FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT, INCLUDING A DEPARTMENT DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF SUNDRY PERSONAL, BUSINESS, PROFESSIONAL AND PRIVATE RECORDS; BESIDES A VALUABLE FUND OF NOTES, ORIGINAL OBSERVATIONS, ETC., ETC.

CHICAGO: THE GOODSPEED PUBLISHING CO. 1889.

This Volume Was Reproduced From An 1889 Edition In The O.C. Bailey Library Hendrix College Conway, Arkansas

PREFACE.

This volume has been prepared in response to the prevailing and popular demand for the preservation of local history and biography. The method of preparation followed is the most successful and the most satisfactory yet devised–the most successful in the enormous number of volumes circulated, and the most satisfactory in the general preservation of personal biography and family record conjointly with local history. The number of volumes now being distributed seems fabulous. Careful estimates place the number circulated in Ohio at 50,000 volumes; Pennsylvania, 60,000; New York, 75,000; Indiana, 40,000; Illinois, 40,000; Iowa, 35,000; Missouri, 25,000; Kansas, 20,000; Tennessee, 20,000, and all the other States at the same proportionate rate. The entire State of Arkansas has as yet scarcely been touched by the historian, but is now being rapidly written.

History of Benton County

The design of the present extensive historical and biographical research is more to gather and preserve in attractive form, while fresh. with the evidence of truth, the enormous fund of perishing occurrence, than to abstract from insufficient contemporaneous data remote, doubtful or incorrect conclusions. The true perspective of the landscape of life can only be seen from the distance that lends enchantment to the view. It is asserted that no person is competent to write a philosophical history of his own time; that, owing to imperfect and conflicting circumstantial evidence, that yet conceals, instead of reveals, the truth, he cannot take that correct, unprejudiced, logical, luminous and comprehensive view of passing events that will enable him to draw accurate and enduring conclusions. The duty, then, of an historian of his own time is to collect, classify and preserve the material for the final historian, of the future. The present historian deals in fact; the future historian, in conclusion. The work of the former is statistical; of the latter, philosophical.

To him who has not attempted the collection of historical data, the obstacles to be surmounted are unknown. Doubtful traditions, conflicting statements, imperfect records, inaccurate public and private correspondence, the bias or untruthfulness of informers, and the general obscurity which, more or less, envelops all passing events, combine to bewilder and mislead. The publishers of this volume, fully aware of their inability to furnish a perfect history, an accomplishment vouchsafed to the imagination only of the dreamer or the theorist, make no pretension of having prepared a work devoid of blemish. They feel assured that all thoughtful people, at present and in future, will recognize and appreciate the importance of their undertaking, and the great public benefit that has been accomplished.

: W. R. McIlroy

PAGE.: Between 252-253

: A. F. Williams

PAGE.: Between 252-253

: H. M. Maguire

PAGE.: Between 140-141

: Hunting Pheasants

PAGE.: Between 460-461

: A Pioneer Winter Scene

PAGE.: Between 604-605

History of Benton County

TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

page 14

THE county of Benton lies in the extreme northwestern corner of the State of Arkansas, and is bounded north by McDonald and Barry Counties in the State of Missouri, east by Carroll and Madison Counties in Arkansas, south by Washington County in the same State, and west by the Indian Territory. The meridian of longitude 94 west from Greenwich, England, or 17 west from Washington, passes through the eastern part of the county near the village of Garfield, and the parallel of latitude 36º and 20' north, passes east and west through the county near its center. The boundary lines of the county are described as follows, to-wit: "Commencing on the State line between Missouri and Arkansas at the northeast corner of fractional Section 8, Township 21 north, Range 27 west; thence south to the southeast corner of Section 8, Township 18 north, Range 27 west; thence west eight miles to the southwest corner of Section 7, Township 18 north,

Range 28 west; thence south two miles to the southeast corner of Section 24, Township 18 north, Range 29 west; thence west eighteen miles to the northeast corner of Section 25, Township 18 north, Range 32 west; thence south five miles to the southeast corner of Section 13, Township 17 north, Range 32 west; thence west three miles to the northeast corner of Section 21, in the same township and rang; thence south three miles to the southeast corner of Section 33; thence west nine miles (more or less) to the southwest corner of the county at the corner, to Townships 16 and 17, and Ranges 33 and 34; thence north on the eastern boundary line of the Indian Territory, [p.14] on a bearing of about 10º west, twenty-nine miles, more or less, to the northwest corner of the State; thence east on the State line to the place of beginning."

The site of Benton County is the plateau of the Ozark Mountains, the greatest unbroken portion of which in this State lies west of White River, in the counties of Benton and Washington. The elevation of the county above sea level averages from 1,400 to 1,600 feet, and the summit of Poor Mountain, in the northeastern part, is probably the highest point. With the exception of a strip of land about two miles wide, extending from Rogers to the southern boundary, the whole surface of the county lying east of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad is so broken and uneven that it is mostly unfit for cultivation, except in the valleys of the streams. In the north central portion of the county, extending several miles on both sides of Sugar Creek, is also a large tract of broken and hilly land. There is an elevated, broken and uneven ridge, or water shed, extending north and south through the county, mostly in Range 32 west, along the line of which much of the land is too rough for cultivation. With these exceptions, together with the steep hills or bluffs bordering on the streams, the balance of the county, and by far the greater portion thereof, consists of elevated plateaus of gently undulating or rolling prairie and timbered lands, all of hich are susceptible of a high state of cultivation. These latter lands are classed as the table lands of the State, and are in fact the beginning of the prairie region which covers the southern part of the Indian Territory.

"The ascent from the level of White River, on the east, to the table lands, is 375 feet; the ascent from the level of Elk River, a tributary of the Grand River fork of the Arkansas, is 406 feet; and the ascent from the Illinois fork of the Arkansas is 394 feet. The area of the county is 900 square miles, or 576,000 acres. The proportion of unmodified prairie is, approximately, 86,000 acres; oak barrens or modified prairie, 175,000 acres; wooded mountain or ridge territory, 200,000 acres; and river and creek valley lands, 86,000 acres."

page 1516

[p.15] Streams, Springs, etc.–The southeastern and extreme northeastern portions of the county are drained by White River and its tributaries. This river enters the county on its southern boundary, near the line dividing Ranges 28 and 29, and flows thence in a northerly, northwesterly and northeasterly direction, and in fact toward all points of the compass, in its tortuous route, and finally leaves the county at its eastern boundary, from Section 5, in Township 20 north, Range 27 west. Its principal tributaries on the east are War Eagle and Little Clifty Creeks, and on the west are Spider, Indian, Prairie and Esculapia Creeks. White River, after crossing the northwest corner of Carroll County, enters the State of Missouri, in which it forms a bend, and then returns to Arkansas, and flows in a southerly direction, and empties into the Mississippi about twelve miles above the mouth of the Arkansas River. A portion of the extreme northeastern part of the county is drained by tributaries of Big Sugar Creek, flowing generally in a northwestern direction. The north central part of the county is drained by Little Sugar Creek and its numerous tributaries. This creek rises in the northeastern part of the county, and, after flowing in a general western direction about fifteen miles, it bears to the northwest, and enters the State of Missouri near the middle of Range 31 west, being also near the center of the north boundary line of the county. The south central and southwestern portions of the county are drained by the Osage fork of the Illinois River and its various tributaries, the main one of which has its source at the noted Osage Spring, at the home of Ezekiel Dickson, in Section 16, Township 19 north, Range 30 west. The Osage fork flows in a general west-southwest direction, and leaves the county near its southwest corner, where it enters the Indian Territory. The west central portion of the county is drained by Flint and Spavinaw Creeks and their tributaries. The former runs in a direction west of southwest, and crosses the western boundary line of the county in Section 23, Township 18 north, Range 34 west, and the latter runs in about the same direction, and leaves the county from Section 10, Township 19 north, Range 34 west. The extreme northwestern portion of the county is drained by creeks which flow mostly in a northwestern direction, and [p.16] empty into the Neosho River. All the streams here mentioned, excepting White River and its tributaries, eventually flow into the Arkansas. On the larger streams, especially White River and War Eagle, excellent mill-sites abound, and a few have been improved, the most noted of which is at War Eagle Mills, on War Eagle Creek. This creek was named after an Indian chief called "War Eagle."

Benton County has the great advantage of having many springs from which flow pure, soft water, "as clear as crystal." and of a quality unsurpassed in any country. There are several groups or systems of springs distributed throughout the county, the most noted of which are White Sulphur Springs, in the northwestern part; Siloam Springs, in the southwestern part; Crystal Springs, near Bentonville, and the Electric and Esculapia groups, near Rogers. Some of the springs have medicinal qualities, mention of which will be made elsewhere in this work. There are also hundreds of individual springs, some of which produce a stream large enough to furnish good water-power, if properly utilized. Prominent among the individual springs is the one at Springtown, another one at the residence of Oliver I. Anderson, in Anderson Township, and the Osage Spring, before mentioned. According to tradition the latter derived its name from the following incident: An Indian belonging to the Osage tribe visited the spring to quench his thirst, and was shot and killed by one belonging to the Delaware tribe, who had concealed himself in a tree-top overlooking the spring, hence the name. These tribes are said to have then been at enmity. An abundance of good water on the uplands is obtained by digging or boring for it at various depths, ranging from fifteen to eighty feet, and much water is obtained from this source. Cistern water is also used to some extent by many who prefer it to any other water. Away from the streams stock water is frequently obtained from ponds of rain water kept in artificial excavations, the sub-soil or bottoms thereof being of such a nature as to hold the water and prevent its sinking. Upon the whole the supply of water is abundant, and its quality is first-class.

page 1718

Timber.–The table lands and ridges of the county, where not improved, are mostly covered, and in some places densely [p.17] covered, with the several varieties of the oak, the black, or "jack oak," predominating, and hickory. Some chestnut is also found on these lands. In the valleys and along the streams sycamore, hackberry, elm, black walnut, butternut, gum, ash, several kinds of oak, and other varieties of timber exist. Many trees of sycamore, hackberry and elm grow from two to five feet in diameter at the base, but all of them have a short, scrubby growth, so that but few trees will produce more than two saw-logs each. In the southeast corner of the county is a tract of land, six miles north and south by about eight miles east and west, covered with pine timber, much of which is large enough for lumber, and of it there is a seemingly inexhaustible supply. The best white oak timber is found in the gulches of the mountainous portion of the county, the ridges being covered with black oak of a short, scrubby growth. When the settlement of the county began (in the early part of the present century) all of the comparatively level upland was called prairie, while in truth there was but little real prairie. The timber was then very thin, the trees stood far apart, and the country which is now covered with a dense growth of young timber was then so open that the wild deer could be seen anywhere at a distance of several hundreds of yards. The entire surface of the earth was then covered with a rank growth of vegetation, consisting of the native grasses and wild flowers, which gave to the landscape, especially in the timbered lands, a more beautiful appearance than it now has. Annually, after this rank growth of vegetation became dead and dry, the Indians set fire to it, and burned it from the entire surface of the country. This they did to destroy the places of concealment for the wild game, the better to enable them to secure their prey. This burning of the decaying vegetation also destroyed the germs or sprouts, and thus prevented the growth of young timber. When this practice ceased the germs of underbrush and young timber began to grow, and the surface of the timbered lands, where they have not been cleared, are now covered with a dense growth of young timber and bushes. The supply of this young timber, all of which has grown in the present century, is so abundant that there is much more wood now in the county than when its settlement began. As yet not much of the [p.18] young timber is large enough for lumber, but much of it can be made into rails.

Geological.–But little can be definitely said upon the subject of geology, as there never has been made a geological survey of the county. The surface, especially the broken portion thereof, is underlaid with limestone, sandstone, vermicular and cavernous rocks, and in many places in the bluffs along the streams the rock crops out and forms perpendicular walls of immense height. Where the rock is thus exposed many caves are found, and from many of them streams of pure, cold water are flowing. The surface of the ridges and broken lands is composed of earth intermixed with pieces of flint and chert rock about the size that rock is generally broken into for the making of macadamized roads. This rock is so abundant that it is only necessary to clear a highway and use it in order to have a road as good in quality as the best of acadamized roads. In the beds of the streams and along their margins a sufficient supply of this naturally prepared rock can be found to thoroughly macadmize all the roads in the county.

At a point on White River, about five and a half miles southeast of Rogers, there is a large deposit of rock composed of fine, white sand, which is believed to be of the best quality for the manufacture of glass. It has, however, not been tested. Minerals are believed to exist in considerable quantities at various places in the county. Lead has been taken out at Cherokee City and on Spavinaw Creek, and specimens have been found at other places in the county; but no measures have yet been taken to ascertain its quantity. Indications of the existence of copper and zinc have been discovered in the county. It is believed also that silver exists, but in such limited quantities that its mining cannot be made profitable. A controversy is at present going on between the State geologist and certain citizens of the State, in regard to the existence of silver in Arkansas. The former claims that with the possible exception of Silver City, there is not sufficient silver in the State to pay for its mining.

Footnote

Col. M. L. DeMalber.

page 19

Soils.–"As due to geological origin and the local modification–the soils having been derived from the red and yellow upper strata of the sub-carboniferous group, and also from disintegration [p.19] of magnesium and sub-carboniferous limestone–the following distinct bodies of land are found distributed throughout the county: A rich and strong barren soil, a gravelly and cherty ridge soil, a compact soil on a foundation of stiff clay; a fourth, a dark brown soil lying in the valleys adjacent to the streams; and a fifth, the best of all, a soil of brown color, upon a foundation of red clay, and with a timber growth of black and red oaks, sugar maple, locust, hickory and walnut. This is in the interior. In the marginal areas, as in the broken country forming the eastern and northern boundaries, the characteristic types of interior lands are lost to an extent in coarser soils of a pale brown, and of a darker color, more silicious or more compact, as the case may be, and imposed upon a subsoil of no greater depth above the bed rock, excepting, of course, from this classification, the alluvial valley lands of White River."*

The soils of Benton County are well adapted to diversified agriculture, a system that has been adopted and practiced by the farmers. With proper cultivation, corn, oats, wheat, rye, potatoes and all kinds of vegetables can be produced in great abundance, and a large proportion of the soil produces the finest quality of tobacco. While the county is well adapted to diversified agriculture, its greatest advantage, perhaps, is its complete adaptability to horticulture. Apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes and all manner of small fruits are grown in great abundance: The climate being mild and the atmosphere pure, all manner of fruits adapted to this latitude grow in Benton County to perfection. It has acquired the cognomen of "The apple orchard of America," this fruit being so successfully and so extensively grown. Hereafter, in its proper place, more will be said about the agricultural and horticultural interests of the county. Comparative tables of the quantities produced, and the future prospects for obtaining wealth in Benton County will be mentioned.

Climate.–"Benton County is generally accepted to have a climate as that of the Piedmont region of Virginia, which is borne out in its annual mean temperature of approximately 60º F., and in the following approximate temperature: Spring, 60º; summer, 78º; autumn, 60º; winter, 40º F. The annual rainfall is from thirty-two to forty-four inches."

The First.–While it is not positively known, it is believed that Adam Batie, who settled on the prairie that now bears his name, near the present site of Maysville, was the first settler in Benton County. The date of his settlement has not been ascertained, but it is presumed to have been prior to the year 1830. Batie Prairie and the creek that flows from it are both named in honor to this early and first settler. In 1830 John McPhail and his father settled on that prairie. Soon thereafter Martin Mays settled on the present town site of Maysville, and William Bird Keith settled near by. The above named five persons were the only residents on Batie Prairie in 1838. Soon thereafter Judge English, Robert Cooper, Lemuel Tynnon and several others followed, until the whole of the prairie was occupied.

page 21

One of the first settlers of the county was William Reddick, who settled early in the thirties or late in the twenties at the place since known as Elkhorn. He and his son-in-law, Samuel Burks, also an early settler, came from Illinois. Reddick was a politician and a prominent citizen. For many years he controlled the politics of the Sugar Creek settlement, and that settlement usually controlled the politics of the county. Jacob Roller, from Hawkins County, Tenn., settled where his son William now lives, on Roller's Ridge. This ridge lies northeast of Garfield, and is about four miles long, east and west. It is so called by reason of Roller's settlement thereon. Two improvements had been made on this ridge prior to Roller's settlement, one on the east and one on the west end. Mr. Roller erected and for a number of years kept a whisky distillery where he settled. He was thrice married and had twenty-four children. His third wife, who survived him, is still living. There were other settlers in that neighborhood by the name of Roller. James Jackson, from Overton County, Tenn., settled near the site of Garfield in 1829. Daniel Ash was a very early settler near the State line north of Garfield, and in 1849 Jacob R. Forgery, from Scott County, Va., settled in the same neighborhood. The Pascals were early settlers in the country southeast of the site of Garfield. Before the organization of the county Henning Pace, from Tennessee, [p.21] the father of the first sheriff of the county, settled on Sugar Creek, a few miles north of Bentonville, and one or two of his sons settled lower down on the same creek. Chris. C. Pace, who is still living at a very advanced age, settled south of Bentonville. Henry Ford, and other Fords, were also among the early settlers on Sugar Creek.

page 22

Others.–Three miles east of Bentonville was the Woods' Settlement, where Samuel and William Woods, of Tennessee, located. They both raised large families, and lived there until their deaths. George P. Wallace, at whose house the county was organized, settled one mile and a half east of Bentonville. He was a large and powerful man, being nearly seven feet in height, and had several sons who were his equal in stature. He subsequently sold his first improvement and moved to another place in the county, a few miles further north. It is said that when he wanted to raise a house he did not invite his neighbors to assist, for he and his stalwart sons were always equal to the task. John B. Dickson, the first clerk of the county, settled on what is now Deming's Addition to the town of Bentonville. He subsequently settled at Osage Springs, where Ezekiel Dickson now lives, and afterward moved to Texas, where he died. He came to this county from Bedford County, Tenn. James Jackson and his sons, and Samuel Williams, his father-in-law, settled one mile west of Bentonville, and the locality was afterwards known as the "Jackson and Williams Settlement." Robert Dickson and his son Joseph settled one-half mile west of Bentonville, and Uncle Ezekiel Dickson, a brother to Robert, settled about eight miles west from Bentonville. The Dicksons all came from Bedford County, Tenn. James, Joseph and David McKissick settled from five to eight miles west of Bentonville, and Edward Cunningham settled at the Cunningham Springs, about six miles from Bentonville. About a mile south of these springs William Pelham settled. He subsequently became surveyorgeneral of the State. He was a brother-in-law of ex-Gov. Conway. Rev. James Harris, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, and probably the first preacher in the county, settled about three-fourths of a mile west of Bentonville. In 1836 Col. Hugh A. Anderson brought his family from Kentucky, and settled [p.22] where his son Oliver I. Anderson now resides, nine miles southwest of Bentonville. A large spring, heretofore mentioned. is at this place, and Col. Anderson used to keep a deer park so enclosed that the deer had access to the spring branch.

