USA > Arkansas > Johnson County > Johnson County, Arkansas, the first hundred years > Part 15
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Colonel Patrick was represented to have been a distinguished soldier, standing erect and dignified, six feet and two inches. He was also a lawyer, and followed that profession. He moved from California to Mississippi in 1864, and from there to Dallas, Texas, in 1874. Col. Patrick was twice married and was the father of nine children.
C. B. Mann was born in Virginia, and went from there to Tennessee, before moving to Arkansas Territory. Mrs. Mann was Bettie Collins, who was a daughter of William Collins of the Mulberry Creek settlement. John B. Mann, deceased, and Mrs. F. G. Garrett of Clarksville were two of his children. C. B. Mann was sheriff of Johnson County. He died while in office. John B. was a Confederate soldier in Company "K", Col. Hill's regiment.
The Ward family has figured prominently in Johnson County since 1824. This family was represented first by David Ward and a few years later John Ward came. They were Virginians by birth. Their mother was a sister of Capt. Rees Bowen, & Revolutionary soldier, and a sister of Henry Bowen of Tazwell County, Virginia. David purchased a claim from an Indian named Key, a mile south of the town of Clarksville. Mrs. David Ward was Ellen Cravens of Virginia, and David was their son. After Mrs. Ward died, Mr. Ward married a Mrs. White. Jane was their daughter. There were other Ward children, but those
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mentioned have contributed of their lives to this county. David, the son of David, was the husband of Mrs. Polly Swagerty Ward, and the father of A. F. Ward and Mrs. Effie Dunlap (Mrs. R. D.) of Clarksville. Jane Ward became Mrs. James Yearwood, and her children are Walter, Robert, Lucy (Mrs. Charley Walton) and Ethel (Mrs. E. Griffin). Mrs. Yearwood later became Mrs. James Wetherton. Mr. and Mrs. Wetherton were the parents of one daughter, Ella (Mrs. Robert Cox). Major John Ward came in 1834 and first resided on Horsehead Creek and later in Clarks- ville. His sons and daughters were Rees, Rufus, Henry, David, Augustus M., John, Rebecca Sally, Lilly and Nancy. David was the father of Blind Bob Ward. Lilly married Wm. Hill and was the mother of John C. Hill, who was the father of Mrs. Lil Hill Boogher of New York City.
Nancy married a man whose name of Hardgraves, and after he died she married Dr. Watson.
Rebecca Sally married and moved to Texas. £ John Ward of Yell County, Ark., is a great grandson of Major Ward, the pioneer. Augustus M. Ward was one of Clarksville's real leaders in its embryo. There is perhaps few records left from the first thirty years of the existence of the town, that does not bear his signature. He helped to plot the town, organize the Masonic Lodge, the Presbyterian church, Sunday Schools over the county and, also served for fourteen years as County Clerk. He took into his home, perhaps more orphan and afflicted children than any other man in the county. The two daughters of Wm. Collins, Polly and Martha, lived in his home after the death of their father. Polly Collins became Mrs. Lorenza Swagerty in 1845, and many years later, Mrs. David Ward. She is living today with her daughter, Mrs. R. D. Dunlap, Sr.
Martha Collins was later Mrs. Augustus Ward, and was the mother of A. M. Ward of Little Rock. A. M. Ward is the only living member of the Augustus Ward family.
Two sisters, Emily and Virginia Cox, were sent front Tennessee to Mr. Ward, as children of a deserving Mason. Emily later married Dr. Richard Maffitt of Clarksville, and Virginia married J. W. Woodward, a deaf mute, who was an assistant to Mr. Ward in the Clerk's office. Mr. Woodward and Mr. Ward caused the organization and location of the first Deaf Mute Institute in the state, at Clarksville. Because of in-
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sufficient funds, this was later moved to Arkadelphia, and in time from there to Little Rock.
