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 54
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The following statistics will show what has actually been done in the county-numerically at least-in the way of live-stock raising in the last few years. In 1886 there were 4,710 horses, 1,900 mules and asses, 19,212 head of cattle, 4,070 sheep, and 24,784 hogs, listed for taxation in Logan County, and the number of these animals listed for taxation in 1889 was as follows: Horses, 4,357; mules and asses, 1,988; cattle, 23,331; sheep, 5,934; hogs, 31,611. This shows a decrease in the number of horses during the three years of 353, and a gain of 88 mules and asses, 4,112 cattle, 1,864 sheep, and 6,827 hogs. These figures are taken from the county records and are therefore reliable. There was a fair gain in the number of mules and asses, and large gains in the number of cattle, sheep and hogs, but it seems strange that there should be such a falling off in the number of horses as shown by the figures.
327
LOGAN COUNTY.
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The territory composing Logan County was formerly dependent upon the Arkansas River, and latterly upon the Little Rock & Fort Smith Rail- road for transportation facilities. But little is now transported by way of the river. The line of the proposed Fort Smith & Dardanelle Railroad passes east and west through the county by way of Paris. This road has been chartered, the route surveyed and the right of way secured, and some work on the west end at Fort Smith has been done. Nothing is being done at present, but the pros- pects for business along this line will probably cause the road to be constructed at no distant day. This line, eighty miles in length, passes through the richest coal fields in the southwest, and as fine an agricultural region as can be found in the coun- try. There is talk of building a branch railroad from Coal Hill in Johnson County, on the Little Rock & Fort Smith line, to Paris. In all proba- bility it will not be long before the county will have a railroad.
It is most probable that the first white men who ever visited the territory now composing Logan County belonged to the exploring expedi- tion of Hernando De Soto, who, in 1541, crossed the Arkansas River, going southward, at some point between the present cities of Dardanelle and Forth Smith. The following facts are circum- stances in evidence of his having stopped here with his men for a time. At the crossing of Six Mile Creek on the Fort Smith road, eight miles west of Paris, are five mounds supposed to have been con- structed by Indians. The mounds stand on the west bank of the creek. Three have been opened, and in two of them the bones of individuals belonging to a giant race of Indians, probably the Big Osages, and in the other the bones of white men of ordinary size have been found. Evidently a fight has oc- curred here some time between the Indians and a band of white men, and it is believed that the lat- ter belonged to De Soto's expedition, though his- torians do not place his line of march quite so far to the west. The evidences of a fight are, that in one place near the mounds flattened bullets, and in an- other place numerous flint arrow heads have been found, which circumstances lead to the conclusion
that the Indians fought from the place where the flattened balls were found, and the whites from the point where the arrowheads were found. Many of the bones and skulls found in the mounds were broken, indicating that the contending parties finally closed in and had a hand-to-hand encounter. In another place, not far from the mounds, round bullets have been found, and here it is supposed that the whites had their camp. Bars of lead and pieces of iron bars, probably cudgels and other warlike implements have also been found. Hemis- pherical iron balls, about a dozen in number, that would fit a three-pound-ball cannon, were also found here. The bones of the Indians would in- dicate that they were from six to seven feet in height.
Subsequent to De Soto's explorations, and prior to 1800, the Arkansas River and the territory ad- jacent thereto were frequently explored by the sub- jects of France and Spain in their search for val- uable metals. Many marks made by them still remain upon the rocks in Logan County. The permanent white settlement, however, did not be- gin here until about the beginning of the present century. It seems to have begun here earlier than at many points farther down the river.
A man named Noaks settled as early, perhaps, as 1806, at a point one mile southeast of Roseville, and Noaks Creek was named after him. Soon thereafter a Polish Count Don Stein, an exile from his country, settled just north of Short Mountain, and led a wild and reckless life, hunting and sport- ing with the Indians, fighting duels, etc. After the lands were surveyed in 1825, he entered the tract on which his cabin stood, and soon thereafter sold out and left. Col. John Tittsworth settled near Short Mountain about the year 1814, his sons, David and Gabriel, having settled here some time earlier. John Fort came from Missouri in 1826, and settled in McClain's bottom. His mother came the next year with the balance of her large family including her son William, who still survives and resides about three miles west of Paris. Among other prominent citizens who located here in the twenties, some of them perhaps a little later, were George Hicklin, who settled on or near the present
Post
328
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
site of Paris; a Mr. Davis and Mr. McClain (or McLean) who settled on McClain's bottom; Mr. Hixson, Anthony Brown, James Carpenter, Samuel Rose. John Drennon (who afterward owned a steamboat on the river), and George Gill, all of whom settled at and in the vicinity of Roseville; William Raney, Mr. McClain and a Mr. Scott, all of whom settled on McClain's bottom; the Nesbits who settled in the lower end of the county; Mark Cravens, who settled near Morrison's Bluff, also Lorenzo Clark, a very noted and wealthy man and politician. Thomas Cochran settled and named Cochran's Prairie south of Booneville as early and not later, perhaps, than 1810. About 1830 Col. James Logan settled on Sugar Creek south of the Petit Jean River, and about the same time a Mr. Scott settled on the river. A number of persons came from the New Madrid country soon after the earthquakes of 1811 and 1812, and settled in what is now Logan County.
