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. 2 > Part 26
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Jasper Wright. The life of this gentleman has been rather an uneventful one, but clearly dem- onstrates how much can be accomplished and ac- quired under the most unfavorable circumstances. He was born in Barren County, Ky., in 1840, and, after assisting his father on the home farm until twenty-seven years of age, he began doing for himself, but dropped his farming implements in 1861 to enlist in the Crittenden Rangers, a cavalry company organized in Crittenden County, Ark. ; and was in the battles of Chickamauga, Corinth and Knoxville. He was paroled at Chester, S. C., in 1865, and returned to Poinsett County, which place has since been his home. He was married here, in 1867, to Miss Martha Jane Huston, a Ten- nesseean by birth, but her death occurred in 1875, she having borne a family of four children; Har- riet Jane (Mrs. Albright) and John William are the only ones now living. The following year Mr. Wright wedded Miss Laura Stevens, a Georgian, by whom he became the father of two children -Elizabeth and Bessie -but he was called upon to mourn her death in 1884. His next matrimonial venture was in 1885, his wife's maiden name be- ing Josephine McClellan; she was born in Tennes- see, and to them has been given one child, Lloyd D. In 1868 Mr. Wright purchased a timber tract of eighty acres, but sold it in 1879. and pur- chased another tract consisting of the same num- ber of acres. He has added eighty acres to this, and has fifty acres under cultivation. He has always voted the Democratic ticket, and has served as justice of the peace for some years, and in 1886 was elected county and probate judge, serving two years. Socially, he is a member of the Agricultu- ral Wheel, and also belongs to Harrisburg Lodge of the A. F. & A. M. He and wife are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is one of five children born to Joseph and Sarah (Ford) Wright, natives of Tennessee and Ken- tucky, respectively. In 1844 they removed to Poinsett County, Ark., and here spent the rest of their lives, the father's death occurring in 1876, and the mother's in 1854.
W. L. Wright. Not without justice, Mr. Wright is conceded to hold a representative position among
the prominent and successful agriculturists of Poin- sett County, for he started out in life for himself at the age of twenty-one years with no means, and is now the owner of 240 acres, with about thirty- tive acres under the plow. He was born near Helena, Ark., in 1848, and his youth was spent in assisting on the home farm and in attending the public schools of St. Francis County. He removed to Illinois with his parents, but returned to Crit- tenden County, and was married here November 15, 1869, his wife being Miss Arena Johnson, a na- tive of that county. After raising four crops in Crittenden County, he, in 1872, went to Macoupin County, Ill., and after taking charge of his father's farm for three years he settled in Mississippi County, and engaged in farming. In the month of March, 1880, he came to Poinsett County, Ark., and first purchased a farm of forty acres. This he sold at a later period, and bought eighty acres, and has added to it until he now has 240 acres, as stated above. He is a Democrat in his political views, and for the past eight years has given his attention to pastoral work, he being a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. He has three charges in Mississippi County, one at Frenchman's Bayou, one at Cross Bayou, and the other at New Hope. Last year he was pastor of a church at Philadelphia, Crittenden County. He is a public- spirited citizen, and is deeply interested in the cause of education, having given his children such advantages as he could afford. Their names are: Clara Idella, Mattison McMullen, Maud Jane, Bed- ford Whitfield and Milton Edward. Mr. Wright has noticed many changes for the better since locating in this vicinity, and, judging from a moral and Christian standpoint, the county is rapidly im. proving. Mr. Wright numbers the fifth of his parents' nine children. Both his father and mother. W. I. and Jane (Gazell) Wright, were born in Kentucky, were married there, and in 1845 re- moved to Arkansas, and up to the year 1853 the father was a Baptist minister of Phillips County. At the latter date he removed to St. Francis Coun- ty, but returned to the former county in 1861, remaining two years. From that time until 1867 he resided on a farm in Poinsett County, and his
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next move was to Macoupin County, Ill., and after living in the town of Girard for three years he purchased a farm, on which he resided until bis
death, in February, 1875. His wife still survives him, and is now a Mrs. Sims, whose residence is in Raymond, Ill.
CHAPTER XXII.
