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 27

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1044

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 27

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).

There are millions of tons of the better class of ore in this belt awaiting only the investment of the intelligent capitalist to reap a rich reward for his investment; but capital is necessary. *

The timber growth of Oil Trough Bottom is pin oak, red oak, water oak, elm, pecan, black wal- nut, sweet gum, hackberry and buckeye, with an un- dergrowth of large pawpaw, grape vines, spice- wood, etc. The bottom lands, though of limited extent, in the northwest part of the county sup- port a growth of black walnut, Spanish oak, ash, and over-cup oak, with an undergrowth of spice and large grape-vines. A similar growth of tim- ber is found in the valleys throughout the county. Much of the upland is covered with black and white oak, hickory and dogwood, and the princi- pal growth on the cherty limestone land consists of black-jack, sassafras and persimmon.

A large proportion of the more broken lands still belong to the United States, and are subject to homestead entry. The State also owns consid- erable, which can be procured very cheap. The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad Com- pany have a large amount of land within the coun- ty, and the balance belongs to individuals. The soil of the Oil Trough Bottom is unsurpassed in fer- tility. It is dark colored and of a clayey consis. teney, having a depth of from five to six feet. It yields from a bale to a bale and a half of cotton, fifty to one hundred bushels of corn. and from

*From the Batesville Guard of October 26. 1858.

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twenty to forty bushels of wheat per acre. The soil of the other bottom lands are generally com- posed of alluvial deposits, and are very rich and productive, while that of the uplands is, as a rule, light and sandy. Much of the upland will not pro- duce more than from five to ten bushels of wheat, and from ten to twenty bushels of corn, and from one-half to three-fourths of a bale of cotton per acre. All kinds of fruit trees flourish and do well when cultivated, even where scarcely any thing else can be grown. A State Geological Report published before the late Civil War, speaks of the soil in general as follows: "A considerable diversity of soil is to be found in Independence County, corresponding to changes in the underlying geological formations. Though the surface is considerably broken, still there are extensive areas of table land underlaid by cherty subcarbonifer- ous limestones. These soils are rich, and being based on red clay, are retentive and durable; they are similar in composition to the land in the bar- rens of Kentucky. There are, also, extensive tracts of bottom land, bordering on the numerous small streams which water this county, that are well adapted for cultivation.'

Much of the timber of the county has been cut into logs and rafted down White River to dis- tant market points, while some has been sawed into lumber and shipped away by rail; an abundant supply, however, remains for domestic purposes, and wood for fuel seems almost inexhaustible. Thus far the county's chief sources of income have been the growing of cotton and corn and the rais- ing of live stock. It is believed, however, that ere long the mineral products will become equally profitable. When thousands of men are employed to dig the ores from the earth, and other thousands are engaged in manufacturing the products at or near home, and home markets are established for the surplus farm yield, greater prosperity must reign!

In 1880 the United States census showed that Independence had 2,465 farms and 84, 766 acres of improved land. From these the vegetable pro- ductions for the year 1879 were as follows: Indian corn, 691, 188 bushels; oats, 61, 209 bushels; wheat,

57,104 bushels; hay, 396 tons; cotton, 11,156 bales; Irish potatoes, 11,251 bushels; sweet pota- toes, 16,583 bushels; tobacco, 21, 726 pounds. In the production of tobacco, the county then ranked seventh in the State. It will be interesting to com- pare with these figures the productions of the pres- ent year (1889), when the census of 1890 shall be published. The number of head of live stock here in 1880, was: Horses, 3,742; mules and asses, 2,297; neat cattle, 15,553; sheep, 11,351; hogs, 32,911. The live stock as shown by the abstract of taxable property for the year 1888 was: Horses, 4,199; mules and asses, 2, 707; neat cattle, 20,570; sheep, 5,642; hogs, 26,675. By comparison it will be seen that since 1880 there has been a large increase in horses, mules and asses, and neat cattle, but a decrease of nearly 50 per cent in the number of sheep and a large apparent decrease in the number of hogs. In 1880, and for years prior thereto, the Arkansas Woolen Mills, located on Sullivan Creek, some seven miles north of Bates- ville, were in operation, manufacturing all kinds of woolen goods. These mills furnished a home market for wool, in consequence of which the rais- ing of sheep in the county had become a leading industry. On the 9th of May, 1882, these valuable mills were washed away and destroyed in a flood. Thus the home market for wool was to some ex- tent overthrown. This, together with the reduced price of wool in general, probably accounts for the falling off in the number of sheep. There was no real decrease in the number of hogs raised, though the figures might indicate such to be the case.