Phineas Holmes settled about five miles southwest of Bentonville, and John Kinchelve settled near the same place on Osage Creek. The latter took an active part in the organization of the county, and was for many years a justice of the peace for his township. A few miles southeast of Bentonville was the Graham settlement, where George and Joseph Graham located with their families. An early settler, still surviving, says "there were a host of the Grahams." Robert and James Cowan settled about eight miles south of entonville. A brother-in-law of the Cowans, by the name of Colville, settled in the same locality. Colville Township derives its name from the latter. Colville went to California in 1850, and on one occasion he left the camp of himself and comrades and went out prospecting, and was never afterward heard from. Robert Hubbard, the first representative of Benton County in the State Legislature, settled near the Cowans, and Benjamin and Jefferson Hubbard settled lower down on the Osage. The Maxwells also settled in the Cowan neighborhood. Isaac Horton, from Tennessee, settled near the site of Lowell, in 1830. All of the foregoing namedindividuals, whose date of settlement is not mentioned, were living at the places mentioned in 1838, when Judge Alfred B. Greenwood came from Georgia and settled in Bentonville. Many of them had settled several years prior to that time.

In 1833 Felix G. Lindsey came from Kentucky and settled about three miles west of Sulphur Springs. In 1835 Christopher C. Pace and his son J. H. Pace, also from Tennessee, settled about six miles east of Maysville. In 1840 Solomon Phillips and his son Pleasant, from Tennessee, settled about one and a half miles north of Maysville. Among the first children born in Benton County were John and Elijah Keith, who were born about three miles southeast of Maysville, the former in 1834 and the latter in 1836. Among the later settlers near Maysville was A. T. Hedges, from Indiana, who located one and a half miles southeast of that place in 1844. Henry R. Austin and his mother, [p.23] Ellen Austin, came from Bedford County, Tenn., in 1845, and settled west of Nebo, where Elijah Austin, son of Henry R., now lives. Mrs. Ellen Austin has survived her son, and is now living with her grandson, at the advanced age of one hundred and one years, and is yet active and intelligent. She was well acquainted with Gen. Jackson and with President Polk, and is such a stanch Democrat that she declares that if she could control a thousand votes she would give them all to "Grover."

In 1839 Richard Burgess and his family, including W. W. Burgess, who now lives at Springtown, came from Bedford County, Tenn., and settled on Lick Branch, near the Osage, where Ed. Maxwell now lives. The same year Walter Thornberry and his son-in-law, David Brickey, came from Virginia, and John Edwards from Tennessee, and settled on the same branch. About the same time Joseph Neal and Charles Kincheloe settled on Brushy Creek. In the fall of 1840 Archey Wilson and his brother Samuel, also from Bedford County, Tenn., settled in the Burgess neighborhood. This made quite a colony of Tennesseeans. David Brickey was a famous hunter, and on the first night after the arrival of the Burgesses he and W. W. Burgess went out and shot and killed six turkeys. Certainly the new comers were not "out of meat." The first settlers on Flint Creek, in the vicinity of Springtown, were as follows: Isaac and Hasting Dial, the latter settling about a mile east, where John Reynolds now resides. In 1850 Robert Duckworth, Matthew Vaughan, Perminter Morgan, Wiley Jones and Maj. Jack Russell all came from Georgia, and settled in that vicinity. The following year Robert Hall and his sons, Jesse and Young, Rolly Hood, Joseph Thomas and his son Joseph, also from Georgia, Hiram Thomason and his sons, John and Sanford, and several others, settled on Flint Creek, and William Addington settled in "Coon Hollow."

Simon Sager, a German, after whom Sager's Creek was named, is believed to have been the first settler in the Hico-Siloam vicinity. He settled on the creek where John De Armon now lives, near Siloam. About the year 1844 Dr. Henry Powell settled with his family on Flint Creek, four miles north of the site of Siloam. His widow, Mrs. Anna Powell, still resides on [p.24] the place. About the same time James Riddle also settled on Flint Creek, in that vicinity. John Quinton was the first settler of the place now occupied by Col. D. Gunter, at Hico. The latter came from Tennessee in 1844, and settled where he now resides. Daniel Copeland was also a very early settler near Hico.

P. M. Phillips, of Bedford County, Tenn., came to Benton County in 1838, and in 1847 settled on Round Prairie. Col. Henry Hastings came from Tennessee in 1836, and settled seven miles west of Bentonville. He subsequently located at Corner Spring (Decatur), where he lived until his death. Thomas Quarles, from Georgia, settled on the northeast part of Round Prairie about the year 1840, and in 1844 Col. John Phagan, from North Carolina, settled at the Double Springs, on the Line Road. In 1846 David Chandler, also from North Carolina, settled on the farm which he still owns, one and a fourth miles southwest of Bloomfield. He now resides in Bloomfield. Rev. John Givens, a Baptist minister from Tennessee, was an early settler on Butler Creek. About the year 1845 Z. M. Winnery, from Tennessee, settled on the site of the village of Sulphur Springs. Near the same time Frank Lauderdale, James Thomason and Daniel Tittle, all from Tennessee, settled in that neighborhood.

The first settlement on War Eagle Creek, in Benton County, was made by two brothers known as bear hunters, their names being Isaac and Levi Borne. They came from Illinois early in the spring of 1832, and settled above the present War Eagle Mills, and each one raised three acres of corn that year. The following fall Absalom Thomas, Henry Taber, Lewis Russell, Robert Taber, William Brazeel and a Mr. Nelson all settled with their families in that neighborhood, and in December of that year Sylvanus Blackburn, Josiah Blackburn, Julius Kirk and Matthew Brewer with their families, all from Hickman County, Tenn., settled in the same neighborhood. The latter party came by way of Springfield, Mo., and, crossing what is now the line between Missouri and Arkansas, on the old State road passing north and south, they reached the cabin of John Fitzgerald, then living near the present village of Lowell, and stayed there over night. The next day, leaving their families at Fitzgerald's, they [p.25] prospected for and selected their respective locations, and then moved thereon. Sylvanus Blackburn located on the place, at the present War Eagle Mills, where he and his estimable wife, who then accompanied him, are still residing, he being in his eightieth year at this time, and she being about the same age. Julius Kirk settled on the creek about half a mile below the mill site and Matthew Brewer about three-fourths of a mile above it. Mr. Blackburn and his wife are the only survivors of these settlers. The next year John, David and Abram Stanley, James Borne, James Matthews and Daniel Flannery settled in that neighborhood, and soon after George Crabaugh and his son-in-law, Oliver Miller. About the same time two famous hunters, Stephen Coose and John Scennett, settled on White River. The former, in order to illustrate the crookedness of this river, once related that he traveled one entire night on the river in his canoe from a point near his residence, and on landing in the morning found that he had gained so little distance that he walked home to get breakfast.

The first death that occurred in the War Eagle settlement was that of a little daughter of David Stanley, and hers was the first grave in the Austin graveyard, about four miles above War Eagle Mills. The second death was that of John B. Kirk, son of Julius Kirk, and he was buried in the first grave in the Blackburn graveyard, near War Eagle Mills. Among the first marriages that took place in that neighborhood were those of John Highland and Rachael Borne, James Blackburn and Sarah Crabaugh, Joseph Stanley and Millie Blalock, Oliver Miller and Miss Blalock, the latter being a sister to Millie.

page 26

Later Settlers.–About 1848 William Wells, from Washington County, Ark., settled one mile south of Sulphur Springs. In 1851 G. W. Mitchell, from Tennessee, settled on the site of the present village of Bloomfield, and H. T. Gillespie, from North Carolina, settled where he now lives on the Line Road, two miles south of Cherokee City. About the year 1855 James Ingle settled two and a half miles northeast of Bloomfield. In 1855 Jesse Benton settled where he now lives on Honey Creek, eight miles west of Sulphur Springs. He came from Georgia. Prior to 1853 the following persons settled in the upper Pea Ridge [p.26] neighborhood, near the famous battle-field, to-wit: Enoch Trott, from Tennessee; James Wardlaw, from Illinois; Mat. Cavaness, George Miser, from Tennessee; Lewis Pratt, Rev. Jasper Dunagin, Wash. Ford, John and Samuel Reddick, Wiley Foster and his two brothers, and Granville Medlin. J. Wade Sikes and his father and family, from Tennessee, settled there in 1853. H. H. Patterson and his two brothers, William Marsh, John Lee and the Morgans were also early settlers in the Pea Ridge vicinity. In 1851 Young Abercombie and his sons, James, William, John, Samuel, Hiram, La Fayette and Floyd, settled on Round Prairie.

For other early settlers the reader is referred to the biographical department of this work. It must also be borne in mind that many other persons hereinafter mentioned in connection with the organization of Benton County were early settlers thereof.

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Nativity and Character of the Settlers.–By far the greater portion of the first citizens of Benton County came from Tennessee. Many came from Georgia and North Carolina, and a goodly number came from Virginia and Kentucky, with here and there a man from the free States. Many were descendants of the first settlers of the States from whence they came, and were thoroughly acquainted with pioneer life, and thus well qualified to open the country and establish new homes on the wild western frontier. Nearly all were farmers and hunters, without much education or polish, and with moderate ambitions and wants easily satisfied. To establish a home on a farm of greater or less extent, to live plainly, frugally and honestly, to enjoy comfort and not to work too hard seems to have been their chief desires. The majority were poor and they never became wealthy. As is the case everywhere the few only became rich. Of cultured, scholarly, enterprising and ambitious men there were a few. Many brought some money, slaves and other property to the county, established themselves comfortably from the first, and soon or eventually reached conditions of affluence. Some of the merchants and other business men were shrewd and successful. The doctors and lawyers were fair representatives of their professions. There were no gentlemen of leisure, all had duties to perform, and though they were a little rough, uncouth and unpolished, they [p.27] were free and hearty, generous and hospitable, and on the whole just the right kind of people to brave the storms, "subdue the wilderness" and press forward the line of civilization.

Some people sigh for a return of "the good old times," but there was no more morality in the first decade of the county's exist ence than in the one just past; and on looking over the first indictments in the courts one would conclude that there was not so much. There were not then so many churches, schools and school books in proportion to the population as at present. Indeed, some of the "noble old pioneers" were a little "tough." One of the first enterprises was the establishing of whisky distilleries, and in those "good old days," when the intoxicating fluid was cheap, and free from government gaugers and revenue collectors, nearly everybody drank it. And notwithstanding the declaration that some are disposed to make, that intemperance is on the increase, the truth is just the opposite, as there is not nearly as much whisky consumed now, in proportion to population, as there was then. It is customary to indulge in a great deal of ext ravagance in extolling the virtues of the first settlers of any country. Their good qualities are extolled immoderately, while it is seldom, or ever, hinted that they had any vices. Our first settlers were men and women, with all of the virtues and graces, and all of the vices and frailties possessed by their ancestors, and retained by their descendants. They were hospitable and generous, as a rule, and their successors practice the same virtues.

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The Pioneer's Cabin.–Log cabins were the domiciles of the pioneer settlers, and the building of one was a notable event. The first two or three settlers had to erect their own, with the assistance of their families. Later, the pioneer, upon arrival into the country intended for his future operations, would stop and camp at the house of some former settler, and leaving his family there would, under the guidance of the former settler, set out and hunt and select a place to his liking, usually at a spring or some creek, and then return and move his family thereto. The next thing to be considered was a cabin in which to dwell. A day for its erection would be appointed, and the former settler would mount a steed and ride far and near to the habitations of the [p.28] few scattered settlers and notify them when and where the "raising" was to take place. They would come from within a radii of fifteen to thirty miles, and on the day appointed the cabin would go up; meanwhile the newcomer would clear the spot for the new house, and live with his family in the "covered wagon." Axes, with which to cut and prepare the logs, froes, with which to rive the clapboards, and augers, with which to bore holes for pins and to prepare the wooden hinges for the doors, were all the tools required. If there were enough helpers, the logs would be hewed, otherwise put up round. Ridge poles would be placed in order, and the clapboards placed thereon and weighted down with poles, and thus the cabin would be covered. A huge fireplace cribbed with logs at one end of the building, lined with stone and mud, and topped out with a stick and mud chimney, constituted the heating apparatus. The floor and door would be made of puncheons, and the door hung with wooder hinges. Thus the pioneer's cabin would be completed. With the use of the ax and auger bedsteads were made of small poles in the corners of the building. In such humble houses the pioneers dwelt, wore plain apparel and fed on humble fare–lived comfortably, happily and well. They did not sport fine clothes, but had plenty of comfortable and durable linsey and jeans and homespun cotton, much better suited to their rough-and-tumble life.

Population.–The increase in the population of Benton County, since its settlement, was very gradual until since the year 1880. In 1860 it was 9,285; in 1870, 13,782; in 1880, 20,255, and now it is 31,000; an increase of 10,745 since 1880. This unusual increase is due mostly to the large influx of immigrants that have come into the county since the completion of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad through it, and since the fact has been advertised that this region is unexcelled in the United States for the growing of all kinds of fruit. The population of Benton County, by race, for the dates here given, is as follows: For 1860, white, 8,905; negro, 385; Indians, 16. For 1870, white, 13,640; negro, 182; Indians, 9. For 1880, white, 20,167; negro, 128; Indians, 33. Of the present population the number belonging to each race cannot be accurately given. By a comparison of these figures it will be noticed that [p.29] while the white population is rapidly increasing, that of the colored is decreasing, there being only one-third as many of the latter in 1880 as there were in 1860, and more than three times as many whites as there were then. It will also be noticed that the small Indian population doubled in the same period of time.

A PIONEER LOG CABIN.

Wild Animals, Game, etc.–The wild animals that originally inhabited the territory of Benton County were buffaloes, bears, wolves, wild cats, catamounts, panthers, elk, deer, foxes, raccoons, opossums, rabbits, squirrels, etc. The buffaloes fled in advance of the approach of the white man, and but few lingered after his coming. Sylvanus Blackburn remembers having seen two soon after he settled, in 1832. Probably these were the last ones seen in the county, or, at least, among the last. Unlike other wild animals, they did not remain to annoy or be annoyed by the settlers, but sought new pastures farther toward the setting sun. The bears, not willing to abandon their native haunts, lingered and struggled with their exterminators. Many were killed by the "bear hunters," who loved the dangerous sport. In the open country they have become extinct, but occasionally one is yet found in the mountain fastnesses. They were very annoying to the early settlers, and destroyed many of their hogs. The wolves were very numerous and troublesome, and destructive to sheep, pigs and young cattle. Sylvanus Blackburn relates that they killed nine of his sheep for two successive nights.

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The bears would kill the largest hogs, and the wolves would generally take the pigs. The bears were hunted and killed for their meat and skins, and for their extermination. Many were killed simply to gratify the love of the adventure. The wolves being unfit for food, and their skins being of no value, were hunted and killed with a view of their extermination. They are not wholly exterminated, but are no longer troublesome. A few yet remained in the broken country distant from the settlements. The wild cats, catamounts and panthers, once very numerous and annoying, have become so nearly extinct as to cease to be troublesome. The elk became extinct many years ago. The deer were numerous but not annoying. They were hunted and killed for [p.30] food. Their skins were also valuable. Josiah Blackburn, son of Sylvanus Blackburn, was a great hunter. He killed forty deer one winter on one "hunting snow." The old gentleman, though not a professional hunter, sometimes killed as high as three deer per day. Many of the surviving old settlers say that they often went out and killed a deer before breakfast. Many a deer lost its life by approaching too near the "clearings" of the old settlers, who always had their trusty rifles near at hand. The other animals mentioned above, though not so numerous as they formerly were, still abound in considerable numbers.

Wild fowl, of various kinds, especially turkeys, were numerous. The turkeys, like the deer, were easy of acquisition, and were extensively used by the early settlers for food. The wild fowl still exist, but in very limited numbers. The varieties are those common to all parts of America in this latitude. In the hollow trees of the forests wild bees and their honey were found in great abundance by the early settlers. Had there been a market near at hand, the quantity of honey that could have been gathered from the forests would have been a considerable source of revenue, but, as it was, it was only gathered for home consumption. When a bee tree was found, the next thing to be done was to kill a deer and skin it. Then the deer skin, by true pioneer ingenuity, was formed, and tied up so as to form a sack that would hold about two bushels. Into this deer skin sack the honey would be placed and carried home, the sack hung up in a safe place, and left hanging until the honey was consumed. The reader may think this was a novel vessel in which to put the honey, and so it was. In those days the people were not close to market where they could purchase earthen and wooden vessels to suit their conveniences, and consequently were obliged to improvise many things that we would not think of using at the present day. Sylvanus Blackburn and other surviving pioneers can testify to the truth of the foregoing concerning the wild bees and their honey.

