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 53

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 53

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).

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Williams is the fourth son of three sons and five daughters, and did not receive much education, owing to limited school facilities. He began farming for himself at the age of twenty years, and continued in that occupation for three years. He then turned his attention to milling, a business for which he seems to be especially adapted, and has remained at it ever since. ' In August, 1879, he was married to Sarah, daughter of Lewis Graddy, but lost his wife in 1884, and by this marriage had two children, one of them, a daugh- ter, still living. In 1886 he was married to Mat- tie, daughter of John W. and Emma Bristow, natives of Boone County, Ark., who moved to Sharp County after the war, where Mrs. Bristow died. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Williams, of whom one daughter is still living. Mr. Williams is a member of the A. F. & A. M. (Evening Shade Lodge), and has been junior deacon for two years, and is also a member of the Order of Eastern Star. He is one of the most enterpris- ing and popular citizens of Sharp County, and a man who takes every opportunity to make that county one of the most progressive in Arkansas.

Samuel Yates, farmer, of Union Township, six miles north of Martin's Creek postoffice, was born in East Tennessee, July 24, 1830; son of Nathaniel and Margaret (Davis) Yates, both natives of Ten- nessee, born in 1803 and 1805, respectively, where they each died. Nathaniel Yates was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Our subject was the fourth of a family of seven children, five of whom are now living. He was raised in Tennessee, receiving his education in the common schools. In 1853 he married Miss Jane Davis, born in Ten- nessee in 1829, the daughter of Benjamin and Eleanor Davis, who both died in Tennessee. Mrs. Davis is the mother of eight children, all liv- ing: Eleandora (wife of C. C. Reaves), Mary M. (wife of Robert Wood), Nancy C. (wife of Broad- foot Wells), John, William (in Texas), Thomas A., Benjamin N. and John S. In 1871 Samuel Yates came to Independence County, Ark., re- sided there till 1881, when he removed to Sharp County, where he now lives. He has 160 acres of land, about fifty of which are under cultivation. 48

He is now serving his third term as justice of the peace of Union Township, and gives good satis- faction. He is a Democrat in politics. Mrs. Yates is a member of the Baptist Church.

Lemuel A. Yeager, a well-known and prominent farmer of Piney Fork Township, was born in White County, Tenn., in 1827. He is a son of Solomon and Nancy (Dearing) Yeager, born in East Tennessee and South Carolina, respectively. and married in White County, Tenn., where they resided until the year 1850, and then moved to what is now Sharp County, Ark., the father dying there in December, 1886, and the mother several years previous, both of them being members of the Baptist faith. The elder Yeager was a farmer, and for twelve years justice of the peace in White County, Tenn. He was afterward elected county and probate judge of Lawrence County, for two years, and for six years in the same capacity at Sharp County. He was a son of Solomon Yeager, of Virginia, who fought in the Revolution, and whose parents came originally from Germany to this country. Lemuel A. Yeager's grandfather, John W. Dearing, was a South Carolinian, who lived many years in White County, Tenn., and died in the northern part of Missouri. Lemuel was the second child of two sons and one daughter. and received a good common school education in his youth. He was married, in 1846, to Louisa, daughter of John and Elizabeth Robinson, of Virginia and North Carolina, respectively, who resided in White County, Tenn., when Mrs. Yeager was born. Nine children were the results of this marriage, of whom eight are still living. In 1850 Mr. Yeager and his family moved to what is now Sharp County, Ark., and, in 1861, settled on the farm where he now resides. The land was but very little improved at that period, and covered with timber, but since then he has cleared sixty acres, and put them under cultivation, and owns altogether about 240 acres. In 1868 he was elected sheriff of Lawrence County for four years. but when Sharp County was brought in he refused to move to Lawrence County, and resigned his office after one year's service. In politics, he was formerly a Whig, but is now a Republican.

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

CHAPTER XXIV.

LAWRENCE COUNTY-PERIOD OF SETTLEMENT-THE MOUND BUILDERS-BOUNDARY OF THE COUNTY- TOPOGRAPHY-RIVERS OR CREEKS-TIMBER, SOIL AND PRODUCTS-MINERALS AND OTHER RESOURCES-LIVE STOCK-TAXABLES-POPULATION-RAILROADS-LEGAL MATTERS- THE CIVIL WAR-SCHOOL AFFAIRS-CHURCH STRENGTH-THE COUNTY CREATED-ITS OFFICERS, BUILDINGS AND SEAT OF JUSTICE- POLITICAL STATISTICS-TOWNS AND VILLAGES- PERSONAL NOTICES.

