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 79
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
odw .de ot bus segant : vantroo eida lo Ha sid Jo: JA9 vaiandem guidopol to
di 90 goian riedi.
o70 todi Jo quo ed nt bevil nomb .. D.aufod
usideiz
n Mesinid tof low anyer fins .
0778 .7czA Betsfi: besinJodi bodioi od sv
1
-i'll of bemnater ad Shal langHA Forpodor andi punta horie'n boutsmos vloo sud eiga
vad aliw aid
men detblido - it pod grew medi of bas .0001 4
Adarevol arod Jedoll : LUBI ,al yall mod .At 0
442
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
married, shortly after the latter event moving to Randolph County, Ark., where they resided until 1820, at that time taking up their abode in Wash- ington County, Mo. After a short residence here they became dissatisfied and returned to Arkansas, where they spent the rest of their days. He served in the War of 1812, under Jackson and Coffee, and was at the battle of Coosa. His youth was spent in learning the tanner's and black- smith's trades, but he afterward gave up these oc- cupations to engage in farming, and in this he was very successful. Politically he was a life-long Democrat. He and wife became the parents of fourteen sons and one daughter. Seven sons were in the Confederate army, serving all through the war, and returned home alive and well. John Wells spent his youth in learning the tanner's trade and attending school, and in connection with farming he was engaged in tanning up to the breaking out of the war. He was in the commis- sary department in 1863, but afterward joined Capt. Mitchell's regiment, and was in the battles of Iron- ton and Lexington, and in numerous skirmishes. By his readiness to adopt new inventions, and by industry, he has been remarkably successful, and now owns 1,100 acres of fertile land, with about 300 acres under cultivation. July 13, 1848, he married Harriet Alcorn, who was born on the farm where Mr. Wells now lives, February 5, 1828, a daughter of Isham Alcorn. To them were born nine children: Margaret E., wife of Shelton White, a farmer of the county; Susan, wife of James McLain, of Floyd County, Tex .; Thomas H., a farmer of this county; Lola M., wife of Robert Stubblefield, of this county; Mollie J., wife of Rufus C. Dalton, of Oregon County, Mo. : Maud G., wife of Frank Rickman. residing on her father's farm, and James P. Those deceased are Maria J. and William M. Mr. and Mrs. Wells are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. South, and he is a Mason and a Democrat.
Thomas H. Wells, though now only thirty-three years of age, has won an excellent reputation as a farmer and stock raiser of Randolph County. He is a native-born resident of this county, his birth occurring in 1856, and here his boyhood days were
spent in attending the common schools, and in do- ing farm work. At the age of twenty- five years he was married to Miss Nettie Tweedy, also a na tive of Randolph County, born in 1863, and their union was blessed with two children: John D. and Maude G. Mrs. Wells died May 31, 1888. After their marriage they located on the farm on which Mr. Wells is now residing, his land em- bracing over 541 acres; but the most of his atten- tion has been devoted to raising a good grade of stock, such as cattle, mules and hogs. He now has on hand 140 head of cattle, some of which are well graded, and his annual profits on his stock. which he fattens and ships, are large. Although a non-partisan in his political views, he has always voted the Democratic ticket, and supports the men and measures of his party. He is a man posses sing admirable traits of character, and has taken a position of more than ordinary prominence in the material affairs of the county, and the reputa. tion which Randolph County is securing as one of the richest farming and stock counties of the State is due to such men as our subject. Although his early educational advantages were somewhat limited, he has become one of the most intelligent men of the county, this being in a great measure acquired by reading and contact with the business affairs of life. He is a warm friend of education. and takes an active part in all movements tending to benefit or encourage school facilities hereabouts.
