USA > Arkansas > Biographical and historical memoirs of northeast Arkansas : comprising a condensed history of the state biographies of distinguished citizens a brief descriptive history of the counties, and numerous biographical sketches of the prominent citizens of such counties. V. 1 > Part 45
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259
FULTON COUNTY.
CHAPTER XVII.
FULTON COUNTY-ITS FORMATION, ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS-ITS CAPITAL AND BUILDINGS-POLIT- ICAL RECORD THE BENCH AND BAR-SITUATION OF THE COUNTY-IMPORTANT STATISTICS FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF IMMIGRANTS-REAL AND PERSONAL TAXATION -- AGGREGATE POPU- LATION-EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS ADVANCEMENT -- SELECTED FAMILY . RECORDS-THE GREAT REBELLION -- MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATIONS.
O, the pleasant days of old, which so often people praise! True, they wanted all the luxuries that grace our modern days: Bare floors were strewed with rushes, the walls let in the cold: O, how they must have shivered in those pleasant days of old .- Brown.
ULTON COUNTY was organ- ized in 1843, in accordance with an act of the General Assembly of the State ap- proved December 21, 1842. The first officers under the organization head the list of county officers following in this work. The territory com- posing the county formerly belonged to Izard, and was originally a por- tion of the old county of Lawrence. In 1855 a part of Fulton County was set off to Marion, and a part of Law. rence was attached to it. In 1873 territory from Fulton was taken off in the forma- tion of Baxter County.
Soon after the county was organized, the site of the present town of Salem was selected for the seat of justice, where it has ever since remained. A log court house containing one room was soon erected on the public square. After being used for a number of years it was replaced with a larger log structure containing a court-room and clerk's office. This building, together with all of Salem
except one log cabin, was consumed by fire during the Civil War. The fire was supposed to have been the work of a marauding party. Afterwards another log court-house was erected and stood until the fall of 1870, when it, together with all records saved to that time, was also consumed by fire. After that time, the present court house, a medium-sized, two-story frame structure, with a hall and offices on the first floor and the court- room on the second, was erected. It stands in the center of the large public square: and the jail, a wooden building, the walls of which are made of planks lying flatwise-one upon another and se- curely spiked together-is located in the southwest corner of the square.
The following is a list of the names of county officers, and dates of term of service, from the or- ganization of the county to the present writing:
Judges: E. C. Hunter, 1843-46; John Plum- lee, 1846-48; S. Billingsley, 1848-50; L. Bowling. 1850-54; R. L. Brantley. 1854-56: S. Billingsley, 1856-58: E. C. Hunter. 1858-60; L. Bowling. 1860-62; W. R. Chestnut, 1862-64: J. D. Isham. 1864-66; W. R. Chestnut. 1866-6S: H. Turner. 1868-70; J. W. Ball, 1870-72: commissioners.
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1872-74; T. J. Cunningham, 1874-80; S. H. White, 1880-82; R. E. Richardson, 1882-84; T. N. Chestnut, present incumbent, first elected in 1884.
Clerks: Isaac King, 1843-52; W. M. Bennett, 1852-54; J. A. Simpson, 1854-56; J. C. Todd, 1856-58; S. W. Davis, 1858-62; T. N. Estes, 1862-64; J. P. Cochran, 1864-68; Wiley King, 1868-71; A. R. Brantley, 1871-72; W. P. Rhea, ! 1872-82; L. P. Kay, 1882-86; H. F. Northcutt, present incumbent, first elected in 1886.
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Sheriffs: F. Tolbert, 1843-44; Daniel Beck. 1844-46; C. E. Simmons, 1846-48; S. H. Tolbert, 1848-50; N. L. Barker, 1850-54; R. Benton, 1854-56; L. D. Bryant, 1856-58; T. Martin, 1858-60; L. D. Bryant, 1860-62; E. O. Wolf, 1862-64; M. V. Shaver, 1864-66; E. O. Wolf, 1866-68; W. E. Spear. 1868-72; W. T. Livingston, 1872-74; B. R. P. Todd, 1874-76; W. T. Living- ston, 1876-80; D. P. Tunstall, 1880-82; W. T. Livingston, 1882-84: D. P. Tunstall, 1884-86; W. T. Livingston, 1886-88; A. F. Basham, 1888, present incumbent.