The persons named in the foregoing were among the most noted early settlers. There was a class of settlers here before them, some of whom remained but a short time, and none of whom gained notoriety. There were rough times here in the "early days." Fighting duels was a common practice, and the notorious John A. Murrell, with his gang of counterfeiters and robbers, made this county one of his places of rendezvous.
The first steamboat that ascended the Arkansas River as high as this county is said to have been the "Cotton Plant," which came up in 1847. The items pertaining to the permanent settlement of the county have been furnished the writer by Judge Theodore Potts, who in some instances gave only approximate dates. For further particulars and more definite dates pertaining to individual settlers the reader is referred to the biographical sketches of the leading citizens.
While a number of citizens were cleaning up the Raney graveyard in Clark Township in August, 1890, an old grave was discovered that attracted unusual attention. On examination the grave was found to be nine feet long with head and footstones of hard sandstone. The head stone was taken down and closely examined, and upon it was the
following inscription, which was covered over with moss: "John McDaniel, Ju. 4. 1817." The old- est inhabitants have no tradition about the grave, save that some of them remember having seen the grave when they were boys. It is supposed that his death occurred in June or July of that year.
Logan County, originally call Sarber, was or- ganized in accordance with the provisions of an act of the General Assembly of the State, ap- proved March 22, 1871, and was called Sarber in honor of Gen. J. N. Sarber. The first three sec- tions of the act reads as follows:
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, That all that portion of the coun- ties of Yell, Johnson, Franklin and Scott included with- in the following boundaries, to wit: Commencing at a point in the channel of the Arkansas River where the line dividing Ranges 21 and 22 crosses said river; thence run- ning south on said line to the line dividing Townships 6 and 7; thence running west on said line to the boundary between Yell and Johnson Counties; thence west and south with said boundary line to the line dividing Townships 24 and 25; thence south on said line to the line dividing 5 and 6; thence west on said line to the boundary line between Yell and Scott Counties; thence south on said boundary line to the line dividing Townships 4 and 5; thence west on said line dividing 4 and 5 to the boundary line between Scott and Sebastian Counties; thence north on the line dividing Ranges 28 and 29, to northwest eorner of Town- ship 6, Range 28; thence east on said line dividing 6 and 7, to the line dividing Ranges 28 and 27; thence north on said line dividing Ranges 28 and 27, to the line dividing Townships 7 and 8; thence east on said line dividing Townships 7 and 8, to the line dividing Ranges 25 and 26; thence north on said line dividing Ranges 25 and 26. to the channel of the Arkansas River, thence with the chan- nel of said river to the place of beginning.
SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the temporary seat of justice of said county shall be at Reveille.
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That the Governor shall appoint all county and township officers in said county of Sarber hereby established, who shall hold their respective offices until their successors are elected and qualified, as provided for by the constitution, at the next general election for the same class of officers in other counties.
Section 4 appoints C. P. Anderson, James M. White and James L. Garner as a board of com- missioners to locate the seat of justice for the county, purchase the site thereof and perform cer- tain other duties. Then follow sixteen other sec-
329
LOGAN COUNTY.
tions pertaining to the organization of the courts, the duties of officers, etc.
It will be observed that the first section of the act bounds a certain tract of territory, but fails to say that it shall be formed into a separate county, and fails also to name the county. Section 3 speaks of " said County of Sarber" the same as though it had been named. Thus it is seen that the county was not really named at all, but was called Sarber by implication. However, it was or- ganized under the act, imperfect as it was. As soon as the commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice were informed of their duties. they met and selected a site on Red Bench*, of Flattop Mountain, about six miles southeast of the present town of Paris, and here the county seat was first located. The place was named Anderson, and a small frame court-house and a small log jail were erected there. The temporary seat of justice re- mained at Reveille but a short time.
