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 53
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Eugene Witt is a farmer, artesian-well driller and makes a specialty of prospecting, being ex- ceptionally well fitted to follow these occupations with success. He was born in Conway County, Ark., July 17, 1859, to George C. and Nancy A. (Trousel) Witt, the former born in Lincoln County, Tenn., in 1815, and the latter in Alabama about 1830. The father was a farmer by occupation, and in Conway County, Ark., was married in 1857, his union resulting in the birth of three children: Flora (deceased), one child that died in infancy, and Eu- gene, the subject of this sketch. The father was an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and in this county passed from life May 3, 1887, his wife, who was also a member of the above-men- tioned church, dying in 1863. The subject of this sketch received a common business education in the schools near his father's home, and being a young man of good parts, excellent moral habits and industrious, he stands high in the estimation of the community in which he lives. In 1882 he purchased a good steam well-drill and a one-horse- power drill, the cost of the former being ahout $1,200. He can drill from ten to forty feet per day and since starting in this business has done work in nearly all the counties included in this work. His prices are most reasonable-about $1.50 per foot for the first 100 feet, with a slight additional charge for greater depths. That Mr. Witt's work gives the greatest satisfaction is proven by his many indorsements from patrons. He has one from Judge Rose, of Little Rock, which is here given.
December 17, 1889.
MR. EUGENE WITT, LAMAR, ARK.
Dear Sir-Yours of the 14th received. I would
say to any one enquiring about the matter that you bored a well for me at Mt. Nebo and several wells for friends of mine, and that in every case your work gave satisfaction in every respect.
Very truly, U. M. ROSE.
He also has other testimonials too numerous to mention from well-known and prominent citizens of this and other States. He has been quite ex- tensively engaged in prospecting for various com- panies in Northwestern Arkansas-for the Clarks- ville Coal & Iron Company (the Ouita Coal Company of Coal Hill, and drilled the well that supplies the water for the Ouita coal mine. He has done much work in Yell County, and has drilled thirty-three wells in Mount Nebo, all of which stand greatly to his credit. He is the owner of a good river-bottom and upland farm of 456 acres of land, and has 200 acres under cultivation, on which are seven tenant houses with good barns and outbuildings attached. He has two good orchards of apple and peach trees and an excellent vineyard. He has also six head of good mules, two head of horses, and by good management and industry is the owner of other property also. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., holding a membership in Cane Hill Lodge.
A. W. Woolf is a prominent planter residing in Howell Township, Johnson County, Ark., but was born in the State of Kentucky, December 27, 1840, being a son of D. W. and Anna (French) Woolf, they being also born in that State, the former in 1812. They were married in Caldwell County, and in 1846 removed from their native State to Missouri, and in 1862 to Arkansas, settling in Johnson County, where the father followed the occupation of farming, having been justice of the peace while a resident of Missouri, for eight years. He died on June 9, 1887, and his wife in 1885, both members of the Primitive Baptist Church. Their family consisted of two sons and five daugh- ters, of which family the following members are living: Charity E., Mary J. (widow of S. R. Man- ning), and A. W., the immediate subject of this sketch. Those deceased are: Polly J., Martha E., William H. and M. A. A. W. Woolf was married in Stone County, Mo., in 1861, to Miss Elizabeth
WELL-DRILLING MACHINERY OF EUGENE WITT, LAMAR, JOHNSON COUNTY, ARK.
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Manning, a native of Alabama, and to this marriage six children have been born: T. A., M. E., M. A., Ora V. and S. P., and J. D. (deceased). Mr. Woolf was a soldier during the Rebellion, serving in Company C, Fourth Missouri Infantry, and was in the battles of Oak Hill, Prairie Grove, Dril- wood, Helena, Marshfield, Pleasant Hill and others, serving until the close of the war, receiving his parol at Shreveport, La., in 1865. He returned home to resume merchandising, but in 1888 also engaged in merchandising at Knoxville Station in this county, which establishment he continued until 1890, when he sold out. He erected a large steam cotton-gin, grist-mill and saw mill combined in 1875, the capacity of the gin being fifteen bales per day, and of the latter 6,000 feet of lumber. He is also the owner of 405 acres of good land, with 225 under cultivation, on which are good buildings of all kinds and five acres of orchard. He, his wife and children are members of the Mis- sionary Baptist Church, and he is a deacon in the same. He is a member of the Masonic order, Knoxville Lodge No. 370, and also belongs to Knoxville Lodge No. 30, of the I. O. O. F., and in both orders is holding prominent positions.