In 1880 the county real estate was assessed for taxation at $1,465,271, and the personal property at $865,869, making a total of $2,331,140, the taxes upon which amounted in the aggregate to $34,719. In 1888 real estate was assessed for tax- ation at $2,464, 413, and the personal property at $1,759,488, making a total of $4,223,901; the total amount of taxes charged thereon was $55, 445.90. These figures show that since 1880 the taxable wealth of the county has almost doubled.

The population of Independence County at the end of each census decade since its organization has been as follows: 1830, 2,031; 1840, 3,669:

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1850, 7,767; 1860, 14,307; 1870, 14,566; 1880, 18,086. The colored population in 1860 was 1,337; in 1870, 908, and in 1880, 1,382.

The Batesville branch of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad was completed to Batesville in 1882 and extended on to Cushman in 1886. It leaves the main line at a point near Newport. This is the only railway outlet with which this locality is favored.

The Methodists were the pioneer religious workers in Independence County, the Baptists coming next. Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, there are now Batesville station, Rev. J. C. Brown, pastor-membership 220; Sulphur Rock circuit, embracing five appointments, Rev. D. W. Reid, pastor, with an aggregate membership of 590; Bethesda circuit, having about five appointments, Rev. A. P. Saffold, pastor, with an aggregate mem- bership of 510; and Jamestown circuit, including. seven appointments, Rev. T. A. Craig, pastor, with an aggregate membership of 460. Some of the circuits perhaps embrace a few appointments be- yond the county limits. All these organizations belong to the Batesville district of the White River conference, of which Rev. H. T. Gregory, of Bates- ville, is the presiding elder.

There are within the county the following Bap- tist Church organizations, pastors and member- ships: Batesville, Elder A. J. Barton, 90; Bell- view, Mt. Olivet, Maple Spring and Union Grove, James Purcelley, respective memberships 60, 76, 87 and 55; Center Grove, R. B. Belomy, 172; Eu- topia, M. M. Burge, 41; Martin's Chapel, G. W. James, 23; New Prospect, 25; Olive Branch, O. M. Wood, 46; Providence, J. D. Faulkner, 21; Pleasant Plains, C. W. Betts, 44; Rehobeth, J. W. Goodwin, 95; Sulphur Rock, J. W. Bell, 7; and Cave Spring, J. L. McCord, 83. All of these be- long to the Independence Association of Mission- ary Baptists.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, at Batesville, with a membership of about 90, is the only organiza- tion of that denomination within the county.

The Batesville Presbyterian, is the only "Old School" church organization within the county. A. R. Kennedy, D. D., is the pastor, and the

membership is 128. The Cumberland Presbyter- ians have the following organizations and pastors: Jamestown, Philip Jeffrey; New Hope, James Bone; Sulphur Rock and Mount Zion, Henry Gib- son. These will average about forty members each. In addition is a mission at Batesville, with Rev. A. N. Nunn as pastor.

Other denominations of less numerical strength within the county, having few organizations, are the Christian, Methodist Episcopal, and perhaps some others. The colored people have two Method- ist and one Baptist Church organizations in Bates- ville. Sunday-schools are generally taught in con- nection with the stronger churches. Upon the whole the community is well supplied with church- es and schools.

