USA > Arkansas > Biographical and historical memoirs of western Arkansas : comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 14
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Baxter, March 24, 1873; line between Izard and Fulton defined October 16, 1875; line between Marion changed March 9, 1881. County seat, Mountain Home.
Benton, September 30, 1836, named in honor of Hon. Thomas H. Benton. County seat, Ben- tonville.
Boone, April 9, 1869; named for Daniel Boone; line between Marion defined December 9, 1875. Harrison, county seat.
Bradley, December 18, 1840; part of Calhoun
88
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
attached October 19, 1862; part restored to Ashley County January 1, 1859. Warren, county seat.
Calhoun, December 6, 1850; named for John C. Calhoun; part added to Union and Bradley November 19, 1862. County seat, Hampton.
Carroll, November 1, 1833; named in honor of the signer of the declaration; boundary defined December 14, 1838; line between Madison defined January, 11, 1843, and again January 20, 1843; line between Marion defined December 18, 1846; line between Madison defined December 29, 1854, and again January 16, 1857; part of Madison attached April 8, 1869. Berryville, county seat.
Chicot, October 25, 1823; boundary defined November 2, 1835; part attached to Drew Decem- ber 21, 1846; line between Ashley changed January 19, 1861; line between Drew changed November 30, 1875; line changed between Desha February 10, 1879. Lake Village, county seat.
Clark, December 15, 1818, while Lower Mis- souri Territory; named in honor of Gov. Clark, of Missouri; the line between Pulaski and Clark, changed October 30, 1823; divided November 2, 1829; line between Hot Springs and Dallas changed April 3, 1868; line between Pike defined April 22, 1873; line between Montgomery changed April 24, 1873; line between Pike changed March 8, 1887. Arkadelphia, county seat.
Clay, March 24, 1873; named for Henry Clay. This county, formed as Clayton County, was changed to Clay on December 6, 1875. The act of March 24, 1873, changed the boundaries of a large num- ber of counties. Boydsville and Corning, county seats.
Cleburne, formed February 20, 1883; named in honor of Gen. Patrick A. Cleburne. Heber is the county seat.
Cleveland, formed in 1885; named for President Cleveland; was formed as Dorsey County. Toledo, county seat.
Columbia, December 17, 1852; part of Union County added December 21, 1858; line between Nevada defined April 19, 1873. Magnolia, county seat.
Conway, December 7, 1825; named after the noted Conways; the northeast boundary defined
October 27, 1827; line between Pulaski and Con- way defined October 20, 1828; part of Indian pur- chase added October 22, 1828; line between Con- way, Pulaski and Independence defined November 5, 1831; part added to Pope January 6, 1853; part added to White January 11, 1853; act of March, 1873; line between Pope defined May 28, 1874. County seat, Morrillton.
Craighead, formed February 19, 1850. Jones- boro, county seat.
Crawford, October 18, 1820; boundary was changed October 30, 1823; divided and county of Lovely established October 13, 1827; part of the Cherokee Country attached to, October 22, 1828; boundary defined December 18, 1837; line between Scott defined; line between Washington defined November 24, 1846; line between Frank- lin defined March 4, 1875; line changed between Washington March 9, 1881. Van Buren, county seat.
Crittenden, October 22, 1825; named for Rob- ert Crittenden; St. Francis River declared to be the line between St. Francis and Crittenden Coun- ties November, 1831; portion attached to Missis- sippi County January, 1861; act, March, 1873. Marion, county seat.
Cross, November 15, 1862, 1866, 1873. Witts- burg, the county seat.
Dallas, January 1, 1845; line between Hot Springs and Clark changed April 3, 1869. Prince- ton the county seat.
Desha, December 12, 1838; named for Hon. Ben Desha; portion attached to Drew January 21, 1861; part of Chicot attached February 10, 1879; also of Lincoln, March 10, 1879. Arkansas City, county seat.
Drew, November 26, 1846; part Chicot attached December 21, 1846; part of Desha attached Jan- uary 21, 1861; March, 1873; line between Chicot changed November 30, 1875. Monticello, county seat.
Faulkner, April 12, 1873; line defined Decem- 7, 1875. Conway, county seat.