Blind Bob Ward, a nephew of A. M., became an orphan when quite young, so Mr. Ward gave him a home also. Nor was his philanthropy misplaced, for Blind Bob proved to be a genius. He was a musician of no mean ability and acquired quite a fortune before his death, which occured recently, having lived to be a septuagenarian. Blind Bob and Mr. Ward organized a Blind School and located it at Clarksville, but this was also taken to Arkadelphia, and in time to the Capital City.
Andrew and William Fulton, of the noted Fultons of Penn- sylvania, of which Robert Fulton, the inventor of the first steam- boat, was a distinguished member, were county inhabitants. The grandfather of Andrew and william was a brother of Robert.
Thomas Powers, who lived to be ninety years old, was once an active and influential man, who was prominent in church and municipal affairs. He was the grandfather of W. E. Floyd and Mrs. William Kavanaugh of Little Rock. He was the father of Henry Powers who married a daughter of Dr. E. E. McConnell. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Powers were the parents of Mrs. Lula Pennington, John Powers (the martyred sheriff) and other children.
John Powers was doubtless the most popular sheriff the county ever had. He was serving his twelfth year in that ca- pacity when he was fatally wounded on the night of February 5th, 1902, in a battle with bank robbers. He was sleeping in an apart- ment above the Bank of Clarksville, when awakened by the ex- plosion of the vault in the bank below. He hastened down stairs and encountered four desperadoes. He engaged them in a rapid firing encounter of several minutes, before the fatal shot entered his breast. Within an hour he was dead. One of the robbers, whose name was alleged to have been John Dunn, was also se- verely wounded, but was able to get away. It was because of this wound that he was found later in a hospital in Wichita, Kansas. However, he.escaped from this hospital. "Smiling Joe" Clark, who proved to be a hireling of the leaders, was sent to the peni- tentiary for life, from which place he absconded a few months later. The other two who gave their names as Fred Underwood and Geo. Durham were finally hanged from a hidden scaffold in the County Court Yard, on June 19, 1903.
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Joe B. King, who was a deputy to Sheriff Powers, was ap- pointed by Governor Jeff Davis to serve out the unexpired term. He was later elected to that office and served two successive terms. Sheriff King spent much time, energy, and money in an effort to catch the robbers and bring them to justice. J. B. King is the son of the late Wm. King, whose father and mother, the pioneers, were . Isaac . and " Rachel. A brother of Isaac was named · Wesley. Joseph King another pioneer, took out a land grant in 1836 in Township 9, Range 25. Mrs Wm. King was formerly Sarah Lewis. Mr. and Mrs. King were the parents of William, Jr., Joseph, James, Beulah (Mrs. W. F. Laster) and Sadie (Mrs. Ben Pennington) .
Laban C. Howell was Swampland Agent for Johnson Coun- ty. He owned a. river-bottom farm on lower Spadra, and pos- sessed a number of slaves. He was progressive and when Clarksville was located, became one of the first citizens. He was the father of Volney Howell, who for many years has been a Justice of the Peace in Spadra Township, and is also an ex- Treasurer of the County. John W. Howell of Ft. Smith, is also a son, Other children were the late Jesse Howell and Mrs. Augusta Bone of Clarksville. Laban C. Howell was the son of Jesse Howell, who was also a pioneer of Arkansas, and settled at Morristown on the river, near the present town of Morrilton.
The Collier Families were land owners in the lowlands by the river. Willis Collier and Wm. Collier were both settlers of the first decade of statehood. W. F. Collier and his son, H. W., are of the present generations. They are land owners and successful coal operators.
Francis Jarnagin came to Johnson County in early years from the state of Tennessee, and purchased property in the Breckenridge neighborhood. Mr. Jarnagin was the father of George, Calvin, Thomas, Richard, Susan and Manda. George Jarnagin, who was for years marshal of Clarksville, married Sarah Blalack and their children are William, John, Frank, Hurly, Gus, Lucy and Ruth.
Calvin, who married Matilda Simpson, a daughter of Ed- ward Simpson, who came to Johnson County in 1837, settled on a farm near Cabin Creek. Their family consisted of three boys, Thomas, John and Wallace. Thomas who married Ida Guthry, is at this time, Johnson County's popular Treasurer.
