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 91

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 91

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H., and in his religious views is a Methodist, his wife being a member of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church.

B. P. Vanderford, by reason of his association with the affairs of this county as a planter. de- serves prominent mention. He is the only one living of a family of twelve children born to W. H. and Rhoda A. (Harris) Vanderford, natives of North Carolina. They removed from that State to Tennessee, and from there to Arkansas, locating in Jackson County, where he died in 1867, and his wife three years later. B. P. Vanderford was born in Buncombe County, N. C., in 1842. He was married in 1866 to Miss Mary E. Foster, a daughter of Josiah and Mary Foster, of this State. They are the parents of seven children, five still living: W. H., L. O., Jennie (the wife of J. H. Simson), B. H. and B. C. Mr. Vanderford enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861, and served until the battle of Chickamauga, in which he was wounded, being unable to again participate in active service. After the war he returned to Jackson County, and resumed farming, in 1871 removing to this county. He now owns a fine farm of 180 acres, with sixty acres under cultiva- tion, and good buildings, etc. He is a prominent Democrat, and has served as justice of the peace since 1874, also belonging to the Knights of Honor. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Capt. Milton H. Vaughan, notary public, jew- eler and photographer, of Brinkley, Ark., was born in Tipton County, Tenn., in 1839, and is a son of Edwin and Susan (Owen) Vaughan, both of whom were born near Halifax, Va. They removed to Tennessee in their youth and there became ac- quainted and married, the mother's death occur- ring about 1854, after having borne a family of eleven children, four sons and seven daughters. Mr. Vaughan afterward removed to Arkansas, where he took a second wife, and here spent the rest of his days, his death occurring in 1857 or 1858, at about the age of fifty-five years. He was a farmer by occupation and a man who possessed sterling traits of character, which won him the re- spect and confidence of his fellow-men. Capt.

MONROE COUNTY.

Milton H. Vaughan was the youngest of his father's family, and in his youth received such education as usually falls to the lot of the farmer's boy. When about fifteen years of age he began learning photography in Memphis, but upon the breaking out of the Rebellion he gave up this work and as- sisted in organizing Company E of the Tenth Ar- kansas Infantry, of Springfield, Conway County, Ark., and was elected first lieutenant, being pro- moted to captain soon after. His brother, E. L., was lieutenant of the regiment. The first engage- ment in which he participated was Shiloh, but he soon after went to Louisiana and was soon after taken prisoner at the fall of Port Hudson. He was taken to Johnson's Island and kept a prisoner un- til June 9, 1865, when he was released and re- turned home. Two years were spent in active duty and two in prison. After his return to West Point, Ark., he was married in September, 1865, to Susan Oliphant, a native of Tennessee, who died in 1870, having borne four children, one son only being now alive: Thomas L. His second marriage took place in 1875, his wife, Sallie Lynch, being a daughter of William B. and Eliza J. Lynch, whose sketch will be found elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Vaughan was born in Missis- sippi and by Mr. Vaughan is the mother of a daughter named Mabel. After being engaged in the jewelry business in West Point for a few years Mr. Vaughan removed to Searcy, where he made his home until after his second marriage, since which time he has been a resident of Brinkley. He has been a successful jeweler and photographer, and as far as his finances are concerned he is in in- dependent circumstances. He has a pleasant home on New York Avenue, and his business house is commodious and substantial. He has been a no- tary public for the past thirteen years and has filled the position of mayor of the town several terms, has been justice of the peace one term, and has been an alderman and recorder of the city. He is an A. F. & A. M., a K. of H., and belongs to the K. & L. of H. and the K. of L. He was formerly a member of the I. O. O. F. He is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Capt. J. W. Walker is one of the leading plant- ers of the county and enjoys the reputation of being, not only a substantial and progressive farmer, but an intelligent and thoroughly posted man in all public affairs. He is a native Tennesseean, born in White County, in 1837, and is a son of David and Polly (Stulls) Walker, both of whom were Virginians, and were probably married there. At an early date they removed to Hawkins County, East Tenn., thence to White County, Middle Tenn., and when the subject of this sketch was a lad, went to Van Buren Coun- ty, where they resided for several years, his mother dying in February and his father in April of the same year. The father was a farmer, of Irish de- scent and a son of Micager Walker, who was born in Ireland and came to the United States prior to the American Revolution, and took part in that war. After living some years in Virginia he re- moved to Tennessee and died in Van Buren Coun- ty, at the age of one hundred and seven years, his demise occurring since the close of the Civil War. Capt. J. W. Walker, the fifth of eleven children, is the only one living in Monroe County. He ac- quired only a moderate education in the common schools, and upon the death of his parents, began doing for himself and made his home with one man for nine years, working for wages four years and being a partner five years, becoming thoroughly familiar with stock trading. In 1860 he married Bettie Rankins, who was born in Bledsoe County, Tenn., and died in 1863, leaving one son, who died in 1885, at the untimely age of twenty-five years. Mr. Walker's second marriage took place in 1882, his wife being Mrs. Sallie Walls, a daughter of James H. and Eleanor D. Branch, natives of Wil- son County, Tenn. They were married in 1840, and removed to West Tennessee, in 1851, living there eight years and going thence to Monroe County, in 1859, where Mr. Branch died, in 1867, and his wife in 1885. She was a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Branch was a well-to-do farmer. Mrs. Walker was born in Wilson County, Tenn., in 1847, and married Allen V. Walls in 1868. By her first husband she became the mother of three children, only one of whom is living. She and Mr. Walker had one child that is now de-