Franklin, December 19, 1837; line between Johnson defined December 14, 1833; line between Crawford defined March 4, 1875. Ozark, county seat.
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89
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
Fulton, December 21, 1842; part attached to Marion County January 18, 1855; part of Law- rence attached January 18, 1855, March, 1873; line between Baxter and Izard defined February 16, 1875. County seat, Salem.
Garland, April 5, 1873; named after Gov. A. H. Garland. Hot Springs, county seat.
Grant, February 4, 1869. Sheridan, county seat.
Greene, November 5, 1833; act March, 1873. Paragould, county seat.
Hempstead, December 15, 1818, when this was Lower Missouri Territory; Lafayette County carved out of this territory October 15, 1827; line between Pike defined December 14, 1838. Wash- ington, county seat.
Hot Spring, November 2, 1829; certain lands attached to March 2, 1838; Montgomery taken out of December 9, 1842; line between Saline defined December 23, 1846; line between Montgomery changed December 27, 1848; line between Saline changed February 19, 1859, and changed again January 10, 1861; line between Clark and Dallas changed April 3, 1869; March, 1873. Malvern, county seat.
Howard, April 17, 1873. County seat, Centre Point.
Independence, October 20, 1820; part of east- ern boundary defined October 30, 1823; Izard County formed of October 27, 1825; part of Inde- pendence added October 22, 1828; line between Independence and Izard defined November 5, 1831; line between Independence and Conway, November 5, 1831; between Independence and Jackson, No- vember 8, 1836; between Izard February 21, 1838; December 14, 1840; Lawrence changed December 26, 1840; March, 1873; Sharp County defined Feb- ruary 11, 1875. Batesville, county seat.
Izard, October 27, 1825; western boundary line extended October 13, 1827; part of the Indian purchase added October 22, 1828; between Inde- pendence and Izard defined November 5, 1831; between Conway and Izard, November 5, 1831; southern boundary established November 11, 1833; line between Independence defined February 21, 1838, and December 14, 1838, and December 21,
1840; western boundary line defined December 24, 1840, March, 1873; between Baxter and Fulton defined February 16, 1875; between Sharp changed March 9, 1877. Melbourne, county seat.
Jackson, November 5, 1829; line between In- dependence defined November 8, 1836; part of St. Francis attached January 10, 1851. Jackson- port, county seat.
Jefferson, November 2, 1829; boundaries de- fined November 3, 1831, and again October 29, 1836; line changed between Lincoln and Desha March 20, 1879. Pine Bluff, county seat.
Johnson, November 16, 1833; southern line defined November 3, 1835; east line defined Octo- ber 5, 1836; line between Franklin defined Decem- ber 14, 1838, 1848; between Pope February 19, 1859, again March 27, 1871; line between Pope re-established on March 6, 1875; between Pope changed March 9, 1877. Clarksville, county seat.
Lafayette, October 15, 1827; the line between Union defined November 26, 1846. Lewisville, county seat.
Lawrence, on January 15, 1815, while Lower Missouri Territory; east line defined October 30, 1823; between Independence changed December 20, 1840; part attached to Fulton January 18, 1855; part attached to Randolph January 18, 1861; nearly half the county cut off the west side to form Sharp County, 1868. Powhatan, county seat.
Lee, April 17, 1873. Marianna, county seat.
Lincoln, March 28, 1871; part transferred to Desha County, March 10, 1879. Star City, county seat.
Little River, March 5, 1867. Richmond is the county seat.
Logan, originally Sarber County, March 22, 1871; amended, February 27, 1873; changed to Logan, December 14, 1875; line between Scott changed, March 21, 1881. Paris, county seat.
Lonoke, April 16, 1873; named for the lone oak tree, by simply spelling phonetically-the suggestion of the chief engineer of the Cairo & Fulton Railroad. Line between Prairie defined November 30, 1875, and again, December 7, 1875. Lonoke, county seat.
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90
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
Lovely, October 13, 1827; abolished October 17, 1828.
Madison, September 30, 1836; west boundary changed on November 26, 1838; between Carroll defined January 11, 1843, and again January 20, 1843, 1846; between Newton, December 21, 1848; between Carroll, April 8, 1869. Huntsville, county seat.