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Hardships, Advantages, Disadvantages, etc.–The first settlers labored under great inconvenience from the want of grist and saw-mills, post-offices, blacksmith and other mechanical shops, there being none within convenient distance. The pioneer, [p.31] before entering the extreme frontier, would provide himself with a supply of meal, which would last for a short time after making his settlement, then a new supply had to be obtained. Then came the test of pioneer life–some corn had to be obtained by making a long trip to some point back from the frontier, or to some distant settler, who had "made" a crop and had a few surplus bushels. Mr. Sylvanus Blackburn, of War Eagle, and those that settled with him, went to Richland, about twenty-five miles distant, to get their corn. Many others had to go a greater distance. The corn being obtained the next thing to be done was to reduce it to meal, and in the absence of mills how was it to be done. The following is the method as related by the old settlers, who of necessity had to use it: First a large tree was felled, so as to leave a stump with a level surface, then a fire was kindled and kept burning on the center of the top of the stump, while the outer portion or rim thereof was kept wet to prevent its burning. In this way a hole would be burned into the stump, and when it was of sufficient

the wood would be scraped out with some edged instrument, and a bowl thus formed sufficient to hold a quantity of corn. Then a pole with one end hinged to a forked post set near the stump, and extended horizontally over the stump, and a pedestal or maul suspended to the pole over the bowl in the stump, completed the pioneers' grist-mill. The corn would then be placed in the bowl, and one or two persons (often the settler and his good wife) would take hold of the loose end of the pole or "sweep" and move it up and down, thus causing the pedestal to pound the corn into meal. Such were the pioneer grist-mills on which the corn was ground for the hardy settler, his wife and little children. The first few grindings would be considerably mixed with the black, burned wood of the stump, and the meal would be of a dark color. Bread or "hoe-cakes," made of such meal, together with wild meat, of which they had a great abundance, and a little coffee and sugar–the two latter articles being very inconveniently obtained–usually constituted the diet of the pioneers for the first year and until they could raise a crop.

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Clothing.–Their clothing consisted of what they brought [p.32] with them, which they subsequently made out of cloth manufactured at home with the spinning wheel and loom; and while it was not the finest in quanty or of the most fashionable style, it was withal very comfortable. Until stores were opened on the frontier, it was very inconvenient for the settlers to obtain such goods as they could not manufacture. Another great inconvenience was the absence of post-offices. It took as many months, or more, as it now takes days for the news of the East to reach the settlers on the frontier. Many were the inconveniences, too numerous to mention here, which they were compelled to endure. Children should remember with gratitude the parents who endured these hardships and deprivations for their benefit.

Later Mills.–The stump and pedestal mills were superseded by "horse mills," and these by small water mills. Among the first of the latter kind erected was one put up by John E. Turner, on War Eagle Creek, about six miles below the present War Eagle Mills. This was probably in what is now Washington County. There is no mill there now. The first mills at War Eagle were put up in 1848. The early settlers in the western part of the county went to the Elk Mills, in Missouri, to get their grinding done. Subsequently the Hilterbrandt Mills were erected on Flint Creek, in the Indian Territory, about twelve miles southwest of the present village of Bloomfield. For many years these mills were patronized by the people of the western part of the county. Finally the Hico, the Bloomfield and other mills were erected within the county, and now it is well supplied with both saw and grist-mills. Several of the flouring mills are supplied with the latest improved machinery and apparatus for making the roller process flour. The most noted ones are mentioned in the history of the towns in which they are located.

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Although the early settlers had to endure many hardships and privations, they certainly had many of the sweets of life along with the bitter. After having raised and gathered a crop, and thus secured a supply of breadstuffs and vegetables for their families, they lived on the fat of the land, which was then "flowing with milk and honey." The milk was supplied by the cows that fed upon the luxuriant wild grasses, and the honey was procured from the hollow trees, where the busy little bees had stored it in [p.33] great quantities, the latter costing nothing but the labor of securing it, and, perhaps, an occasional sting. Yes, with plenty of bread and vegetables, wild honey, venison, turkey and other wild game to suit their tastes, they could certainly prepare meals such as kings and potentates, in the midst of magnificent splendor, never dreamed of enjoying.

History of Benton County

[p.20] SETTLEMENT.

Pioneer Weddings.–The courting of the young people, in the frontier settlements, was attended with some inconveniences. For the want of house room it was often difficult to visit and woo a young lady except in the presence of her parents. No costly parlors furnished with upholstered chairs, into which the young couple might retire to tell of their loves and expectations, then existed, and it was seldom that a young man had the pleasure of escorting his lady love to church or to Sunday-school. But there were "frolics" and dances on the puncheon floors, and in spite of the many inconveniences the young people enjoyed hemselves. The climate being mild, there is no doubt but that the native forests were often utilized by young lovers for pleasure walks, and that on such occasions, underneath some beautiful shade tree, the question was asked and the answer given that forever bound their hearts together. A pioneer wedding could not compare, in point of elegance and finish, with one of these days, for there were lacking the paraphernalia of display, and the pomp and circumstances attendant, in this age, upon affairs of that character. In those days the wedding trousseau was not costly and elegant, but plain and simple. The bridal toilet was neither expensive, elaborate, fanciful or showy, but it was sensible, for it was sufficient and appropriate to the times, the manners and circumstances. Yet she was as well dressed as the groom with his coon-skin cap, his jeans coat, his linsey or cotton shirt, his jeans or coarse linen trousers, his feet in home tanned shoes, and without a glove to his hand or name. But for all the discomforts and disadvantages, the marriages were as fortunate and felicitous, and the weddings themselves as joyous, as any of those of modern times.

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Early weddings were sometimes attended with some public amusement. A shooting match was sometimes common, and foot races and other athletic sports were frequently indulged in. At night a dance, in which all participated, was common. The [p.34] wedding feast was well worthy the name. The champagne was good old whisky, manufactured at some local distillery, clear and pure as mountain dew. Then there were venison steaks and roasts, turkey and other wild meats, and other delicious edibles, sufficient to appease the appetites of the most fastidious guests. The particulars of the first marriage or marriages in Benton County cannot now be given, nor the names of the first parties married, unless they were some of those mentioned in connection with the War Eagle Settlement. If any public record of the early marriage was made, it has been lost or destroyed, as no such record can be found in the clerk's office prior to the year 1860.

INDIANS.

The record was commenced in 1861, and records only three marriages for the year 1860, viz.: March 28, Thomas Wells and Miss Adaline Baker; August 30, James Riddle and Mrs. Emla* McWilliams; October 9, T. J. Holum, aged twenty-three years, and Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas, aged forty-one years, all being solemnized by Rev. H. Powell. Sixty marriages are recorded for the year 1861, and six in January, 1862, and then no more are recorded until July, 1865, after which forty-two are recorded for that year. The war suspended marriages, or else they were not recorded. For subsequent years the record shows the number of marriages in the county to have taken place as follows: For 1866, 108; for 1870, 133; for 1880, 142; for 1887, 243, and for the present year, up to August 7, 142.

Tribes.–At the beginning of the settlement of the territory now embraced in this county, it was occupied by roving bands of the Osage and Delaware tribes of Indians, though it was not then and had not been the permanent location of these tribes. While the tribes were at enmity with each other, they were at peace with the whites, and friendly to the early settlers.

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Removal.–The Indians were not numerous here, and did not remain long after the settlement by the whites began. In 1837 the removal of the Cherokee Indians from Georgia to the Indian Territory began. There were several thousand of them, and [p.35] before the removal took place they were divided into two parties, under the respective leadership of two chiefs, named John Ross and John Ridge. They were accordingly designated as the "Ross Party" and the "Ridge Party." In treating for their removal, the Government recognized the Ridge Party, whereupon Ross and his party claimed that Ridge and his party had no authority to enter the treaty, and at first refused to be removed. But upon further negotiations Ross entered into a contract with Gen. Scott to remove his party, by which it cost the Government about $54 per head for their removal. In making the removal the Cherokees were divided into several detachments of about 1,000 each, and each detachment was properly officered with white men. A military escort and provisions were furnished by the Government.

They started on their journey in the fall of 1837, but, like Moses in the wilderness, they lingered by the way, and did not reach their "promised land" until the spring of 1838. They congregated at and started from Calhoun, on the Hiwassee River, in McMinn Co., Tenn. The detachments started at different times, and one of them, belonging to the Ridge party, traveled westward, and crossed the Mississippi at Memphis. The others came by way of Nashville, Tenn., crossed the Ohio River at Golconda, and the Mississippi at Green's Ferry, thence westward, passing through Benton County to their destination, some of them passing directly through Bentonville.

Judge A. B. Greenwood, now of Bentonville, then a young man, was appointed commissary for one of the detachments, and came with it as far as Nashville, then resigned, and returned to Georgia for his family, and moved directly to Bentonville, where he has ever since resided. He was here to witness the passing of the Indians on their way to the Territory.

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For a number of years following the Indians would come out of the Territory and establish camps in Benton County from which to hunt game. Being unmolested they became bold and a little treacherous, and did not at all times confine themselves to the capture of wild game, but began to appropriate the hogs which the settlers had turned out to feed upon the mast. Being discovered in their thefts they were finally ordered by the citizens [p.36] to retire from the county, and not return again for the purpose of hunting. The order was obeyed, and no further trouble was had. On one occasion, in 1840, a band of Indians encamped on Flint Creek, about a mile above the present site of Springtown. After committing some thefts a body of armed citizens met to drive them out, peaceably or otherwise. W. W. Burgess, now of Springtown, was in this party, and on their way he killed a deer, near the site of Springtown, and threw it into the big spring there to keep it cool until their return. Arriving near the Indian camp the citizens notified them to leave instanter, which they did, and thus all further trouble on that occasion was avoided. Aside from killing a few hogs and committing some petty thefts the early settlers of Benton County were not molested by the Indians.

First County Court.–Benton County was organized in accordance with an act of the General Assembly passed or approved September 30, 1836. In accordance with the act the first term of the county court, Judge George P. Wallace, presiding, was held in April, 1837, at the residence of said Wallace, one and a half miles east of the present site of Bentonville, when and where the organization of the county was completed. The first county officers were as follows: George P. Wallace, judge of the county court; John B. Dickson, county clerk; Gideon G. Pace, sheriff; Henry C. Hastings, treasurer; Henry Ford, coroner, and A. McKissick, surveyor.

The County Seat.–According to the act creating the county, an election was held for the selection of three commissioners to select and fix upon a site for the county seat. On counting the returns it was found that Robert Cowen, Robert Weaver and Thomas Swaggerty were elected as such commissioners. On the 7th of November, 1837, they filed with the county clerk a report of their proceedings in the words and figures following, to-wit:

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We, the undersigned commissioners elected under an act of the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, after having been duly qualified, and giving the notice required by law, and having duly examined the various situations, donations and conveniences, beg leave to report that we have selected a site-to-wit: [p.37] The south half of the southeast quarter of Section 30, in Township 20 north, Range 30 west of the fifth principal meridian, as presenting to your commissioners, duly considering its situation, the donations offered, and its eligibility for a county seat, more advantages and conveniences than any other situation which was presented for the consideration of your commissioners. They have, after selecting the same, in accordance with the powers vested in them as commissioners, proceeded to lay off a town thereon, leaving a square and 136 lots, and have named and called said town Bentonville; all of which is respectfully submitted to the court.

[Signed.]

ROBERT COWEN.

ROBERT WEAVER.

THOMAS SWAGGERTY.

The report was addressed to the circuit court, to which tribunal the law required it to be made, and on the second day of the first term of that court, which was held in November, 1837, the report was presented to the judge thereof, and the following entry was ordered to be made of record, viz.:

And now on this day comes the commissioners elected to locate a county seat for the county of Benton, and present their report, which is approved by the court and ordered to be filed and recorded. And it appearing to the court here that a court-house will be prepared for the reception and use of the court by the next term thereof, it is therefore ordered by the court that the clerk of the Benton Circuit Court do move all the files, records and papers of his office to the town of Bentonville, the county seat so selected by said commissioners, or within one mile thereof, at least thirty days before the next term of this court. And that the town so selected be established as the seat of justice for said county, and be called and known by the ame of Bentonville, in honor to the Hon. Thomas Hort Benton, and that all writs and process hereafter issued from this office, shall bear test and be made returnable at the court-house in the town of Bentonville, county of Benton.

In accordance with this order the books and papers of the court were moved to the court-house in Bentonville before May, 1838, in which month the second term of the court was held in the established county seat, which has ever since remained as such.

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Lost Records.–The records of the proceedings of the county court from its organization to the year 1857, and again for a number of years including the war period, have been lost or destroyed. It is thought that many of them were destroyed by soldiers during the war. In consequence of the absence of the records some important items of the proceedings of the county court, that might otherwise appear, will necessarily have to be omitted. [p.38] The major part of the business of this court in the early history of the county consisted in the appointment of commissioners to lay out and establish public roads, and to accept and approve, or reject, their reports, to audit accounts, to make contracts for public improvements, to examine and approve the reports of guardians and administrators, to exercise jurisdiction over all county and probate business in general and to levy and superintend the collection of revenues for both county and State.

Court-houses.–The first court-house was a small hewed log building, which stood on the north side of the public square, in Bentonville. It was built in 1837. Being only a temporary "makeshift," to be used only until a better building could be constructed, it stood only two or three years, or until the second court-house, a more permanent building, was completed. This was a two-story brick structure about fifty feet square, and stood upon the center of the public square, where the well is now located. The court room was in the first story, and the county offices and jury rooms in the second. John and William Walker were the contractors, who built it, as it is said, at a loss to themselves. This house stood until some time during the

late Civil War, when it was destroyed by fire.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

Immediately after the close of the war a temporary courthouse was built on the lot near the old jail, it being on the north side of the street, a short distance east of the northeast corner of the public square. This was a two-story frame building, costing in the neighborhood of $1,000. It was used until the present court-house was erected, after which it was moved to and now stands on the county "poor farm."

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On Monday, January 4, 1870, the county court made the following entry on the record of its proceedings: "Whereas, there being no suitable court-house in the county of Benton in which to hold the courts of said county, and no jail for said county, therefore it is hereby ordered by the court that a courthouse and jail be erected in the town of Bentonville, in said county of Benton, in the State of Arkansas." William W. Reynolds was then appointed commissioner of public buildings within [p.39] and for the county, "and there being no suitable ground belonging to the county on which to erect said buildings," the commissioner was ordered to select a proper piece of ground in the town of Bentonville for that purpose, and to purchase the same and take a good and sufficient deed of conveyance in fee simple therefor, and to make report of his proceedings to the court at his earliest convenience. Commissioner Reynolds accepted his appointment, and on the same day filed his report in the words and figures following:

Hon. County Court of the County of Benton, State of Arkansas:

The undersigned commissioner of public buildings, instructed by order of your honorable court to purchase a suitable lot of ground for the erection of a court-house and jail thereon, beg leave to submit the following report: That he has (subject to your approval) purchased, of Joseph R. Rutherford's estate, Lots Nos. 90, 91, 94 and 95 of the town of Bentonville, Benton Co., Ark. In arriving at the consideration for the property purchased, the kind of payment was considered, and from the fact that such payment would be made in county warrants, the sum of $1,250 was agreed upon as the consideration for said lots. These lots could have been purchased with greenbacks for the sum of $1,000. The deed for said lots to the county of Benton, in fee simple, is herewith submitted and asked to be taken as a part of this report. As a confirmation of the contract of your commissioner, he would ask your honorable court that county warrants to the amount of $1.250 be issued to the said Joseph R. Rutherford in consideration of said property. Most respectfully submitted.

[Signed.]

W. W. REYNOLDS,

Com. of Public Buildings.

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The report was accepted and approved by the court, and county warrants to the amount of $1,250 were ordered to be drawn in favor of J. R. Rutherford in full payment for the lots named therein, the warrants to be issued in such sums as he might desire. The commissioner was then ordered to make out and submit to the court, at its next term, a plan or plans, with an estimate of the probable cost of a court-house and jail, to be erected on the grounds purchased for that purpose. At the next term of the court Commissioner Reynolds submitted plans and specifications for the proposed building, drawn by W. T. Ritter, architect, together with an estimate of its cost, at $35,000. The plans and specifications were adopted by the court, and spread in full length upon its records. ["A" pages 121 to 127 inclusive.]. The commissioner was then ordered to proceed to let the contract for the building of the court-house and jail combined to [p.40] the lowest responsible bidder, after giving at least twenty days' notice of the time and place and terms of the letting, the commissioner to receive sealed bids from any and all parties until 12 o'clock of the first day of May, 1871, and to open all bids on that day in the presence of the Court. A sufficient amount of bonds, not exceeding $50,000, was then ordered to be issued for the purpose of raising funds for the construction of the proposed building, the first $10,000 to be made payable in one year after date, the second $10,000 in two years after date, and so on until the contract should be fully paid, or the $50,000 exhausted: all bonds to bear interest at the rate of 10 per cent.

On the first day of May following, the court being in session, the following entry was made upon its record of proceedings: "Now, on this day comes W. W. Reynolds, commissioner of public buildings of the county of Benton, and at 12 o'clock M. of this day, proceeded and did open, in the presence of this Court, the several bids for the erection of the court-house and jail, in accordance with the advertisement of the commissioner in this behalf. Whereupon the following bids were presented. to-wit: J. H. Neely and Samuel H. Kelton, of Bentonville, $33,000; A. H. Leady, of Springfield, Mo., $36,575; M. A. Rowles, of Illinois, $36,500; W. T. Ritter & Co., of Springfield, Mo., $34,735; J. Oliver, of Springfield, Mo., $31,910."

After an examination of the several bids, the contract was awarded to John H. Neely and Samuel H. Kelton, at $33,000, whereupon the contractors immediately filed their bond conditioned for the fulfillment of their part of the contract, in the sum of $66,000, with good and sufficient security to the satisfaction of the court. In June following Commissioner Reynolds reported to the court the progress of the work, and that the work done on the new court-house and jail, together with material purchased, amounted to $7,900. The next month he reported the sale of bonds made by him on the 24th day of June preceding, amounting to $7,669, with the following credits, to-wit: Receipt of Neely & Kelton, contractors, $6,115.51; receipt of R. & T. A. Ennis for printing bonds, $80; receipt of Cory & Cook and A. B. Cory, printing, $24; receipt of M. B. Maxwell for surveying, $6.25; total credits, $6,225.76.

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[p.41] On the 15th day of August, 1871, a petition signed by John A. Dickson, J. V. Lee, J. C. Woods and twenty-eight others was presented to the court, praying for the abandonment of the bond system. The petition reads as follows:

We, the undersigned tax payers of Benton County, would most respectfully represent to the Honorable County Court, that, whereas, they did, at the April term of said court, according to Act 66 of the Acts of the Assembly of 1871, authorizing them so to do, order the commissioner of public buildings to have $50,000 in interest-bearing bonds struck, $10,000 of which have already been sold; and whereas, said bonds cannot be cashed except at such rates as proves ruinous sacrifice to the people, we would therefore pray your honorable body to dispense with the use of the remaining Benton County Court House and Jail Bonds amounting to $40,000, and make such modification with the contractors as will be equitable and satisfactory to them and the court, for the erection of the building, levying cash tax according to the law for raising revenue for county expenses; provided you find you are authorized so to do by the law. Believing that you will save the public money on the balance of the bonds, and meet the approval of almost the entire population, who feel deeply aggrieved by the bond system. All of which is most respectfully submitted by your petitioners.