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ceased. Mr. Walker lacked one day of serving four years in the Confederate army, and during his term of service, while participating in different battles, was wounded four times and had five horses shot from under him. The first year he was a member of Branhan's battalion of East Ten- nessee Cavalry, and operated in East and Middle Tennessee and Kentucky. His battalion was after- ward consolidated with Company I, Eighth Ten- nessee, under Gen. G. D. Dibrell, with whom he remained, operating in nearly all the Southern States east of the Mississippi River, until the close of the war. During this time he served as captain and was a gallant and faithful officer. He was in many severe engagements, among which may be mentioned Fishing Creek, Camp Goggins (Ky.), Murfreesboro, Neely's Bend, Lexington, Humboldt, Union City, Trenton, Parker's Cross Roads, Fort Donelson, Thompson's Station, Franklin, Shelby- ville, Wild Cat Bridge, Chickamauga, Dalton, Res- aca, Missionary Ridge, New Hope Church, Lost Mountain, Wainesboro, (S. C.), Landersville and Marietta, (Ga.). He was wounded at Camp Gog- gins, Wild Cat Bridge, Parker's Cross Roads and Landersville, and was captured at Wild Cat Bridge (Tenn.), August 9, 1863; being wounded severely he was at once paroled. He surrendered near Washington, Ga., May 11, 1865, and in 1866 came to Clarendon and was engaged in farming and raft- ing logs until in 1873, when he found employment in the sheriff's office, continuing as deputy seven years. He was elected sheriff of the county in 1884, but at the end of two years resumed farming on his land, comprising 176 acres near the town. He has in all, some 1,200 acres, about 600 under cultivation, nearly one-half of which has been acquired by his own efforts since coming to Arkan- sas. He raises some fine stock. He is a Demo- crat, though formerly a Whig, and during Cleve- land's administration served one year as deputy United States marshal. He has been a member of the A. F. & A. M. for twenty years, and is now residing on the farm formerly owned by ex-Gov. Hughes. He is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. His wife is a member of the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church.

William B. Wellborn, a merchant and an exten- sive land owner of Monroe County, commenced work for himself in 1871 as superintendent of a large plantation, at $50 per month. The follow- ing year he rented land and was engaged in farm- ing one year, in 1873 embarking in the mercantile business in what is known as Duncan Station, where he has been in business ever since. He was born in Knoxville County, Miss., in 1851, the son of Jones D. and Lucy (Tate) Wellborn. The father was born in Madison County, Ala., in 1824, and was a son of Isaac S. Wellborn, of English and Irish origin. He was a planter and stockman, also owning a stage line in Monroe County, Ark., in 1855, before there were any railroads in that part of the State. He was married to Miss Lucy Tate, in Madison County, Ala., in 1848, she having been born in that county in 1827. They had a family of four children, three of whom are still living: Elizabeth I. (wife of W. W. Capps, of Memphis, Tenn.), Lucy C. (the wife of E. F. Maberry, of Prairie County, Ark.) and William B. (the princi- pal of this article). J. D. Wellborn on leaving Ala- bama went to Tennessee, and from there to Missis- sippi in 1850, coming thence to Arkansas in 1853. He bought a farm in this county, where he made his home until his death in 1857, one year after the final summons of his wife. In addition to his business at Duncan Mr. Wellborn owns and con- ducts a large plantation, consisting of 1,900 acres of fine land, with 700 acres under cultivation. He was married in January, 1875, to Miss Lillian E. Kerr, daughter of W. D. and Lizzie D. Kerr; she was born in Alabama in 1856. They are the par- ents of five children, four of whom survive: Henry, Jennie E., Lucy A. and Barton G. He is a mem- ber of the A. F. & A. M., of the K. of P., and of the K. of G. R. Mrs. Wellborn belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Dr. Robert M. West has, by his assiduous at- tention to all his patients, acquired a large and steadily increasing practice, and has gained the confidence of all as a clever and scientific practi- tioner. He is a member of the firm of West & Thomas, of Clarendon, and was born in Henderson County, W. Tenn., July 6, 1832, being the young-