Henry White, farmer. Davidson Township. Randolph County, Ark. The subject of this sketch needs no introduction to the people of Randolph County, Ark., for he is one of the most esteemed and successful agriculturists of the same, and is one whose honesty and uprightness have never been questioned. He is a native of this county, his birth occurring in the year 1841, and is a son of Howell White, a native of North Carolina. The elder White came to Arkansas when a young man, and was here married in 1840 to Miss Elizabeth Stubblefield, a native of this State. He then settled on Dry Creek. Davidson Township, entered land and made himself a home. He remained there until 1846, when he sold his farm with the intention of moving to the Lone Star State, but
of ant une afoodloa pourwo odi poibrolis ni duoga
di adot nonblido ows wiw boagold zew moins
Tonery hoog a guiaias of bssoyab nood asd fois
Den dolder de smet muss lor best ULT Road, no state aid uns alilong idea, aut ban bobigny flow idw »zawis and al werr lusidilon
pela los pourinoo alsode has justharssl Jeid:
milanbo tonsaw 8 1: 08 grisdes etablirvous Ha in Jong vilog omegint bad adpodsonod dsitiffox) foodna quattrobize to sitonuit uf sidanwo'T' 'noshivaCI tomat stidW vinel ugobassi to ofgood out of uoisoubordal on abpeti Bos1991.4 38oar adt 10 one el od not azul ,plazo0
wvilad w ar elf. . benoidaosp
satilossD diso. Jo gritou 6 ofit'll fowol
Estou gideswot noaktuell alead jut no bolton
sintč saté squil oda w zatvora da noitustai
w gnivous susza stiel out satte elhor Dass fisas bebiwoy vodi -des // at abodo siedj oweil eongbient sunday bess Sedelegale passodi
add ju anw hne .0 00 dinisol ni trorya an 7
Bouwsolle wil And jay se
goof.polit Issilitost
odd digund s evils emod booster bas
odol .ilove izael ni alsoy, sid Juoq disiwz moldovanos ni bns Joodox moibağ in Bon stit of qu gataned ai hagagde 88w aicomoo ødi ni Haw eHl
podeimiidla enoroman or
bed and od anoda dfiw boel .. -
.ao wizsi ads do. urod Anw oda atoolA solasol asod wiew med) of etid 7/ goffoil Bo efiw . . Il Jonsgtalk :
Diadoll Jo oliw .. 14 sloil . danos aid} Bo gliw .t. willul innoo sidd low.
dotudo Ingopaigst taibodtoll odt lo arydor
posdd-vaidi (lon won ilgrods alle ?/ .H wh es poljajuge't toollesse ns Jow
woodyod sid' nood
9
443
RANDOLPH COUNTY.
was taken sick and died at the home of his broth- er-in-law, Joseph Stubblefield. To his marriage : were born three children, two now living, Henry and Mary, wife of T. J. Mellroy. Mrs. White died within an hour of her husband, and both are John C. Wisner, dealer in real estate, at Reyno. Ark., has been actively engaged in the business of real estate since 1885. His early education was acquired in the public schools of Cumberland County, Ill. At the age of seventeen he left his buried in one grave. They were members of the i home to seek his fortune, and came to Randolph County, Ark .; was engaged in tilling the soil in Cherokee, being on Current and Black Rivers until 1885, at which time he commenced the real estate business and the study of law. He owns 700 acres of land, besides a large amount of live prop- erty, and has acquired his possessions by good
Presbyterian Church, and he was a Democrat in politics. Henry White was reared by his uncle, and received but a meager education in the sub- scription schools of that section. In 1861 he joined the Confederate army, Company K, Eighth Arkansas Infantry, under Capt. Wright, and served : four years, participating in the following battles: | business ability and energy. In 1870 he was mar- Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Siege of Corinth, besides a number of minor engagements. At Murfreesboro, Tenn., he was wounded above the knee in both legs, and also received a severe wound in the shoulder. He was left on the field two days and nights before being sent to the hospital, and after being placed there he was taken pris- oner. He was sent thence to Nashville, Tenn., and was only kept there one month, when he was removed to Louisville, Ky. Two months later he was sent to Cedar Point, Va., and exchanged. He was not able to do service, so he returned home and remained there until cessation of hostilities, en- gaged in tilling the soil on rented land. In 1867 he took a trip through Kansas, Indian Territory and Texas, and spent a year thus employed. In 1868 he purchased his present property, consisting of 160 acres, at Eleven Points, and has improved eighty-five acres of this. He raises corn, wheat and oats, but no cotton. He makes a business of breeding all kinds of stock, more especially mules. In 1869 Mr. White married Miss