Then, in response to a citation issued to them, Messrs. Neely and Kelton came into court, as also did the petitioners by their attorney, and the Court took into consideration the matter of the petition. The contractors refused to accept any change from the bond system, showing that they could not use county scrip at all, and that the bonds would furnish them cash in hand, and further that they could not accept the payments from a direct tax in lieu of their contract, for the reason that it would take eight or ten years to realize the amount due them.

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Then follows of record the following entry: "Therefore the Court, after due and respectful consideration, is of the opinion (as the petitioners have wholly failed to show any plan that is satisfactory to the contractors, by which one cent would be saved to the county, but on the contrary the plans submitted would cost the county a large amount in excess of the present system), that it would be unwise to change the present bond system." Upon request of the contractors, the court then ordered the second year's bonds, being for $10,000, to be offered for sale by the commissioner of public buildings, to the highest bidders for cash, at the door of the court-house, on Monday, September 4, 1881. In October following, Commissioner Reynolds [p.42] reported a further sale of bonds, and that the whole amount then paid to the contractors was $14,569.25.

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In January, 1872, the court (having undergone a change in its formation, being then composed of a board of supervisors) found that the contractors could not proceed with the building without additional aid, and that unless the bonds could be converted into money the enterprise would of necessity be retarded in its progress, and that the deplorable condition of the finances of the people of the county, asshown by the last effort of the commissioner to sell the bonds, satisfied the court that the policy of again offering the bonds for sale at public outcry would be attended with failure, as in the sale of the last installment. It further appeared to the court by written assurance of Denton D. Starke, a banker of Fayetteville, that he had negotiated with the contractors for the purchase of the bonds, at such price as to enable them to proceed with their work, and complete the building within the time specified, provided the court would issue the whole of the bonds remaining unsold, and turn them over to the contractors. To remove all obstacles and to secure the speedy completion of the building, the court ordered that the remaining $30,000 in bonds should be issued, and turned over to the contractors at 75 cents on the dollar, in full payment of their contract for the construction of the building, and that the commissioner should take their receipt in duplicate for the same, and file one with the clerk of the court and retain one in his possession. It was further ordered that before turning over said bonds the contractors should give bond to the court, in the sum of $30,000, conditioned for the delivery of the bonds to said Starke, as aforesaid, within fifteen days from date of the order. And it was further provided that the funds arising from the sale of the bonds should be drawn from said Starke, as follows: $500 on or before April 1, 1872, and $2,500 monthly thereafter, unless otherwise ordered by the court, until the whole amount of the proceeds of the sale should be exhausted, except the proceeds arising from the sale of the $7,500 of reserve fund, which was to remain in the bank subject to the special orders of the court. The contractors filed their bond as required, received the bonds for the $30,000, and turned them over to Starke, the banker, at [p.43] Fayetteville, and filed his duplicate receipt for the deposit of the same, with the court, as directed.

In May following Commissioner Reynolds filed with the court the following report, to-wit: "To the Honorable County Court of Benton County: The commissioner of public buildings respectfully submits the following report, to wit: The amount paid contractors as per last report, $14,569.25. Amount of contingent fund, $175.75. Work done to this date: Excavation, $150.00; stone wall, $1,500.00; cut stone, $800.00; guion corners, $1,000.00; door sills, $50.00; brick in wall, $8,500.00; cut stone window sills, $300.00; well and pump, $100.00; rods and anchors, $350.00; carpenter work, $1,700.00. Total, $14,450.00. Material ready for use, $500.00; cut stone ready, $600.00; cut post ready, $150.00; iron cornice, $1,400.00; vault doors, $375.00; iron columns, $500.00; ceiling joists, $160.00; oils and paints, $300.00; 35,000 feet lumber, $1,050.00; 5,000 feet walnut, $160.00. Total, $5,195.00. Whole amount of work done and material ready for use, $19,645.00."

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At this time the court found that the constructors had failed to negotiate with D. D. Starke for the sale of the $30,000 in bonds, or to realize any money from the bonds. The contractors then returned the bonds for that amount to the court and took up their receipt, whereupon the court rescinded its former order by which the bonds were issued, and they were burned by order of and in the presence of the court. The commissioner was then ordered to prepare three hundred interest-bearing bonds of the denomination of one hundred each, and to offer for sale a sufficient number of them to raise the sum of $5,075.75, less 15 per cent on said amount in currency. "That said bonds should bring five cents on the dollar, and should be sold one at a time at the court-house door of said county, for cash to the highest bidder, commencing on Saturday June 1, 1872, and to continue from day to day until the full amount required was sold," and it was further provided that if no sales were made, the commissioner should pay to the contractors the amount in bonds at 75 cents on the dollar. On the 3d of July following the commissioner reported that the bonds had been offered for sale as per order, and that one of them, No. 54, was sold to C. H. Davis for $75.05 [p.44] and all the others were sold to the contractors for 75 cents on the dollar.

In January, 1873, the court found that the contractors, Neely & Kelton, had failed to finish and complete the court-house and jail by the 1st of September, 1872, according to contract, and called upon them to show why their said contract should not be declared forfeited. In response the contractors replied that they had nothing to say; whereupon the court declared and ordered the contract forfeited by the default of the contractors, Neely & Kelton. On the 15th day of February following the offered resignation of commissioner Reynolds was accepted, and S. G. Elliott was appointed his successor. In April, 1873, the court ordered that forty-six one hundred-dollar interest-bearing bonds should be issued, and that the commissioner should proceed at once to negotiate their sale by private contracts to the best advantage of the county, provided that he should not sell any of them for less than 75 cents on the dollar, and if he could not thus dispose of them he was authorized to offer them for sale at public auction to the highest bidder for cash. He was also authorized, as soon as practicable, to contract with one or more responsible persons "for the completion of the walls, roof, windows, doors and second-story rooms of the court-house of said county." And if he failed to get money by the sale of the bonds, he was to pay the workmen with the bonds at such discount as in his judgment justice would be done the county.

In May, 1873, the county court, then consisting of a board of supervisors, ordered Commissioner Elliott to let out to the lowest bidders the contract for finishing the work on the court-house, the bids to be received June 2, 1873, and the work to be completed on or before the second Monday of September following. Accordingly, on the 3d of June, contracts were entered into as follows: To F. A. Johnson, Robert Anderson and P. Q. O. Rabb, the wood work remaining undone, for the sum of $800; to J. C. Alexander, the tin roofing, spouting and capping and covering cornice for $230; to James Haney, the brick, stone and plastering work remaining undone, for $830. In July following the court found the court-house completed as per the last aforesaid contracts.

In July, 1874, W. C. Lefors, the county treasurer, submitted the following report:

To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of Benton County, Ark.:

I hereby certify that all the court-house and jail bonds that has ever come into my hands as collector of revenue for 1871, and as treasurer for the years 1872 and 1873, amount to the sum of $37,570, and that I have paid out on 254 bonds $29,599 71

On court-house warrants and coupons 7,236 37

Total amount paid out less commission $36,836 08

Leaving in treasury July 22, 1874 $124 18

All of which is respectfully submitted.

(Signed)

W. C. LEFORS, County Treasurer.

It is not known just what the court-house and jail actually cost the county, but it is estimated that on account of the interest and discount on the bonds actually issued and sold, and the depreciated county scrip, that it cost nearly $60,000. It is, according to the plans and specifications, a three-story brick building, 56×76 feet in size, set on a stone foundation. The first story, twelve feet in height, contains the county offices. halls and stairs; the second story, eighteen feet in height, the courtrooms, and the third story, twelve feet in height, the jail with cells, etc., for prisoners.

The County Jails.–The first jail for Benton County, which was erected immediately after its organization, stood on the north side of the east and west street, about sixty yards east of the northeast corner of the public square, in Bentonville. It was a small building, consisting of a double wall of squared logs, with a cavity of several inches space between the walls. In this cavity poles were stood upon end, thus making what might be called a third or interior wall.

In April, 1860, the county court made the following entry upon the record of its proceedings, to-wit:

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This being the day heretofore appointed by this Honorable Court to take the vote whether a direct tax should be levied for the purpose of building a county jail, and the court being satisfied that notices have been put up in every township, as required by law, and there being a number of the justices of the peace of the county present, and they having unanimously voted for the levying of a direct tax * * * on all property now assessed for the year 1860, for [p.46] county purposes, and also a poll tax of 25 cents per capput, which said tax can only be paid and received by the sheriff in gold or silver.

Footnote

This must have been intended for 20 cents on each $100, instead of twenty per cent, as written on the record.

It is therefore ordered by the court that a county jail be built. and that a direct tax of twenty per cent* be levied on all property now assessed for the year 1860, for county purposes, and also that a poll tax of 25 cents per capput for the year 1860 be levied, and the sheriff is hereby ordered to receive and collect in discharge of both of said taxes only gold or silver.

At the July term following plans and specifications were adopted for the building of a jail, forty feet long by twenty-two feet wide, from outside to outside, the wall of the first story to be eighteen inches thick and nine feet high, with two partition walls thirteen inches thick across the building. The second story of the building was to be eleven feet high, and the whole was to be set upon a solid stone foundation. Full details for the construction of the building were given in the plans and specifications. At the following August term of the court the contract for the erection of the building was awarded to E. R. McKeen, the lowest bidder, for $3,475.

The political campaign of 1860 was now on, and probably the results which followed were foreseen or apprehended by the contractor, for nothing further was done with this jail, it never being built. The next county jail was the one constructed in the third story of the present court-house. Proceedings pertaining to the construction of the present jail were commenced in October, 1887, when Robert N. Corley was appointed commissioner, to let the contract or contracts for its construction, and to superintend the wok. The contracts were let in January, 1888, to different parties, as follows: Stone mason work to H. G. McWhirter for $1,693; brick work to William D. Kelton for $475; carpenter work to Duffey & Fristoe for $475; iron work to Clapp, McGruder & McAdams for $682; steel cages, etc., to the Paulling Jail Co. for $3,000; tin work (roofing, etc.), to Hobbs & Co. for $82; excavation to different parties, estimated at $50.

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At this writing the building is not wholly completed; the painting, construction of sewerage, etc., remains to be done. It will cost when completed, according to the plans and specifications, including sewerage, about $7,500. It is located on the [p.47] court-house grounds on the north side thereof. It is a one-story building, forty-two feet two inches by thirty-two feet two inches in size, outside measure. It contains a hall, which extends all around the building inside of the brick wall, and on the interior the place proper for the prisoners is a space thirteen feet square, containing two cells six and a half feet square, and a corridor six by thirteen feet. It is so arranged that the prisoners cannot have access to the outer wall. It sets about three feet below the level of the ground, and has an excavation of that depth, and about six feet wide, all around it. The roof of the building extends over this surrounding excavation. Upon the whole, it is a very substantial building, and so arranged that the jailor need never come in contact with the prisoners.

Poor-House.–In April, 1857, the county court, finding it necessary and expedient to establish a poor-house in the county of Benton, ordered that Samuel Woods, James Jackson and Dysert Woods be appointed to act as commissioners to select a proper site for such building. At the following October term of the court two of these commissioners, James Jackson and Samuel Woods, reported that they had not been able, as yet, to select such a place as in their judgment would be suitable for such purpose, and asked for further time, which was granted until the next regular term. The court then ordered its clerk to make or draw a warrant upon the treasurer of the county, in favor of the commissioners, for the sum of $1,200, provided they or a majority of them call for the same, to enable them to purchase a farm or site for a poor-house. It seems, however, that this order was not called for. In January, 1858, the commissioners, all joining, reported to the court that they had selected a site for the poorhouse on forty acres of land lying north of Bentonville, owned by William Clements, together with five acres off of a tract owned by William McDaniel, including a spring or interest in the spring, and had made a contract, therefor, at the sum of $300. They further reported that there was a log house on the same without floor, ten acres in cultivation, and about four acres in wheat, and recommended the place as the most eligible site they had been able to select, and asked the adoption of their report.

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The report was adopted, and a warrant for the $300 was [p.48] ordered to be issued and paid to the said Clements upon his making, to the commissioners and their successors in office, a warrantee fee simple deed for the lands aforesaid. The court then authorized the commissioners to enter at the United States Land office at Fayetteville, forty acres of land lying due north of the forty-acre tract already purchased. Afterward, in April, 1858, Jacob Candill, county surveyor, in obedience to a former order issued to him, made to the court a survey of the poor-farm, showing that it embraced the east half of the southwest quarter, and four and a half acres out of the southeast corner of the southwest one-fourth of the southwest quarter of Section 20, in Township 20 north, Range 30 west, as surveyed by him February 26, 1858. As soon as the neccessary buildings on the poor-farm were put in order, the paupers of the county were removed thereto and placed under the care of a superintendent engaged for that purpose. In November, 1875, the court appointed Zach. Baker commissioner to let the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, after giving ten days' notice, for the removal of the old frame court-house to the poor-farm, and for repairing the same so as to make it suitable for a poor asylum. In January following Commissioner Baker reported in full to the court, whereupon it was ordered that a county warrant for the sum of $330 should be issued. payable out of the public building fund, to William Stewart and J. V. Lee, for removing the old court-house to the poor-farm, and for materials for fitting it up and putting it in order; and that another warrant for the sum of $120.50 should be issued to James Haney for materials furnished and work and labor performed by him in fitting up the same building.

The pauper inmates of the poor-house average from eight to ten in number. The method of keeping them is by letting or renting the poor-farm to a superintendent, who takes care of them for a stipulated price. Temporary relief is also administered in a limited degree, to a few persons not confined in the poor-house. by small appropriations from the county treasury.

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Roller Township.–The loss of records prevents the formation and organization of the original municipal townships of Benton [p.49] County from being satisfactorily ascertained and given. The first change appearing of record was made in January, 1857, when John Roller and sixty-one other citizens filed a petition with the county court asking for the formation of a new township in the northeast corner of the county, within the following boundary lines, to-wit: "Commencing at Henry Moor's on the line of Walnut Township, and running to Burks' tanyard; thence with the State road north to the Missouri line, including all the inhabitants on said road; thence east to the Madison County line; thence south with the Madison County line to the Walnut Township line; thence with said line to the beginning." The prayer of the petition was granted, and the territory included, with boundary lines described therein, was declared to be a new township by the name of Roller, and Jacob Roller, Samuel Burks and David Gunner were appointed judges of elections, with the election precinct at the house of William Herds. The name of the township has since become "Roller's Ridge."

Prairie Creek Township.–In April, 1859, John B. Putnam, with fifty other citizens of Sugar Creek, White River and Big Spring Townships, filed with the county court a petition for the formation of a new township taken from the above townships and bounded as follows, to wit: "Commencing at Henry Moor's; thence to the mouth of Prairie Creek; thence up White River to William Graham's farm; thence to George Callahan's on the State road; thence to and with Osage Township line to Sugar Creek; and thence up Sugar Creek, making the bed of said creek the line up to Blankenship's farm, and thence to Henry Moor's at the beginning." The prayer of the petitioners was granted, and the township was named Prairie Creek, and the voting place was established at Job R. Mona's mill.

_______________________________________

Alterations.–No further proceedings pertaining to the municipal townships appear on record until March, 1873, when the following entry was made of the proceedings of the court:

Ordered, that the sixteen political townships or voting precincts as existed in 1860, in the county of Benton, be recognized and re-established as they stood in said year 1860, and that all elections hereafter held in said county be held at the original voting precincts in each original township, respectively, as they were in 1860; and that this order take effect from and after the tenth day of March, 1873.

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Ten years later, at the October term. 1883, of the court, the following order was made:

Now, on this day it appearing to the court that the records of the county court have been destroyed. showing the true boundary lines between the townships of the county. It is therefore ordered by the court that the township lines as shown by the map of Benton County, Ark., issued by S. B. Robertson, in 1883, be, and the same are hereby declared to be the correct and true lines between said townships of Batie, Sulphur Springs, Dickson, Osage, Mount Vernon, Sugar Creek, Roller's Ridge, Walnut, War Eagle, Esculapia, Bright Water, Colville, Big Spring, Anderson, Wager, Ball, Flint, Hico, Round Prairie, Eldorado Springs and Wallace. That said townships be as they are hereby established and set forth. and designated in said map as published by said S. B. Robertson in 1883.

Decatur Township.–Following the above proceeding, a petition was filed for a new municipal township, to be called Decatur Township, whereupon the court, after due consideration of the matter, ordered that "the said new township, which is called Decatur, should be composed of and bounded as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of Section 34, in Township 20 north, Range 32 west, and running due south along the west boundary of Section 34, and on west side of Sections 3, 10. 15 and 22, Township 19 north, Range 32 west, to the southwest corner of Section 22, thence on south boundary of Sections 22, 23 and 24, Township 19 north, Range 32 west, and on south boundary of Sections 19, 20 and 21 to the southeast corner of Section 21, Township 19 north, Range 31 west; thence due north along the east line of Sections 21, 16, 9 and 4, Township 19 north, Range 31 west; thence west to southwest corner of Section 33, Township 20 north, Range 31 west; thence north to the nortwest corner of Section 33, Township 20 north, Range 31 west; thence due west along the north line of Sections 31 and 32, Township 20 north, Range 31 west, and on the north side of Sections 36, 35 and 34, to the northwest corner of Section 34, Township 20 north, Range 32 west, to the place of beginning."

By clerical error the above description places Decatur Township just six miles east of where it is actually located. To correct the error, Township 31 west should read 32 west, and Township 32 west should read 33 west.

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Garfield Township.–In July, 1884, A. J. Wilks, J. N. Ingram, J. B. Lamkins, J. C. Vandagriff and others filed with the court [p.51] a petition for the formation of a new township within the following boundary lines, to-wit: "Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 26, in Township 21 north, Range 28 west; thence west to the northeast corner of Section 29; thence north to the northeast corner of Section 20; thence west to the northwest corner of Section 19; thence south in Range 29 to the northeast corner of Section 25; thence west to the northwest corner of same; thence south to the township line between 20 and 21; thence east to the range line of 28 and 29; thence south to the southwest corner of Section 18, in Township 20 north; thence east to the southeast corner of Section 14; thence north to the beginning." The prayer of the petition was granted–the township being established as prayed for, and it was named Garfield, and the voting place for the township was established at Garfield Station, on the railroad.