The county seat remained at Anderson until after the passage of the following act entitled, " An act to amend an act to establish and organize the County of Sarber, and for other purposes," ap- proved February 27, 1873. Section 1 of this amendatory act reads as follows:
"That all that portion of the counties of Yell, Johnson, Franklin and Scott included within the following boundaries, to wit: Commencing at a point in the channel of the Arkansas River, where the line dividing Ranges twenty-one (21) and twenty- two (22) west, crosses said river; thence running south on said line to the line dividing Townships six (6) and seven (7) north; thence west on said line to the boundary line between Yell and Johnson Counties;thence west and south on said boundary line to the range line dividing Ranges twenty-four (24) and twenty-five (25) west; thence south on said line to the line dividing Townships five (5) and six (6) north; thence west on said line to the line dividing Ranges twenty-five (25) and twenty-six (26) west; thence south on said line to the dividing line be- tween Townships four (4) and five (5) north; thence
west on said line to the line dividing Ranges twenty-eight (28) and twenty-nine (29) west; thence north on said line to the line dividing Townships six (6) and seven (7) north; thence east on said line to the line between Ranges twenty-seven (27) and twenty- eight (28) west; thence north on said line to the line between Townships seven (7) and eight (S) north; thence east on said line to the line dividing Ranges twenty-six (26) and twenty-seven (27) west; thence north on said line to the channel of the Ar- kansas River; thence with the channel of said river to the place of beginning, be and the same is hereby formed into a separate and distinct county, to be known and designated the county of Sarber, to have, enjoy and exercise, as a body politic and cor- porate, all the rights, priviliges and immunities of a separate county."
By the second section of this act James R. Laffery, Daniel R. Lee and James A. Shrigley were appointed commissioners to locate the seat of jus- tice for the county, to purchase lands for the same and lay it out into town lots, to sell the lots to secure funds to be applied toward the erection of public buildings, and to perform other specific duties.
This act gave a more definite description of the boundary lines of the county, named it Sarber (as it was originally intended to be named), and enlarged its area by adding thereto all that part of Townships 8 and 9 north, in Range 26 west, which lies south of the Arkansas River. The new commissioners ap- pointed by this act to locate or relocate the seat of justice, met and selected Ellsworth, a place on the old Little Rock & Fort Smith military road, about ten miles east of the present county seat. Here a small, frame court-house, or clerk's office, was erect- ed, to which the county records were removed in 1873, and for the time being Ellsworth became the county seat. The people were not satisfied, how- ever, and much contention now arose about another location for the county seat, and strenuous efforts were made by the party in power to locate it at a point three miles west of where Paris now stands. The new site was selected and a contract for the building of a new court-house was let and the county court was about to issue bonds for a large
* Red Bench derived its name from the tradition that the Gov- ernment surveyors marked trees along one of their lines thereon with red chalk. Flattop Mountain is a bench of the Magazine Mount- ain Range.
330
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
sum of money to secure funds for the improve- ments at the proposed new county seat, but was prevented from so doing by the armed uprising of the citizens opposed to such measure.
Early in 1874 an investigation of the county records was ordered, and on the night of Febru- ary 17 the court-house and all the public records excepting the register of county scrip and the county seal were consumed by fire. It is claimed by the parties favoring the investigation that the court-house and records were burned to prevent such investigation. To settle the contention about the permanent location of the county, the Legislature of 1874 passed an act authorizing an election to be held whereby the electors of the county might, by a majority vote, select a site for the seat of justice. An election was accordingly held, and the site of Paris was selected by a majority of the electors. A one- story frame court-house, containing four offices and a court-room was erected, and in September, 1874, it was occupied by the county officers, and Paris be came the permanent seat of justice, and as such it still remains. This first court-house at Paris stood on the public square, directly southwest of the pres- ent court-house. It was consumed by fire in Oc- tober, 1877, having been fired by one Biggs, who at the time was resting under an indictment for larceny. Biggs was afterward indicted for the new offense, was tried, found guilty, and sent to the penitentiary for a term of years. In the burning of the court-house at this time the newly accu- mulated records were also destroyed. The present court-house, which stands in the center of the pub- lic square, was erected in 1879-80, at a cost of about $8,000. It is a plain and substantial two- story brick structure, 50x50 feet in size, with the hall and county offices on the first floor and the court-room on the second.