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AWRENCE COUNTY had men murdered in the country. William B. Marshall its pioneer settlements along was an early politician, and served twenty years in the legislature. Other early pioneers were the Thornburgs, near Smithville, G. W. Jackson, near Running Water, Col. John Miller, and Robert Smith, who sold goods at Davidsonville, when that was the county seat. the water courses, and the first location that can posi- tively be mentioned was that of 1812, though undoubt- edly previous ones were made. Prominent among the first There was a French settlement on the east side of Black River, at what is now Clover Bend, headed by Peter Lamew, a Frenchman, and the tract known as the Spanish Grant, on the same river, at Lauratown, was settled by Charles Logan and William Russell, assignees of John Baptiste Janis. to whom the grant was confirmed. Henson Ken- yon settled near this grant. settlers were the McKnights, Taylors, Finleys. Hillhouses, Richardsons, Ja- cob Fortenberry, John Spotts, Sam- uel Raney and the parents of Will- iam J. Hudson, * who settled on Straw- berry River; Col. William Stuart, John Richie, James Kuykendall. Hi- ram Darter, Isaac Morris and the Waylands, on Flat Creek; Ferguson Sloan, Booker Bennett, the Imbodens, Wyatts, the Wellses, John Hardin. James Couch, William B. Marshall, and a Mr. Berry, on Spring River. The latter was shot and killed at his plow by an unknown person soon after coming, and was among the first

John S. Ficklin, the original owner of the site at Powhatan, and also the Houghtons, Watsons, Capts. T. J. Warner, and John A. Lindsey were early residents near Black River. The eastern part of the county was settled later than the west- ern. All but one or two of those mentioned have passed away. The names of many others are well remembered. At first some suffering resulted from

* The Hudsons settled in 1812.

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LAWRENCE COUNTY.

the want of bread, a few not being able to obtain grain, while those who had it were obliged to pound it into meal with the pestle and mortar. As soon as grain could be had and mills were con- structed a new era of prosperity set in, for game and wild honey were abundant and easily obtained, and vegetables were grown without trouble.

An anecdote is told concerning the appearance of the first steamboat that ascended Black River. Having received notice of its arrival, the early set- tlers-men, women and children-for miles around assembled on Sunday at the site of Powhatan, where it stopped at the landing. It was a great curiosity, for only a few of the pioneers had ever seen such an invention. After viewing it for a time from the banks, many of them boarded it. Presently the engineer let off some steam, which so frightened the "natives" that all ran, a few jumping into the water and making for the shore, while others, upon reaching land, hid in the brush. The boats now pass daily, but excite no wonder or astonishment. Before the present transporta- tion facilities peltry was shipped to Arkansas Post on "flats."

Ancient mounds have been discovered on the bottom lands on the Spanish Grant, at Lauratown, on the east side of Black River, and on adjacent lands, and also in the same locality on the west side of the river. Other smaller mounds have been found on the bottom lands of Cooper's Creek, near Smithville. A few of the former have been opened, revealing the presence of pottery, lead, copper images, Indian arrow-heads, etc. The paint on a portion of the pottery is well preserved.

Lawrence County, situated in Northeast Arkan- sas, is bounded north by Sharp, Randolph and Greene Counties, east by Greene and Craighead, south by Craighead, Jackson and Independence, and west by Sharp County, and contains an area of some 582 square miles, of which only about one- sixth is improved.

Its boundary lines are as follows: Beginning at the northwest corner of Township 18 north, Range 3 west; thence east to the northeast corner; thence south to the middle of Spring River; thence down the middle of Spring River with its meanders to

Black River; thence up the middle of Black River to its first crossing, from the north, of the line di- viding Townships 17 and 18; thence east on the township line to the middle of Cache River, in Range 3 east; thence down the middle of Cache River to the lines dividing Townships 14 and 15 north; thence west on the township line to the line dividing Ranges 3 and 4 west; thence north on the range line to the place of beginning. The fifth principal meridian of the public land surveys passes through the county a little east of the center.

Cache River crosses the line between Townships 17 and 18 north, on the northern boundary of Sec- tion 3, Township 17, Range 3 east, and flows thence in a southwesterly direction on the county's eastern boundary to its southeast corner, at or near the southeast corner of Section 33, Township 15 north, Range 2 east. Village Creek enters from the north in Range 2 east, and flows in a southwesterly di- rection, passing out in Range 1 west. Running Water Creek enters the county from the north in Range 1 east, and flows in a southwesterly course through Range 2 west. Black River, a large and beautiful stream-navigable for boats at all sea- sons of the year-makes its appearance from the north in the eastern part of Range 1 west, and pro- ceeds in the same general direction as the streams above named, flowing out in the western part of Range 2 west. Spring River enters from the north, about two miles east of the northwest corner of the county, and flows in an eastern and southeastern direction to its confluence with Black River at the center of Section 15, Township 17 north, Range 1 west. So far as it flows through Ranges 1 and 2 west, it forms the boundary between Lawrence and Randolph Counties. Strawberry River enters near the middle of the western boundary line, and flows southeasterly and empties into Black River a short distance below the southern boundary of the county. These streams and their tributaries furnish ex- cellent drainage.