Batesville, the county seat, is situated on the north side of White River, at the mouth of Polk Bayou. In 1812, one John Reed, from Missouri, cut down the first tree on the site where it now stands, and erected a small store house, and with a supply of notions and whisky traded with the Indians, trappers and hunters. His example was followed during the next five years by C. Kelly, Robert Bean, Boswell, Ringgold and Redmond. The town was named after Judge James Woodson Bates, the first delegate to Congress from Arkan- sas Territory. The principal trade of the place during its early existence was that of supplying the settlers with groceries and provisions, for which hides and furs from the then numerous wild animals were taken in exchange. At that period the only means of intercourse with the older States was by keel-boats, and the trade was principally with New Orleans. But as time passed on and the country improved, Batesville became, as it now is. a beautiful and substantial city of nearly, if not quite, 3,000 inhabitants. It is attractively located on a plane inclining from the north toward White River, and on both sides of Polk Bayou-the busi- ness portion being mostly east of the latter stream.

The business part of the town begins at Chest . nut Street and extends up Main Street on both sides for about five blocks. In this vicinity, ex- tending out also on the cross streets, are nineteen substantial buildings of sandstone, this stone hav-

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ing been procured near by. These nineteen build- ings embrace the Arlington Hotel, the cotton ware- house and twenty stores. There are seven brick buildings (all two stories except one), containing fourteen stores. Two buildings are covered with corrugated iron, and many others are made of wood. Many fine brick, stone and frame resi- dences are also found. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Baptists have each a large and commodious stone church edifice; the Presby- terians have a fine brick, and the Episcopalians a neat frame building. The colored people have three church houses. The public school-house is a large two-story brick, with a one-story stone building attached. The Arkansas College, a sub- stantial brick structure of two stories, occupies a commanding position in the eastern part of town. There are also numerous other fine buildings and manufacturing establishments here, indicating thrift and energy above most places.

Batesville contains two banks, fourteen general stores, eleven groceries, two book and notion stores, three hardware stores, three drug stores, one dry goods and clothing store, two millinery, one fur- niture and two jewelry stores, two auction houses, one music and sewing machine store, a merchant tailor, two harness stores, three meat markets and a bakery; also a full complement of mechanics and their shops; the town is also supplied with two public halls, two large and commodious hotels- the Arlington and the McDowell House-and sev- eral smaller ones, a number of restaurants, two livery stables, a telephone exchange, connecting the town with Jamestown, Melbourne, Barren Fork, Cushman, Sulphur Rock, the Oil Trough district and Newport, a Pacific Express office, the Batesville Iron Works, a steam planing-mill and sash and door factory, two steam saw-mills, two flouring-mills, a wool carding-mill, a cotton-gin, a large canning and evaporating factory, a neat rail- road depot, a well arranged post office, an abstract office, etc. The professions are also supplied. The various prominent secret societies are well represented.

The trade of the place is extensive. Several of the leading stores do a large wholesale business,

supplying the country merchants and merchants of many smaller towns with goods.

During the cotton season of 1887-88 over 20,000 bales of cotton were shipped from this point, 12,000 of which belonged to the trade proper of Batesville, and the number of car loads of other commodities shipped away were as follows: Cedar, 824; railroad ties, 89; manganese ore, 152; zinc ore, 2; stone (dressed), 127; lime, 16; general merchandise, 171; cotton, 1,013; cot- ton seed, 32; total, 2,426. About a mile from the court-house is the fair ground of the Inde- pendence County Agricultural and Mechanical Fair Association, being an enclosure of twenty acres, containing a good race track, a grand stand and an agricultural hall. Very near the fair ground is Oaklawn Cemetery, owned by the cor- poration of Batesville. The town is incorporated, and has a full set of corporate officers and five aldermen. The present mayor is the Hon. J. C. Yancy. As a prosperous, growing and beautiful little city, and one whose cleanliness is proverbial, Batesville certainly compares most favorably with any in Northeast Arkansas.