The first jail at Paris was built of logs. In about 1886 it was replaced with a two-story stone jail which is still standing.
The county was organized in reconstruction times, and as many citizens were not satisfied with the name, a pressure was afterward brought to bear upon the Legislature, which resulted in the passage of an act approved December 14, 1875,
which changed the name from that of Sarber to Logan- the latter name being selected in honor of James Logan, one of the pioneer settlers of this part of the State. The boundary lines of the county remained the same as described in the act of 1873, aforesaid, until an act was passed and approved March 21, 1881, the first section of which reads as follows:
"That the boundary line between the counties of Scott and Logan, in the State of Arkansas, be, and it is hereby changed, and all that portion of Scott County comprised within the following limits, to wit: Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Town- ship 4 north, Range 26 west; and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Township 4 north, Range 27, west; and Section 1, Township 4 north, Range 28 west, be, and the same is hereby detached from the county of Scott, and attached and added to the county of Logan."
No other changes have been made, consequently the territory included within the boundaries de- scribed in the act of 1873, together with the sec- tions attached by the act of 1881, constitute the whole area of the county, amounting to 672 square miles.
The following is a list of the names of the county officers of Logan County with dates of their terms of service annexed, from the organization of the county to the year 1890:
Judges. - Nathan Ellington, 1871-72; board of supervisors, 1872-74; Theodore Potts, 1874-78; J. H. Luman, 1878-80; T. C. Humphrey, ISSO- 82; M. P. Blair, 1882-86; E. B. Casey, 1886-88; C. R. Sadler, 1888-90.
Clerks .- J. A. Shrigley, 1871-72; W. E. Grif- fith, 1872-74; Thomas Cauthron, 1874-76; C. B. Harley, 1876-78; H. G. Sadler, 1878-86; J. W. Poyner, 1886-88; W. R. Cherry, 1888-90.
Sheriffs. - J. S. Garner, 1871-74; A. S. Cabell, 1874-80; W. C. McCubbin, 1880-82; J. P. Grady, 1882-84; A. S. Cabell, 1884-86; Richard Garner, 1886-88; O. C. Wood, 1888-90.
Treasurers. - D. R. Lee, 1871-72; W. C. Me- Caslin, 1872-74; Silas Shirley, 1874-78; T. L. Fuller, 1878-86; W. H. Pearson, 1886-88; T. L. Fuller, 1888-90.
331
LOGAN COUNTY.
Coroners .- Henry Wilson, 1872-74; G. Humph- rey, 1874-76; W. H. Fort, 1876-78; -- Lowery, 1878-80; P. M. Clark, 1880-82; W. R. Lee, 1882 -84; J. L. Moffit, 1884-86; W. A. Heartsill, 1886- 88; John Carr, 1888-90.
Surveyors. - W. E. Griffith, 1871-72; L. Wear, 1872-76; H. M. Youngblood, 1876-78; G. R. Brown, 1878-84; G. J. Harvey, 1884-86; J. F. Billingsly, 1886-88; G. R. Brown, 18SS-90.
Assessors. - R. B. Chitwood, 1871-74: S. R. Low, 1874-78; F. J. Plunkett, 1878-80; T. R. Low, 1880-82; E. J. Plunkett, 1882-84; H. T. Hampston, 1884-88; E. Schneider, 1SS8-90.
State Senators. - District composed of Newton, Johnson, Yell and Sarber, Thomas A. Hanks, 1873 -74; district composed of Yell and Sarber Coun- ties, J. W. Toomer, 1874-76; district composed of Yell and Logan, B. B. Chism, 1876-80; same district, J. T. Harrison, 1880-84; Theodore F. Potts, 1884-88; Dr. W. A. Clement, 18SS-92.
Representatives in Legislature .- District com- posed of Newton, Johnson, Yell and Sarber Coun- ties, John N. Sarber, P. H. Spears and James. A. Shrigley, 1872-73; same district, A. D. King and M. Hixson, 1873-74; the county alone after 1874 -- Seth Spangler, 1874-76; B. Priddy, 1876-80; J. J. Boles, 1880-82; B. Priddy, 1882-84; M. C. Scott, 1884-86; E. C. Burchette, 1886-S8; H. Stroup, 1888-90.
. The county was represented in the Constitu- tional Convention held July 14 to October 31, 1874, by Ben B. Chism, delegate.