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Wallace died at his home in California in 1921. Manda was the second wife of one of Johnson County's patriotic sons of the six- lies, Sgt. Robt. Gray.
To the west of Spadra Creek extending to the neighborhood of Cabin Creek were the Clarks, Blalacks, Blackards, Williams, Taylors, Morgans, Bashams, Yearwoods, Blacks and Wallaces.
David Clark left Kentucky in 1829, and landed at Arkansas Post where he spent four years; he then moved to Pine Bluff and remained there another four years, before coming up the river to Johnson County. He first located on Greenbrier Creek, but fourteen years later, moved to Breckenridge. Mrs. Clark, prior to her marriage was Ann T. Moon. They were the parents of six sons and one daughter, Rebecca. Dr. Presley Clark was a practicing physician south of the river. He married a Miss Turner and was the father of Mrs. R. B. Chitwood.
Andrew Clark was the father of Mesdames Joe B. King, John Ransom and H. H. Jemison. Wesley Clark was killed on the field of battle during the Civil War. The late D. N. Clark was for twenty years the County and Circuit clerk of Johnson County. There was also a Patrick Clark. D. Clark is the only surviv- ing member of the family.
The Morgan families of the Ludwig and Mulberry Creek neighborhood are of the same descendants. Ples Morgan of Mulberry, was a soldier of the sixties. His mother, Mrs. Dovey Morgan, died recently. She was past ninety years old. Jeff Morgan and Jack Morgan are of Ludwig. R. A. Morgan and Lee Morgan are sons of Jack. R. A. Morgan and Son are suc- cessful merchants of Clarksville.
The Blalacks came from Raleigh, North Carolina. Mrs. T. J. Lewis, Mrs. Rebecca Harris and Mrs. J. P. Stovall are the sur- viving members of the family.
Toliver, Meric and Lary Blackard came from North Caro- lina. The late Ex-Lieut. Hezekiah (Ki) Blackard of the Civil War was a son of Toliver. Toliver, whose home is in Clarks- ville, is a son of Meric. Oscar, Noel and Ella Blackard, Mrs. Alice Lewis, and Mrs. Paul Mckennon are representatives in this county of the present generation.
J. M. Taylor is a present day member of one of the families of Taylors. He is a successful groceryman in Clarksville. Another family of Taylors is Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Taylor who re-
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side at Ludwig. Their children are Will, Mack, Harve, Wes and Mrs. A. M. Ward, who resides at Little Rock. Ex-Judge W. G .. Taylor was a citizen of Clarksville for many years, and was a pioneer of the county. Mrs. Alf Landthrip was a Taylor.
There were a number of Williams families over the county, with no relationship between many of them. The homes of John Williams and Finas Williams were on joining land in the Ludwig neighborhood. They were of different families. Pink Williams, the father of W. S. Williams, is a brother of Finas. Mack, Jess, and Charley are sons of John. Williams Brothers of the Williams Meat Market, are sons of another John Williams.
Johnathan Basham came early in the thirties from his Vir- ginia home. His sons, Olinver, James, Joe and Calvin, came with him. Each of them took out land and began to do their bit to improve the country. Calvin met his death in the shot
and shell of the Civil War. Olinver organized a company of
mounted men and became their captain. He later married Martha Patrick, a daughter of John Patrick, and they were the parents of Judge Hugh Basham, Dr. Olinver Basham, and the late Judge George Basham of Little Rock. Judge Hugh Basham married Emily Maffitt, a daughter of Dr. Richard Maffitt. Martha is their daughter. When Judge Basham was county judge he planted the trees which now surround the court house. He was later elected Circuit Judge and served for several years. Judge Basham is a prominent lawyer of the Johnson County bar.
James Basham married Lamar Shelton, and became the father of W. J., J. O., Mahlon, Cora (Mrs. N. L. Greene), Dilla, (Mrs. Reese P. Horricks of Little Rock), Mattie, (Mrs. W. B. Lee) and other daughters, whose names are not at hand.