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY-FORMATION AND ORGANIZATION-PUBLIC STRUCTURES-CATALOGUE OF OFFI- CIALS-THE FRANCHISE-ADMINISTRATION OF LAW-THE COMING OF THE PIONEERS-LOCATION OF THE COUNTY-ITS WATER COURSES-NUMEROUS PERSONAL AND BUSINESS SKETCHES-TIMBER AND MINES-LANDS AND CROPS-CENSU'S RETURNS-RAILROADS-RELIGIOUS GROWTH -TOWNS-POPULAR INSTRUCTION-WAR RECORD-FACTS AND STATISTICS.
In ancient times the sacred plow employ'd The kings and awful fathers of mankind, And some *
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Then, * with unwearied hand, * * * Seized the plow, and greatly independent lived. - Thomson.
HE county of Independence was organized in accord- ance with the provisions of an act of the legislature of Arkansas Territory, ap- proved October, 20, 1820. As then organized it em- braced much territory which has since, from time to time, been cut off and included in other counties as they were formed. Originally it composed a part of Lawrence County.
The town of Batesville having been established prior to the organ- ization of the county, and being centrally located, as well as enjoy- ing the advantages of a navigable river, was chosen as the seat of justice, and as such still continues. The first court-house, a brick structure, was erected in 1821, close to the bank of White River, and above
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the mouth of the bayou, on the public square, as shown by the town plat. The present court-house, which stands on block 15, at the corner of Broad and Main Streets, was erected in 1857 by Messrs. J. H. Peel and J. E. Wamac, at a cost of $10,000. It is a plain two-story brick building, with six rooms on the first floor, and court-room, jury and witness-rooms on the second. It has a wooden tower containing a town clock. The Paul Jail Company, of St. Louis, Mo., is now repairing the two-story stone residence of the jailer, and complet. ing a new jail attached, for the contract price of $7,500. It stands on the opposite side of the same block on which the court-house is located. the jail proper having seven cells for prisoners.
The county has a poor farm and asylum for the use of the paupers. It is six miles northeast of Batesville, and has good buildings. and abont fifty acres under cultivation. The county furnishes food and clothing for the indigent, the superintend- ent caring for them for the use of the farm.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
The following is a list of names of county officers of Independence County from its organiza- tion, with date of their terms of service:
County judges: James Boswell, 1829-32; Richard Peel, 1832-40; D. W. Lowe, 1840-44; John Kyler, 1844-46; John Mannikin, 1846-48; D. W. Lowe, 1848-54; J. C. Brickey, 1854-56; N. Peed, 1856-64; H. Hogan, 1864-66; G. W. Shaw, 1866-68; H. Hogan, 1868-72; commission- ers, 1872-74; Henry Neill, 1874-76; W. M. Steel, 1876-78; S. A. Hail, 1878-80; W. M. Steel, 1880-82; R. H. Griffin, 1882-86; A. J. Craig, pres- ent incumbent, first elected in 1886.
Clerks: R. Searcy, 1820-21; T. Curran, 1821-27; J. Redmond, 1827-32; C. H. Pelham, 1832-36; William Moore, 1836-38; C. H. Pelham, 1838-44; D. W. Lowe, 1844-48; W. R. Miller, 1848-54; R. R. Kellogg, 1854-56; Henry Powell, 1856-58; J. A. Price, 1858-62; M. A. Wycough, 1862-64; R. Harpham, 1864-66; Robert Neill, 1866-68; R. Harpham, 1868-72; W. H. Berry, 1872-74; E. M. Dickinson, 1874-86; M. A. Wy- cough, present incumbent, first elected in 1886.
Sheriffs: Charles Kelly, 1820-32; J. Egner, 1832-35; J. H. Egner, 1835-36; H. A. Engles, 1836-42; W. L. McGuire, 1842-47; A. Alexander, 1847-52; U. E. Foot, 1852-56; G. W. Daugherty, 1856-60; John Bailey, 1860-62; Dan James, 1862-64; John Palmer, 1864-66; F. D. Denton, 1866-68; J. J. Palmer, 1868-72; J. W. Kennedy, 1872-74; John Bailey, 1874-76; R. R. Case, 1876-82; R. M. Desha, 1882-86; McCurdy Hail, present incumbent, first elected in 1886.
Treasurers: J. H. Egner, 1836-40; S. B. Wy- cough, 1840-50; B. Lee, 1850-54; G. W. Dough. erty, 1854-56; Thomas Womack, 1856-58; R. Harpham, 1858-60; T. Chaplain, 1860-64; Frank- lin Perrin, 1866-68; J. Van Emberg, 1868-72; J. H. Foster, 1872-74; B. F. Howard, 1874-80; R. H. Lee, 1880-86; J. A. Hinkle, 1886-88; L. C. Lindsay, present incumbent, elected in 1888.