Yell Township.–On the 29th day of April, 1886, A. Twiggs and others presented to the court a petition for the formation of a new township, to be composed from parts of Ball, Flint and Hico, and bounded as follows, to-wit: "Commencing at section corner between 15 and 16 and 21; thence north one mile and a half to center of sections 9 and 10; thence west on said half mile line to the line of Hico Township; thence north to the line of Flint Township; thence northwest with said line to the center or half-mile corner between Sections 15 and 22, Range 33; thence east on said section line to the present line between Flint and Ball; thence with the original line to the starting point." The prayer of the petition was granted–the township as thus described being established and named Yell.

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Washington Township.–On the 1st day of May, 1886, J. C. Hopkins, B. C. Martin, Martin R. Walker and others presented to the court a petition for the formation of a new township within the following boundary lines, to-wit: "Beginning at the southwest corner of Section 22, in Township 18 north, Range 30 west, and running north to the northwest corner of Section 27, in Township 19 north, Range 30 west; thence east to the northeast corner of Section 30, in Township 19 north, Range 29 west; thence south to the Washington County line; thence west to the place of beginning." The prayer of the petitioners was [p.52] granted, and the township organized as prayed for, and named Washington. The voting place was established at the village of Lowell.

The descriptions of the boundary lines of the civil townships, formed since the county map was published, in 1883, have been given in full, so that the reader can trace and mark them on the map if he so chooses. The names of all the civil or municipal townships in the county, beginning in the northeast corner and going west on the north tier to northwest corner, thence east and west successively, after the manner that sections are numbered in Congressional townships, are as follows, viz.: Roller's Ridge, Garfield, Sugar Creek, Mount Vernon, Dickson, Sulphur Springs, Batie, Eldorado, Wallace, Osage, Bright Water, Walnut, War Eagle, Esculapia, Anderson, Decatur, Round Prairie, Flint, Wager, Colville, Washington, Big Spring, Yell, Hico and Ball–twenty-five in all. Some of them are very irregular in shape.

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Line and State Roads.–There are two noted highways passing through Benton County, known as the "Line Road" and the "State Road." The former passes on or near the boundary line of Benton County and the Indian Territory, hence the name "Line Road." It is also known as the "Old Military Road," having been cut out and established by the general government from Fort Scott, in Kansas, to Fort Smith, in Arkansas, for the purpose of opening and establishing communications between those important points. In some places this road runs on the boundary line, especially at and for a few miles south of Maysville, but it lies mostly on the Benton County side. It passes through Maysville, Cherokee City and Silvan in Benton County. The State Road leading from Fort Smith, bearing a little to the east of north, passes through the eastern part of Benton County, along the general route of the "Frisco" Railroad, into the State of Missouri. Before transportation was provided by the railroads, this State Road was the great thoroughfare over which Texas cattle were driven in large droves to the north, and mules were driven southward. All along this road, at convenient points accessible to water, were formerly "taverns" or "stands," as they [p.53] were called by the drovers. There were two such noted taverns in Benton County, one at Bright Water and one at Cross Hollows. Large yards for confining stock were always connected with these "stands." The remains of the old tavern at Cross Hollows are still standing.

Ferries.–The particulars concerning the laying out of the early highways cannot be given on account of the loss of the records. In January, 1857, a license was granted to Abner Jenning to establish and keep a ferry "across White River, at the crossing of the Blackburn mill road," and he was authorized to charge the following rates of ferriage: Each footman, 5 cents; man and horse, 10 cents; one-horse carriage, 20 cents; two-horse carriage, 25 cents; four-horse carriage or wagon, 35 cents; three yoke of oxen, or six-horse wagon, 50 cents; each head of loose stock of all kinds, 2 cents. It was ordered that the ferry should be known and called by the name of Jenning's Ferry, and that Mr. Jenning should pay for his license or privilege a county tax of $1 per annum.

The same year, in October, William Early was granted permission to establish and keep a ferry across White River, at or near the crossing of the Bentonville and Huntsville road, and the same was declared a public ferry. He was authorized to charge the following rates of ferriage: Footman, 5 cents; man and horse, 25 cents; wagon and two horses or oxen, 50 cents; wagon and four horses or oxen, $1; wagon and six horses or oxen, $1.50; each head of loose stock, 2½ cents. He was charged $1 per annum for his license.

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Other Roads.–In 1857 a road was established "to commence on the State line near Shell's mill, at the termination of a road leading from Neosho, thence running to the Elkhorn tavern, to meet a road leading from said tavern on the road to Huntsville, in Madison County." At the same time Joseph Blackburn was appointed overseer of the Blackburn Mill road from the first crossing of Cleptny to where it intersects the War Eagle road. David Baylston was appointed overseer of the same road from the Poor Mountain to the crossing of White River. C. C. Squires was appointed overseer of the Smith Mill road down Sugar Creek, to commence at the first [p.54] crossing of the creek, and terminating at the State line. John F. Jenkins was appointed overseer of "class No. 1. of the Springfield road, commencing at Bentonville on the line near James Woolsey's, thence to A. C. Young's; thence along a neighborhood road to near the corner of Mrs. Jefferson's field; thence along said road to where the same intersects the old Springfield road near Warren Wright's, or Sugar Creek road; thence along said old road to the first crossing of the river channel of Sugar Creek." John L. Booth was appointed overseer of the State road from Robert Sikes' place to the Cross Hollows district. The Sikes place is now the site of Rogers.

There are no macadamized roads in Benton County, but many of the ridge roads in the broken and mountainous portions are equally as good, the surface of the lands being so completely filled with small chert and flint rocks of the proper size, that all that is necessary to have a road macadamized by nature is to clear it and travel it. Of course this does not apply to the roads through the prairie and more level lands of the county, which form by far the greater portion. There is an abundance of this small chert and flint rock of proper size along the ridges and in the beds of the streams to thoroughly macadamize every mile of the public roads of the county without breaking a stone. Of course in some places it would have to be hauled a long way.

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An effort to secure the building of a railroad through Benton was made prior to the breaking out of the Civil War, as will be seen by reading the following order of the county court made at its July term in 1860: "Ordered by the court that the sum of $500 of the industrial improvement funds, so soon as that amount shall be accumulated in the hands of the commissioners of Benton County, be paid over by said commissioners into the hands of C. W. Rice, Sr., to be retained by him and disposed of in the manner following: "It is contemplated to have a survey made in order to determine the nearest and most practicable route for building a railroad from Van Buren, Crawford Co., Ark., through the counties of Crawford, Washington and Benton, to intersect at the most practicable point the southwest branch of the Missouri [p.55] Pacific Railroad. Now, if the counties of Crawford and Washington, or the citizens of each in their individual capacity, shall appropriate and expend upon said survey an equal amount, then the said Rice shall, and is hereby authorized, to pay to the person or persons bearing the expenses of said survey the said sum of $500, he taking his or their receipts therefor, and filing the same in the clerk's office of Benton County, provided that the same shall be expended exclusively within the limits of Benton County upon said survey. The said Rice is required to retain said funds until it is certain that the same will be expended as last above directed. It is further ordered that the order heretofore made by this court for a similar purpose is annulled."

This was the effort made on the part of the county to secure a railroad; but for some reason, perhaps the apprehended danger of the trouble following the result of the political campaign of 1860, the proposed survey was not made, and, consequently, the $500 appropriated for that purpose was not expended.

The St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, which runs through the eastern part of Benton County, giving an outlet to the great States both north and south, was completed through the county in the summer of 1881. It has stations within the county at Garfield, Bright Water, Avoca, Rogers and Lowell. The railroad leading from Bentonville to Rogers was built by the Bentonville Railway Company, at a cost of about $42,000. It was completed in 1883.

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The rectangular system of surveying the public lands now in use by the United States, and by which the lands in Benton County were surveyed, was inaugurated and adopted by Congress at or near the beginning of the present century. The first surveys made under the system, and before it was fully perfected, were made in what is now the State of Ohio. Under this system the lands are surveyed into strips six miles wide, running both east and west, and north and south, those running east and west are called "townships," while those running north and south are called "ranges." The squares–six miles each

way–formed by the crossing of these strips, are called Congressional [p.56] townships, each of which (if full) is subdivided into thirty-six sections, containing each 640 acres, more or less. The "townships" are numbered north and south from a given base line, and the "ranges" are numbered east and west from a named meridian, called a principal meridian. The "first principal meridian" is the State line between the States of Ohio and Indiana; the "second principal moridian" runs through the State of Indiana only, a few miles west of the city of Indianapolis; the "third principal meridian" runs through the central part of Illinois, a few miles west of Bloomington; the "fourth principal meridian" runs through the western part of Illinois, from a point near Bardstown, on the Illinois river, to the Mississippi on the north; the "fifth principal meridian," which in part governs the surveys of this county, passes through Arkansas near the ninety-first degree of west longitude from Greenwich, or the fourteenth degree from Washington. It extends northward through the States of Missouri and Iowa. The "base line," which, together with the last named principal meridian, governs the surveys of Arkansas and the States north of it, runs east and west through the central part of Arkansas, from a point on the Mississippi River near the mouth of St. Francois river, to the Indian Territory on the west, passing about five miles south of the city of Little Rock.

From this base line and the fifth principal meridian the lands of Benton County are found to embrace parts of Townships 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 north of the base line, and Ranges 27 to 34, inclusive, west of the meridian. The public surveys in Benton County were made late in the thirties and early in the forties. Among the persons making them were Elias Conway, Robert W. Mecklin and Matthew McClellan. As soon as surveyed the public lands became subject to entry at the land office, then at Fayetteville. Scattering entries were made by the early settlers prior to 1858, and from that date to 1861 the entries for the greater bulk of the lands that have been taken up were made. Land entries still continue, and there still remains a large quantity of land subject to entry. The unentered lands are mostly broken and undesirable. They will probably become desirable on account of their timber, and their adaptability to growing fruits.

[p.57] AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE.

Farm Statistics.–Benton County has been mainly an agricultural county, other industries not having been, until recently, introduced. While the soil is not as rich as it is in some counties, it produces well, although but little scientific farming has ever been applied to it. The farm areas and farm values of the county, as ascertained by the census of 1880, were as follows: Number of farms, 2,725; acres of improved lands, 121,874; value of farms, including land, fences and buildings, $2,256,424; value of farming implements and machinery, $112,193; value of live stock, $580,425; cost of building and repairing fences, $30,621; cost of fertilizers purchased, $1,272; estimated value of all farm productions (sold, consumed or on hand) for 1879, $509,458. From the same census it is found that the principal vegetable productions of the county for the year 1879 were as follows: Barley, 200 bushels; buckwheat, 183 bushels; Indian corn, 1,119,834 bushels; oats, 245,382 bushels; rye, 1,300 bushels; wheat, 156,087 bushels; value of orchard products, $4,265; tons of hay, 2,376; cotton, 126 bales; Irish potatoes, 28,165 bushels; sweet potatoes, 14,058 bushels; tobacco, 395,982 pounds. Also from the census of 1880 the "live stock and its productions" of Benton County are found to have been as follows: Number of animals–Horses, 5,864; mules and asses, 2,233; working oxen, 69; milch cows, 5,397; other cattle, 6,307; sheep, 12,919; swine, 46,516; pounds of wool, 36,764; pounds of butter, 298,346; pounds of cheese, 700.

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By comparing these statistics with like statistics of all other counties in the State, it is found that according to the census of 1880 Benton stood first in the production of oats, Irish potatoes, tobacco and butter, and second in the production of Indian corn and wheat (Washington being first), and in the number of horses, sheep and swine, and in the production of wool. Where Benton County stands second Washington generally stands first, and where Benton stands first Washington is second. Benton was pre-eminently first in the production of tobacco, as she produced more than ten times as much as any other county in the State. Boone was the next best tobacco producing county, and its [p.58] product was 34,089 pounds. White with 28,184 pounds was next, and Washington with 26,357 pounds next. Benton County's large production of tobacco accounts for its being second in some other things.

The following quotations from the pen of Col. M. L. DeMalher, who has recently written up the resources of Benton County, show the increase and decrease of products since 1880: "Number of bushels of corn produced in 1887, 1,679,751; increase over the production of 1879, 559,917 bushels. Bushels of oats produced in 1887, 378,093; increase over 1879, 122,691. Bushels of wheat produced in 1887, 234,130; increase over 1879, 78,143. Bushels of rye produced in 1887, 2,040: increase over 1879, 680. Value of orchard products in 1887, $500,000; increase over value of orchard products in 1879, $496,735; number of tons of hay mown in 1887, 3,519; increase over 1879, 1,173 tons; pounds of tobacco raised in 1887, 400,000; pounds of wool clipped in 1887, 31,480; bushels of potatoes produced in 1887, 42,247; dozens of eggs marketed in 1887, 485,000, valued at $52,000."

The value of live stock in the county assessed for taxes is $639,065, divided as follows: Number of horses 7,774, value $298,854; number of mules 3,184, value $151,072; number of cattle 18,123, value $144,290; number of sheep 10,732, value $6,806; number of hogs 31,653, value $29,043. The abstract of the tax books also brings out the fact that the number of wagons in use in the county is 3,333.

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Tobacco.–"Intimately related to the mixed farm pursuits and to the present and prospective total production, argued in the fact of the subdivision of its territory into small farms, is the production of tobacco. It is both the chief tobacco county of the State, and one of the few districts in which, together with other varieties, the famous White Burley attains perfection. But at the same time this is established, its agricultural conditions being flexible, and the farmer left free to avoid the pressure of the tobacco market, it transpires that from 1880 until the improvement last year in price, Benton County had almost lapsed in the production of tobacco. The industry was not killed, but so long as the farmer had to work against his interest, and recourse [p.59] was had in other profitable crops, its production was lessened until the price of tobacco had improved, and indeed, that in its adaptable agriculture, which applies to tobacco, may be said to apply to every other production of the county. If, upon economic grounds, the production of one kind of crop does not pay, the pressure can be overcome by the production of another kind, for nothing is truer of Benton than its agricultural conditions, affording the farmer perfect freedom to adopt his methods, and his productions to varying states of the market.

"Of the area of the county it is accepted that 200,000 acres are adapted to the profitable growth of tobacco. The varieties grown are notably the White Burley, Virginia Golden Leaf, Yellow Pryor and Orinoco. The production of 1877 was the same as in 1880, approximately, 400,000 pounds. The relative proportion of types was as follows: Dark shipping leaf, 15 per cent; fillers, 25 per cent; bright wrappers, 10 per cent; nondescript, 35 per cent.

"In this connection it should be added that instead of going wholly abroad, much of the crop, the best at least, finds a market at home, the Arkansas Tobacco Company, of Bentonville, being large consumers of the superior product of the county. The company, dating from October, 1887, is a successor of Trotter & Wilkes, who had for the first time in the history of the county worked up the tobacco manufacture to the advantage offered in the superior production of the region. Flowing out of the experience of the old firm, and the acquisition of good manipulators and a superior equipment, they have already carried the business of the present year to twice the volume of 1887, with a prospect of a like result following during the remainder of the year. It is an incorporated stock company, backed with capital sufficient to the purchase of the production of the county, and hereafter in turn may be expected to control the tobacco crop of Benton County.

"The secretary and general manager of the company is J. W. Trotter, formerly of the firm of Trotter & Wilkes. Their superintendent has had a life-long experience in handling tobacco, acquired in Virginia. The president is W. B. Deming, a local capitalist, formerly of Abilene, Kan."

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[p.60] Fruit Growing.–Fruit growing has recently become one of the leading industries of Benton County, and the prospects are that with one or two more railroads to give sufficient transportation, it will become the leading industry, and will bring the greatest income. The completion of the "Frisco" Railroad through the county, giving it an outlet north and south, gave a great impetus to the business of growing fruit. A great surplus of fruit has long been grown in the county, but, until the completion of this railroad, there was substantially no way of getting it to market. Since an outlet has thus been obtained men have set out and are still setting out large orchards of various kinds of fruit, such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, etc. Many have also gone into the cultivation of small fruits, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Fruits grow here to great perfection, and the crop is always certain. The young apple orchards that have been set out consist of trees that have been grafted into the best varieties suitable for growing in this climate, and the same may be said of the peach orchards that have recently been set out by professional or skillful fruit growers. It seems, however, that before the fruit growing interest was opened up but little attention was paid to raising a good quality, especially of peaches. One will observe in passing through the county, that the great bulk of bearing peach trees are only seedlings, and many of them occupy the fence corners along the highways. At this writing (August), they are loaded with small and inferior fruit. It will soon be discovered that budded peach trees produce a superior and more profitable fruit than seedlings, and will take the place of the latter.

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The climate and natural conditions are so superior for the production of fruit that this is destined to be a great fruit center. It is estimated that if all the orchards in Benton County now in cultivation were consolidated into one, it would cover a tract of land equal in size to a congressional township–six miles square. At the rate that new orchards are now being planted and established, the area now devoted to the raising of fruit will soon be doubled and tripled. Now is the time to purchase the lands and establish the orchards, so that they will come into bearing by the time the greater facilities for transportation are obtained. [p.61] Certainly there can be no place found in the States where fruit trees grow more thrifty, or with cleaner bark, or where a greater quantity can be grown, that in Northwestern Arkansas. In consequence of the large amount of fruit already produced, a number of evaporators, or drying factories, have been erected, and more are contemplated. A canning factory is also in full and successful operation, and more are projected. It is believed that enough of these factories will soon be established to dry or can all the surplus fruit that cannot be shipped to market in the natural state. The factories already running have established a home market for the fruits, and given employment to a large number of men and women. These factories will be mentioned individually in connection with the history of the towns where they are located.

AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE.

Another important industry of Benton County is its fruit tree nurseries, the largest of which is located near Bentonville, and of which G. C. Davis is the proprietor. There is no need of sending abroad for trees, as all kinds best adapted to the place can be purchased at the home nurseries.