M. M. Wyatt needs no special introduction to the inhabitants of Johnson County, Ark., for he is the well-known proprietor of an excellent saw mill at Silex. He was born in the Hoosier State, be- ing one of five children, two of whom are living- himself and William T. - born to James A. and Ma-
linda (Shien) Wyatt, they being also born in that State. The subject of this sketch came to Arkan- sas with his parents when about nine years of age, and after the father had been engaged in cutting timber in Clay County, Ark., for about one year he removed to Pope County and homesteaded 160 acres of land, on which he remained about five years, clearing, during this time, about twenty acres, upon which he built a good residence and other necessary buildings. He then purchased eighty acres adjoining his home tract and eighty acres in Hickory Township, Johnson County, and at the time of his death on November 22, 1887, he was the possessor of a good patrimony. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. When about nineteen years of age M. M. Wyatt began farming for himself in Kansas, where he remained one year, returning to Johnson County, Ark., at the end of that time and engaging in operating a saw- mill, being a joint owner with J. J. Colwell. This mill is an excellent one, and has a capacity of 8, 000 feet of lumber per day, for which they find a ready sale. Mr. Wyatt is polite in his manners to all, is devoted to his friends, and is one of those gentle- men who is seldom duplicated in any community. He belongs to Silex Lodge No. 474, of the A. F. & A. M. He is a man on whom one can rely at all times, and his friends are many and his enemies few, for he is warm-hearted and true as a magnet to the pole.
21
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
CHAPTER XVIII
LOGAN COUNTY - LOCATION -- AREA -LANDS - TOPOGRAPHY - MOUNTAINS -STREAMS - DERIVATION OF NAMES-TIMBER-MINERALS-AGRICULTURE-HORTICULTURE-GRAPES AND NATIVE WINES-PARIS NURSERY-RAISING OF LIVE STOCK-TRANSPORTATION LINES-SETTLEMENT-DE SOTO'S EXPEDI- TION-MOUNDS CONTAINING HUMAN BONES-SUPPOSED FIGHT WITH INDIANS-EARLY SETTLERS MENTIONED-AN ANCIENT GRAVE-COUNTY ORGANIZATION - BOUNDARY LINES-FIRST COUNTY SEAT- SECOND AND FINAL COUNTY SEAT-BURNING OF COURT-HOUSES-COUNTY BUILDINGS-CHANGE OF NAME OF COUNTY FROM SARBER TO LOGAN-COUNTY OF- FICERS -POLITICAL ASPECT-ELECTION RETURNS -CIRCUIT COURT -LOGAN COUNTY LEGAL BAR-CRIMINAL EXECUTIONS-CIVIL WAR-HAGUEWOOD FIGHT-ATTACK ON ROSEVILLE-TOWNS, VILLAGES AND POST-OFFICES- PRESS-EDUCATION-CHRISTIANITY-VIEWS FROM SHORT MOUNTAIN.
"Build yet, the end is not, build on; Build for the ages unafraid.
The past is but a base whereon
These ashlers, well hewn, may be laid.
Lo, I declare I deem him blest
Whose foot, here pausing, findeth rest!"'
HE county of Logan in the west-central part of Arkan- sas, is bounded by Franklin, Johnson, Pope, Yell, Scott and Sebastian Counties, and along the northern boundary flows the Arkansas River. It lies in latitude 36° north, and in longitude 94° west from Greenwich, En- gland. The area of the county is 672 square miles or 430, 080 acres. Of this originally about 12,800 acres were prairie, and 417,280 were timber-lands; 341,109 acres constitute the assessed acreage of the county on deeded lands, as shown by the tax books; there are over 100,000 acres of Government and State lands subject to pre-emp- tion and homestead entry, of which about one-half is
covered with inchoate homestead and pre-emption claims, leaving the balance still subject to entry.
The following table indicates the natural divis- ions and distributions of the Logan County lands in a topographical view:
Acres.
