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 47
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The coal interests here are treated more at length elsewhere. Much cotton is handled here, and two gins do a large business. The Arkansas Valley Improvement Company is engaged in pros- pecting, handling real estate and placing invest- ments. F. G. Srygley is general agent for the western division of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railway land department, consisting of lands be- longing to the company, situated in Sebastian, Crawford, Franklin, Logan and Johnson Counties. This town, with a rapidly-growing population, has a bright future if the proper capital and ability are devoted to the development of its rich natural resources. Hartman, twelve miles west of Clarks- ville, was founded in 1881, and has at present a population of nearly 400. It is 113 miles west of Little Rock on the line of the Valley route. Its business interests are represented by several gen- eral, grocery and drug stores, blacksmith and wagon shops, a hotel, a grist-mill, and a cotton-gin. It has three churches-Methodist, Presbyterian
and Christian-and two schools. It commands an approach to the Boston range via Horsehead Valley, and this approach is known to afford one of the routes in this county over which a passage of the mountain is not deemed impracticable. At this point the foot-hills converge on both the Arkansas and Horsehead Valleys, the immediate lowlands of which, 25,000 acres in extent, will alone give the place importance, once the whole area is placed in cultivation. Other advantages in prospect are a great body of coal, for which Horsehead Valley is celebrated, and large forests which flank the valley from its mouth to the head, all of which would be commanded in the event that a north and south railroad pursues the route indicated. This locality, the scene of the original coal discoveries in the State, is situated on the western outcrop of what is known as the Horsehead or Spadra coal basin of the upper Arkansas Valley. The distance from the Arkansas River is three miles. The principal shipments consist of cotton.
In the pioneer period of the county, probably as early as 1837, a militia regiment was organized, of which the commander was Col. Hickey, and the major Nehemiah Cravens. Its general musters were held at Clarksville, its company musters at different localities in the county. For a time the center of much interest, it disbanded after a few years. Quite a number of the citizens of the county served their country in the Mexican War. Naturally the great majority of Johnson Counti- ans, espoused the Southern cause at the outbreak of the Civil War. The lack of records precludes more than an estimate of the number of men from the county who went into the Confederate service, as well as particular accounts of the constitution and service of the organizations, with which they were identified. The following items of war history have been gleaned, however. About 1,000 men, perhaps more, entered from this county. Con- sidering its small population at the time, this was a large number. Companies went out under com- mand of Capts. Basham, Turner, Armstrong, Perry, May, Hill and Swaggerty, and perhaps others. They served in various commands, and Capt. John W. May states no two of them were in
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the same regimental organization. There was scarcely an important campaign of the war that some of them did not take part in, and their ranks were decimated by battle and by sickness to such an extent, that it is estimated that not more than 500 or 600 of the whole number returned. Capt. Basham rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and was killed at the charge of Ironton, Mo., in the fall of 1864. Capt. J. F. Hill was advanced to the command of a regiment. He was severely wounded. Jordan E. Cravens, now circuit judge, enlisted as a private, and also became a colonel. J. C. Hill commanded a company late in the struggle. No regular engagement between the contending forces took place in the county, but it was overrun to some extent by scouting parties and marauders. Considerable property was destroyed or carried off, and a few people were killed. Late in the war quite a number of men from this sec- tion served in the Federal Army. Johnson County enjoyed exceptional quiet during the reconstruction period.