Benton County Horticultural, Agricultural and Mechanical Fair.–This fair association was organized in the summer of 1888 at Rogers, where its exhibitions will be held. The officers of the association are J. Huffman, president; W. R. Felker, treasurer; W. J. Todd, secretary. The directors, aside from the officers, are Charles Warbritton, W. A. Miller, J. A. C. Blackburn, J. S. Miser, J. W. Scroggs and G. F. Kennon. The association has secured several acres of land at Rogers for a fair ground, and have fitted it up with a race track and appropriate buildings, and have published their catalogues announcing premiums offered, and the dates of October 10, 11, 12 and 13, 1888, for the first annual fair. Very liberal premiums are offered.

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The financial condition of Benton County is so good that but little pertaining to it has to be said. The following is the recapitulation of the taxable property of the county for the year 1887: Number of acres of land assessed, 349,940; assessed value of the lands, including town lots, $1,780,018; assessed [p.62] value of personal property, $1,672,568; total value of real and personal property, $3,452,586. This is the assessed value of the property for the purpose of taxation, but by no means the true value. Property is not usually assessed for taxation at half of its real value; so in order to ascertain the true value of the taxable property of Benton County its assessed value must at least be multiplied by two. This would make the approximate real value stand at about $7,000,000 in round numbers.

The amount of revenue collected in 1887 for both State and county purposes was $37,733.30. To this should be added $10,279.93, special school tax collected, making the total amount collected $48,013.23. These taxes were divided as follows: State tax, $6,905.17; State sinking fund, $3,452.58; State school tax, $6,905.17; county tax, $15,191.37; poll tax, $5,279; special school tax, $10,279.93.

Benton County has no bonded indebtedness whatever. It has, however, a small indebtedness in the way of outstanding county scrip, which, according to the report for the last fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, amounted to $1,693.30. It may, therefore, be said to be substantially out of debt.

SOCIETIES.

Benton County Medical Society.–The Benton County Medical Society was organized in 1875, with only five members. It was organized auxiliary to the State Medical Society, and it now has seventeen members. All graduated physicians of the county, possessing other proper qualities, are eligible to membership. The present officers are Dr. Theo. A. Coffett, president; Dr. Thomas W. Hurley, secretary; Dr. W. R. Davis, treasurer. The society meets monthly, usually at the city of Bentonville.

SOCIETIES.

Harmonial Vegetarian Society.–This society was organized in 1860, and on the 29th day of October, in that year, J. E. Spencer and Martha, his wife, for the consideration of $6,000, conveyed by warranty deed to A. D. Tenney, John Murphy and Milton Vale, trustees of the society, the following parcels or tracts of land, to-wit: The southwest quarter and the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 12, the northeast quarter and the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 13, Township 20 [p.63] north, Range 34 west and the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 23, Township 21 north, Range 34 west, containing in all 520 acres more or less. These lands were conveyed, as expressed in the deed, "for the following uses and purposes, or trusts, and for no other purposes:

"First, in trust, to hold the same for the sole use and benefit of the said Harmonial Vegetarian Society, composed of the following named persons, to-wit: A. D. Tenney, Rachel S. Tenney, William Tenney, J. D. Potter, Irena Potter, John Murphy, Milton Vale, Mercy G. Vale, John M. Adams, Henry E. Dewey, Sarah J. Dewey, Benjamin F. Stites, Charles G. Foster, Ada M. Foster, Deborah Brackett, Phebe A. Rodgers and Angeline A. Dunn.

"Second, in trust for the use and occupancy of the said society, for agricultural, mechanical, mercantile and manufacturing purposes.

"Third, in trust, to convey said lands and premises in fee simple absolute, to such person or persons, and upon such terms, as the members of said society, or a majority of them, shall direct."

SOCIETIES.

According to the rules of this society, "they had all things in common," and all married persons joining it had to renounce their marriage contracts, and contribute to the society all their property, so that there was no individual ownership thereof–all property being owned in common. While marriage was not recognized in the society, the members were allowed to choose or select their "mates," by lot, and it was intended that the children born of members were to be considered the offspring of the society rather than that of the parents. No meats or greasy substances therefrom were allowed to be used for food–the diet was strictly vegetable, as it was believed that a purely vegetable diet would prolong life.

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Immediately after purchasing the lands the society took possession, and as soon as possible erected a large three-story building, containing from eighty to ninety rooms, for a home and hospital, a large bath house, machine shop, a spring house over the spring, a saw and grist-mill, blacksmith shop, and a building for a general store, also a printing office, and opened up and cultivated the large farm, and made everything prosperous. For [p.64] about one year they published a paper called the Theacrat, in which they advocated the theory of living in societies, with all things in common, and upon a purely vegetable diet.

ELECTIONS.

They lived exclusively to themselves in a social way. and had but little to do with the outside world except in a commercial capacity. They had their own physicians and teachers. and while marriage was not recognized, strict order and strict rules were enforced for their government. The society was in operation about four years, during which time they were not known to have a death. In case of sickness they would admit "outsiders" into the hospital, where they would treat them for a consideration. Water was pumped from the spring by means of a hydraulic ram, to every room in the home and hospital During the civil war the buildings of this society were used part of the time by the armies, and about the close of the war they were all burned. Soon thereafter the property was sold and the proceeds divided among the members, all of whom left the county except Henry E. Dewey, who remained and ran a grist mill for a few years on Honey Creek. The male members of the society dressed in the Quaker style, and the females wore "bloomers." They were all active and industrious and had no drones.

ELECTIONS

The first general election in Benton County was held in August, 1838, being for the election of governor, members of the Legislature and county officers. The whole number of votes cast in the county on that occasion was 272. Politically the county has always been strongly Democratic. and that party has always elected its officers with the exception of the period following the war, when Democrats who had participated in the Rebellion were disfranchised. During that period Republican officers were elected, and since that time up to the present year the Republicans of Benton County have not had a ticket in the field. The Democrats being so largely in the ascendancy, there is not now, and never has been, much political excitement in the county. On the 21st day of July, 1888, the Republicans met in convention in Bentonville and nominated a full county ticket. They had a fine procession, which marched entirely around the [p.65] public square, led by a martial band. At the head of the procession Mr. C. G. Metheny, of Sulphur Springs, carried the "stars and stripes," and it was claimed that this was the first time for thirty years that the old flag had been carried around the public square of Bentonville by a political procession. Following this, on the Saturday prior to the late election, the Democrats met in convention in Bentonville and nominated a full county ticket, all of which was elected at the election following. On the day of their convention the Democrats raised a handsome pole and hoisted thereon the "stars and stripes," all now recognizing it as "the flag of our country."

At the late election the question of granting licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquors, and also for the call of a convention to amend the State constitution, was submitted to the voters. The following are the returns of the election held in Benton County in September, 1888:

Total vote cast, 4,561.

Governor–J. P. Eagle, 3,049; C. M. Norwood, 1,384.

Secretary of State–B. B. Chism, 3,094; G. R. Terry, 1,369.

Treasurer–W. E. Woodruff, 3,101.

Auditor–W. S. Dunlop, 3,094; A. W. Bird, 1,338.

Attorney General–W. E. Atkinson, 3,101; W. J. Duval, 1.338.

State Land Commissioner–Paul M. Cobb, 3,098; R. H. Morehead, 1,335.

Superintendent Public Instruction–Wood E. Thompson, 3.085; B. P. Baker, 1,334.

Chief Justice–S. R. Cockrill, 3,095; O. D. Scott, 1,339.

Prosecuting Attorney–J. W. Walker, 1,194; M. R. Baker, 1.670; S. M. Johnson, 1,227.

Representatives–D. M. Setser, 3,177; P. A. Rodgers, 3,050; A. Hollingsworth, 1,146; Eli Bacon, 1,242; W. N. Hemingway, 119.

For County Judge–S. A. Cordell. 3,037; I. B. Lawton, 1,291.

Circuit Clerk–C. C. Huffman, 3,114; E. L. Allen, 1.236; C. R. Craig, 83.

County Clerk–E. L. Taylor, 3,155; James C. Tune, 1,279.

Coroner–R. N. Corley, 3.083; J. C. Pennington, 1,246.

Sheriff–E. P. Galbreaith, 2,445; W. C. Lefors, 1,721.

Treasurer–H. C. Smith, 3,243; James Elam, 1,159.

Assessor–W. H. Haines, 3,229; P. W. Roberts, 1,247.

Surveyor–J. A. Murray, 3,145; M. B. Maxwell, 566.

For license, 2,311; against license, 1,760.

For convention, 600; against, 3,035.

The following are lists of public officers serving in, or representing Benton County, from the date of its organization to the present time, together with dates of service:

Circuit Court Judges.–Joseph M. Hoge, 1837-39; Lewis B. Tully, 1839-40; Joseph M. Hoge, 1840-44; Sebron G. Sneed, 1844-48; William W. Floyd, 1848-50; Alfred B. Greenwood, 1850-53; Felix I. Batson, 1853-58; John M. Wilson, 1858-61; Joseph J. Green, 1861 (vacant during war period); Elias Harrell, 1865-67; William Story, 1867-68; E. D. Ham, 1868-73; J. H. Huckleberry, 1873-75; J. M. Pittman, 1875-79; James H. Berry, 1879-83; J. M. Pittman, present judge, elected in 1882 and re-elected in 1886.

Circuit Court Clerks.–John B. Dickson, 1836-42; John Smith, 1842-48; Joseph D. Dickson, 1848-52; A. G. Williams, 1852-56; John Galbreath, 1856-58; R. S. Williams, 1858-60; J. R. Woods, 1860-64; Charles W. Rice, 1864-66; J. W. Sikes, 1866-68; J. R. Rutherford, 1868-72; Hugh A. Dinsmore, 1872-74; John Black, 1874-80; B. F. Dunn, 1880-86; C. C. Huffman, present incumbent, elected in 1886.

Sheriffs.–Gideon G. Pace, 1836-42; John H. Hammock, 1842-46; John Galbreath, 1846-56; H. Hammock, 1856-58; J. R. Wood, 1858-60; Joseph Henry, 1860-62; R. E. Doak, 1862; Alfred Dean, coroner, acting sheriff, 1865-66; J. W. Norwood, 1866-67; John W. Simmons, 1867-68; W. C. Lefors, 1868-72; William Isbell, 1872-74; John W. Simmons, 1874-78; J. H. McClinton, 1878-82; R. A. Hickman, 1882-84; F. P. Galbreath, 1884-86; W. H. Cloe, present incumbent, 1886-88.

COUNTY AND DISTRICT OFFICERS.

County Court Judges.–George P. Wallace, 1836-38; Matthew English, 1838-40; T.M. Duckworth, 1840-42; David Mitchell, 1842-44; J. A. P. Carr, 1844-46; T. M. Duckworth, 1846 [p.67] to September; James Jackson, from September, 1846, to 1848; J. M. Rogers, 1848-50; W. J. Howard, 1850-52; J. W. Cowan, 1852-54; William McDaniel, 1854-56; Enoch Trott, 1856-58; John Kincheloe, 1858, resigned, and J. W. Cowan filled the vacancy to 1860; H. Marley, 1860-64; D. Woods, 1864-68; J. McPherson, 1868-72; D. Woods, 1872-74; Harvey Marley, 1874-76; S. N. Elliott, 1876-82; T. D. Bates, 1882-86; S. A. Cordell, 1886-88.

County Court Clerks.–Prior to the year 1872 there was but one clerk for both the offices of circuit and county courts. During the years 1872-74 the law required a clerk for each office. In 1872 John Black was elected clerk of the county court, and Hugh A. Dinsmore was appointed by the governor as clerk of the circuit court. From 1874 to 1880 the law only required one clerk for the two offices. In 1880 the offices were permanently separated, and since that time the office of the county court clerk has been continuously in the hands of John Black, the present incumbent.

Treasurers.–Henry C. Hastings, 1836-46; S. Langston, 1846-48; William McDaniel, 1848-54; H. C. Hastings, 1854-58; E. W. Smith, 1858-60; S. Langston, 1860-62; E. W. Smith, 1862-64; S. Langston, 1864-68; Joseph Thomas, 1868-72; John Galbreath, 1872-74; Haley Jackson, 1874-76; B. F. Dunn, 1876-80; Thomas Wood, 1880-82; T. H. Wood, 1882-86; H. C. Smith, 1886-88.

Coroners.–Henry Ford, 1836-38; James Beaman, 1838-40; James Jackson, 1840-48; W. B. Covey, 1848-50; H. O. Gilbert, 1850-54; John Wilcox, 1854-56; Hardy Wilson, 1856-58; William Morgan, 1858-60; Alfred Dean, 1860-62; John Galbreath, 1862-64; Alfred Dean, 1864-66; I. S. Reynolds, 1866-68; J. C. January, 1868-72; J. E. Plummer, 1872-74; J. H. Hogan, 1874-76; J. W. Bland, 1876-78; P. H. Throne, 1878-80; R. W. Hansard, 1880-82; R. N. Corley, 1882-88.

COUNTY AND DISTRICT OFFICERS.

Surveyors.–A. McKissick, 1836-38; W. H. McLean, 1838-40; James White, 1840-42; W. H. Woods, 1842-44; Dr. Hayden, 1844-46; D. Chandler, 1846-50; J. McBrown, 1850-52; * * * M. B. Maxwell, 1854-56; J. Candill, 1856-58; M. B. Maxwell, 1858-64; * * * M. B. Maxwell, 1866-72; S. Peak, [p.68] 1872-74; M. B. Maxwell, 1874-82; D. W. German, 1882-84; M. B. Maxwell, 1884-86; S. B. Robertson, present incumbent, 1886-88.

Assessors.–J. N. Curtiss, 1868-72; W. L. Cowan, 1872-78; H. Higfill, 1878-80; A. G. Gamble, 1880-84; W. H. Haynes, 1884-88.

Representatives in Congress.–Following is a list of Representatives in Congress from the district of which Benton County has composed a part: Archibald Yell, 1836-39; Edward Cross, 1839-45; Archibald Yell, 1845-47; Robert W. Johnson, 1847-53; A. B. Greenwood, 1853-59 (three terms); Thomas C. Hindman, 1859-63 (the civil war prevented him from taking his seat in 1861); W. W. Wilshire (ousted by T. M. Gunter, contestant), 1873-75; T. M. Gunter, 1875-83 (four terms); Samuel W. Peel, the present Representative, was elected in 1882, and re-elected in 1884 and again in 1886, and has served continuously since entering Congress in 1883. Prior to 1847 the whole State had but one member of Congress. The State having been divided into two districts, there were two Congressmen elected in 1847. Subsequently other districts were formed, until the State became divided, as at present, into five Congressional Districts, this being the fifth, composed of the counties of Benton, Washington, Madison, Carroll, Boone, Newton, Searcy, Marion, Baxte, Fulton and Izard.

Footnote

Mitchell was elected for the term ending March 4, 1867, but did not occupy his seat after the secession of the State.

Footnote

Sebastian was expelled from the United States Senate on suspicion of sympathy with the rebellion of 1861. In 1878 the resolution of expulsion was reversed by the Senate. Sebastian was elected for the term ending March 4, 1865, but did not occupy his seat after the winter session of 1860-61.

Footnote

Both seats were unoccupied or vacant for the remainder of the term of Sebastian and Mitchell after March 4, 1861.

Footnote

Appointed Attorney General of the United States.

Footnote

Elected to fill Garland's unexpired term. During the first session of the (Murphy) Legislature of 1864 Elisha Baxter, on May 2, 1864, W. M. Fishback, on May 5, and W. D. Snow, on December 30, were respectively elected to the Senate for the terms ending March 4, 1865 and 1867. None of them were admitted. Charles B. Mitchell and Robert W. Johnson, in 1862, were elected Coufederate State Senators. and served as such. Mitchell died September 18, 1864, and A. H. Garland was elected to his vacancy. Johnson and Garland served until the fall of the Confederacy. John T. Jones and Andrew Hunter were elected senators by the Legislature of 1866; Hunter resigned. Neither were admitted by the Senate.

United States Senators from Arkansas.–A. H. Sevier (resigned), 1836 to 1849; Solon Borland (resigned), 1848 to 1855; R. W. Johnson, 1855 to 1861; Chas. B. Mitchell,* 1861; B. F. Rice, 1868 to 1873; S. W. Dorsey, 1873 to 1879; J. D. Walker, 1879 to 1885; J. K. Jones, 1885 to 1891; W. S. Fulton (died), 1836 to 1841; Chester Ashley (died), 1844 to 1848; W. K. Sebastian,† 1848 to 1865; ‡1865 to 1868; Alex McDonald, 1868 to 1871; Powell Clayton, 1871 to 1877; A. H. Garland, 1877 to 1889;§ J. H. Berry, 1885 to 1889.****

[p.69] Senators of the Arkansas Legislature.–Following is a list of State Senators of the senatorial districts of which Benton County formed a part, from its organization to the present time, to-wit: Benton, Madison and Washington Counties, O. Evans and A. Whinnery, 1836-40; Benton and Madison, A. Whinnery, 1840; Benton and Madison, J. G. Walker, 1842-45; Benton and Madison, J. B. Dickson, 1846-49; Benton and Madison, J. Berry, 1850-55; Benton and Madison, I. Murphy, 1856-57; Benton and Madison, M. Douglas, 1859-62; Benton County, J. Dungan, 1862; Benton and Madison, E. D. Ham, 1864-65; Benton County, J. Dungan, 1864; Benton and Madison, J. Dungan, 1866-67; Seventh District, Benton and Washington, T. J. Hunt, 1868-69; A. Caraloff, 1871-73; J. Dunagin, 1874; Twenty-fourth District, Benton and Madison, C. J. Reagan, 1874-77; E. P. Watson, 1879-81; J. T. Walker, 1883-85.