Treasurers: D. Hubble, 1843-44; W. Falken- berry, 1844-60; J. Montgomery, 1860-64; S. Bil- lingsley, 1864-66; J. M. Archer, 1866-68; J. Andrews, 1868-70; T. Chestnut, 1872-74; E. D. Hays, 1874-76; T. W. Chestnut, 1876-84; S. P. Welden, present incumbent, first elected in 1884.
Surveyors: B. Archer, 1843-46; H. Long, 1846-50; W. E. Davis, 1850-52; J. O. Brown, 1852-58; J. T. Livingston, 1858-60; S. H. Tol- : bert, 1860-62; M. F. Billingsley, 1862-64; S. Vanatta, 1864-68; William Raines, 1868-72; S. H. White, 1872-76: C. C. Torrence, 1876-80; William Anderson, 1SS0-82; W. C. Anderson, 1882-84; C. C. Torrence. 1884-88; C. C. Davis, 1888, present incumbent.
Assessors: J. W. Kennedy, 1864-66; W. H. H. Orr, 1866-68; J. W. Cleghorn, 1868-72; J. M. Archer, 1872-74; A. L. Pearson, 1874-76; S. H. White, 1876-80; M. T. Price, 1880-82: C. C. Torrence, 1882-84; W. C. Anderson, 1884-86; T. H. Hammond, present incumbent, first elected in 1886.
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Representatives in constitutional conventions: 1861, S. W. Cochran and George C. Watkins;
1868, William A. Wyatt; 1874, Edwin R. Lucas.
At the September election in 1888 the number of votes cast in Fulton County, for the candidates for governor, were as follows: James P. Eagle, Democrat, 1,011; C. M. Norwood, opposition, 612. At the presidential election in November, 1888, the number of votes cast within the county for the several candidates were as follows: Cleveland, Dem- ocrat, 873; Harrison, Republican, 272; Streeter, Union Labor, 193; Fisk, Prohibition, 29.
Just when, or in what particular house the sessions of the county and probate courts were held prior to the selection of the site for the seat of justice, and before the first court-house was con- structed, can not now be given, for the reason that all records of the county prior to the fall of 1870 have been destroyed. It is presumed, however. that they were held in Salem very soon after the county was organized. The regular sessions of the county court now begin on the first Mondays of January, April, July and October of each year, and of the probate court on the first Mondays of March, June, September and December.
The Fulton circuit court belongs to the Four- teenth judicial district, and its regular sessions begin on the fourth Mondays of March and Sep- tember of each year.
The legal bar of Fulton County is composed of the following named attorneys: C. A. Phillips. B. H. Castleberry, J. L. Short, R. B. Maxey and J. M. Burrow.
Fulton, like all sections of country, has, to some extent, been afflicted with criminals. A few murders have been committed, but no legal execu- tions of the offenders have taken place. They have, however, been punished with terms of ser- vice in the penitentiary. Society is now well regulated, and the safety of persons and property is secured.
The county of Fulton, located in Northeast Arkansas, on the southern slope of the Ozark Mountain Range, is bounded north by Ozark. How- ell and Oregon Counties in Missouri, east by Sharp County, Ark .. south by Sharp and Izard Coun- ties, and west by Baxter County, and has an area of 600 square miles, with only about one tenth of
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it improved. Its boundary lines are as follows: Beginning on the State line between Arkansas and Missouri, where it crosses the line between Ranges 4 and 5 west of the Fifth Principal Meridian; thence south on the range line to the line dividing Townships 19 and 20 north; thence west on the township line to the line between Ranges 5 and 6 west; thence south on the range line to the line dividing Townships 18 and 19 north; thence west on the township line to the middle of Range 11, west; thence north on section lines to the north line of the State; thence east on the State line to the place of beginning.