The political aspect of the county is shown by the following: At the September election in 1888, James P. Eagle, Democratie candidate for gover- nor, received 1,945 votes, and his opponent, C. M. Norwood, candidate of the Union Labor party and combined opposition, received 1,553 votes, the whole number of votes cast being 3,498, and Gov. Eagle's majority being 392. At the presidential election in 1888 the several candidates for the presidency received votes as follows: Cleveland (D.) 1,799, Harrison (R.) 1,034, Streeter (U. L.) 120, Fisk (Pro.) 7-whole number of votes cast, 2,960; Cleveland's majority over all, 638. This shows that a light vote was cast at this election.
At the September election in 1890 James P. Eagle, Democratic candidate for re-election to the office of governor, received 2,055, and his opponent, N. B. Fizer, received 1,468 votes - whole number of votes cast, 3,523; Eagle's majority, 587. This shows a gain in the Democratic majority over that of 1888 of 195, while the gain in the whole num- ber of votes cast amounted only to 25.
The following gives the number of the votes cast in each municipal township of the county for the candidates for the office of county judge.
TOWNSHIPS.
G. J. Harvey.
W. H. H. Harley.
Delaware.
63
72
Shoal Creek.
124
81
Cane Creek.
103
80
River.
107
19
Logan.
67
62
Ellsworth.
46
87
Clark. .
106
92
Roseville
127
92
Six Mile
142
54
Washburn
98
94
Boone.
228
81
Cauthron.
99
30
Sugar Creek
108
25
Petit Jean
120
22
Reveille.
171
161
Driggs.
47
99
Mountain.
47
47
Johnson
21
57
Bear Wallow
13
47
Short Mountain.
250
164
Totals. .
2,088
1,466
All the other candidates for county officers re- ceived nearly the same number of votes in each township. The following persons, all Democrats, were elected to the office mentioned with their names, by majorities indicated by the figures an- nexed. H. F. Thomason, circuit judge, 455; W. B. Jackson, representative, 431; G. J. Harvey, county judge, 622; C. P. Trimm, circuit clerk, 621; H. Stroup, county clerk, 783; O. C. Wood, sheriff, 605; T. L. Fuller, treasurer, 475; . E. Schneider, assessor, 529; J. H. Carmichael, sur- veyor, 599; J. C. Jewell, coroner, 558. A few townships gave a majority in favor of liquor license, but the whole number of votes cast in the county for such license was 1,385, and the number cast against such license was 1,750, a majority of 365 opposed to the "traffic."
Logan county belongs to the Twelfth Judicial District, composed of the counties of Scott, Sebas-
332
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
tian, Crawford and Logan. Hon. John S. Little, of Greenwood, in Sebastian County, was elected judge of this district in 1886, his term expiring October 30, 1890. His successor, Judge H. F. Thomason, was elected at the September election, 1890. Prosecuting Attorney J. B. McDonough, of Fort Smith, was elected in September, 1888, his term expiring also October 30, 1890. His successor, Prosecutor O. L. Miles, was elected at the Septem- ber election, 1890. The Logan Circuit Court con- venes on the twelfth Monday after the last Mon- day in February and August of each year, and the length of term allowed by law is three weeks. From the organization of the county to the fall of 1890, the same individual held the offices of county and circuit court clerk. At the September elec- tion, 1890, C. P. Trimm was elected circuit court clerk, and on October 30, 1890, if living, he will open his office, taking from the county clerk's office all records pertaining to and belonging to the circuit court.
The Logan County legal bar consists of the fol- lowing named attorneys: C. B. Fountain and W. B. Jackson of the firm of Jackson & Fountain, Theo. F. Potts, Anthony Hall, J. H. Wilkins, J. H. Evans, W. H. H. Harley, G. S. Evans, E. Hiner, James Cochran, J. F. Keith, C. P. Trimm (clerk elect), O. L. Miles (prosecutor elect), H. Stroup, T. P. Manning and B. B. Chism, the latter being now the Secretary of State. Several of these men are young "limbs of the law " just entering the profession.
In the prosecution for crimes only one man has suffered the death penalty in Logan County, and that one was James Tucker, colored, who was ex- ecuted on the gallows in 1884, for the murder of Barker, also colored. In 1878, one Smith, a white man, committed suicide in the jail while under ser .- tence of death for the murder of a young man. The criminal record of Logan County is similar to that of other counties of its size and age. The people are very civil, and good order prevails.
At the beginning of the Civil War of 1861-65 a very strong Union sentiment existed with the people of the territory now comprising Logan County. Men were not so enthusiastic and eager
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