Representatives in the Arkansas Legislature.–The following is a list of representatives sent from Benton County to the State Legislature, beginning with 1840: Robert Hubbard, 1840; Alfred B. Greenwood, 1842-43; A. B. Greenwood and R. Hubbard, 1844-45; J. H. Hammock and William Thompson, 1846; J. H. Hammock and W. H. Howell, 1848-49; D. Chandler and J. Jackson, 1850-51; J. H. Hammock and W. J. Howard, 1852-53; M. Douglas and A. Whinnery, 1854-55; M. Douglass and T. Quarles, 1856-57; R. E. Doak and T. Quarles, 1858-59; J. Dunagin and J. P. Putnam, 1860-62; J. H. Hammock and W. B. Fain, 1862; R. H. Wimpey and J. Shortis, 1864-65; W. B. Fain, 1864; William E. Gould and W. W. Reynolds, 1866-67; Seventh District, Benton and Washington Counties, S. Bard, J. Yoes, E. D. Fenno, and J. F. Owen, 1868-69; J. F. Owen, Martin F. Tygart, Thomas Wilson and James M. Pittman, 1871; David Chandler, James H. Berry, D. Bridenthal and T. W. Thomason, 1873; * * * Benton County, James Putnam and J. H. Rice, 1874-75; J. Dunagin and E. P. Watson, 1877; D. H. Williams and W. M. Keith, 1879; E. S. McDaniel and J. Dunagin, 1881; H. H. Patterson, [p.70] Jr., and S. S. Graham. 1883; James A. Rice and Z. Baker. 1885.

COUNTY AND DISTRICT OFFICERS.

Delegates to Constitutional Conrentions.–The first constitutional convention of Arkansas was held January 4 to January 13. 1836. This was prior to the organization of Benton County. The next constitutional convention was held March 4 to 21, and May 6 to June 3, 1861, and the delegates in this convention from Benton County were A. W. Dinsmore and H. Jackson.

Another constitutional convention was held from January 4 to January 23, 1864, in which there were no delegates from Benton County. In the convention held January 7 to February 18. 1868, Benton County was represented by W. W. Reynolds. In the last constitutional convention, held July 14 to October 31. 1874, Benton County was represented by H. H. Patterson and A. M. Rodgers.

Notaries Public in Benton County–as per report of Secretary of State published in 1886, with dates of expiration of terms: Hugh Elliott, October 7, 1886; James S. Harris, January 18, 1887; G. P. Rogers, February 6, 1887; L. H. McGill. April 28, 1887; E. S. McDaniel, May 9, 1887; O. V. Wager, February 11, 1888; John F. Mitchell, April 28, 1888; W. D. Wasson, April 30, 1888; Charles R. Bruce, May 17, 1888; Sydney H. Denham, August 1, 1888; J. D. Walter, September 3, 1888; David Chandler, November 1, 1888; B. C. Martin, January 2, 1889; S. A. Cordell, February 28, 1889; W. J. Blackburn, March 7, 1889; Samuel Box, March 20, 1889; Thomas Keith, July 21, 1889; James M. Tucker, January 2, 1890; D. Shafer, January 23, 1890; S. D. Bullock, February 13, 1890; Charles R. Craig, February, 13, 1890; M. E. Smith, April 9, 1890; Dr. R. Hammer, April 16, 1890; B. S. Beach. June 18, 1890; A. J. Wilkes, July 7, 1890; W. T. Hudson, February 27, 1887; H. C. King, October 6, 1888; William Keever, November 22, 1888; J. K. Gibson, January 26, 1889; F. M. Garvin, January 31, 1889; R. E. Underwood, February 26, 1889; R. S. Armitage, November 20, 1889; James F. Gillick, February 22, 1890.

County Court.–The origin of the county court of Benton County, and the time and place of holding its first term, has been given under the head of "Organization." For many years–up [p.71] to 1873–the court was composed of a county judge and two associate justices. The judge was elected by the people, and the associate justices by the several justices of the peace, who met at the county seat in January each year for that purpose. In 1873, under a change in the law, the court was made to consist of a board of supervisors consisting of three persons, Dysert Woods. John W. Phagaen and B. F. Davis, who were appointed by the governor. The first term of the court thus organized was held in May, 1873, when the supervisors met and selected Dysert Woods as president of the board. The court continued thus organized until January, 1875, when, according to another law, it was composed of a single judge elected by the people, and so it has ever since remained.

The county court has always had, and still retains, jurisdiction over the levying and collection of revenues; the erection of public buildings; making of contracts for public improvements; laying out of highways; auditing all accounts against the county, and of all county business proper. It also had jurisdiction of all probate business from its original organization until 1873, at which time the probate business was, by law, transferred to the circuit court. The circuit court had jurisdiction of this branch of business one year, until 1874, and then the separate probate court was established, with full original jurisdiction over all probate business. The county court judge is also judge of the probate court. The county court meets in regular session four times a year, commencing the sessions on the first Mondays of January, April, July and October, and the probate court meets the same number of times, commencing the sessions on the third Mondays of the same months.

THE COURTS.

First Probate Business.–The first letters of administration granted in Benton County were granted April 17, 1837, to Mrs. Mary Blair, to administer on the estate of John C. Blair, deceased. Also to Elizabeth Johnston, to administer on the estate of Spencer B. Johnston, deceased. In September following letters of administration were issued to James McKissick, to administer on the estate of Madeline Catharine White, deceased.

The following is a copy of the first "will" on record in Benton County:

I, Samuel Tenan, of the County of Benton and State of Arkansas, being weak in body, but of strong mind and memory, thanks be to God for the same, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner and form as follows:

First: I give my soul to God, who gave it to me, and my body to earth, to be decently buried by my executor hereafter named.

Second: I request that my negro boy, Jack, be sold, and that some of my connection buy him, and that the money be divided equally between my brother, L. Tenan, and my two sisters, Mary Allen and Zebe Yunt.

Third: I require my executors to take all my personal property, with notes and accounts, and pay all my just debts; and after all are paid, together with my funeral expenses, then the balance to be divided equally between my brother and sisters as before named. I do hereby appoint Abner Allen my executor, and also request that my executor take my negro boy, Jack, and attend to selling him.

Given under my hand and seal this twentieth day of August, 1837.

Test: W. B. WOODY, ttt

WILLIAM REED.

SAMUEL His X mark. TENAN.

This will was probated January 15, 1838, and letters testamentary to Abraham Allen* as sole executor of the will were granted.

First Deed Recorded.–Though not belonging to probate business, the following, which is a copy of the first deed recorded in Benton County, will be read with interest, inasmuch as the property conveyed consisted of slaves, conveyed in manner and form the same as real estate, viz.:

Know all men by these presents, that for and in consideration of the sum of $400 to me in hand paid by James M. Dickson, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, I, Ezekiel Dickson, of the County of Benton, in the State of Arkansas, do hereby bargain and sell unto the said James M. Dickson, a negro woman named Till, about forty-five years of age, also a negro boy child named Jack, about five or six years of age, which said negroes I hereby sell and convey as slaves for life. And I do hereby warrant and defend the title of said negroes to the said James M. Dickson, his heirs and assigns forever.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 7th day of February, 1837.

EZEKIEL DICKSON.

Witness, JAMES MCKISSICK.

The next instrument found on record was dated January 26, 1837, and was for the conveyance by Phineas Holmes and Rachel, his wife, of Lucinda, Guilford, Andy and Clarisa, four slaves, to James H. Wallace, for the consideration of $3,000.

The first instrument on record for the transfer of real estate in Benton County is that of Samuel Whitehead and wife to [p.73] Singleton Lankston, for the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 31, Township 20 north, Range 30 west, being now a portion of the site of Bentonville. It was dated February 27, 1838.

Circuit Court.–When the State of Arkansas was organized it was divided into but few circuits, each containing many counties, or at least much more territory than at present. As the population and business increased, the State was redistricted, or certain circuits were changed from time to time. Additional circuits were formed and the size of the old ones reduced. Prior to the last change, the fourth judicial circuit, of which Benton County composes a part, embraced Marion, Boone, Searcy, Newton, Madison, Carroll, Benton and Washington. In 1887 the General Assembly reduced it in size, and made it to contain, as it is now organized, only the counties of Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington. Only two sessions of this court are held during the year, and the sessions in Benton County commence on the first Mondays of January and July. For a list of the names of the judges who have presided over the Benton Circuit Court, see "County and District Officers."

Following is a copy of the caption of the record of the proceedings of the first session of the circuit court held in Benton County:

"At a circuit court begun and held at the house of George P. Wallace (the temporary seat of justice of Benton County), for the county of Benton, State of Arkansas, on the second Monday after the fourth Monday in October, A. D. 1837. Present, the Hon. Joseph M. Hoge, judge of said court."

First Grand Jury.–The court being convened, the sheriff returned the following "panel of good and lawful men" to serve as the first grand jury, to-wit: Joseph McKissick, foreman; Philip Dumas, William Reddock, William Ford, Christopher S. Pace, George Graham, Joseph Dickson, Robert Cooper, John B. Robinson, Jonathan Duff, Samuel P. Woods, Dioclesian Jackson, Ezekiel M. Dickson, Ambrose G. Williams and Henry Ford, who, being duly sworn and charged, retired to consult of their duties. Being selected as grand jurors, it follows that these were representative pioneers of Benton County. All are now dead excepting [p.74] Christopher S. Pace and Ambrose G. Williams, who are still living in the county.

First Petit Jury.–The first petit jury was selected on the same day to try a civil case between Samuel Vaughan and John Rose. Their names were James Anderson, Robert Hubbard, John Maxwell, George W. Ford, Samuel B. McLean, Ezekiel J. A. Dickson, Henry Hastings, John Hammock, Nathan Coughman, Samuel Black, David Woods and Samuel Woods. The only survivor of these twelve old pioneers of Benton County is Ezekiel J. A. Dickson, who now lives at Osage Springs, a few miles southeast of Bentonville.

Important Trials.–The first case before the Circuit Court was that of the State against Samuel Vaughan, George W. Vaughan, Abram Hamilton, Price McMurty, John Meeks and Reese Butler for committing a "riot." The indictment not having been preserved, the full particulars of the matter cannot be given. Some of the defendants did not live in Benton County, neither was the riot committed in this county. On being arraigned for trial the defendants moved to quash the indictment, and after hearing the arguments of counsel on the motion, the court ruled that the indictment was not sufficient in law to maintain the action, and thereupon discharged the prisoners. They were immediately re-arrested and held under bonds for their appearance at the next term of court. Hon. L. D. Evans was then the prosecuting attorney. The next day a new indictment was returned by the grand jury against these defendants for the same offense. At the next term of the court, which was held at the new court-house in Bentonville, beginning May 7, 1838, the defendants were tried, and four of them, Samuel Vaughan, George W. Vaughan, William Vaughan and John Meeks, were found guilty as charged, and Samuel Vaughan was fined $85, George W. Vaughan $75, and the other two $50 each. The defendants' attorneys then made a motion for arrest of judgment and reduction of fines, whereupon the judge reduced the fine of Samuel Vaughan to $25, and that of the others to $20 each. At this trial John Rose was fined $1 for contempt of court, it being for using profanity when deposing as a witness.

The first civil suit in the Benton Circuit Court was that of [p.75] Parnell, Lamont & Co. vs. J. and J. M. Holmes on attachment. On being called the plaintiffs' attorney dismissed the case, and the costs were assessed to plaintiffs. The next civil case was that of Robert Weaver against Socrates Stone on an appeal from a justice of the peace. The parties appeared and submitted their case to the judge, who gave judgment in favor of the plaintiff for $15. This was the first actual trial in the Benton Circuit Court, though not the first on the docket. The first jury trial was that of Samuel Vaughan vs. John Rose, which was tried by the first petit jury heretofore named on the first day of the court at its first term. The jury disagreed and the case was continued. At the same term an indictment was found against Edward Cunningham for assault and battery, and another was found against John Rose for forgery. This ended the business of the first term of the court.

State of Arkansas vs. Mary Ridinghour and William Spencer: At the third term of the court, commencing November 3, 1838, these defendants were indicted for adultery, it being the first prosecution in the county for that misdemeanor. Mary was arrested, but Spencer escaped. On being arraigned she plead "not guilty." The trial was by jury, and the verdict was "guilty as charged in the indictment," and her fine was fixed at $40. Judgment was rendered accordingly, and she was to stand committed until the fine and costs were paid. Thereupon she appeared in court and made oath that she had no effects out of which to pay the fine and costs assessed against her, whereupon she was discharged from custody, and thus freed from further punishment. It seems that her accomplice, Spencer, remained away, and was never apprehended.

First Trial for Murder.–State of Arkansas vs. Edward Welch: The first trial in Benton County for murder took place at the May term of the court in 1841. The prisoner, Edward Welch, was arraigned on an indictment for murder, and plead not guilty. He was then tried by the following jury, to wit: Thomas Carle, William Hammock, Warren Wright, Daniel Mayes, John B. Walker, David McKissick, Joseph McKissick, James M. Pope, Alfred M. Wallace, Nicholas Skillern, Hampton Clark and Benjamin Hubbard. The verdict of the jury was, "We, the jury, [p.76] do find the within named Edward Welch not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter, in manner and form as charged in the within bill of indictment, and do say that he be punished by imprisonment for the term of seven years, and that he be fined the sum of $10,000," Thomas Carle, foreman.

The court then passed the following sentence, to wit: "It is therefore considered, adjudged and sentenced by the court here, that the said Edward Welch do pay unto the State of Arkansas the sum of $10,000 as assessed, and that he be imprisoned in the common jail of the county of Benton and State of Arkansas for the term of seven years next ensuing, and that this day be computed as one day thereof, and that he stand committed until the fine aforesaid and costs of this prosecution be fully satisfied and discharged." This trial was on a change of venue from some other county, consequently the crime was not committed in this county.

State of Arkansas vs. Harrison Oliver: The first prosecution in Benton County for retailing liquors without license was that of Harrison Oliver, who was tried for that offense in November, 1841. The trial was by jury, the verdict was "guilty as charged," and he was fined $1, and sentenced accordingly.

State vs. John B. Dickson: At the same term of court John B. Dickson was indicted for shooting at some one with whom he had some difficulty. He was tried before a jury, which found him guilty, and assessed his fine at $50 and his imprisonment at one minute. He was sentenced accordingly. Mr. Dickson was then clerk of the court.

State vs. Edward Brown et al.: Also at the same term of court Edward Brown, John Moore and Joseph Kear were indicted for murder. On being arraigned for trial the defendants plead "not guilty." They were tried and acquitted.

State vs. Wat Foreman: At the November term, 1842, Wat Foreman, a Cherokee Indian, was indicted for the murder of another Indian. On being arraigned he plead not guilty, and the case was continued to next term, when he was tried and found guilty of murder in the first degree. The following is a copy of the sentence of the Court. "It is therefore considered adjudged and sentenced by the Court here that the said Wat Foreman, the defendant, on Friday, the 16th day of June, 1843, between the [p.77] hours of 11 o'clock in the forenoon and 2 o'clock in the afternoon, be hung by the neck on the public gallows, in the county of Benton, in the State of Arkansas, until he is dead. And it is further ordered by the Court that the clerk make out a warrant directed to the sheriff of Benton County requiring him to execute the foregoing sentence." For some reason the sentence was not executed at the time specified, and in May, 1844, the prisoner was taken before the judge of the circuit court on a writ of habeas corpus. The Court finding that the prisoner could give no sufficient reason why the foregoing sentence should not be executed, ordered that the sentence should be executed between the hours of 10 A. M. and 3 P. M. on the 14th day of June sentence of death should not be carried into execution. The Court did not consider the reasons sufficient in law, and overruled them. Defendant excepted and filed his bill of exceptions, which was signed, sealed and made part of the record. On appeal to the supreme court the judgment of the lower court was confirmed, and the defendant was executed according to the foregoing sentence.

State vs. Robert Armstrong. In May, 1845, the defendant, Robert Armstrong, was indicted and tried for the crime of murder, and acquitted. The offense was committed in another county.

State vs. Charles G. Duncan. In May, 1847, Charles G. Duncan was indicted for the crime of murder, and on being arraigned for trial plead not guilty. He was tried and acquitted.

State vs. Henry Miser. Some time prior to April, 1851, Henry Miser and Joseph Hardwick had a fight in a church near Miser's Springs. Hardwick was stabbed, the wound causing his death. In April, 1851, Miser, the defendant, was indicted for the murder of Hardwick, and in October following he was tried and acquitted. The State failed to prove to the satisfaction of the jury that the defendant did the stabbing.

State vs. Doghead Glory. In April, 1852, Doghead Glory, a Cherokee Indian, was indicted for the murder of another Indian named David Scoutie. In October following he was tried for the offense, and the following is the verdict of the jury: "We, the [p.78] jury, find the within named defendant, Doghead Glory, guilty of the murder of the within named David Scoutie in the first degree, in manner and form as charged in the within indictment in this behalf.

(Signed)

WILLIAM WHITE, Foreman."

A bill of exceptions was filed and made part of the record. A motion for a new trial was overruled, and a second bill of exceptions was filed and made part of the record. The prisoner was than sentenced as follows: "It is considered, sentenced and adjudged by the Court, that you, Doghead Glory, be remanded to the common jail of Benton County, from whence you came, there to remain until the nineteenth day of November, 1852; from thence you will be taken on said day by the sheriff of said county to the place of execution, and between the hours of ten o'clock in the forenoon and three o'clock in the afternoon of said day, there be hanged by the neck until you be dead! dead!! dead!!! And may the Lord have mercy on your soul." An order followed to the sheriff to execute the sentence. The defendant then prayed an appeal to the supreme court, which was granted, and the Court then ordered the appeal to operate as a stay to all proceedings in the cause, until the 4th day of February, 1853, when, between the hours of 10 o'clock in the forenoon and 3 o'clock in the afternoon of said day, aforesaid sentence should be executed. The supreme court confirmed the judgment of the lower court, and the unfortunate wretch was hanged accordingly.

State vs. Cow-sa-low-a. In April, 1852, Cow-sa-low-a, an Indian, was indicted for the murder of another Indian. In April, 1853, he was tried and found "not guilty as charged in the indictment."

On account of the loss of all the trial papers of the circuit court, before the Civil War, it has not been possible to give the names of the killed or murdered, for whom the aforesaid defendants were prosecuted.

State vs. Franklin Saunders and William King. At the March term, 1871, of the circuit court, Franklin Saunders and William King were indicted for the murder of James M. Lefors. The indictment charged that on the 25th day of January, 1871, at Mitchell's Mill, in Benton County, Franklin Saunders, with a club, struck and killed Lefors, and that William King was present, [p.79] aiding and abetting. Both were charged as principals. King was arrested and arraigned for trial in September, following. The case was continued until March, 1872, when he was tried and acquitted. Saunders ran off and has never been apprehended.