Marion, September 25, 1836; originally Searcy County; changed to Marion, September 29, 1836 (Searcy County created out of December 13, 1838); west boundary defined November 18, 1837; between Carroll defined December 18, 1846; part of Fulton attached January 18, 1855; between Van Buren and Searcy defined January 20, 1855, and March, 1873; line between Boone defined December 9, 1875; line between Baxter changed March 9, 1881. Yellville, county seat.
Miller, April 1, 1820; the greater portions fell within the limits of Texas; county abolished there- fore, 1836; re-established, December 22, 1874, and eastern boundary extended. Texarkana, county seat.
Mississippi, November 1, 1833, 1859; portion of Crittenden attached, January 18, 1861. Osceola, county seat.
Monroe, November 2, 1829; boundaries defined December 25, 1840; line between Prairie changed December 7, 1850; line changed April 12, 1869, March, 1873, April, 1873, and May 27, 1874. Clarendon, county seat.
Montgomery, December 9, 1842; line between Yell defined January 2, 1845; between Perry, December 23, 1846; between Perry re-established December 21, 1848; between Hot Spring changed December 27, 1848; between Polk changed Feb- ruary 7,1859, March, 1873; between Clark changed April 24, 1873; line between Pike defined Decem- ber 16, 1874. Mount Ida, county seat.
Nevada, March 20, 1871; line between Colum- bia defined April 10, 1873. Prescott, county seat.
Newton, December 14, 1842; line between Madison defined December 21, 1848; between Pope January 10, 1853. Jasper, county seat.
Ouachita, November 29, 1842; line between Union changed January 6, 1853. Camden, county seat.
Perry, December 18, 1840; line between Pul- aski, Saline and Montgomery defined December 23, 1846; old line between Montgomery re-estab- lished December 21,1848. Perryville, county seat.
Phillips, May 1, 1820; part attached to Arkan- sas County October 23, 1881; west boundary defined October 30, 1823; act to divide and create Crittenden County October 22, 1825; divided and St. Francis County created October 13, 1827; line between Arkansas County defined November 21, 1828, 1840, March, 1873. Helena, county seat.
Pike, November 1, 1833; line between Sevier defined November 15,1833; between Hempstead, December 14, 1838; between Clark, April 22, 1873; between Montgomery. December 16, 1874; between Clark defined March 8, 1877. Murfrees- boro, county seat.
Poinsett, February 28, 1838, 1859. Harris- burg, county seat.
Polk, November 30, 1844; line between Mont- gomery changed February 7, 1859; part of Sebas- tian County added by ordinance of convention, June 1, 1861. Dallas, county seat.
Pope, November 2, 1829; part added to Yell January 5, 1853; part of Conway attached Janu- ary 6, 1853; line between Newton, January 10, 1853; part of Van Buren attached January 12, 1853; between Van Buren defined February 17, 1859; between Johnson, October 19, 1859, March, 27, 1871; between Conway, May 28, 1874; between Johnson re-established March 6, 1875; between Johnson changed March 9, 1877. Dover, county seat.
Prairie, October 25, 1846; between Pulaski changed December 30, 1848; between Monroe changed December 7, 1850; line changed April 12, 1869; between White defined April 17, 1873: line changed April 26, 1873, May 27, 1874; between Lonoke changed November 30, 1875; separated into two districts, 1885. Devall's Bluff, county seat.
Pulaski, December 15, 1818, while a part of Lower Missouri Territory; line between Arkansas and Pulaski October 30, 1823; between Clark changed October 30, 1823; divided October 20. 1825; Quapaw Purchase divided-Arkansas and
91
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
Pulaski, October 13, 1827; northwest boundary defined October 23, 1827; between Pulaski and Conway, October 20, 1828; line between Saline defined February 25, 1838, December 14, 1838; between White changed February 3,1843; between Saline defined December 21, 1846; between Perry defined December 23, 1846; between Prairie changed December 30, 1848; between Saline de- fined April 12, 1873; again, December 7, 1875. Little Rock, county seat.
Randolph, October 29, 1835; part of Lawrence attached January 18, 1864, March, 1873. Poca- hontas, county seat.