Sarah Barnett, who died the year of her marriage, and in 1882 he wedded Miss Mary L. Reynolds, of Randolph County. The result of this union was the birth of three children: Nora B., born April 13, 1884; Eeler, born December 27, 1886, and William G., born October 22, 1887. The second Mrs. White was born November 25, 1864, and is the daugh- ter of J. M. and Minerva (Foster) Reynolds [ see sketch of Dennis M. Reynolds]. Mr. White is a 1 ried to Miss Sarah Womack, a native of Randolph County, Ark., and their union has been blessed in the birth of five children: Nannie, who is a suc- cessful teacher in the county; James M., John H., Alcie L. and Sula. Mrs. Wisner is a member of the Christian Church, and he has shown his ap- proval of secret organizations by becoming a mem- ber of the Masonic order, having been master of Reyno Lodge No. 417, for the past seven years. The success he has met with has more than real- ized his expectations: he has an extensive acquaint- ance, and enjoys a liberal patronage in his business. His parents, David T. and Rhoda (Dosier) Wis- ner, were born in the District of Columbia and Middle Tennessee, respectively. The father was a prosperous merchant, and while Illinois was still a territory he moved there and settled in what was afterward Cumberland County; in the year 1872 he located in Madison County, Mo., where he en- gaged in merchandising and milling until his death. which occurred the following year, at the age of seventy-two years. He was a man of sterling principles, and was a citizen who would be wel- comed in any locality, for he possessed sound judg- ment, was honest to a fault, and was always interested in public affairs; his death was a loss to the community in which he resided, but his good works will always be remembered. His wife died in 1884, and of the five children born to them, three are living: Mathias, who died in Illinois; Mary A .. wife of W. H. Welles, who resides in Illinois: self-made man, and is counted among the best farmers of the township. He is a Democrat. James W., now second comptroller of the United States treasury; O. B. F., who died in his na-
1
TTIVOO MITOCZAR
Do soused gift in begurgas glucidos Band and walsh
1 sex mitnonho zasam will ardi sonia staisu Inox
Dịp hơn to blob YsusH, Butvil
red. Jo shod on t T bum .dosshalt) A
My voro oh wat to phane was bon monthed Qua vil lo firmona gual & aubise bank lu 85128 robotno :84Bind gniwollot edi a
od 1881 af
loodol
edf evoda bebanow 287 butnow wevos a boviesos oula
,latigeod udt of dnes gnied
olliydesli os vonedt In od nortw ,
yodel adtrom owT
„.boyoadhze bus
amend aid in as renting larsdil savojno bus pl ?" (raiao(i) sbosti bon T hrendt .etneinq - 1849 utilityod lo noijszego Itto Susl hotaoi nu lioa
lite enw aloni !!! olidw Drin Josdavom molequity ett Zador ra bellise bnis weds borour ad Tx
1
0 1 . .. R. udob , I eraal produson byns Al vioLA uni nrwoda zad od Bus domundo
1
gaied tu peanut good puivad malo vicom Kowy never dann mit Tel .TJA off
od
2025 uf .box dd 1847 lo goitianos drago bevorgasi and ban sedw urtoo poaist oH lo casaland a anlata &H, nottoo on Jud polista yllaioogen snou plooda lo abnid 1In 1)nikel doing aaile boiszent edid 2881 of bits .ogsirrem aod lo siey odd dglob iel lo ablonyeff J ysold wild dbrid edt auw polos eids lo Mures edT
.. @ mailtill Los 8881 ,58: otid 77 mill buonen gdf
i ponillI af ablees odw betiu J odi Ro tollousquito bnooda won ... / salat Jaed off eu aid nt poib odw ... L & O ;rmasem Besaid
444
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
tive county, at the age of twenty-four years, and John C.
ing one of the pioneer preachers. The Witt fam- ily were among the first settlers of Gibson County, Tenn. The father of Judge Witt is a minister in the Missionary Baptist Church, but he has always carried on farming in connection with his minis- terial duties. He emigrated to Randolph County in 1868, and settled in Warm Springs Township, where he is residing at the present time. He was one of the first Baptist ministers of this county, and is still preaching at the present time. The mother died on the 30th of August, 1SSS. at the age of fifty-six years. They reared a family of eight children, Judge Witt being the eldest. The remainder are named as follows: Christiana E., wife of P. W. Kidd, of Warm Springs Township; Cora E., wife of James W. Shaver, of the same ; township; Caleb E., now living at Portia, Ark., and is a successful M. D .; Marion J., who died at the age of seventeen years; I. R., wife of James Williams, of Clay County, Ark. ; Lulu S., a teacher. residing at home, and William J., at home.