W. J. Basham is a vice president of the First National Bank of Clarksville, and has been in business, continuously, in that city for almost forty years. Mrs. Basham was formerly Lucy Ragon, a daughter of E. C. Ragon of Morrison's Bluff. Ragon, Robert, Albert and Charlie are their sons, and Agnes, now Mrs. Stewart of Stuttgart, Ark., is their daughter.
Mahlon Basham is a carpenter by trade. He married . Mamie Edwards. They are the parents of two sons, Edward and David.
J. O. Basham, a former merchant of Clarksville married Clara King. Their children are Bertha (Mrs. Wilson Godwin),
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Walter, Bessie, King, Jewell (Mrs. Alvin Laser), Heartsill and Imogene.
There was Vincent Wallace, a Methodist minister, who settled on Greenbrier. He went to the legislature from Johnson County. There were other brothers, Orren and Robert.
F. M. Burns was a North Carolinan, who also made his home here in the mid-century.
William Hamlin was also an arrival of the same decade from North Carolina.
Elijah Yearwood and his wife, Prudence Morrow, were of the pre-war immigrants. They were the parents of seven chil- dren of which John was the only one who reared a family in this county. Capt. James Yearwood, one of the sharpshooters of the Confederate Army, was killed during the Civil War. He was a young and gallant soldier, and was carrying a gold hand ring in his vest pocket, awaiting an opportunity to slip it on the finger of "the only girl."
Mrs. John Yearwood was Jane Ward, a daughter of David Ward.
There was a family of two brothers, Andrew and Alexander Black. They each reared families. Enoch Black was the son of Andrew and his wife, Mabel May, a daughter of Thomas May. He married Sallie Estes, and for long years was proprietor of the City Hotel at Clarksville. Of their children were Mattie (Mrs. Fay Eichenberger), Imogene (Mrs. Joe Sharyer, deceased) and Sallie (Mrs. R. L. Jetton) .
On across the east of the county, covering the Cabin Creek, Hagarville and Piney country, there were so many per- sons who played parts in the final shaping of the affairs of the state, that all who deserve, may not get worthy mention here. The familiar names were Johnson, Turner, Thompson, Madden, Houston, Davis, Blakely, Shropshire, Cazort, Gray, Simpson, Park, Russell, Towell, Brown, Jones, Harris, Morgan, Mahon, Ross, Jackson, Barger, Wood, May, and others.
Of the Johnson families, the relationship is baffling to even an old timer. Some are of the same family tree, some are not. The Hagarville neighborhood has for long years been the habatat of the Johnsons, and was originally called Johnsonville. Some are farmers, bankers, teachers and merchants. One of the oldest families consisted of three brothers, Lewis, John H., and
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William. A. B. Johnson of Clarksville is a son of John. Sam Johnson, a pioneer, was the father of Mrs. W. F. Collier. In each generation there has been one or more Robert Johnsons.
The Turner family was in the Pittsburg neighborhood. Mrs. Presley Clark was a Miss Turner. The first Mrs. J. V. Hughes was also a Miss Turner.
The names of David, Uriah and Major Thompson were rep- resentative of good citizenship from the date of their arrival from Tennessee. Major Thompson is still remembered by older per- Sam and Frank. Monroe married Virgie Ward, a daughter of
sons. A generation later the Thompsons were Monroe, James, Augustus M. Ward. Mrs. Phil Thompson was formerly Rachel
Johnson. Their children are Leila (Mrs. A. N. Ragon), Lynn, Vesta (Mrs. Leonard Petree) and Philip. Jess Thompson is the son of Thomas. Fletcher Thompson is of another branch of the family.
Thomas, Philip and James Madden were the richest planters north of the river, in Johnson County, for long years. There is a Madden Ford to cross Piney creek, a Madden school house, and in days now past, many cabins of Madden negroes.