Saline, November 2, 1835; boundaries defined November 5, 1836; between Pulaski, February 25, 1838, December 14, 1838, December 21, 1846; be- tween Hot Spring, December 23, 1846, February 19, 1859, January 19,1861; between Pulaski, April 12, 1873, December 17, 1875. Benton, county seat.
Scott, November 5, 1833; boundaries defined October 24, 1835; between Crawford, December 16, 1838; part of Sebastian attached by conven- tion June 1, 1861; line between Logan changed March 21, 1873. Waldron, county seat.
Searcy, November 5, 1835; boundaries defined September 26, 1836; name changed to Marion September 29, 1836; county created out of Marion December 13, 183S; between Van Buren defined October 2, 1853; between Van Buren and Marion defined October 20, 1855, March, 1873. Marshall, county seat.
Sebastian, January 6, 1851; part attached to Scott and Polk by the convention June 1, 1861. Fort Smith and Greenwood, county seats.
Sevier, October 17, 1828; boundaries defined November 8, 1833; between Pike, November 15, 1833; southeast boundary defined October 29, 1836. Lockesburg, county seat.
Sharp, July 18, 1868; act March 3, 1873; be- tween Independence defined February 11, 1875;
line between Izard changed March 9, 1877, 1883. Evening Shade, county seat.
St. Francis, October 13, 1827; St. Francis River declared boundary line between Crittenden November 3, 1831; part attached to Jackson Jan- uary 1, 1851, March, 1873. Forrest City, county seat.
Stone, April 21, 1873. Mountain View, county seat.
Union, November 2, 1829; boundaries defined November 5, 1836; line between Lafayette, November 26,1846; line between Ouachita changed January 6, 1853; part added to Columbia, Decem- ber 21, 1851; part of Calhoun attached October 19, 1862. El Dorado, county seat.
Van Buren, November 11, 1833; boundaries defined November 4, 1836; part attached to Pope January 12, 1853; between Searcy and Marion defined January 20, 1855; between Pope defined February 17, 1859. Clinton, county seat.
Washington, October 17, 1828; certain lands declared to be in Washington County October 26, 1831; line between Crawford defined November 24, 1846; line changed between Crawford March 8, 1883. Fayetteville, county seat.
White, October 23, 1835; line between Pulaski changed February 3, 1843; part of Conway at- tached January 11, 1853; line between Prairie defined April 17, 1873. Searcy, county seat.
Woodruff, November 26, 1862; but vote, in pursuance to ordinance of conventions 1861, 1866, 1869; line changed April 26, 1873. Augusta, county seat.
Yell, December 5, 1840; northern boundary, December 21, 1840; line between Montgomery, January 2, 1845; part Pope attached January 6, 1853. Danville and Dardanelle, county seats.
The following table will prove valuable for comparison in noting the growth in population of the counties throughout the State in the various decades from their organization:
92
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
AGGREGATE POPULATION BY COUNTIES.
Counties in
1880
1870
1860
1850
1840
1830
1820
1810
the State.
892,525 484,471 435,450 209,897 97,574 0,388 14,255
1,062
Arkansas.
8,038
8,238
8,884
3,245
1,346
1.426
1,260
1,062
Ashley
10,156
8,042
8,590
2,058
Baxter
6,004
Benton
20,327
13,831
9,306
3,710
2,228
Boone ...
12,146
7,032
Bradley
6,265
8,646
8,388
3,829
Calhoun
5,671
3,853
4.103
9,383
4,617
2,814
Chicot.
10,117
7,214
9.234
5,115
3,806
1,165
Clark
15,771
11,953
9,735
4,070
2,300
1,369
1,040
Clay ..
7.213
Columbia
14 090
11,397
12,459
3,583
2,892
982
Craighead.
7,037
4,577
3,066
7,850
7,960
4,266
2,440
Crittenden
9,415
3,831
4,920
2,648
1,561
1,272
Cross ....
5,050
3,915
Dallas.
6.595
5,707
8,873
6,125
6,459
2,911
1,598
Dorsey
8,370
Drew
12,231
9,960
9,087
3,276
Faulkner.
12,786
Franklin.