This is a terminal point in the navigation of White River. It is the head of navigation for the large steamers that ply the lower waters, and the foot for the smaller up-river crafts. A powerful steam elevator belonging to the railroad company transfers the freight between the railway and the boats. *

The place also contains two weekly news- papers, the Batesville Guard, a Democratic paper of general news, now in its thirteenth volume, edited and published by M. Y. Todisman, and the Wheel, in its third volume, edited and published by Messrs. Martin and Bradley, deaf-mutes. The latter advocates the cause of the order known as the " Wheel," an organization professedly opposed to tyranny and monopoly. Both of these papers are ably conducted, and have proven a prominent factor in the influence exerted toward the advance- ment of the community.

Cushman, situated at the present terminus of

* For the history of Batesville acknowledgments are made to the Batesville Guard.

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the railroad, nine miles northwest of Batesville, contains three general stores, three groceries, a blacksmith and wood shop, a postoffice, several dwellings, etc. Though only three years old, its growth has been steady.

Jamestown, on the Batesville and Clinton road, seven miles south of Batesville, contains four gen- eral stores, a postoffice, a blacksmith and wood shop, three school-houses, a public school building, a grist-mill and cotton-gin, and about 200 inhabi- tants.

Newark is on the railroad, in the eastern part of the county, and has a depot, post-office, four gen- eral stores, a drug store, two saloons, a still house, a saw and grist-mill and cotton-gin, a church edi- fice, a school house, and about 300 people.

Pleasant Plains, on the Batesville and Little Rock road, about twenty miles south of the former place, is comprised of three general stores, a blacksmith and wood shop, postoffice, academy, a church house, and about 200 inhabitants.

Sulphur Rock, on the railroad, eight miles east of Batesville, is a substantial old village, contain- ing a postoffice, eight general stores, three drug stores, two groceries, pottery works, several me- chanics' shops, a hotel, livery stable, two churches, two school-houses-academy and free school, lodges of several secret societies, and a complement of professional men. The town is incorporated and does a large amount of business. Its popula- tion is about 500.

The educational facilities of Independence County are best shown by the following statistics, from the report of the State superintendent of public instruction, for the year ending June 30, 1888: Scholastic population, white, males, 3,599; females, 3,268; total, 6,867; colored, males, 289; females, 276; total, 564; total white and colored, 7,432. Number of pupils taught in the public schools, white, 3,682; colored, 337; total, 4,019; number of school districts, 81; number of teachers employed, males, 76; females, 12, or a total of 88. Average monthly salaries paid teachers of first ; grade, males, $45.00; females, $40.00; in second grade, males, $37.50; females, $30.00; third grade, males, $32.50, females, $25.00. There was

expended for the support of the public schools during the year, $21,202. 15 for teachers' salaries; $521.84 for treasurer's commissions, and $1,504.89 for other purposes; total $23,228.88. The num- ber of districts voting tax was 32. According to these official statistics, about 72 per cent of the white and about 60 per cent of the colored scholastic population were taught in the public schools during the year. It is believed, however, that the statistics do not give the whole number of pupils who received instruction in the schools. The free school system is gaining popular favor and becoming more and more efficient.

The Arkansas College, located at Batesville, is a noted institution of learning, under the man- agement of the Presbyterian denomination. It was founded in 1872, and has long been an established success. Then, as now, Rev. I. J. Long was president of the faculty. There are four courses of study: Primary, common school, bachelor of science, and the classical, mathematical and scientific. The college buildings consist of a large two-story brick and a large one-story stone house. They are pleasantly located in the eastern part of the city. The school is well patronized both at home and from abroad.

There has always been in Independence County a strong sentiment of loyalty to the general gov- ernment. Out of about 1,800 votes cast in the county for delegates to the State convention before the first guns were fired in the Civil War, only about 300 were given to the candidates favoring secession. As soon, however, as the "dogs of war" were let loose, the loyal sentiment was sup- pressed and the secession element became predomi- nant. Many Union men refugeed to the North, and many others were pressed into the Confederate service. Companies for the Confederate army began to be organized in the spring of 1861. and before the struggle was over the county had fur- nished about fifteen companies for that army. These were commanded respectively by Capts. W. E. Gibbs, John H. Dye, George W. Rutherford. J. W. Cullins, S. C. Jones, S. Carson, J. S. Tracy, W. S. Smalley, T. J. Morgan, N. Floyd. E. Bride- well, S. J. McGuffin, James McCauley and others.