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MONROE COUNTY.

est of seven sons and five daughters born to Easton and Mary E. (Simmons) West, born in North Carolina in 1775 and 1782, respectively. After their marriage, which took place in their native State, they removed to Virginia, and a few years later to West Tennessee, where they were among the early settlers. He was very active in clearing the forests, and settled on twenty-two dif- ferent farms in as many years, being a resident of different counties. Both he and wife died in Hum- boldt, Tenn., in 1866, members of many years' standing in the Baptist Church, of which Mr. West was a deacon for seventy-two years. His father was an Irishman, and served in the Revolu- tionary War from North Carolina. A. L. Simmons, the maternal grandfather, was of Irish-Scotch de- scent, a Virginian, and also a Revolutionary sol- dier. Dr. Robert M. West is the only one of his father's family who is now living, to his knowledge. After remaining at home and assisting his father until he was fourteen years of age, he began work- ing for himself as a farm hand, but at the end of two years, seeing the need of a better education, he attended a five-months' term of school, working seven months for a farmer of the region to pay for his schooling. He then concluded to try how teaching the young idea suited him, and find- ing that his first term was a success, and liking the work, he followed it three years in West Ten- nessee, in the meantime devoting his spare time to the study of medicine. In 1860 he graduated from the Medical Department of the Univer- sity of Louisville, Ky., but had previously begun practicing in Tennessee, in 1858. He returned there after graduating, but in April, 1862, he joined Company H, Tenth Tennessee Cavalry, of Gen. Forrest's army, but at the end of seven months was made assistant-surgeon of the Fif- teenth Tennessee Regiment, and in 1864 was trans- ferred to the examining board of conscripts, in which capacity he served until the cessation of hostilities. He resumed his practice in Tennessee, but in 1871 came to Clarendon, where he has since practiced his profession with much success. He has been president of the Monroe County Exam- ining Board since its organization; is Senior War-

den of Cache Lodge No. 235, A. F. & A. M .; is Past-Chancellor in the K. of P., Cowan Lodge No. 39, and is Examiner in the K. of H. and K. of P. Politically he is a Democrat, his first presidential vote being cast for James Buchanan. He is ac- counted one of the substantial men of Monroe County, and is the owner of 240 acres of land three miles from Clarendon, and 320 acres seven miles from the town, and also owns an elegant house in the town. He was married in October, 1860, to Mary F. Conner, who was born in Tennessee, and died in 1872, having borne two children, both now deceased. Dr. West's second marriage was con- summated January 10, 1874, his wife being Miss Celena, a daughter of Lewis Wahl, a German by birth, now a resident of Milan, Tenn., aged seven- ty-four years. Mrs. West was born in New Al- bany, Ind., was reared in Kentucky, and received her education in Columbia, Tenn., being a grad- uate of a female college of that place. She and the Doctor have two children: Nora C. and Julius M.

Capt. J. W. Whitfield, a general merchant of Roc Roe Township, was born in Davidson County, Tenn., in 1839, and is a son of Capt. Thomas J. and Sallie L. (Dillyhunt) Whitfield, the former a Virginian, and the latter born in Davidson County, Tenn. Their marriage took place in this county, and here they made their home, with the exception of about one year spent in Texas, the father's death occurring in 1873 and the mother's in 1882, she being a member of the Baptist Church at the time of her death. Mr. Whitfield was brigadier- general of the Tennessee militia in early days, and was all through the Rebellion, being a member of the Forty-second Tennessee Infantry, Confederate States army, and was captain of Company H. He was captured at the battle of Fort Donelson and was kept a prisoner at Johnson's Island for seven months. He was then taken on a gunboat to For- tress Monroe, thence to Richmond, where he was liberated or released at the close of the war. He was a member of the A. F. & A. M. and was of English descent. The maternal grandfather, Dil- lyhunt, was a German and died in Davidson County, Tenn., having been a soldier in the War of 1812.