14,951
9,627
7,298
3,972
2,665
Fulton
6,720
4,843
4,024
1,819
Garland
9,023
Grant
6,185
3,943
Greene
7,480
7,533
5.843
2,593
1,586
Hempstead
19,015
13,768
13.989
7,672
4,921
2,512
2,246
7,775
5,877
5,635
3,609
1,907
458
Howard
9,917
Independence ...
18.086
14,566
14,307
7,767
3,669
2,031
1,266
Jackson
10,877
7,268
10,493
3,086
1,540
333
Van Buren
9,565
5,107
5,337
2,864
1 518
15,733
14,971
5,834
2.566
772
Washington
23,884
17,266
14,673
9,970
7,148
5.182
White ..
17,294 : 10,347
8,816
2,619
920
Lafayette ...
5,730
9,139
8,464
5,220
2,280
748
2,806
5,592
Yell
1880
1870
1860
1850
1840
1830
1820
1810
the State.
802,525 484,471
435,450 209,897 97,574 30,388 14,255 1,062
Lee
13,288
Lincoln
9,255
Little River
6,405
Logan.
14,885
Lonoke.
12,146
Madison
11,455
8,231 3,979
6,192
4,823 2,308
2.775
Marion
7,907
Miller.
9,919
Mississippi
7,142
3,633
3,895
2,368
1,410 936
461
Montgomery
5,729
2,984
3.633
1,958
Nevada.
12,959
Newton
6,120
4,374
3,393
1,758
Ouachita.
11,758
12,975
12,936
9,591
Phillips
21,262
15,372
Pike.
6,345
3.788
4,025
1,861
969
Poinsett.
2,192
1,720
3,621
2,308
1,320
Polk
5,857
3,376
4,262
1,263
Pope
14,322
8,386
7.883
4,710
2,850
1,483 :
Prairie
8.435
5,604
8,854
2,097
Pulaski
32,616
32,066
11,699
5,657
5 350
2,395
1.921
Randolph
11,724
7,466
6,261
3,275
2,196
St. Francis
8,389
6.714
8,672
4,457
2,499
1,505
Saline ..
8,953
3,911
6,540
3,903
2,061
Scott
9,174
7,483
5.142
3,083
1,694
Searcy
7,278
5,613
5,271
1,979
936
Sebastian
19,560
12,940
Sevier.
6,192
4,492
10,516
4,240
2,810
634
Sharp.
9,047
5,400
5,089
Unicn.
13,419
ยก 10,571
12,288 10,298
2,889
640
Izard
10,857
6,806
7,215
3,212 2,240
Jefferson ..
Johnson
11,565
9,152
7,612
5.227
3,433
Lawrence.
8,782
5,981
9,372
5,274 2,835
13,852
8,048
6,333
3,341
1,325
Monroe.
9,574
8,336
5.657
2,049
Crawford
14,740
Perry
3,872
2,685
2,465
978
14,877
6,935 | 3,547
1,152 ;1,197
Desha ..
12,755
8,112
6,697
8,283
6,877
Carroll
13,337
5,780
Hot Spring ..
Stone ..
Woodruff ...
8.646
6,981
AGGREGATE POPULATION BY COUNTIES.
Counties in
3,246
7,740
Conway
8,957
22,386
93
1
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
CHAPTER XII.
EDUCATION-THE MENTAL TYPE CONSIDERED-TERRITORIAL SCHOOLS, LAWS AND FUNDS-CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS FOR EDUCATION-LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS-PROGRESS SINCE THE WAR-THE STATE SUPERINTENDENTS-STATISTICS-ARKANSAS LITERATURE-THE ARKANSAW TRAVELER.
Delightful task! to rear the tender thought, To teach the young idea how to shoot; To pour the fresh instructions o'er the mind, To breathe th' enlivening spirit, and to fix
The generous purpose in the glowing breast .- Thomson.