Coroners: John Reed, 1820-21; John Bean, 1821-23; J. L. Daniels, 1823-27; John Ruddell, 1827-29; A. Cresswell, 1829-30; Robert Bruce, 1830-32; J. Carroll, 1832-35; J. Merriweather, 1835-36; C. McArthul, 1836-38; H. W. Bandy,
1838-40; W. W. Baltimore, 1840-42; George Case, 1842-48; William O'Conner, 1848-52: Mar- tin Cason, 1852-54; G. M. Miniken (or Minni- kin), 1854-56; William O'Conner, 1856-58; H. Blevins, 1858-60; J. Thomas, 1860-62; J. Bethel, 1862-64; S. J. McGuffin, 1866-68; Charles Caw, 1868-72; W. R. Joplin, 1872-78; C. B. Grigsby, 1878-80; C. D. McCormack, 1880-82; K. E. Law- rence, 1882-84; Kent Lawrence, 1884-86; W. S. McGuire, 1886-88; J. L. Ellis, present incumbent, elected in 1888.
Surveyors: C. H. Pelham, 1827-30; J. Trim- ble, 1830-35; E. Frazier, 1835-40: Samuel Wel- din, 1840-42; A. Bowman, 1842-44; A. Manning, 1844-46; George Gill, 1846-48; T. S. Carter, 1848-52; J. Ireland, 1852-56; E. D. Rushing, 1856-58; C. P. Head, 1858-60; Robert Neill, 1860-62; Z. D. Bozart, 1862-64; James Grisham, 1864-66; J. S. Carter. 1866-68; J. S. Smith, 1868-72; J. M. C. Southard. 1872-76; W. A. Hill, 1876-78; J. M. C. Southard, 1878-82; John Hindman, 1882-88; G. MI. Thompson, present in- cumbent, elected in 1888.
Assessors: W. H. Grigsby, 1862-64; E. D. Rushing, 1864-66; R. H. Lee, 1866-68; T. A. Baxter, 1868-72; E. C. Patchell, 1872-74; D. R. Ford, 1874-76: William Taylor, 1876-82; T. B. Padgett, 1882-84; Thomas Owens, 1884-86; C. H. Webb, 1886-88: Josiah Martin, present incum- bent, elected in 1888.
Delegates in constitutional conventions: 1836, John Ringgold and Townsend Dickinson: 1861, M. S. Kennard, U. E. Fort and F. W. Desha; 1864, C. C. Bliss; 1868, Peter G. Misner and George W. Dale; 1874, J. W. Butler and J. Rutherford. Peyton Tucker represented Inde- pendence County in the council of the Second Territorial legislature, in 1821, and J. Ringgold represented Independence and Jackson Counties in the senate of the First State legislature: at the same time T. Dickinson representing Independence County in the house.
The political aspect of the county may be in. ferred from the votes cast for the several candi- dates at the last State and Presidental elections. which were as follows: September election, ISSS.
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for governor, James P. Eagle (Dem.), 2,012; C. M. Norwood (Com. Opp.), 2,051; for secretary of State, B. B. Chism (Dem.), 2,002; George W. Terry (Com. Opp.), 2,050; Presidential election, 1888, Cleveland (Dem.), 1,789; Harrison (Rep.), 324; Streeter (U. L.), 1,220; Fisk (Prohibition), 36.
As the county was created October 20, 1820, it is most likely that the first session of court was held in the latter part of that year or early in the year following; but no record of any court appears on file until the "Common Pleas" court convened at Batesville on Monday, November 19, 1821, with Judges Richard Peel and William Moore, presiding. This court assumed jurisdiction over all business, including county, probate and crim- inal affairs. So far as the record shows, this was the last term of the common pleas court. The same volume of records immediately following the last proceeding of the above shows that in Janu- ary, 1822, the Hon. Richard Searcy, judge of the First judicial district, appeared and produced his commission as such, and opened the first term of the circuit court at Batesville. A grand jury was then chosen, and sworn to perform their duties, and Thomas Dickinson was appointed prosecuting attorney for the term. This court had jurisdiction now over all kinds of business, and was the only court held until 1829, when the county court was created by the legislature.