G 12

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

Capt. J. W. Whitfield was the fourth of nine chil- dren, five sons and four daughters, and received but little schooling in his youth. Upon the open- ing of the war he joined the Confederate army as captain of Company I, Forty-second Tennessee In- fantry, and he and his brother, Capt. Silas D. H. Whitfield, and two younger brothers, were all in the same regiment with their father, the latter and his two eldest sons, each commanding a company. They were all captured at Fort Donelson and taken to Johnson's Island, and our subject was exchanged at Vicksburg, and soon after assisted in organizing Company G, becoming a member of Wheeler's cavalry, and operated with his regiment in Tennes- see and Mississippi. In the fall of 1863 he was captured on the Tennessee River, but a few hours afterward made his escape and rejoined his com- mand and captured the Federal who had a short time before captured him; this was in Humphreys County. From that time until the final surrender he operated in West Tennessee, and surrendered at Brownsville of that State. The most important engagements in which he participated were Fort Donelson, Fort Hudson, Johnsonville, and some spirited skirmishes. After the war he began farm- ing in Madison County, Tenn., then returned to Middle Tennessee and was engaged in merchandis- ing for five years, and in 1873 removed to Texas, where he followed the same occupation and also managed a cotton plantation for three years. After returning to Tennessee and residing there until 1880 he came to Lonoke County, Ark., and at the end of one year settled in Aberdeen. Since Oc- tober, 1888, he has resided in Roc Roe Township, and is carrying on the mercantile business with success and also managing a farm of 100 acres. He has a good plantation in Madison County, Tenn., and a store which nets him a comfortable annual income. He is one of the prominent business men of the county, and is a man who commands the respect and esteem of all who know him. He is very fond of hunting, and much of his spare time is spent in the woods with his gun. Mr. Whitfield has always been a Democrat and voted for Jeffer- son Davis in 1860. He is a member in good standing of the Christian Church, and his wife,

whose maiden name was Delia Scott, and whom he married in 1862, was a member of the Methodist Church. She was born in Fayette County, Tenn., and died in June, 1887, being a daughter of George R. and Hester A. Scott, natives, respectively, of Davidson and Madison Counties, Tenn. The father was a wealthy farmer, and both he and wife died in Madison County, his death occurring in November, 1887, and hers in the winter of 1865.

Capt. Lewis N. Williams is a stock trader and farmer of Roc Roe Township, and was born in Bed- ford County, Tenn., in 1836, being the youngest of six sons born to William D. and Mary A. (Phillips) Williams, the former born in North Carolina, and the latter in Tennessee. They were married in the mother's native State, and here the father was en- gaged in farming and stock trading. His death occurred while serving in the Confederate army. His wife followed him to the grave a few years later, her death occurring in Texas while on a visit to a son. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Lewis N. Williams received very limited early educational advantages, and at the early age of thirteen years, left home and went to Texas, where he spent some years working on a farm and in the stock business on the frontier. In 1862 he joined Company C of a Texas Battalion, and after the fight at Elk Horn, his company was reorgan- ized at Des Arc, and became the First Texas Legion, afterward operating east of the Mississippi River. He was made orderly-sergeant of his company, was promoted to lieutenant, and finally for meritorious conduct was raised to the rank of captain. At the evacuation of Corinth, he lost his right arm, but re- mained with the army about a year longer, although not on active duty. He returned to Texas after this, and ran a wagon train of about twenty ox teams in Western Texas, being engaged in hauling cotton for the Government, and at the time of the final surrender was at Brownsville, Texas. He has spent many years of his life on the frontier, and has endured many hardships and privations, and has had many hairbreadth escapes from death, hav- ing been robbed several times. His life has been an eventful and interesting one, full of excitement and romance, and in all the difficulties he has encount-

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MONROE COUNTY.

ered in his walk through life, he has met and sur- mounted them all. He first came to Monroe County, Ark., in 1867, but in 1870-71 was in the stock com- mission business in Memphis, and while there lost all his accumulations of years, and was left $1,000 in debt. He then returned to Monroe County, en- gaged extensively in stock dealing, and is now one of the wealthiest men of Monroe County, being the owner of about 4,000 acres of land. He has been interested in the development of the county, morally, intellectually and socially, and has the reputation of being a man of progressive views, thor- oughly posted in all public matters. He is a Demo- crat politically, a member of the Famous Life Association, and in 1872 was united in marriage to Miss Dora Miller, a native of Mississippi, who died in 1883. His second marriage was consummated in 1884, his wife being Miss Josie Cannon, a native of Arkansas County, and a member of the Method- ist Church.