The valley or bottom lands of Black River. ex- tending through the county a little west of the center, vary in width from three to seven miles. These lands are partially subject to overflow early in the spring, about once in three years, but the

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

water always subsides in time for the raising of crops. East of this valley the land is compara- tively low and level, with alternate ridges or slight elevations between the streams. Buncom Ridge lies between Black River Valley and Run- ning Water Creek, and extends from the north- ern boundary of the county south to the line be- tween Townships 15 and 16 north. Bramlett's Ridge extends between Running Water and Vil- lage Creeks. The western line of Black River Valley is bordered with a bluff, averaging about fifty feet high. This bluff extends from near the northern boundary close to Spring and Black Riv- ers down to Powhatan, then bears to the west- ward and widens out the valley. The rock forma- tion crops out along it from its northern extent to a point several miles below Powhatan. West of this bluff are the table lands, becoming higher as they increase in distance from the river. These are traversed with the valleys of the smaller streams. Iron, lead and zinc abound in this sec- tion, and have been mined to a limited extent, but no mining is now being done. Numerous springs abound in that portion of country lying west of Black River Valley, and on the table-lands well water can be obtained at a depth of from forty to eighty feet. East of Black River Valley water is found at a depth of from fifteen to twenty-five feet, and in all parts of the county good cisterns can be constructed with but little expense.

The timber of the territory east of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad con- sists principally of post, white and willow oak, with red oak interspersed. On Bramlett's Ridge white and red oak, walnut, and sweet gum are the most numerous. On Buncom Ridge white oak and sweet gum prevail, with some black oak and walnut interspersed. On Black River Valley the principal growth is black and red oak, sweet gum, elm, sycamore, cypress and tupelo. In the west- ern part, on the table lands, several varieties of oak and black hickory are found, but of much lighter growth than elsewhere in the county. Many kinds of lesser value grow in all parts. Ex- cellent saw and rail timber abounds in abundance.

ty, and nearly all is of good quality. None can be found that does not produce well, with proper cultivation. The soil of the valleys is mostly al- luvial, and on the uplands is composed of vegeta- ble mold, clay and sand, well adapted to the growing of Indian corn, oats, wheat, cotton, the tame grasses, clover, and all kinds of vegetables. Fruits common in this latitude, especially peaches, do well here. But little attention has as yet been devoted to horticulture. A few individuals have turned their attention to growing peaches for the market, with excellent success.

Lumbering and farming constitute the principal resources of the county at present. The former is a great industry, and the supply of timber is suffi- ciently abundant to last for many years. There are twenty-three saw-mills, about twenty shingle- mills, two spoke factories and three stave factories in full operation, giving evidence of progress and growth and advancing prosperity. Many hands are employed in these mills, and the lumbering business has become extensive.

In 1880, according to the census, there were 1,250 farms within the county, with 46,803 acres of improved lands, from which the vegetable pro- ductions for the year 1879 aggregated: Indian

i corn, 522,720 bushels; oats, 40,851 bushels: --- wheat, 18,662 bushels; hay, 414 tons; cotton, 6,480 bales; Irish potatoes, 3,809 bushels; sweet potatoes, 3,145 bushels; tobacco, 4,600 pounds. These figures show that corn and cotton were then, . as now, the staple products. There are about twenty -five cotton-gins, but only a few grist mills here. Watermelons are extensively raised and shipped to Northern markets.

The census of 1880 also shows the presence of 2,574 horses; 1,068 mules and asses; 9,670 head of neat cattle; 4,336 sheep, and 30,515 hogs. By the assessment rolls of 1888 there were then within the county 2,860 horses; 1,395 mules and asses; 14,113 head of neat cattle; 4,396 sheep, and 18, 131 hogs.

The real estate asssessment in 1880 was $631, 079, and of personal property $442.577, making $1,073,656, as the total assessed value of taxable

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LAWRENCE COUNTY.

to $20,141.00. In 1888 the real estate, including the railroads, was assessed at $1,671,839, and the personal property at $948,628, a total of $2,620, - 467, and the total amount of taxes charged was $41,478.62. These figures show that since 1880, the taxable property has considerably more than doubled, while the taxes have but little more than doubled. The county has good public buildings, is entirely out of debt, and its scrip is worth a hundred cents on the dollar. The railroads, which now constitute a considerable portion of its taxa- ble wealth, were assessed in 1888 as follows:

St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern. . $278,140.00 Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis. 252,763.00

Total. .530,903.00

The county's rapid growth as shown by these statistics, its vast resources. the great facilities for the development of agriculture, horticulture, and especially stock raising, where stock lives through the year on the grasses and mast of the forest without shelter; and where the climate is mild and not subject to the extremes of heat and cold; where churches and schools abound; and the shipping facilities, both by rail and water, are excellent, and the people are kind, moral and sociable, ought to be sufficient inducements to turn the tide of emi- gration to this country, instead of toward the cold region of the West and Northwest-to Oklahoma or elsewhere. Here the industrious cannot fail to prosper.