Judge Searcy presided over the circuit court until November, 1825, when he was succeeded by Judge James Woodson Bates. The first term of the county court began April 5, 1830, with James Boswell, judge presiding.
The circuit court now belongs to the Third judicial district, composed of the counties of Jackson, Lawrence, Stone, Randolph, Independ- ence and Sharp, with Judge J. W. Butler, of Bates- ville, presiding, and J. L. Abernethy, of Evening Shade, as prosecuting attorney. The sessions of this court are held in Independence County, commenc- ing on the first Monday of January and July of each year. The sessions of the county court begin on the first Mondays of January, April. July and October, and the probate court the first Mondays of February, May, August and November.
The legal bar of Independence County is com- posed of the following named attorneys: H. S. Coleman, J. C. Yancey, Robert Neill, W. A. Bev- ens, J. J. Barnwell, Ex. - Gov. Elisha Baxter, Sam- uel Peete, W. B. Padgett, Charles Bourne, J. C. Bone and W. B. Ruddell.
Independence County has been comparatively free from the perpetration of the grosser crimes. Since the Civil War there has been only one exe- cution for the crime of murder committed here- the hanging of Jesse Kemp for the murder of Mar- ion Hulsey. He was tried on a change of venue and executed in Sharp County. Another person suffered capital punishment in the county for a murder committed elsewhere.
French traders and trappers ascended White River long before the permanent settlement of the country traversed by it began. A party of these people encamped and hunted bear in the region now known as Oil Trough Bottom, in Independ- ence County. Here they slew many bear, from which they rendered the oil, filled their barrels and had a surplus left. This letter was put into wooden troughs and left in the camp, the intention probably being to return for it. However, no one called, and the oil spoiled in the troughs. Hence the name Oil Trough Bottom. These traders and hunters left many marks of their travels at various places up and down the river, which were plainly visible to the pioneer settlers. Not a few of the streams and other natural objects were named by the French and Spaniards ..
The permanent settlement of this territory is believed to have commenced about the year 1810, or perhaps a little earlier. John Reed located at the site of Batesville in 1812. Samuel Miller, of Tennessee, came in 1813, and subsequently settled on the creek that bears his name in this county. Col. Robert Bean ran the first keel-boat up White River and established himself at the mouth of Polk Bayou (Batesville) in 1814. James Micham settled near the same place in the same year. In 1817. James Trimble and his family, including Jackson S. Trimble, who now lives at Sulphur Rock. and who was then a small child, came from Kentucky and chose a location five miles southwest of Bates-
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
ville. Col. Hartwell Boswell, John H. Ringgold, John Redmond and Henry Engles all came from the same State to Batesville some time prior to 1820.
The following named persons composed the first grand jury empaneled for the county in the circuit court, in January, 1822: George Teil, Byrd Candrey, James Akin, John Morgan, Henry Mor- ris, David Magness, John Cochran, William Sneed, George Trimble, Peter Taylor, William Matney, Benedict White, Joshua Minyard, Amos Friend, William Friend, Robert Bruce and Morgan Mag- ness. These, of course, were all prominent pioneer settlers. John Magness, father of Morgan Mag- ness, was also a pioneer of note. Space only per- mits the mention here of a few of the most prominent early residents, but two of whom, so far as known, are now living: James Micham and Jackson S. Trimble. For other pioneers the reader is referred to the list of early county offi- cers and biographical sketches.
Independence County, located in the north- eastern part of the State, is bounded north by Izard, Sharp and Lawrence Counties, east by Jack- son, south by Jackson and White, and west by Cleburne and Stone. It has an area of 700 square miles, a considerable portion of which remains un- improved.
Its boundary lines are as follows: Beginning on the line dividing Townships 14 and 15 north, where Black River lastly crosses it in its downward course; thence west on the township line to the range line between Ranges 4 and 5 west; thence north to the corner between Sections 13 and 24, Township 15 north, Range 5 west; thence west on section lines to the southwest corner of Section 18, Township 15 north, Range 7 west; thence south 45° west seven and a half miles to White River; thence down White River to the mouth of Wolf Bayou; thence up Wolf Bayou to the line dividing Townships 12 and 13; thence east to the northeast corner of Town- ship 12 north, Range S west; thence south on the range line to the line dividing Townships 10 and 11 north; thence east on the township line to the line dividing Ranges 3 and 4 west; thence north on the range line to White River; thence down
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White River to the mouth of Black River; thence up Black River to the place of beginning.