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The most of these companies served in the Seventh and Eighth Arkansas Confederate regiments. On the 3rd of May, 1862, Gen. Curtis, of the Federal army, arrived at and established his headquarters at Batesville, and sent portions of his army to occupy other points in this part of the State. Immediately afterward a battalion of six com- panies, commanded respectively by Capts. Turney, H. V. Gray, Davis and others, was organized at Batesville under the charge of Col. Elisha Baxter, for the Federal army. After marching this bat- talion to Helena, Col. Baxter, who declined fur- ther to command it, turned it over to Lieut. - Col. 1

Bundy, of Chicago, who assumed command. This battalion was raised principally in Independence County. In the fall of 1863, Col. Baxter recruited and organized another battalion of six companies at Batesville, known as the Fourth Arkansas Mounted Infantry, or "Steele Guards," the latter name being in honor of Gen. Steele. The nucleus of this battalion was the company of Capt. Will- iam P. Berry. This command was also raised mostly in Independence County. It served about a year for the Union cause, and was disbanded without having been mustered into the United States service. A number of loyal men joined Col. Phelps' Missouri and other Federal regiments. By the best authority it is estimated that from first to last about 1,000 men of the county served in the Union army.

Gen. Curtis remained with his army at Bates- ville until nearly July 1, 1862. This place was re- occupied about the 1st of January, 1864, by a Federal force under Col. Livingston, who held it for several months, and at the close of the war, and for some time after, it was garrisoned by Federal troops. In January or February, 1864, while Col. Livingston commanded the post of Batesville, he sent a forage train into the country under an escort of about 180 soldiers. This force was attacked, a few miles out, by a Confederate force under Capt. George Rutherford. The escort was defeated, with some loss in killed and wounded, the forage train was captured and some forty-odd wagons were burned, and the mules taken away by the Confederates. This was known as the "Waugh

Fight," and was the only engagement in the coun- ty between the contending parties worthy of men- tion. The county was over-run by both armies, the results of which were somewhat felt by private cit- izens.

Independence County is undoubtedly in the center of a community rich in everything that tends to contribute to the happiness and welfare of man. Liberally supplied by nature with unsur- passed advantages of soil, climate and location, it needs no argument to convince the most skeptical of its desirability as a place of residence. Time will demonstrate the wonderful resources here awaiting development.

William R. Albright was born in North Caro- lina on the 16th of November, 1849, and is a son of Alvis and Mary (Stockard) Albright, both of whom were born in North Carolina, also, and were there reared, educated and married. Five sons and five daughters blessed their union: Samuel, George A., Alson G., Peggie, Nancy A., Julia E., William R., Franklin P., Mary Jane and Harriet E. Alvis Albright was a Mason, and he and wife were mem- bers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in which faith he died, on March 3, 1881. His widow still survives him, and finds a pleasant home among her children, but the most of her time is spent in Izard County, with one of her children. William R. Albright acquired a good practical education in Independence County, and was mar- ried on the 22d of February, 1877, to Miss Mary Ann Meacham, who was also born, March 2, 1555. in this State and county. Their family numbers four children, three sons and one daughter: Alvis E. and. William F. (twin sons, born June 22. 1880), Oscar A. and Cora L. Mr. Albright owns a farm of 300 acres, and is careful and painstaking in the cultivation of his land, and is very thorough in everything connected with its managememt. One hundred acres he devotes to the raising of the different cereals. He has been secretary and con- ductor, holding also other offices in the order of the I. O. O. F., of which organization he is a member, and he and Mrs. Albright have been

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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 27

Author: Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1044

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis : The Goodspeed Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1044