Judge A. J. Witt. county judge, Pocahontas, Ark. Few men have attained the prominence in Randolph County, in a social as well as a business point of view, that has Judge Witt, who is courte- ous and pleasant in all his relations to the public. His birth occurred in Weakley, Tenn., on the 31st of December, 1855, and he remained in his native State until twelve years of age, when he came with his parents to Randolph County, Ark. When of a suitable age, he had been placed in private schools, where the opportunities afforded were enjoyed to the best advantage. After finishing his scholastic training, he engaged in the teacher's profession, and this continued for twelve months, when he was appointed deputy sheriff of Randolph County. At the end of eighteen months, he again returned to teaching school, so continuing for nine months, after which he clerked in a store until the fall of 1882. He was then elected sheriff of the county, and served four years. After this he retired from C. W. Woolley is quite an extensive cotton grow- er of Current River Township. Ark., and was born in St. Francis County, of the same State. in 1849. He remained in his native county until 1861. then came to Randolph County, and soon after moved to Jackson County where he remained until 1869. after which he again came to Randolph County, making his home here three years, taking up his abode for the following seven years in Boone County. His next change of residence was to the Lone Star State, and from there he returned to St. Francis County, Ark., a year later. The next year he again moved to Boone County, and the fol- lowing year located permanently in Randolph County, this being in the year 1885. He has an excellent farm, and his land will average one bale of cotton to the acre, this being his principal prod- uct. His views of Arkansas as a stock country are quite enthusiastic, and he is giving that branch of farming a great deal of attention at the present time. Mr. Woolley is not an unreasonable parti- san, but has always been a Democrat in his politi- : cal views, and he belongs to the A. F. & A. M. public life. and was engaged in tilling the soil for two years. In 1888, he was elected county judge, which office he still tills. Previous to this, on the 14th of November, 1887, he was appointed to the office of postmaster at Pocahontas, which position he still holds. For his companion in life, he se- lected Miss Ida M. Kibler, a native of Cross Coun- ty, Ark., and was married to her on the 3d of May, 1883. She is the daughter of William Kibler, a native of North Carolina. To this union were born two children, Mary Ethel, at home, and Edith Gertrude (deceased). Judge Witt is the owner of 420 acres of land and considerable town property. He has always taken an active part in school work, and in everything pertaining to the good of the county. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the K. of H. He is the son of Isaac H. and Mary C. (Shelton) Witt, and grandson of Charles Homer Witt, a native of East Tennessee, and a farmer by occupation. Isaac H. Witt was a native of East Tennessee, and his wife of Weakley County. Tenn. The maternal grandfather. Jeremiah Shelton, was a native of the same State, was a tiller of the soil, , He is a son of J. L. and Serena (Walls) Woolley. and was also a minister in the Baptist Church, be- | the former of whom was born in Alabama, was a
PASKAMSA 50 THOTata
Rød Jedt ,weiy 30 oildug o V al horsnovo vaid al'
ovides vid ni bad 10) RTOHT aloodos bad od of bovojne
d .noizsolong a' ?