The history of the press of Johnson County, may be thus briefly recounted: The Herald was established at Clarksville in 1877, by R. C. Hite; during 1883 it's name was changed to Laborers' Herald and it was edited by the Brothers of Free- dom, a secret order among the farmers of the county. In March, 1882, the first number of the Clarksville Enterprise was published by O. C. Lud- wig, who moved his printing material from Spring- dale. The Register was printed at Clarksville for a short time, about ten years ago by McCord & Pennington. The material was afterward moved to Paris, Logan County. In 1885 O. C. Ludwig sold the Enterprise to the Brothers of Freedom, J. R. Tolbert becoming editor, and the name of the paper was changed to Brothers of Freedom. The paper suspended within a year and the outfit was purchased by P. C. Stone, who began the publica- tion of the Economist. In 1885 the Democrat was established at Knoxville by one Boyd and lived a few months. In the fall of 1885 the Arkansas Valley was launched at Coal Hill, by Rob- ert Stonecipher. Mr. Stonecipher soon sold out to Mr. Cox who, in turn, sold to P. C. Stone,
and the paper was then called The Lancet. It sus- pended in the year 1887. In 1886 the Economist suspended. The Clarksville Western Journal was started in March, 1887, by J. W. Adams. The Lamar News was started early in 1887, by Robert Moffit and Samuel Maysfield. It soon sus- pended. The Coal Hill Monitor is now in its third volume. After editing it nineteen months, B. F. Grigsley was succeeded, October, 1890, by Talbert & Wilburne. In 1888 O. C. Ludwig began the publication of the Arkansan. Subsequently he dis- continued it and connected himself with the Her- ald Journal. In 1890 he resumed the publication of the Arkansan. The Herald, eleven years after its establishment by Mr. Hite, was consolidated with the Western Journal, which had been started in 1886, by J. W. Adams. The consolidation was effected March 26, 1888, and the new paper became the property of a stock company with an authorized capital stock of $2,500, all of which was paid in. J. W. Adams was elected editor and business man- ager. He was succeeded, September, 1888, by O. C. Ludwig, who sold his interest to H. B. Milner, May 8, 1890, when the latter was elected editor and business manager. The paper has been quite prosperous since the consolidation. Some of these papers were but short-lived; some had but a pre- carious existence, though they lived longer; and a few, it is believed, are established and may be long continued with honor and profit to their publishers. All are entitled to credit, and their founders should be numbered among Johnson County's most en- thusiastic and practical friends. Each has, in its turn, done its part in the work of advancement, bearing messages of cheer to remote townships and pointing out public needs and influencing men and money to supply them. The country editor sel- dom waxes opulent, but he almost invariably does good to the community with which his lot is cast; and this county has been fortunate in the editors of its local journals.
Mention has been made of Johnson County's prominent claims as a fruit-producing region. As a means to the furtherance of this interest, the Johnson County Pomological Society was organ- ized in the spring of 1889, of which J. M. Thomp-
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son as president, G. W. Hinchee vice-president, F. M. Farris secretary, and R. G. Ward treasurer. An exhibition was held at Clarksville in the fall of 1889, and later a majority of the exhibits took prizes at the Fort Smith fair. The second annual exhibition was held at Clarksville in October, 1890, and, like its predecessor, was a great success, at- tracting much more general attention than the first. County agricultural fairs are talked of, and are likely to be inaugurated at no distant day. Or- ganization and determined effort are surely doing their work in pushing Johnson County to the front.
J. W. Acord is the possessor of 160 acres of very good land, and, although this farm is rather small, it is admirably tilled, and yields a larger annual income than many larger and more pretentious farms. He was born in Roane County, Tenn., in 1853, to C. C. and A. E. (Murray) Acord, who were also native Tennesseeans. In 1857 they de- termined to seek "fresh fields and pastures new," and accordingly settled in Johnson County, Ark., where the father passed from life on October 25, 1873, his widow following him to his long home on December 9, 1882. In this county J. W. Acord was brought up to a farm life, and although he did uot receive much schooling in his youth, he acquired sufficient knowledge to transact, in a perfectly capa- ble manner, the business affairs of life. In the month of January, 1873, he started out to make his own way in the world, and as he was thor- oughly familiar with farming, he has made that his chief calling with the above-mentioned results. His marriage, which occurred on January 16, 1873, was to Miss Rebecca J. Bench, whose parents were David and Martha (Prim) Bench, and to her union with Mr. Acord the following named chil- dren have been born: W. H., Viola A., John F., Martha A., J. M. and Rachel. Daniel C. and Eliza J. were drowned in Mulberry Creek, in the northern part of Johnson County, in the month of February, 1886. Mr. Acord was bailiff of Mul- berry Township from 1878 until 1882, and in his
political views he has always been a stanch Demo- crat, at all times supporting the men and measures of his party. He has always been a hard worker, and although he is doing well at present has met with a good many misfortunes, sufficient to dis- courage a less determined man. The loss of his two children was a severe blow to himself and wife, from the effects of which they can not recover.