Woodfin & Henderson. Among the leading general mercantile establishments of Brinkley, Ark., none are deserving of more favorable men- tion and consideration than the above mentioned firm, of whom E. L. Woodfin and R. M. Hender- son are the proprietors. Their house was estab- lished in 1887 and with their stock which amounts to $4,000 they do an annual business of $15,000. Mr. Woodfin was born in Marshall County, Miss., in 1851, and is a son of John and Mary (Scott) Woodfin, the former a native of Alabama and the latter of North Carolina. After spending most

of their youth in Tennessee they were married there, but afterward moved to Mississippi, which State continued to be their home until 1859, at which time they came to Arkansas and settled in Cotton Plant. Mr. Woodruff was a farmer by occupation, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and died at Des Arc in 1861. His wife survives him and is a member of the Presbyterian Church. E. L. Woodfin is one of three surviving members of a family of seven children and spent his youth- ful days in laboring on the farm. Two years were spent in cattle dealing, which occupation proved fairly remunerative, but in 1885 he engaged in his present occupation in Brinkley. In 1875 he was married to Miss Mollie, a daughter of Benjamin and Matilda Glover, who were born, reared and married, in Limestone County, Ala., but removed to De Soto County, Miss., and in 1859 to Arkan- sas, locating near Wheetley, where the mother's death occurred in 1871. Mr. Glover married again and is now living at Cotton Plant occupied in farming. Mrs. Woodfin is one of five children and was born in Mississippi and for a number of years has been a member of the Old School Pres- byterian Church. Mr. Woodfin is a Democrat. When starting out in life for himself in 1869 he had only $18 but now owns the old homestead of 480 acres, besides a good house and business block in Brinkley. He lost heavily during 1874, his large crop of cotton being consumed by fire, but he has retrieved his losses and is now in affluent circumstances.

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

CHAPTER XXI.

LEE COUNTY-RECENT ORGANIZATION-CREATIVE ACT-SEAT OF JUSTICE-OFFICERS OF TRUST-DURING WAR TIMES-POLITICAL COMPLEXION-VALUATION-DEVELOPMENT-CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS -PERIOD OF SETTLEMENT-LOCATION, AREA AND POPULATION-STREAMS, SOILS, ETC .- NATURAL YIELDS-STOCK RAISING INTERESTS-SKETCH OF MARI-

ANNA AND HAYNES-NUMEROUS SELECTED SKETCHES.

Culture's hand Has scatter'd verdure o'er the land; And smiles and fragrance rule serene, Where barren wild usurp'd the scene .- Anon.

EE, one of the more recent acquisitions to the sister- hood of counties in Arkan- sas, is yet comparatively new, having been created by the legislature of 1873. The territory now embraced within its limits was a por- tion formerly of four counties, viz. : Phillips, Monroe, St. Francis and Crittenden.

The act of organization was en- titled "an act to create the county of Lee and for other purposes." The first section defining the boundaries of the new county was as follows:

" That all that portion of territory, now being in the counties of Phillips, Monroe, St. Francis and Crittenden, included within the following boundaries, viz. : Beginning at the southwest cor- ner of Section 31 on the base line, in Township 1 north, Range 1 east, running east with base line to the Mississippi River; thence with the meander- ings of said river to the east township line of

Township 3 north, Range 6 east; thence north to the northeast corner of Section 1, Township 3 north, Range 6 east; thence west with the northern line of Township 3 north, Range 6 east, 3 north, Range 5 east, 3 north, Range 3 east, 3 north, Range 2 east, 3 north, Range 1 east and 3 north, Range 1 west, of the fifth principal meridian, to the north- west corner of Section 3, in Township 3 north, Range 1 west; thence south with the section lines, to the southwest corner of Section 34, Township 2 north, Range 1 west; thence east to the south- east corner of Section 36, Township 2 north, Range 1 west; thence south to the southwest corner of Section 31, Township 1, north of Range 1 east, to the place of beginning, be and the same is hereby formed into a separate and distinct county, to be known and designated as the county of Lee, to have and to exercise, as a body politic and corpor- ate, all the rights, privileges and immunities of a separate county." It was further provided by this act that the temporary seat of justice for the new county should be located at Marianna.

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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