frinads z třigeb baśnior fgfof pdsuomt moetdgio to han to lfoi odd litesi orote & ni besluolo od doidi Fornos ads lo Breda boroole dodd anw mort besid- od sidt softA Tot lice och grillis ni beyogay saw boa alil 9 edwood 888: nI
pedorevol
abl geil wsM to' 68 edt to ved beissem Anw Boa , afrà pi soldiZ manilliW lo reidyusb odd ai od8 miod erew goian aids oT Mibil Boa ourod ds lo sonwro odě ni tai W vistos uwod elderbieuros bas bust 10 dluow foodos at fraq ovidon as nedat ayawła edi lo boog ord of gaint hog gnidd for more ração vedmen & han viaM bos .Honsel lo gona ( gi eH .H to 1900H saladO Jo nosbagry boa di/ m zd sentissi s boa soerenne'l dent lo tand lo ovidok i saw diWY H In kod Jod .nsx undT , zinnoO velafee 77 le eliw eid
-Dung ablenousstan nus host al vellook
3 .A. D .A edl ut wydoled od boa weiy las - usw .pollodei daimesst hodintbhsty lam Rolloo 77 (aflaW/ ) Bousee bus & t lo nos's bi dxf , ,lloe eds lo oftit a auw: asd n esw stondalt ui mod aan modw to tournoi est
5 annijahodo tewolfof as beman 44 FridawoT agnisq@ mrs W/ lo bbit .7
At& Auto Je privil wop . I de
erod Ja .. E williW bon owod 18 withjeat torty no Mos orienetzs ou oftop af to te ol hevoig toyle door bis . viatoD delo .0021 Dou banister nd sseilw vianoD) 6
insol ut Bisog dover goiroffot edt sol qboda ods of saw ponobless Jo Aguado Jzod x2H
(AL mi ?i'densuring betsoci hoy, guf UR And 9H .488T sey odd ni yolod aidt ,rlo Jun agavevn Iliw brBl ard boe , mist Artillerie -host ingoning aid grind aidf ørsa adt ut Button lo
mrun intoband at vores nings ad doida witha . Has Ad stil ai dolongs
dw sednodi ondaog 3 d lod 10
1
Jours dory July PH. D. Jones en, al
OSCEOLA, MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, ARKANSAS .
САЗНАНАА, утицај малахов,
445
MISSISSIPPI COUNTY.
farmer by occupation, and died in Boone County. He was a minister of the Primitive Baptist Church, and was a soldier in the Confederate army during the Rebellion. C. W. Woolley, our subject, was
married in Boone County, Ark., to Miss Arkansas Barbee, who was born in Carroll County, Ark., in 1860. They are rearing an adopted child named Mamie Russell.
00-
CHAPTER XX.
1/. MISSISSIPPI COUNTY-LOCATION, BOUNDARY, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC .- THE EXPEDITION OF DE SOTO INTO MISSISSIPPI COUNTY-TOWNS-SETTLEMENTS BY LOCAL NAMES-SECRET SOCIETIES-MILITARY AFFAIRS OF THE COUNTY-THE UPRISING OF THE COLORED PEOPLE-OFFICERS OF THE COUNTY-PUBLIC BUILDINGS-POPULATION-LOCAL STATISTICS- COUNTY ORGANIZATION-LEVIES-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES -SELECTED BIOGRAPHICAL 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."
HE county of Mississippi, in Northeast Arkansas, is bounded north by Dunklin and Pemiscot Counties in Missouri, east by the Mis- sissippi River, which sep- arates it from Dyer, Lau- derdale and Tipton Counties in Tennessee, south by Crittenden, and west by Poinsett and Craig- head Counties in Arkansas. It has an area of about 865 square miles, including its lake and river beds. It is watered on the east by the Mississippi and tributaries empty - ing therein, on the north central by Pemiscot Bayou, and on the west by Big Lake at the northern extremity of the county; Little River, the out- let of this lake, and by Tyronza Lake and Bayou.
Besides these there are many other and smaller lakes. As the county has been subject to over- flow, its soil is composed of alluvial deposits, has great depth and is therefore exceedingly fertile.
What is now Mississippi County once formed a part of Arkansas County, then of Phillips and next of Crittenden, and was finally erected into a sepa- rate county by the Territorial legislature Novem- ber 1, 1833.