Ferdinand Alix belongs to the firm of Alix & Earp, proprietors of a steam grist, planing-mill and cotton-gin at Coal Hill, these gentlemen being also engaged in farming. Mr. Alix was born in Indiana in 1845, the second of ten children born to Peter J. and Eleanor (Coux) Alix, both of whom were born in France. At the age of nine- teen years the father came to America and in his youth learned both to till the soil and the carpen- ter's trade. In 1872 he settled in Arkansas, and until his death, which occurred in 1885, was a worthy agriculturist of Johnson County. His wife came to this country with her parents when a child, and is still living, being a resident of Ar- kansas. Ferdinand Alix became familiar with farm life in his youth, his early education being acquired in the common schools, and at the age of twenty-one years he began farming for himself, and came with his parents to Arkansas. He was married in 1876 to Miss Malinda Ella Kerr, a native of Georgia, and the year following his mar- riage he purchased 120 acres of land, and on this property cleared 80 acres and made a pleasant home. This land he afterward sold, and bought another tract on which he cleared forty acres. In July, 1889 he purchased a large cotton-gin, which has a capacity of fifteen bales per day, his mill easily grinding 250 bushels of corn per day. His planing-mill is also an excellent one, and the work which he does is guaranteed satisfactory. He and his worthy wife have a family of four children: Elvis Eugenie, Henry (who died in infancy), Harley W. and Antonia. Mr. Alix belongs to Coal Hill Lodge No. 383 of the A. F. & A. M., and he is one of the representative citizens of this section, and is a warm advocate of free schools, and all other worthy causes.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
L. I. Barger was brought up to the life of a farmer by his father Henry Barger, and like the majority of boys has followed in his father's foot- steps, and is now one of the leading agriculturists and stockmen of Johnson County. He was born in Henderson County, Tenn., March 17, 1851, to Henry and Matilda (Mitchell) Barger, the former a Tennesseean and the latter born in Kentucky, their marriage taking place in the former State, and resulting in the birth of sixteen children- eight now living: Clementine, William H., Mary E., L. I., Monroe R., L. F., Henry B, and J. B. Henry Barger came with his family to Arkansas in 1858 and settled on a farm in White County, which he greatly improved. He died in 1862, a member of the Christian Church, his widow still surviving him, a member of that church also, L. I. Barger came with his parents to Arkansas when seven years of age, here grew to manhood and was married in 1874 to Miss A. M. Whitaker, who was born in Tennessee in 1852. She has borne her husband four children: H. H., W. I., A. L. (de- ceased) and Myrtilla L. (deceased.) Mr. Barger is the owner of 196 acres of fine farming land, and by industry and good management has suc- ceeded in putting 125 acres under cultivation. He has one acre in a peach orchard, and the cultivated portion of his land is devoted to the raising of corn, cotton, oats and grass. In 1885 he built a fine frame barn 40x50 feet, and his residence is also a sub- stantial structure, and his outbuildings in good repair. Considerable of his attention is given to the propagation of stock, and hogs, cattle and sheep are raised in quite large numbers. He is a thrifty, industrious farmer, and every detail and part of his work is well looked after and nothing is let go to waste. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and politically he is a Democrat. Mrs. Barger's father was a native of Greene County, Tenn., and her mother of East Tennessee, their births occurring October 28, 1823, and December 26, 1820, respectively. They were married in Sullivan County of their native State, December 23, 1851, and in time a family of three children gathered about their board: A. M. (Mrs. Barger), H. A. and J. B. The
father was a tanner, throughout life, was a soldier in the Mexican War, and was also in the Rebellion. He served as justice of the peace of Pittsburg Township for some six years, after his removal to this State and county in 1860, and here became the owner of a large amount of land which he im- proved in an admirable manner. He died on October 11, 1877, and his wife on September 26, 1876, both being members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and the former a Royal Arch Mason.