Arkansas River, bottom. 25,000
Six Mile Creek, bottom. . 10,000
Short Mountain Creek, bottom 9,200
Cane Creek, bottom. 6,400
Shoal Creek, bottom 10,000
Delaware Creek, bottom 4,500
Petit Jean River, bottom 22,400
Sugar Creek, bottom 3,840
Uplands 200,000
Hill lands 108,740
Mountainous and unfit for cultivation 30,000
Total area of Logan County. 430,080
The county is somewhat mountainous, but the greater portion of its area is bottom, table and hill lands, as shown above. Short Mountain, a magnif-
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LOGAN COUNTY.
icent and nearly round mountain, covering about two sections of land, lies northwest of Paris, its base being one mile distant from the court-house. Its summit is about 500 feet above the surround- ing country, or 800 feet above sea level. The top is nearly level, and contains some very productive farms. West of this, with only a narrow val- ley intervening, lies Upper Short Mountain, similar in size and formation. These are fre- quently called Twin Mountains. Pine Ridge, a range of dignified hills or low mountains, extends east and west clear through the county in Town- ship 7 north. It averages from one to two miles in width, and its base is about a mile south of Paris. Flattop and Calico Mountains lie south of Pine Ridge in the central part of the county. These are benches of the Magazine Mountain, ly- ing still farther south, its western extremity being about two miles west of the line dividing Ranges 25 and 26 west. A spur of this mountain, some- times called Blue Mountain, extends in a north- easterly direction east of Flattop Mountain. The dividing Ridge between Yell and Logan Counties in Ranges 23 and 24 west, is commonly called Spring Mountain. Along the southern boundary of the county south of the Petit Jean, is another mountain range. Of all these mountains the Mag- azine is the largest and most important.
Its highest point, which is in Sections 22 and 23, in Township 6 north, Range 25 west, is 3,275 feet above sea level. This is claimed to be the highest point in the State .* From this point, it is said, upon good authority, that the most ex- tended and most picturesque view of the surround- ing country of the State is obtained.
The Arkansas River, on the northern boundary, gives to the county forty-two miles of river frontage, and the advantage of a navigable stream for small vessels the year round, and for larger vessels from six to nine months in the year. The tributaries of this river, flowing from Logan County, are Short Mountain, Cane, Shoal, Delaware, and some smaller creeks. Short Mountain Creek rises from springs
on Magazine Mountain, in Township 6 north, Range 25 west, being in the south-central part of the county, and flows thence in a northwesterly direction, between Flattop and Calico Mountains, and by way of Paris and Short Mountain to the north side of the latter, where it turns to the east- ward and northeastward, and empties into the Ar- kansas near the middle of Range 25. There are several important tributaries of this creek, the principal one being Six Mile Creek, which rises near the southwest corner of Township 7 north, Range 27 west, and flows thence in a northeasterly direction to its junction with the main stream, on the north side of Short Mountain. Cane Creek rises in the northeast part of Township 7 north, Range 25 west, and flows thence in a general north- easterly direction to the Arkansas, in the sonth- west part of Township 9 north, Range 23 west. Shoal Creek rises from springs on Magazine Mount- ain, near the southern boundary of the county in Range 24, and runs thence in a northeasterly di- rection between Blue and Spring Mountains, and through a gap in Pine Ridge, and finally empties into the Arkansas in the eastern part of Township 8 north, in Range 23 west. Delaware Creek drains the extreme eastern portion of the county, and empties into the Arkansas near the northeast cor- ner of the county.
The Petit Jean River enters the county about four miles north of its southwest corner, and flows easterly through the southern tier of townships. Its principal tributary is Sugar Creek, which flows into it from the south. The Magazine Mountain, with the territory west of it in Township 6 north, forms the dividing ridge, or watershed, between the Arkansas and Petit Jean Rivers.
According to tradition this river derived its name from the following circumstances: When the Territory was under the dominion of the French, a party of explorers or hunters visited the head of the stream, having with them a small man whose name was Jean in French, or John in English. Petit means little, in French, and being a small man they called him Petit Jean (Little John). While there they had a fight with the Indians, and Petit Jean was wounded, and afterward died
* There is some controversy about the highest point in the State, It being claimed for Rich Mountain in Polk County, but the writer is of opinion that Magazine has the highest elevation.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
from the effects of the wound as the party was re- turning down the river, hence the name Petit Jean River. Cane Creek took its name from the abun- dance of cane along its route, and Shoal Creek took its name from the many shoals in its course.
One of the most valuable resources of Logan County, when developed, will be its timber. At least one-half its area is. yet covered with virgin forests, containing vast quantities of the most val- uable woods. In the bottoms are walnut, white oak, the red and black oaks, gum, mulberry, hick- ory, white ash, cottonwood, box elder, and a vari- ety of others. On the uplands are post oak, hick- ory, cherry, pine, red and black oak, etc. On the north side of Magazine Mountain are found im- mense quantities of wild cherry and black walnut, of immense size, from three to five feet in diam- eter, and straight as an arrow for many feet with- out limbs. There is perhaps a larger quantity of oak than of any other timber; the pine is not abun- dant. The demand for lumber is only local yet, very little being cut for shipment. Pine and oak lumber can be bought for building purposes almost anywhere in the county at $10 to $12.50 per thou- sand feet.