Spring River is formed by the Mammoth Spring at the town of Mammoth Spring, at the State line, about three miles west of the northeast corner of the county, and flows in a southerly direction across its eastern portion. Myatt's Creek rises near the center of the northern boundary of the county and flows southeasterly and empties into Spring River in the east central part. South Fork enters the county from Missouri a little west of the middle of the northern boundary, and flows south and east to its junction with Spring River in Township 19 north, Range 5 west. Straw- berry River and the tributaries forming it rise in the south central portion of the county-the river itself flowing in a southeasterly direction. The creeks in the extreme western division of the county flow in a southwesterly direction and partially form the Big North Fork of White River. The streams above named, together with their tribu- taries, furnish excellent drainage for the entire county, and on the larger ones there are many good mill sites. Numerous pure mountain springs abound everywhere, the most noted of which are Mammoth Spring, at the head of Spring River, and Sharp's Spring, in the southern part of the county. Good well water can be obtained at an average depth of thirty feet, and many wells are in use, as are also cisterns. These sources furnish an abundant supply of water for all purposes.
The entire surface of the county is more or less hilly and mountainous, though the knobs and ridges do not reach to any considerable height. Many of the hill sides are sufficiently level for
cultivation, and on the tops of the ridges are found a number of comparatively level tracts. Valley lands abound along the larger streams. The south central and southwestern portion of the county is not so hilly and broken as elsewhere, and in this and in the valleys of the streams the best farms are found. In the extreme southwest- ern portion, where pine timber abounds, the soil is thin and sandy. On Myatt's Creek and South Fork the soil is a black sandy loam, while on Spring River it is mostly a clay soil. On Straw- berry the soil is called a "mulatto soil," and is that kind best adapted to the raising of cotton. It is a loamy clay, composed largely also of veg- etable mould. The soil of the uplands consists principally of clay and vegetable mould, and in many places is exceedingly stony. The stone, however, is small and loose upon the surface, and easily removed. Lead and zinc have been dis- covered in different places within the county, but no mines have been opened.
The first land entries date from 1836, but not many were made prior to 1850. During the 50's more entries are noticed than at any other period of similar length. Large tracts of land are . owned by non-residents. Many of the citizens have made homestead entries, and many have al- ready "proved up" and secured their titles. There are thousands of acres of Government lands in each of several Congressional districts yet sub- ject to homestead entry, and to the home-seeker who desires to secure a home under the homestead laws, this county presents many advantages over those of the cold, bleak and barren regions of the West and Northwest.
The timber of the valley lands consists of wal- nut, sycamore, burr, white and "sour" oak, lin- den, ash, hickory, sweet and black gum, cotton- wood, box-elder, etc. On the uplands black jack, post, black and white oak and hickory abound. The best saw-timber is found in the valleys. Good pine timber is also abundant in the extreme south- western portion of this territory. The timber has not been shipped out of the county to any consid- erable extent. A few saw-mills are in operation, all of which are doing good business.
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The principal resources of the county, as now developed, and the principal vegetable productions are corn and cotton. According to the United States census of 1880, there were within the county 866 farms and 24,629 acres of improved land, and from these the vegetable productions of the previous year were as follows: Indian corn, 299,930 bushels; oats. 20,827 bushels; wheat, 10,924 bushels; hay, 166 tons; cotton. 2,438 bales; Irish potatoes, 95 bushels; sweet potatoes, 681 bushels; tobacco, 3,400 pounds. Thus it will be seen that corn and cotton were extensively raised, while but little attention was given to the growing of other crops. The soil is well adapted to the development of all kinds of vegetables named, and the tame grasses and clover. Clover, timothy and herds grass (red top) have recently been introduced, but have not been raised to any considerable ex- tent. The reason for this is the liberal range upon which the stock lives and fattens, requiring only a little feed through the short winters. The number of live stock within the county, as shown by the census of 1880, was as follows: Horses, 1,615; mules and asses, 567; neat cattle, 5,934; sheep, 4, 189; hogs, 16,427. The number assessed for taxation in ISSS is as follows: Horses, 2,471; mules and asses, 891; neat cattle, 12,426; sheep, 5, 764; hogs, 16,483. The apparent small increase in the number of hogs is attributable to the fact that the number given by the census of 1880 in- cludes all slaughtered and sold during the previous year, while the number given in 1888 includes only those on hand when assessed. The real increase of hogs must have been enormous. Fulton County is excellent for stock raising, the climate being mild, the water supply good, and the range for pasturage extensive. It is also well adapted to the cultivation of all kinds of fruit common in this lati- tude; but fruit growing has not been very largely followed, at least not for shipping purposes. It could be made a very profitable industry, and the opportunity is here for all who may wish to en- gage in it.
