reared and educated, there being married to Catharine Amant, also of that State. She died in 1832, leaving twelve children, and five of them are still living: Pryor W., Thomas H., Philip G., Harmond and Frank B., the principal of this sketch. Mr. Childer's second wife, Eliza Asbury, was also a Virginian by birth. Their only child died in infancy. They were members of the Christian Church, and Mr. Childers was one of the leading men in the organization of the first church at Morgan, Ky. He did not take a very prominent part in politics, but was elected coroner, . which position he held for several years. Frank B. Childers, the principal of this sketch, was born in the State of Kentucky, April 1, 1831, and came to Arkansas in December, 1865. His earthly pos- sessions on entering consisted of the clothes which he wore and a shotgun. He now owns 360 acres of land, forty acres being under cultivation, with good buildings and stock. He was married No- vember 9, 1871, to Miss Josephine Maxwell, of this State, who died September 25, 1879, having been the mother of one child, which died in infancy. Mr. Childers was next married to Lillie Halley, originally from Kentucky. She passed away No- vember 10, 1885, having borne one daughter, Josephine W. On January 15, 1888, Mr. Childers was married to Mattie Rains, born in Gentry County, Mo., March 13, 1859. He did not take part in the late war, but was captured by the Fed- erals while at home, in 1862, and carried to Ohio, where he was held until December of that year.

George W. Conine, who is actively and suc- cessfully engaged in merchandising, carries a stock of goods invoicing about $3,000 in his store at Ar- kansas Post. He was the second son of a family of seven children born to Richard and Jane (Bean) Conine, natives of Georgia and Louisiana, respect- ively. The father was born about 1808, of Irish descent. Going to Louisiana when a young man, he was there married, about 1838, and made his home the rest of his life, and at his death, in 1850, was one of the well-to-do planters of that State. Owing to unjust management of the estate, his widow and children were thrown upon their daily labor for sustenance. His wife died in 1858. She was a daughter of Rev. Christopher Bean, an Eng- lishman by birth, who passed away in Louisiana, in 1852. George W. Conine was born in Carroll Par- ish, La., in 1844. He began making his own way in the world at the early age of seven years, being employed by Mr. Evin George (a wealthy farm- er of that vicinity) to drive a team for his gin; afterward by James McNeal in the same commun- ity. At the age of fourteen he was employed as mail-carrier from Monroe to Lake Providence, La. In 1862 he joined the Carroll Dragoons of Louis- iana Cavalry and was afterward transferred to Forrest's cavalry. He participated in the battles of Franklin, Vicksburg, the siege of Atlanta, Holly Springs and a number of hard-fought battles. He was at home on furlough at the time of the sur- render. He then engaged in farming in Louisiana until 1867, when he came to Arkansas, locating at Arkansas Post. He was married in 1872 to Miss Caroline Rogers, a native of this county and a daughter of one of the early settlers. She died in 1879, leaving two children: Willie D. and Johnie W. Conine. Mr. Conine was then married to Miss Ruby Conine, a cousin of our subject, her father, Rev. Brittain Conine, being a brother of Richard Conine. She was born in the State of Alabama at Camp Hill where her mother, Jane Herren, died about 1854 and where her father, Rev. Brittain Conine, now resides and is a merchant of that place of forty or fifty years' standing, now being in his eightieth year. Ruby Conine is the mother of two children: Oscar and Hattie. Hattie died August

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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