The mineral wealth of Logan County is very great, though as yet undeveloped. The whole northern side of the county is underlaid with coal of the finest quality, and coal has also been dis- covered on Canthron Prairie, in the southwestern part of the county. In the immediate vicinity of Paris, coal to supply the local demand is mined. The veins vary in thickness from twenty-eight inches to four feet, and lie near the surface. A much thicker deposit has been reached at a depth of about eighty feet, but it has never been developed. The area of the coal fields is estimated at 75,000 acres.
Iron ore is found in large quantities in several localities. Near Paris are extensive deposits of brown hematite, and the same ore is found in the ridges south of the Petit Jean River. Some lands on which deposits of iron are found have recently been purchased by eastern parties for the purpose of developing the iron.
Building stone of the finest quality, and in in-
exhaustible quantity, is found in the ridges all over the county. It is chiefly a gray sandstone, easily dressed and very durable. Granite of fine quality is abundant in the southern range of mountains.
Fire clay and brick clay are found in great abundance, and of excellent quality.
Gold has been found at Golden City, near the southern line of the county, and a mining camp has been established there. Considerable work has been done there in the way of sinking shafts etc., but at this writing it has not been disclosed whether or not the "find" will prove a profitable one. Copper and galena have also been found in the same locality, but they are yet undeveloped.
The alluvial soils along the rivers and creeks are as fertile as any in the world. The uplands are of various grades in different sections of the county, but consist mainly of hematitic clay, with a substratum ranging in depth from two or three to fifteen feet. The new grounds are overlaid with a mold from a few inches to a foot in thick- ness. Most of the upland is highly productive in its natural state. A remarkable feature of the mountain lands is that on many of them, particu- larly on the Magazine Mountain, the vegetation and the soil present the same characteristics as the alluvial river bottoms.
As to the agricultural products of the county, cotton holds the first place. The average yield per acre of the fleecy staple is higher in Arkansas than in any of the other cotton-producing States, and Logan County will compare favorably with any section of the State. The yield may be counted with reasonable certainty to average about a half bale per acre on uplands, and a bale on bot- tom lands. It is not uncommon to see a bale per acre from the uplands in many sections of the county.
Corn is the next crop in point of acreage, and, of course, first in importance. The yield is from twenty-five to seventy-five bushels per acre. Since corn is the life of the farmer and of the farm, it will be a source of gratification to those in search of homes to know that with early planting and good cultivation, the corn crop never fails in this
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LOGAN COUNTY.
section. In the two protracted drouths that have visited this region in the last fifteen years, all who had planted early crops and cultivated them well, had corn to spare to their less fortunate neighbors.
Wheat is another crop which yields reasonably well. More attention has been paid to the growth of wheat of late years than formerly, and the yield has been materially augmented by the intro- duction of better methods of cultivation. The yield of wheat is from seven to thirty bushels per acre;
Oats, rye and barley are all cultivated, and make good crops. Oats is an important crop, and recently the acreage has been largely increased.
The great abundance and variety of native .grasses, which the "public range" furnished while the country was sparsely settled and but little fenced, obviated to a very large degree the necessity for cultivating the tame grasses; but where tried many of them have done well. Clover, timothy, red top, orchard grass and millet, all yield large returns, while some native grasses yield fine pasturage and good hay. Clover will yield two crops of hay per year, but as yet only a little has been raised. It ought to be extensively raised, both for pasturage and for fertilizing the soil and killing out the weeds which grow so luxuriantly here. Farmers would find their milk and butter of much better quality if they would keep their milch cows off the wild range and pasture them'on clover fields. This will be an excellent grazing county when the tame grasses are generally introduced and raised to the proper extent. A valuable addi- tion to the range of late years is the wide distri- bution over the county of the Lespidesa, or "Ja- pan clover," which now covers a large percentage of the open land.