The population of Lawrence County in 1870, after it was reduced to its present limits, was 5, 735 white and 246 colored, a total of 7,981. In 1880 it was 8,315 white and 467 colored, a total of 8,782. There is no manner of truly ascertaining the exact present population, but the census takers of 1890 will certainly find a wonderful increase over that of 1880.

The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Rail- road enters the county from the north, in the east- ern part of Range 2 east, and runs in a south- westerly direction, by way of Walnut Ridge, Hoxie and Minturn, passing out near the middle of Range 1 west. Its length, within "these boundaries, is twenty-three miles. The Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad enters about four miles east

of the northwest corner, and runs in a southeast- erly direction, by way of Ravenden, Imboden, Black Rock, Portia, Hoxie and Sedgwick. Its length, within the county, is thirty-one miles, mak- ing a total of fifty-four miles of railroad through this immediate section.

The first term of the circuit court was held, as provided in the act creating the county, at the house of Solomon Hewit, on Spring River, and the next session convened " at the new house of Rich- ard Murphy, Esq., in Spring River Township." After that it was held at Davidsonville, the place selected for the seat of justice. This court, aside from the jurisdiction usually held by circuit courts, exercised jurisdiction over all county and probate business until 1829, when the county court was organized. The terms of the circuit court now convene at Powhatan in March and August, and at Walnut Ridge in March and September of each year.

The county court was created under the Terri -. torial laws, in 1829, its first session having been held in April, 1830. It then consisted of a judge and several justices of the peace as associates, and remained thus composed until after 1836, when the State was admitted into the Union. It then comprised a judge and two associates, until 1873, when a board of commissioners constituted the court. During all of this period, after 1836, the county court judge, presiding alone, held the pro- bate court. Since the adoption of the constitution of 1874, the county court has consisted of a single judge, and he, by virtue of his office, is judge of the probate court. The terms of the former are held at Powhatan for the entire county, beginning on the first Monday of January, April, July and October, of each year, and of the probate court for the Western district at Powhatan on the second Mondays of the same months, and for the Eastern district, at Walnut Ridge, on the third Mondays of the same months.

The resident attorneys constituting the legal bar of Lawrence County, are M. D. Baber, R. P Mack, Charles C. Rogers. John K. Gibson, Z. M. Cypert and Charles Coffin. The latter two live at Walnut Ridge, and the others at Powhatan.

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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

There have been a few legal and some illegal executions of criminals within the territory. Dur- ing the early days of its existence, as originally constituted, when courts and officers were few, the old settlers often took the administration of justice into their own hands, and for murder, rape, arson and horse stealing, usually selected certain ones to run down the perpetrators, who, when caught, were brought back and hung without the use of a court or jury. For lesser crimes offenders were tied, stripped and flogged. Hanging and flogging thus constituted the only modes of punishment in- flicted by Judge Lynch and his associates. This manner of acknowledging crime ceased generally when the Territory was divided into several counties, and courts and officers became more numerous. However, only a few years ago, a mob composed of individuals outside of the county, forcibly took from the jail at Powhatan, a negro, incarcerated therein on a charge of committing rape, and hanged him. For capital crimes men have been legally tried and sent to the penitentiary for long terms, and a few, some half dozen, have been executed. Two of the latter, however, were tried in this county, on change of venue, from other counties. Society is now well regulated, and property and persons are preserved in safety.

The people of Lawrence County were originally opposed to a separation of the States of the Fed- eral Union, but when actual war came they were found to be, with very few exceptions, in full sym- pathy with the Southern cause. A few of the " old- line Whigs" adhered to their Union sentiments throughout the struggle, and were saved by the efforts of their Southern, sympathizing neighbors from punishment at the hands of Confederate sol- diers. On the other hand, many adherents of the South were saved by Union citizens from punish- ment by Federal soldiers. Though opposed in sen- timent there was no quarrel or fighting among themselves. In 1860 this county, including all of what is now Sharp, and about twenty - five square miles afterward set off to Randolph, had a pop- ulation of 10,000. Out of this number of peo- ple not less than seventeen companies of soldiers were recruited and organized for and served in

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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 53

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