J. K. Baskin is well known throughout this region, for he was born here in 1852, and as a youth and man he at all times made numerous friends. His parents, J. M. and Melissa (Laster) Baskin, were born in Tennessee, and came to Ar- kansas with their parents in 1839 and 1831 re- spectively, their union taking place here. It re- sulted in the birth of the following children: Nancy C., William M. (who died in 1863), Abram L., Hester Ann, Octavia F. (wife of William Davis, a farmer of Scott County), Manisia, J. K., Mary M., Robert M., John C., Minerva (who died in 1861), Darthula (who married Robert Gillian, lives in Se- bastian County), and Frank C. The father of these children removed to Texas in 1864, and there remained until the termination of the war, when he returned to his family in Johnson County, Ark., and here has since tilled the soil, being now the owner of 220 acres of land in Horsehead Town- ship, ninety acres of which are under cultivation. J. K. Baskin, the immediate subject of this sketch, was married in 1879 to Miss Minerva Yandell, daughter of Thomas Yandell, by whom he has two boys and two girls: Virgil Q., Chester D., Bonnie A. and Maud M. He has a fertile and well-tilled farm of 170 acres, seventy-five acres of which are in a good state of cultivation. He owns a half in- terest in a good cotton-gin with J. M. Laster, the gin being on Mr. Laster's land. He had fairly good school advantages in boyhood, and gives liberally of his means in the support of worthy en- terprises of all kinds, being an equally liberal con- tributor to churches. He is a Democrat, but is not however, an enthusiastic politician. His wife is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
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Daniel Bench is one of the leading farmers of the progressive agricultural region of Johnson County, Ark., and as he was born in the State of Ohio he possesses many of the characteristics of the natives of that State, among which may be men- tioned pluck, perseverance, intelligence and hon- esty. He was taken from that State when an in- fant, and was reared to manhood in Indiana and Missouri, coming to Johnson County, Ark., in 1842, settling on a piece of land in this township which he improved and cleared. Here he remained hard at work until the bursting of the war cloud which had for so long a time hovered over the country, when he took his family and moved into the Indian Territory (the Choctaw Nation), where he remained until the close of the war. He re- turned to Arkansas about one year later, sold his property and purchased a place at Mulberry and this farm continued to cultivate for twelve years. He then sold out and came to his former place and purchased 160 acres of land to which he has since added from time to time until he is now the owner of 300 acres and has 110 under cultivation. His principal crops are cotton and corn, and this year he has devoted twenty acres to cotton which prom- ises well. His buildings are all in excellent con- dition, and as he was reared to the work which he is now following he thoroughly understands every detail of the work and has been successful. He was born in 1825 and in 1844 was married to Miss Martha A. Prim by whom he has become the father of eleven children. He is a man who brings, tact, energy and skill to his assistance in the con- duct of his property and as a result is far more successful than many of his neighbors. He is lib- eral in his contributions to public affairs and is well preserved in both mind and body, notwith- standing the fact that he is sixty-five years of age.
John G. Blair is a liveryman and hotel keeper of Lamar, Ark., but was born in Tennessee, on June 8, 1844, to Thomas B. and Sarah (Holmes) Blair, who were born in Alabama and Tennessee, respectively, their marriage taking place in Gibson County of the latter State, and resulting in the birth of eight children-four sons and four daugh- ters-two of whom are living: John G. and Belle
(wife of Ben Martin). The father was one of the honest "sons of soil," of Tennessee, but removed from that State to Mississippi, and from there to Arkansas, in 1858, settling in Johnson County, where he purchased 120 acres of land, afterward purchasing a much larger tract. He died in Sevier County, Ark., in 1864, a member of the Presby- terian Church, and was followed to the grave by his widow in 1867, she being a member also of that church. John G. Blair was married in this county in 1879 to Miss Louisa Paine, who was born in this State on March 14, 1847, a daughter of T. B. and Ruth (Huston) Paine, and by her became the father of seven children-four sons and three daughters - of which family six members are still living: William A., Walter H., Sarah R., John H., Min- nie M. and Thomas. Lou A. is deceased. Mr. Blair enlisted as a private soldier in Company L., under Hall McConnell, and was in the Confeder- ate Army until 1864, when he was captured in one of the battles of Kansas, and was taken to Rock Island, Ill., thence to Richmond, Va., where he was exchanged in 1865, and returned to his home in Arkansas, once more taking up the occupation of farming. He resided on the farm until 1889, when he moved to Lamar and bought the hotel and livery stable of which he is now proprietor. His farm consists of 135 acres of good land with 90 under cultivation, and on this he has an excellent frame residence and barn with three acres of good young orchard, consisting of apples, peaches, plums, cherries and quinces. He also raises grapes, raspberries and strawberries in abundance. He and Mrs. Blair are members of the Presbyterian Church.