ERE is one subject at least in the economic institutions of our country where men do not divide on political lines. To the historian it is a restful and refreshing oasis in the arid desert. From the Canadas to the Gulf commun- ities and States earnestly vie with each other in the establishment of the best public schools. The pres- ent generation has nearly supplant- ed the former great universities with the free public high schools. A generation ago the South sent its boys to the North to school; the North sent its boys to the old universities of Europe. Oxford and Heidelburg received the sons of ambi- tious, wealthy Americans of the North, while Yale, Harvard and Jefferson Colleges were each the alma mater of many of the youths of the South. The rivalry in the schools between the two sections at that time was not intense, but the educa'ed young men of the South met in sharpest rivalry in the halls of Congress the typical Northern man. As
active political life may be placed Thomas Jeffer- son and Daniel Webster. In peace or in war the differences in the intellectual advancement of the two sections were more imaginary than real. The disadvantage the South met was the natural ten- dency to produce an aristocratic class in the com- munity. Cotton and the negro were impediments in the Southern States that clogged the way to the advancement of the masses. They retarded the building of great institutions of learning as well as the erection of large manufactories. This applied far more to collegiate education than to the com- mon or public school system. The Southern man who was able to send his children away from his State to school realized that he gave them two ad- vantages over keeping them at home; he aided them in avoiding negro contact and association, and provided the advantage of a better knowledge of different peoples in different sections.
Arkansas may have lagged somewhat in the cause of education in the past, but to-day, though young as a State, it is far in advance of many older communities who are disposed to boast greatly of their achievements in this direction.
When still a Territory the subject of education received wise and considerate attention. March the highest types of the North and the South in | 2, 1827, Congress gave the State seventy-two
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94
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
sections of land for the purpose of establishing "a seminary of learning." A supplemental act was passed by Congress, June 23, 1836, one week after it became a State, offering certain propo- sitions for acceptance or rejection: 1. The six- teenth section of every township for school pur- poses. 2. The seventy-two sections known as the saline lands. By article 9, section 4, State con- stitution of 1869, these lands were given to the free schools. 3. The seventy-two sections, known as the seminary lands, given to the Territory in 1827, were vested and confirmed in the State of Arkansas for the use of said seminary. October 18. 1836, the State accepted the propositions entire; and the legislature passed the act known as "the ordinance of acceptance and compact." December 18, 1844, the general assembly asked Congress for a modi- fication of the seminary grant, so as to authorize the legislature to appropriate these seventy-two sections of land for common school purposes. Congress assented to this on July 29, 1846, and the lands were added to the free school fund. These congressional land grants formed the basis of the State's free school system.
The first State constitution of 1836 recognized the importance of popular education, and made it the duty of the general assembly to provide by law for the improvement of such lands as are, or may be, granted by the United States for the use of schools, and to pass such laws as "shall be cal- culated to encourage intellectual, scientific and agricultural improvement."
The general assembly of 1842 established a sys- tem of common schools in the State, which was ap- proved and became a law February 3, 1853, pro- viding for the sale of the sixteenth section, and election of school trustees in each township, to ex- pend the money from the sale of land in the cause of education. The act required schools to be main- tained in each township "for at least four months in each year, and orthography, reading, writing, English grammar, arithmetic and good morals should be taught." The trustees were required to visit the schools once in each month, and the school age was fixed at from five to twenty-one years. The act also provided for the establishment
of manual labor schools. It went to the extent of appropriating a sum of money for the purchase of text books. This was a long step in advance of any other portion of the country at that time. To the fund arising from lands the act added "all fines for false imprisonment, assault and battery, breach of the peace, etc." This act of the assem- bly placed the young State in the vanguard of States in the cause of free schools. It is an enduring monument to the men of that legis- lature. . Under this law the reports of the county commissioners of education were ordered to be made to the State auditor, but if so made none can be found in the State archives.
A State board of education was provided for by the act of 1843, and the board was required to make a complete report of educational matters, and also to recommend the passage of such laws 'as were deemed advisable for the advancement of the cause of education. By an act of January 11, 1853, the secretary of State was made ex-officio State commissioner of common schools, and re- quired to report to the governor the true condition of the schools in each county; which report the governor presented to the general assembly at each regular session. The provisions of an act of January, 1855, relate to the sale of the sixteenth section, and defined the duties of the school trus- tees and commissioners. Article 8, in the consti- tution of 1867, is substantially the same as the pro- visions of the law of 1836.
From 1836 to 1867, as is shown by the above, the provisions of the law were most excellent and liberal toward the public schools; legislative enact- ments occur at frequent intervals. indicating that the State was well abreast of the most liberal school ideas of the time, and large funds were raised sacred to the cause.
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