According to the United States census of 1880 the assessed value of real estate in Fulton County was $201, 186, and of personal property. $205,836, |
making a total of $407,022. The total taxes charged thereon for all purposes amounted to $7,008.
The taxable wealth of the county in 1888, as shown by the assessment rolls, is as follows: Real estate, $617,821; personal property, $519,371, making a total of $1,139,192; and the total taxes charged for all purposes is $17,150.92. Thus it is seen that from 1880 to 1888, the taxable wealth of the county nearly trebled. The assessment of 1889 will undoubtedly show it more than trebled. These figures prove that the county's resources are being rapidly developed.
The aggregate population of the county at the end of the several census decades has been as fol- lows: 1850, 1,819; 1860, 4,024; 1870, 4,843; 1880, 6,720. The colored population was, in 1860, 88; 1870, 85, and in 1880, only 36.
The only railroad here is the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis, which was completed in 1883. It enters the county, from Missouri, at Mammoth Spring, and runs thence in a southerly direction across its territory for between thirteen and four- teen miles. It was assessed for taxation in 1888 at $141, 765. It has been and will continue to be of great advantage to the county.
Prior to the actual settlement of the section now composing Fulton County, it was occupied by a few adventurous and migratory hunters who sub- sisted upon wild game, wild honey, berries and other articles of food that they sometimes procured by returning to the frontier settlements and stealing. This class did not long remain after the permanent settlement began, which, according to best infor- mation, took place during the 20's and early in the 30's. Among the early settlers that may now be men- tioned were G. W. Archer and his family, consist- ing of nine sons and three daughters, who settled on South Fork, four miles east of Salem, and Daniel Hubble, William Wells, Moses Brannon, Mr. Cobb, the Barkers, John Nichols, the Eatons and the Lew- ises, all of whom located with their families on South Fork. "Tilt " Hubble settled on the Nes- bit place, four miles south of Salem, and Moses Steward in the same neighborhood. It is said of the latter that he raised a family there without any
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beds except beds of leaves. Enos C. Hunter, the , 1888, indicates the advancement made in the pub- first judge of the county court, took up his resi- dence in 1840 on Indian Camp, six miles east of Salem. Milton Yarberry settled eight miles north- west of Salem, near the State line. A Mr. Mor. rison located on the site of Salem, and John C. Claiborne near that place. John D. Isenhour, Ferd. and Daniel Shaver, Dr. A. Cantrell and Sam- uel W. Cochran were pioneers near the present town of Union.
A few Indians remained here until after the settlement began, and it is related by surviving old residents that one of the pioneers, whose name, for the sake of his descendants, shall not be revealed, stole a pony from the Indians, for which offense the Indians caught and punished him in a novel manner. Placing him astride of a pony, they tied his feet together under its body, with his hands behind him, attached a halter around his neck and the other end of it to a tree, then removed the bridle from the pony and quietly left him to his fate. As the pony began to graze, the halter became stretched, and the man was about choking to death just as a party of his friends arrived and by free- ing him saved his life.
The early settlers suffered many hardships and privations. They wore their own homespun cloth- ing, and upon attending preaching service in a pri- vate house or in " God's first temples, the groves," the rich, as they were called, wore moccasins on their feet, while the poor went barefooted.
In this county the cause of education has been greatly benefitted by the stanch public sentiment in its favor. About the year 1850 a subscription school lasting only a few weeks was taught in Salem. This it is believed was the first school taught here, and only a few others were in exist- ence until the free school system was established, after the close of the Civil War. The old citizens of the county-those who were children when the settlements began, or were born soon afterward, never had an opportunity to attend school, but grew to manhood with such education as they could acquire at home. The following statistics, taken from the report of the State superintendent of public instruction for the year ending June 30,
lic schools of the county: Scholastic popula- tion-white 3,560, colored 32, total 3,592; number of pupils taught in the public schools-white, 1,647; colored, 16; total, 1,663; number of school districts, 69; number reporting enrollment in the schools, 48; number of teachers employed-males, 20; females, 18; total, 38; average monthly salar- ies paid teachers-first grade, males, 834; females, $27; second grade, males, $24.75; females, none; third grade, males, $26; females, $20; amount of revenue expended for the support of the schools, $6,208.51. These figures show by comparison that of the scholastic population less than one-half were enrolled in the public schools; but the figures do not include the pupils of schools where the di- rectors failed to make reports. The wages paid teachers are much less than in many other coun- ties. County Examiner S. H. White said in his report to the State superintendent for 1888: "The public schools have no opposition in this county at this time, and the tax books show that thirty-nine of the districts voted a tax last year ranging from two and one-half to five mills."