The surface of the county, in general, is quite broken and hilly, and in some places it might be considered mountainous. Along the streams there are beautiful valleys, and on the summits of the ridges between the streams many tracts of fair table lands are seen. A large proportion of the hilly lands are so completely covered with stone and bed rock as to render their cultivation impos- sible. The famous Oil Trough Bottom is a tract of very rich alluvial land, fifteen miles in length and about three miles in width, lying on the south- west side of White River, in the southeast part of the county. It is level, but not subject to over- flow, and is especially well adapted to the pro- duction of wheat and corn. At its head is the Oil Trough Ridge, with a height of 152 feet. In this ridge is a black limestone capable of a superior polish. About five miles above Batesville a bold headland on the south side of White River, known as "Shields' Bluff," or White River Mountain, is a conspicuous object. This mountain is some 570 feet above the river, and is a noted land-mark in Arkansas as having been the point where the old Cherokee line commenced at White River, and ran southwest along the dividing ridge, of which it forms the terminating bluff on the river.
From Miller's Creek to Batesville the hills are from 130 to 240 feet in height. Red sbales, run- ning downward into brown and black shales, with calcareous septaria, occupy the base of the hills around Batesville; these shales are surmounted by 150 to 180 feet of sandstone. Between Bates- ville and the " Big Spring," there are high ridges elevated about 450 feet above White River, com- posed in their upper part of both compact and cellular chert; the latter partaking of the character of buhr-stone. The descent from these chert ridges to the "Big Spring" is some 260 feet. (State Geological Report). Building stone of excellent quality exists in unlimited quantity in Independ- ence County, and in the cavernous limestone re- gions, hundreds of caves, from small to great dimensions, are numerous.
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passes through it in a direction a little south of east, leaving the larger portion of the area to the north. The creeks that flow into this river from the south are Wolf Bayou, which forms a portion of the western boundary of the county, Green- briar, Salido and Goodie; and those flowing into it from the north are Lafferty, Spring Creek, Polk Bayou and Big Creek. South Big, Elbow, Fourteen Mile, Ten Mile and Departee Creeks drain the extreme southern part, flowing southward. Cura and Dota Creeks, in the north- eastern portion of the county, flow into Black River, where the latter forms a portion of the east- ern boundary line. With the streams here named, and their various tributaries, the locality is well drained. Many springs abound, the most noted of which is Big Spring, about six miles northwest of Batesville. Here a volume of the clearest water rises from a cavernous passage at the foot of an amphitheatre of hills of cherty, siliceous lime- stone, sufficient in quantity to turn a small grist- mill, which stands a short distance below. This spring is quite a noted locality in Independence County. Good well water can be obtained at vari- ous places at a moderate depth, while cisterns are generally in use. From the several sources named an abundant supply of water is obtained for all purposes. White and Black Rivers are both nav- igable to points above this vicinity. The former may be traversed by the large steamers that ply the lower waters, as far up as Batesville, and by small vessels, to Leadville in Missouri. The latter is navigable for boats of medium size as far as Poca- hontas, in Randolph County, and for smaller ves- sels to points at a greater distance above.
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Independence is in the mineral belt of this part of the State. The ores found are oxides of iron and manganese, galena and occasionally copper pyrites. The richest beds of manganese are located in the vicinity of Lafferty Creek and the town of Cushman, to which latter place the railroad has been extended from Batesville, on account of the rich mineral deposits thereabouts. Lead has been mined to some extent on Cura Creek, in the northeast part of the county. Throughout this mineral belt manganese ore is found in different de-
grees of purity, from that which is worthless, up to the best, which is very rich and remarkably free from phosphorus and silica. It is usually detected between a top covering of burnt flint and limestone at various depths beneath. The principal mines now worked are the Southern Mine and the Turner Mines, both in Stubbs Township. The Keystone Iron & Manganese Company, of Johnstown, Pa., one of William Carnegie's companies, own the for- Andrew mer and control the latter. They have a very exten- sive plant of machinery at the Southern Mine, and generally keep about fifty men employed. The ore from this and the Turner Mines is of the finest de- scription. Considerable work is being done in other mines in the way of developing them.
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