Its original boundaries extended as far west as the St. Francis River, and embraced 1,000 square miles. The first county seat, which was located
NOTE .- The above early history of Mississippi County has been furnished by the Hon. H. M. MeVeigb. of Osceola, from his manuscript history of the early set- tlements of Arkansas, a work on which he has been employing his leisure hours for the last three or four years. During this time he has examined and studied the original sources of Arkansas history, and personally in- terviewed all the surviving old settlers with whom he could get an audience, writing down their recollections. His work was undertaken solely for the purpose of pre- serving that valuable matter which was about to perish through the death of old settlers and loss of records.
-
YT7000 31912277MM
Boa , yourod lowed ai mail any oils andtad Intorino blido basyofsa na grises sta tedT .0081 Mereufl ofmal
XX
PAVENIVA | -MOITASIMAORO YTUDO
;biał oxid woło uzutmioy b'sottaos aell
gusos ads bijuau bliv
sor od insjure wasd and gtodos ,volt niklas yd dison bebarod sftrød Vigathisnose motoredi at ban dagob dasg eilt woo W JedW 129h boa sqiffid lo neds . (JonoO weenmed in Janq ) -qee doidw sevill iqqiaais
Tantoo otas I ni agitatoD nojof'E Ban ofnbreb
end II enerodrė ni seilunoO bred
fryd asd .od Holitw oo
patt buffwia im's bydimnaxo zeit
ne monw iffiw www Jpullover aisdi wwols-xmiliyw sol clu!
LAFUE daisug of Juoda erw doidw wo laim elds book dawords
.eslira ebed sovit boa edal eli yuibulodi eiff yd sage eds mo beseław - iquto selandins hon igginalbuild [sitngo diron eds no blesedt qui er po'bis ,sovn& usedtion odd Ja edad gitt yd lesty
sroyal bus exisI amonyT (d. 6 mars
446
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
opposite the Chickasaw Bluffs, was called Corn- wall. This place was on the site of an old Spanish encampment and has long since disappeared, and Osceola, the present county seat, was adopted soon after. The latter was first incorporated January 12, 1843, and again October 4, 1875.
Although this county, from its isolated situa- tion, and from being cut off from direct communi- cation with the rest of the State (the sunk lands of the St. Francis preventing communication with counties immediately adjoining it), may not be as well known as others, it nevertheless has a history, dating as far back as the year 1541. At that time its present territory was inhabited by races of people almost civilized, living in walled towns and cultivating immense fields of Indian corn. Of course the walls of their towns were made of wood, and both have long since disappeared; but there re- main even at this day evidences of the fact that the country was once densely inhabited. The enormous mounds, the great amount of Indian relies of all kinds scattered over the surface of the country, such as arrow and spear heads, pottery, etc., and human skeletons, which are continually being plowed up, amply confirm the statements of the historians of De Soto's ill-starred expedition of the density of the population of this country. The advent of De Soto is the real beginning of the history of what is now the State of Arkansas. The march of this leader to the Mississippi River was marked by deeds of unmitigated cruelty and oppression, which can not be read even at this day without a feeling of horror and indignation. After seven days' travel through an uninhabited desert from Alabama, the expedition came in sight of an immense river, which is thus described by the " Gentleman of Elvas," an eye witness and the historian of the expedition. "The river," says he, " was almost half a league broad. If a man stood still on the other side, it could not be discerned whether he was a man or not. The river was of great depth and of strong current; the water was always muddy ; there came floating down continually many trees and timber which the force of the water swept rapidly toward its mouth."
If the reader is acquainted with the lower Mis-
sissippi, he will have conclusive proof that these statements are not exaggerated. It stands to the credit of De Soto that he discovered the Missis- sippi, but such was a mere undesigned incident of the main object of his search, namely, wealth, and to this he could not possibly lay any claim. Per- haps no idea was more remote from his thoughts than the credit of having made this discovery. Seeking for gold, he would perhaps have been bet- ter pleased had the stream been a thousand miles out of his line of march, but finding it in his way he halted his command and went into camp where the city of Memphis now stands, and at once began preparations for crossing the river, which was ap- propriately given the name of Rio Grande. The work of building flat-boats was commenced, and for nearly a month his men labored industriously, plying the axe, saw and hammer with as little fear as at the same place in our own day, though around them were the warlike Chickasaws, and on the Arkansas side, in plain view, thousands of men- acing Indians.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.