John Houston and Ruth Stroud Houston, born in North Carolina, and Georgia, respectively, came to Cabin Creek from the state of Ohio, in territory days. Their family consisted of four sons and one daughter, Robert, John S., Ruth, and another brother who went to California and did not return. Col. J. S. Houston also went to California in 1849. He remained there for three years and came back. In the fall after Col. Houston arrived in California, and the constitution of that state had been framed, men rode for thirty days distributing copies over the state. J. S. Houston was one of those men. They received $50.00 per day for this work, for it was a dangerous thing to do, as the whole country was infested with desperadoes and outlaws. On his return to San Francisco he was made Comptroller of State. He was on duty with Gov. Gwinn, who was California's first governor. Mrs. Houston was a daughter of Jesse Howell. Their children were Ruth (Mrs. W. R. Hunt of Clarksville), Mrs. John McConnell, Mrs. Joe Brown of Van Buren, and Mrs. Bettie Littlepage of Washington City.
Andrew Houston was the father of John Houston, whose family resides in Clarksville today. There are Lilburn, John, Mrs. Bertha Tolbert, Mrs. Elbert Mason and Jessie Houston.
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The old Houston homestead, with the original house, is stand- ing near Cabin Creek today. This old house was put up in 1836 by the pioneers, John Houston and his son Andrew.
Other arrivals of territorial immigration were Joseph James and wife, Elizabeth Sidney James, from Kentucky. Sarah Frances James, their daughter, became Mrs. J. H. Robinson, who was the mother of Mrs. T. J. Kendrick. Robert C. James, their only son, was killed at the battle of Oak Hill, early in the conflict of the sixties.
Arthur Davis, the father of several sons, made his residence one mile east of Clarksville. Ben Davis, one of the sons, always resided near and in the town of Clarksville. Of his family there were three daughters, who, with their families, figured largely in the church and social life of the county. Lit was Mrs. N. F. Connelley, Mary was Mrs. B. D. Pennington, and Lyde was Mrs. John C. Hill. This Davis family is related to the Honorable Marcellus Davis of Dardanelle.
T. M. Blakely was a pioneer who settled in the neighborhood of Cabin Creek. He was the father of J. T. Blakely, whose wife was Minnie Kitchen, and who met with a terrible accident which caused his death twenty years ago, when the train on which he was engineer was wrecked.
The Barger family has been representative of good citizen- ship in the Cabin Creek neighborhood since 1858. They emi- grated from Tennessee.
Another family that did not arrive until the fifties, was that of Hon. Sidney B. Cazort. He located two miles east of Cabin Creek. He built quite a nice home for the day, and a number of cabins for his slaves. Mr. Cazort went to the Civil War as a confederate soldier. In a few years after the war, his three sons, J. R., W. A. and G. T., then young men, went into the mercantile business together. When the railroad was built to Clarksville from Little Rock, a station was located on Cabin Creek and given that appellation. The Cazorts moved there, with their store, gin, et cetera, in which place they are today pre-eminently conspicuous as business men and christian gentle- men. They have achieved success. The father and mother passed away, and after long years of the mercantile business the brothers dissolved partnership. They have all been true to their homeland and cling sentimentally to the spots of sacred old-
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imes. W. A. Cazort built a handsome modern residence, some fifteen years ago, three stories high, on the identical location of his father's old home. G. T., the youngest of the brothers, has plantations which cover thousands of acres and a number of gas vells located on his Haroldton place in the Kibler Gas Field, and s reputed to be one of the richest men in Arkansas, but for a num- Der of years has lived in an unpretentious cottage in the country, ast of Cabin Creek Not only is Mr. Cazort a man of financial strength, but one with a passion for the sentiment of poetry. He has composed some noteworthy verses and written much valuable history connected with the carly life of Johnson County. He served, some years back, in the State Senate. He has one daughter, Vivian (Mrs. Robert Dent). Hon. Lee Cazort, a son of J. R., is attesting the blood of his ancestors by taking a hand n the shaping of the political life of the county and state at the present time. He has served as Speaker of the House and Presi- lent of the Senate, and at one time was the governor for a num- Der of days. W. A. Cazort Jr., served in the navy during the World War.