John G. Brown is a pioneer planter living in Pittsburg Township, Johnson County, Ark., and is a native of Tennessee, born October 13, 1820, to John B. and Sallie (Huston) Brown, the former born in North Carolina, February 9, 1785, and the latter in Kentucky December 1, 1791, their marriage being consummated at Nashville, Tenn. Nine sons and five danghters were the result of their union, the subject of this sketch being the fourth son. Mr. Brown was a farmer, and during his residence in Tennessee, and after his removal to Arkansas in
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1836 he followed that occupation, and became a large land holder, many improvements being made on his property. He served in the War of 1812, and was in the battle of New Orleans. He passed from life in October, 1852, his widow following him to the grave in March, 1861, both being members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. John G. Brown was married on November 17, 1842, to Miss Harriet Allen, who was born in Alabama July 13, 1820, she being a daughter of Louis Allen and Lucy (Felts) Allen, who removed from Alabama to Arkansas in 1833, and settled in this county, where they made their home until 1845, when they moved to Mississippi, and a short time after to Louisiana, his death occurring in this State. The mother had died in Johnson County, Ark., in 1841. The father was a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and the mother a member of the Pres- byterian Church. The parents were married in Tennessee, and became the parents of ten children, only two of whom are living. Mr. Brown and his wife have four sons and four daughters: John, Eliza (wife of Robert Winn), Delia (wife of David Strain), Emma (wife of James Nations), Ella (wife of Van Ross), living, and James H., Oliver N. and Walter A., deceased. Mr. Brown is the owner of 228 acres of land, and has 130 acres under cultiva- tion, well improved, with a good two-story frame residence, built in 1879-80, and good ordinary barns and other buildings. He owns 160 acres in one tract of land and 175 in another, both being valuable, for they are ordinarily well tilled and im- proved. Mr. Brown and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and politically he is a Democrat. They have had thirty-three grandchildren born in Johnson County, twenty-five of whom are living. Mr. Brown is living within three miles of the place where he stopped in John- son County the last day of 1836, and within six miles the place where he was married, never hav- ing lived farther than six miles from this place.
J. R. Brown is the oldest merchant of Coal Hill, and throughout this region has won an excel- lent reputation as a man of business. He was born in Tennessee in 1850, being the third of fourteen children born to Benjamin A. and Elizabeth (Real)
Brown, who were born in North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively, the former, a farmer, who came to Arkansas in the fall of 1866, and is still residing in Logan County of this State. His son, J. R. Brown, like so many of the substantial citi- zens of this country at the present time, was initi- ated into the mysteries of farming from the very first, and after his removal to Arkansas, in 1866, was favored with good opportunities for obtaining an education, and was an attendant of Pleasant Grove School at Cabin Creek. In 1878 he began busi- ness at Coal Hill, after having been a clerk in the establishment of J. W. May, of Clarksville, for some years, and he now has the facilities for doing a large trade, his stock of goods being worth $10,- 000, and his annual sales amounting to $45,000. He handles wagons, farming implements, and buys all kinds of farm produce. He owns two farms, comprising 214 acres, and has 120 acres under cultivation, the fine steam cotton-gin which is erected thereon being the best in the county, its capacity being twenty bales per day. He also has a good corn-mill, and is the owner of four resi- dence buildings and the post office building. He has been one of the active citizens of Coal Hill, and has identified himself with every worthy enter- prise of the place. His marriage, which occurred in December, 1878, was to Miss Lucy, daughter of Col. John S. Houston, of Clarksville, by whom he has two children, Howell Houston and Lucile. Vivian died at the age of one year, and another child died in infancy, unnamed. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and he belongs to the I. O. O. F. An annual statement taken in February, 1890, gives a showing of $30,000, all of which is the result of his own labor. He was in debt when he began clerking for Capt. May, but is now a wealthy man. He owns three lots in Van Buren, on one of which he is erecting a handsome residence.
Edward Buehring was born in Germany in 1835 and he may be truly said to have inherited all the characteristics of those of his nativity-persever- ance, energy, thrift and honesty. Like all German youths he was put to school, and for four years after leaving school he served an apprenticeship
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