In addition to the public schools there are two well sustained academies in the county, the Salem Academy and the County Line Academy, the lat- ter in the northwest corner.
Of the several religious denominations, the Methodists and Baptists were the pioneer workers hereabouts. About 1840, the former had preach- ing at the Hubble place, three miles north of the present site of Salem, and a little later the latter held services at Indian Camp, some six miles east of Salem. Churches then began to be organized. but the few that were formed prior to the war pe- riod became disorganized during that time.
The Methodist Episcopal Church. South. now embraces one circuit and three missions. Salem circuit contains seven appointments, with an ag- gregate membership of 394, including three local preachers. Rev. J. S. Watson is the pastor in charge at this writing. Viola Mission includes six appointments, with a total membership of 233, including six local preachers. Rev. R. D. Moon is the present pastor. Mammoth Spring Mission has
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three appointments, whose membership has reached forty-five. Rev. J. F. Troy is present pastor. State Line Mission has seven appointments, with an aggregate membership of 187. The present pastor is Rev. J. R. Edwards. These all belong to the Batesville district of the White River con- ference, from the minutes of which the statistics have been taken.
The Methodist Episcopal Church embraces within the county the whole of one and a portion of another circuit. Viola Circuit contains six ap- pointments, with an aggregate membership of 105. Wild Cherry Circuit has two appointments in the county-Wild Cherry and Gum Springs-the two having a membership of about 125. Rev. J. W. Slusher is pastor. Viola Circuit has no pastor at this writing. These churches belong to the Harri- son district of Arkansas conference, of which Rev. W. C. Evans is presiding elder. There are a few organizations in the county of Methodist Protes- tants.
Of the Missionary Baptist Church there are the following organizations: Mount Zion, at Union, Lil erty Hill, Little Strawberry, Enterprise, Gum Springs, Shady Grove, Mount Vernon, Salem, Viola, Oak Grove and Shiloh, with an estimated aggregate membership of 443. These organiza- tions all belong to Big Creek association of Mis- sionary Baptists. There are not less than eleven Christian Church organizations scattered though- out the county, having an aggregate membership of about 350. At Mammoth Spring is the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, with a membership of twenty-five. It was organized in November, 1887, by Dr. Lawson, of Mississippi, and is the only one of that denomination in the county. Of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, there are at least three organizations in the county, viz: Hick- ory Grove, Fairview and one near Pleasant Valley. One Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church is in the county-Prosperity, four and a half miles southwest from Salem. It has a membership of about forty-five. Rev. J. C. McDonald, of Izard County, is the present pastor. All the settled por- tions of the county are supplied with churches and school-houses.
At the outbreak of the Civil War nearly all the citizens of Fulton County were in favor of estab- lishing the Southern Confederacy. A very few who remained loyal to the Union departed to the North. Several companies of soldiers, commanded respectively by Capts. M. V. Shaver, Harry Tracy, L. D. Bryant and others, were raised within the county and served in the Confederate army during the war. In the early part of that period a skirmish took place on the Simmons farm in the northern part between a battalion of Confederate and a bat- talion of Federal troops, on which occasion the lat- ter were routed, with a loss of six killed and a few wounded. The Confederates lost but one killed. Another skirmish occurred toward the close of the war, on Little Strawberry Creek, about four miles south of Salem, between a battalion of Clay - ton's command of Federal troops and a battalion of Confederate troops, under Col. Cloud, on which occasion the latter were completely routed. There was a small loss on each side. These were the only engagements worthy of mention within the county between the contending forces, but scout- ing and marauding parties frequently scoured the country, killing individuals and taking or destroy- ed much property. The county was over-run and laid waste, and before the war closed it was almost deserted. There was no bushwhacking among its citizens.
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