The Gray family came from Tennessee, also in the fifties. There were three brothers, Robert, William and Thomas, who lied. Robert, one of the few Confederate soldiers left today, s residing, an honored old gentleman, in fairly good health, in he home of his daughter, Mrs. Mack (Lily) Taylor, of Clarksville. The knowledge Mr. Gray possesses and the interest he has taken n the composition of this book has added much to its complete- ess. W. R. Gray, who died in 1918, left a fortune, reputed to aggregate more than half a million dollars. He lived until his death, at his home, a simple little cottage in the Greenbrier neighborhood. He was a good man, but a cautious and careful one. He made his money by saving it, as well as making it. He was the father of one of Clarksville's most popular and re- iable physicians, Dr. L. C. Gray, also of Bennie Gray, who is an extensive planter of Lamar, Charley, Howard, Arilla and May. Tom Gray is the son of Thomas.
Thomas and Sarah Holmes Blair came to Johnson County n 1858, from the state of Mississippi, having previously moved rom Tennessee. They were the parents of eight children. John G. married Ruth Houston Paine in 1879. They were resi- lents of Lamar.
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Caleb Carey came to Arkansas from North Carolina in 1842, making his home near the present site of Knoxville. Dr. A. B. Carey, late of Knoxville, was a son of Caleb.
Edward Simpson was a land owner and influential citizen. His daughter, Matilda, married Calvin Jarnagin. There was a "Little" John Simpson, a "Big" John Simpson, also, a Tom Simp- son. The Simpsons came to Johnson County in 1837.
David and Eliza Carter Ross, natives of Pennsylvania, set- tled on Piney Creek in 1838. W. C. Ross was their son.
Uriah Russell, who located up Little Piney, was one of the county's best citizens. The few persons who remember him, refer to him as a "good old man." The late Truss Russell, a splendid gentleman and a politician, was a descendant of Uriah. Fred Russell is the present County Clerk.
Blunt Wood who came to Johnson County from Tennessee in 1835, was the father of Lanech (Mack) Wood, who is today nearing the century mark. He is the father of Mrs. Albert B. Misenhimer, who is the mother of Denver, Vera, Vivian and Ralph.
The Park family, too, were there somewhere. There were George and his wife, Angeline, who came from the state of Missouri, early in the forties. S. S. Park, whose farm is two miles east of Clarksville, is a son of these settlers. Mrs. S. S. Park was formerly Mary Blackard. They are the parents of eight sons and three daughters. Most of the children are married and live in and around Clarksville.
John B. Brown and Sallie Houston Brown were the parents of John G., Houston, Perry and Jack. Jack Brown moved to New York City and acquired quite a fortune. Mont Brown was killed in Clarksville during the war.
Thomas Mahon built a house of hewn logs with a double chimney between two large rooms, and a "lean to" on the back. He was "Massa Mahon" of a plantation on the river near the present town of Knoxville. This old home is still standing. The Mahon cemetery is still left intact also. On the stones therein may be seen among that citizenship of the past: Mahons, Chotes, Porters, Jettons, Cases and others.
Samuel Towell was on Piney Creek, of which family, T. E. Towell, a Jeweler of Hot Springs, is a descendant.
John Morgan Stewart came to Piney with his father, Joseph Stewart, when deer and bears were plentiful in the forests. The
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late Dr. J. L. Stewart of Spadra was his son. The present Dr. Joseph Stewart of Knoxville is also a descendant.
Abraham and Aaron Clark, uncles of A. C. Miller of Clarks- ville, came from Cleveland, Ohio. Relics in the family of Mr. Miller show them to have been cultured and refined. Their re- lationship as descendants of the Abraham Clark who signed the Declaration of Independence has been clearly established. Mr. and Mrs. Abraham C. Miller have been married fifty-two years, and are among Clarksville's oldest citizens. From their know- ledge of the county, much interest has been added to this book. Their children are Aaron of Oklahoma, Hugh, Eula, Sallie, Susie (Mrs. Ben Phillips), Mabel (Mrs. Robert Jamison) and Bessie (Mrs. Harvey .
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