The attention of the whole country has been attracted by the wonderful display of fruits made by Arkansas at New Orleans, Boston and other places. Logan is not behind her sister counties in the production of fruit, though she has as yet no very extensive orchards. Peaches, apples and all the small fruits grow to the greatest perfection, the uplands being the best for their production. Grape culture, while yet in its infancy, has been
tried sufficiently to demonstrate its success. The hills and mountains abound with wild grapes of several valuable kinds, many of them being equal in size and flavor to favorite varieties of cultivated grapes. One variety is about the size of the well- known Concord, and equally as good. Another variety is a large and excellent white grape, and another is larger than either of these, but it has a tough skin and is not so good in quality. The native grapes, being very abundant, are extensively gathered by the citizen and manufactured into wine of excellent quality.
One of the enterprises to which the people of Logan County can point with pride is the Paris Nursery, located on Short Mountain, two miles northwest of Paris. It was established in 1879, by J. W. Ayers, who was its principal manager until his death, which occurred but recently. Mr. E. G. Butler purchased an interest in the business some years ago, and it now belongs to him and the Ayers estate. Mr. Butler a practical nurseryman, lives upon the farm and superintends the business to- gether with the administrator of the Ayers estate, the Hon. J. H. Wilkins. Commencing with a small stock, and a business confined almost entirely to Logan County, this nursery has steadily grown until it is now one of the largest in the State, em- ploying canvasers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and the Indian Territory. Mr. Butler devotes his whole time to the business and understands it thoroughly, and will continue the business. Every bill of trees sent out from this nursery is just as represented, a fact to which the many customers willingly testify. The elevation, and the character of the soil on Short Mountain, make it one of the best locations in the State for a nursery. There are now in the Paris Nursery a fine stock of healthy young trees, many of the one year old ap- ple trees being from four to six feet in height.
The compiler of this work has had experience in the fruit-tree nursery business in another State, and sincerely recommends the patronage of the home nursery, not alone for the purpose of fostering a home institution, but for self. pro- tection, for the purpose of getting acclimated trees and plants, that will succeed in growing and be
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
true in name of variety. Buy trees of kinds of fruit the success of which has been proven in your latitude.
The Logan County Bureau of Immigration, in a pamphlet published recently, speaks as follows concerning the raising of live stock:
"In the old ante bellum days the energies of the South were entirely concentrated on cotton, and every other enterprise sank into insignificance be- fore the one absorbing idea that "cotton is king." So it was, that until a very late day no attention has been paid to stock-raising. Our mountain sides are covered with deer, and hogs unclaimed fattened in our forests; our prairie lands furnished a pasture in summer, and the canebrakes in the bottoms were a never-failing winter pasture for cattle. But the march of immigration has caused cities to spring up in our midst, and the demand for beef and meats of all kinds has greatly augu- mented, and there can be no doubt that stock-rais- ing can be made very profitable here, especially by those who understand how to handle stock. We have only a few citizens who have turned their at- tention to graded cattle, and they find the business very profitable. Our meats are at this time to a great extent furnished us from the north, and in the towns of much consequence they buy from the north large amounts. After a glance at our list of grasses and never-failing supply of the purest water, we see no reason why stock-raising could not be made largely profitable here. The northern markets would have their freight to pay in order to compete with the home producer, and there is no question about the local demand here. People who understand stock-raising are especially invited to come and be with us, they will receive a special welcome; they would be useful to us, and we will encourage their enterprise. We would rather spend our money at home.
"Horse and mule raising would also be a good business here. As large farms are being opened an animal is in demand here that can pull a heavy plow. The mustang pony must go. As yet there have been very few good general-purpose horses raised here; they are purchased from the north, and are now in great demand. Money invested in a stock
farm in one of the fertile valleys, watered by a mountain stream, in Logan County, would be a paying investment. In this we are sure no mistake can be made, no money lost; and he who embarks first will get the cream of the enterprise; though this business is bound to last and prosper in this country while water runs and grass grows.
"Until the last few years the wolves and other wild animals have kept the sheep pretty well thinned out, but now, as our country is filling up very fast, these destructive animals, like the buf- falo, are seeking a more congenial clime. Sheep can be raised here now with certainty, and from under the eye of the shepherd, with very little ex- pense to the farmer, and would yield a large profit. Our mountain sides could be especially utilized in this enterprise, and a pleasanter or more profitable business could not be embarked in. It is an es- tablished fact that sheep are not so susceptible to destructive diseases here as in many localities where their culture is an acknowledged success. The wool fiber is finer and longer and the yield greater than in less healthy localities; hence, in- ducements, from every point of view, preponderate in favor of this locality, with its short, mild winters, early springs, temperate summers, and late falls, for this particular industry."
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