State vs. Girsham P. Hoytt and Cornelius Hammon. In October, 1875, these defendants were indicted for the murder of Columbus Hancock, which took place in White's Hollow, near White River, in Benton County, on the 4th day of August, 1875. The murder was committed in Section 16, Township 19, Range 28. On being arraigned, the prisoners plead "not guilty." Hoytt asked for a separate trial, which was granted, and upon application he was granted a change of venue to Washington County, where he was afterward tried and found not guilty. Hammon was put upon trial, and from the evidence it appeared that on the occasion of the murder he and Hancock, in company with a lewd woman, went to White's Hollow, where the dead body of Hancock was found. The verdict of the jury was as follows: "We, the jury, find the defendant, Cornelius Hammon, guilty of murder in the first degree, as charged in the second count of the indictment. Signed–John W. Floyd, foreman." A motion for a new trial was made by the defendant, and overruled by court. On application an appeal to the supreme court was granted. The next day the prisoner appeared before the court and was addressed as follows:

Cornelius Hammon, you have been indicted by the grand jury of Benton County, State of Arkansas, at the present term of this court, for the murder in the first degree in killing Columbus Hancock. On this indictment you were arraigned, and interposed thereto your plea of not guilty. Upon that issue you were tried by a jury of said county, selected and chosen by yourself, and they have found you guilty of murder in the first degree. You have had at each step of the progress of the trial the advice and assistance of able counsel, appointed by the Court to defend you. They have been zealous and untiring in their efforts in your behalf; nothing within their power has been leftundone by them that would in the slightest degree tend to show your innocence or extenuate your offence. Now have you any legal cause to show why the judgment of the court should not be pronounced upon you?" To this the defendant answered: "No other except what has already been interposed." The Court then proceeded:

The judgment which the law provides for murder in the first degree is death by hanging, and it now becomes the painful duty of the Court to pro nounce that sentence upon you. For the short time which the law in its mercy extends you for a preparation of soul to meet the Almighty Judge of mankind, [p.80] I earnestly exhort you that you betake yourself to that earnest work. I can hold out for you no hope on earth, and your only hope is in the mercy of the Giver of all life. The judgment and sentence of this court is that you be taken hence to the jail of this county, thence on the 14th day of January, 1876, to be taken by the sheriff of Benton County, Ark., to some point to be selected by him, within two miles of the court-house of said county, and to a gallows to be by him erected, and there, between the hours of ten o'clock in the morning and two o'clock in the evening of said day, to be by him hanged by the neck until you are dead! And may God have mercy upon your soul!

He was executed accordingly. Hoytt was tried at Fayetteville and acquitted.

State vs. Jesse Thompson. In April, 1884, Jesse Thompson was indicted for the murder of his wife, Annie Thompson, which was alleged to have been committed on the first day of that month. The case was continued until the fall term, when, upon application, the defendant was granted a change of venue to Washington County, where he was afterward tried and acquitted.

State vs. S. J. Yantis and her children. In October, 1884, a party consisting of F. M. Yantis and his alleged wife, S. J. Yantis, and their children, William, Oliver and Ida, were moving through the county toward the Indian Territory, and camped over night near Siloam. On this occasion F. M. Yantis was killed. Afterward the woman, S. J. Yantis, and the children were indicted for the murder. In April, 1885, the children were tried separately from their mother and were acquitted. The mother was tried, and from the evidence it appeared that she killed her husband in self-defense, and thereupon was acquitted. The killing was alleged to have been done with an ax.

State vs. Jack Gates. In October, 1885, Jack Gates was indicted for the murder of Ferdinand Cherry, which took place on the tenth day of the preceding August. In March following he was tried and found guilty of manslaughter, and his punishment was assessed at two years' service in the penitentiary. A motion for a new trial was overruled, and his sentence was pronounced in accordance with the verdict of the jury.

State vs. R. O. Chambers. On the 1st day of October, 1886, R. O. Chambers was indicted for murder in the second degree. The indictment charged him with the killing of a man named Ellis, a few miles west of Bentonville. He was tried April 21, 1887, and found by the jury "not guilty."

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[p.81] Benton County Bar.–The first attorney of the Benton County bar was A. B. Greenwood, now familiarly called "Judge" Greenwood. He settled at Bentonville the year the county was organized, and except when absent on official business has resided here ever since. For the first four years of the existence of the county he constituted the whole bar, being the only resident attorney. Attorneys from abroad, however, came here to practice. At a ripe old age the Judge is vigorous and active. He has had much to do in making the history of this county, and has imparted much information to the compiler of this work. [See his biography.]

Judge Joseph M. Hoge, the first judge of the Benton Circuit Court, resided in this county from about 1840 to 1845, and then went to Texas. Until recently the bar of Benton County was small, but now it has grown to be large. The following is a list of the names of the members of the bar at this writing, to wit: Judge A. B. Greenwood, E. P. Watson, James A. Rice, E. S. McDaniel, L. H. McGill, W. D. Mauck, A. Nicodemus, J. M. Peel, S. W. Peel, D. H. Hammons, W. S. Floyd, S. E. Davis, S. N. Elliott, S. A. Cordel, E. R. Morgan, F. H. Foster, C. M. Rice, A. T. Rose, E. D. Fenno. All of these reside within the county.

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A company of soldiers was raised in Benton County, by Capt. Henry L. Smith, for the Mexican War. They went as far as Fort Smith, but the quota having been filled they were not accepted. A portion of them, however, then joined the company of Capt. Wells, a company that was accepted but not yet full. In this company they went forward, and served in that war. On the approach of the late Civil War, when the question of "secession" was being agitated, the people of Benton County, in general, were opposed to that measure, and did not wish to sever their connection with the Federal Union. They were, however, almost unanimously in favor of the Southern cause, and when it became evident that nothing but war would suffice to settle the difficulties between the opposing sections of the country, they cast their lot with their friends of the South, and went into the conflict with a determination to fight to the end of the struggle to secure what [p.82] they believed to be their rights, and how well they did this the sequel will show.

In the spring of 1861, after the "dogs of war" had been let loose, Capt. T. T. Hays raised an infantry company on Pea Ridge, in Benton County, and Capt. Dan. McKissick raised a cavalry company, mostly from the southern part of the county, both of which companies joined the State service, and remained therein until a short time after the battle of Wilson's Creek was fought, and were then disbanded. These companies did not happen to be engaged in any fights. Nearly all the men composing these companies afterward joined other companies, and went into the Confederate service.

The Fifteenth Regiment Arkansas Infantry.–The first company that went into the Confederate army from Benton County was Company A, of the Fifteenth Arkansas Regiment. It was raised in midsummer of 1861, by Capt. J. H. Hobbs. Soon thereafter Companies F and G of the same regiment were raised in Benton County. The former went out under Capt. William Thompson, and the latter under Capt. J. M. Richards. The regiment was organized in a camp near Cross Hollows, in this county, in the fall of 1861, served to the close of the war, and surrendered at Marshall, Tex., in May, 1865. Its first colonel was D. McRea, and afterward Capt. Hobbs, of Company A, became the colonel, and he finally resigned on account of ill health. Among the important battles in which this regiment was engaged were Pea Ridge, in Benton County, Ark.; Iuka Springs and Corinth, in Mississippi; Fort Gibson, Baker's Creek, defense of Vicksburg during the siege thereof, Prairie De Ann, Mark's Mill and Jenkins' Ferry. After the surrender at Vicksburg the regiment went into a parole camp at Washington, Ark., where it remained until after it was exchanged. Its loss during the war was somewhat heavy.

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The Thirty-fourth Regiment Arkansas Infantry.–Company F, of this regiment, was raised in Benton County, in July, 1862, and went out under Capt. C. L. Pickins. The regiment was organized at Mount Comfort, in Washington County. The more important battles in which it was engaged were Prairie Grove, Helena and Jenkins' Ferry. It also surrendered at Marshall, [p.83] Tex., in May, 1865. Company F, of Col. King's Arkansas Regiment, was raised in Benton County, and went out under Capt. John Miser, of Pea Ridge. This regiment was organized at Mulberry, in Franklin County, was brigaded with the Thirty-fourth Arkansas, and participated in the same battles and surrendered at the same time and place.

Capt. Tom Jefferson raised a company of cavalry in Benton County, for Col. Carl's regiment of Arkansas cavalry. This regiment served through the war, mostly in Missouri and Arkansas. Capt. Hugh Tinnin, of Maysville, and Capt. W. H. Hendren, each raised a company in the western part of Benton County, both of which served during the war in the Indian Territory. Capt. James Ingram raised a company of cavalry in the eastern part of Benton County, and it served in Northwestern Arkansas until October, 1863, when it went south, dismounted, joined and became a part of the Thirty-fourth Arkansas Infantry. Capt. "Bill Buck" Brown raised a company of cavalry in the southern part of Benton County, which served in Northwestern Arkansas during the continuance of the war. The captain was killed in a skirmish in the winter of 1864–65. Capt. James Cooper also raised an independent company of cavalry, which served in Northwestern Arkansas.

This gives eleven companies which were raised in Benton County for the Confederate army, all of which averaged 100 men each, thus making 1,100 men that served in the Confederate army from this county, besides several hundred who went into the service as recruits. No Federal troops were organized in this county for actual service in the war. A few months before the close of the war two or three companies of militia were organized, under the provision of the Federal Government, for the purpose of protecting the citizens from the depredations of the thieving and marauding parties not belonging to either army, that were prowling around through the country plundering, murdering and robbing the citizens.

Skirmish on Dunagin's Farm.–In February, 1862, when Gen. Price retreated from Missouri to join McCulloch in Arkansas, he was pursued through Benton County by the Federal forces under Gen. Curtis. His rear guard, under command of [p.84] Gen. James S. Rains, was annoyed considerably by the Federal advance, and to get rid of this Rains halted on the farm of Rev. J. Dunagin, at or near the present station of Avoca, on the St. L. & S. F. Railroad, and planted a battery in a seemingly unprotected position, at the same time having it well protected by troops concealed along the side of the approach to it. Not discovering the support to this battery, the Federal advance (cavalry) charged it, and received the cross fire of the concealed troops of the enemy. Twenty Federal soldiers and sixty horses, and two or three Confederate soldiers, were killed at once. This, of course, repulsed the Federal advance, and checked their pursuit. This was the first fight and the first reception of Federal troops in Benton County, and on this occasion the residence of Rev. J. Dunagin was set on fire and burned by the Federals, it being the first house burned in Benton in the war period. This house stood one-half mile east of the present village of Avoca. It was probably the 18th day of February, 1862, when this skirmish took place. The facts concerning it were furnished the compiler by Rev. Dunagin, who is well known to the people of Benton County.

Battle of Pea Ridge.–This great battle, having been fought in Benton County, deserves a prominent place in its history. On the 18th day of February, 1862, the Federal army, commanded by Maj.-Gen. Samuel B. Curtis, crossed the State line from Missouri and went into camp on Sugar Creek, near Brightwater, in Benton County, Ark. "The Third and Fourth Divisions advanced from this position twelve miles farther south to Cross Hollows, where also the headquarters of Gen. Curtis were established, and the First and Second to Bentonville, twelve miles to the southwest, while a strong cavalry force, under Gen. Asboth, went to Osage Springs. On the 23d Gen. Asboth made a dash into Fayetteville, twenty miles in advance, found the city evacuated, and planted the Union flag on the court-house." On March 1, Col. Jeff. C. Davis' division withdrew from Cross Hollows and he took his position immediately behind Little Sugar Creek, covering the Fayettville and Springfield road, and fortified his position in anticipation of an attack from the south. On the 2d of March the First and Second Divisions, under Gen. Sigel, moved [p.85] to McKissick's farm, four and a half miles west of Bentonville. Col. Schaefer, with the Second Missouri Infantry and a detatchment of cavalry, was sent to Osage Mills, six miles south by a little east of McKissick's farm, as a post of observation toward Elm Springs, and for the purpose of running the mill to grind flour for the troops.

Another detachment of cavalry was sent to Osage Springs, five miles southeast of Bentonville, to hold connection with the division at Cross Hollows. On the 5th a detachment under Maj-Conrad was sent from McKissick's farm to Maysville, on the State line, twenty-one miles west of Bentonville; and another detachment under Maj. Mezaros went to Pineville, twenty-five miles northwest, while a detachment under Col. Vandever had been sent to Huntsville, in Madison County. Meanwhile the Confederate army, commanded by Maj.-Gen. Earl Van Dorn, concentrated in the Boston Mountains south of Fayetteville, and on the 3rd it was on the march to Fayetteville and Elm Springs, its advance arriving at the latter place on the evening of the 5th. On this march Price's troops in the lead were followed by McCulloch's division, while Gen. Pike with a brigade of Indian troops brought up the rear. The Federal officers did not learn of this movement until the 5th, when the Confederates were only a day's march from Sigel's position at McKissick's farm. It was the intention of the Confederate commander to move early on the 6th, and if possible cut off and capture Sigel's two divisions before they could prepare for defense or effect their retreat. Sigel, however, was advised of the advance of the enemy in time to prevent this disaster. Col. Schaefer's outposts were attacked on the evening of the 5th, and during that night he fell back, under instructions from Gen Sigel, to Bentonville. "At 2 o'clock A. M. of the 6th Gen. Asboth's division left McKissick's farm with the whole train, followed by the division of Osterhaus. They passed through Bentonville from 4 to 8 o'clock A. M., and arrived at the camp behind Sugar Creek at 2 P. M., where the Union army was to concentrate."

For the purpose of defending the main column on its retreat, and to make observations regarding the Confederates' advance, Gen. Sigel remained at Bentonville, with about 600 men and a [p.86] battery of six pieces, after all the troops had left the place. At 10 A. M. he discovered that the Confederates were forming a battle line about a mile south of the village. With all possible haste and caution he then set out with his rear guard to follow his main army. The Confederate troops quickly followed, and skirmished with his command until they gained a point on Sugar Creek, about seven miles northeast of Bentonville. Here Sigel went up the creek toward Brightwater, where he joined the main army under Curtis. Van Dorn, the Confederate commander, left his wagon train at the crossing of Sugar Creek, and posted Green's division there to protect it, and to prevent the Federals from retreating down the valley in case of their defeat. He then advanced his army on the Bentonville and Keetsville road, passing the right of the Federal army as it was then in position facing southward, and passing north of Big Mountain, until, with Price's command, he reached the Fayetteville and Springfield road at a point north of the Elkhorn Tavern, and in the rear of the Federal army. He expected to reach this point before daylight on the morning of the 7th, but, on account of obstructions placed in the road by Col. Dodge's Iowa regiment, he did not reach it until nearly 10 A. M. of that day. During the night, while passing along the north side of Big Mountain, McCulloch's command countermarched, and returned to the west end of Big Mountain, taking position immediately west and south thereof, with his lines facing south and southwestwardly. During the night of the 6th the Federal army rested in line of battle, facing southward from behind Sugar Creek. Gen. Asboth's division held the extreme right, Col. Osterhaus was on his left, Col. Davis next, and Col. Carr, with his division, on the extreme left. The extreme right was so retired as to face southwest. Curtis expected to be attacked from the south, and had made preparations accordingly, but early on the morning of the 7th he learned that his enemy was in his rear instead of the front; and, after consultation with his division commanders at Pratt's store. he faced about and directed Col. Carr to take position at Elkhorn Tavern, while Col. Bussey was directed, with the cavalry of the different commands (except the Third Illinois) and with three pieces of Elbert's battery, to move by Leetown against the enemy [p.87] supposed to be advancing in that direction. A brigade of infantry and another battery from Sigel's command were sent to support the cavalry, and Col. Osterhaus was also directed to accompany Col. Bussey for the purpose of taking control of the movement. Davis' division then moved to the support of Osterhaus on the left to contend with the Confederate forces under McCulloch, while Asboth moved to the support and assistance of Carr's division on the right to contend with Price's command. The lines of the latter faced south, southwest and west, forming a sort of semi-circle, the left of which overlapped the right of the Federal lines.

As the lines of the respective armies were formed on the morning of the 7th, before the engagement began, Price's command of the Confederate army, under the immediate control of the commanding general, Van Dorn, lay east of Big Mountain, while McCulloch's forces lay west and southwest thereof, and thus all immediate communication between the two portions of the Confederate army was cut off. The Federal army was also divided, as before stated, in order to contend with the divided forces of the Confederates, but Gen. Curtis established his headquarters near Pratt's store, and kept up communication between the two portions of his army. When the battle opened on the morning of the 7th the Federal cavalry sent out from Sigel's command to meet McCulloch's advance was repulsed, and in turn the Confederates were checked in their onslaught by the command of Osterhaus. "At this point," says Gen. Sigel, "the speedy arrival of Col. Jeff. C. Davis' division on the right of Osterhaus, and its energetic advance, turned a very critical moment into a decisive victory of our arms. McCulloch and McIntosh fell while leading their troops in a furious attack against Osterhaus and Davis. Hebert and a number of his officers and men were captured by the pickets of the Thirty-sixth Illinois (cavalry), under Capt. Smith, and of the Forty-fourth Illinois Infantry, under Capt. Russell. Thus the whole of McCulloch's column, deprived of its leaders and without unity of command, was thrown into confusion and beaten back. Though a great advantage was gained on our side by the death and capture of those leaders, the principal cause of our success was rather the quick rallying and excellent maneuvering [p.88] of Osterhaus' and Davis' forces, as well as the coolness and bravery of their infantry, supported by Welfley's, Hoffman's and Davidson's batteries. Osterhaus changed his front twice, under the fire of the enemy, to meet the dangerous flank attack and pressure of Hebert's Louisiana and Arkansas infantry, while the brigades of Davis, by striking the left of McCulloch's advancing column, threw it into disorder and forced it to retreat."

During the day the left wing of the Confederate army, under Van Dorn and Price, was eminently successful, as conceded by Gen. Sigel, who says: "In spite of the heroic resistance of the two brigades of Dodge and Vandever, and the re-enforcements sent them during the afternoon, they were forced back from position to position until Elkhorn Tavern was taken by the enemy, and our crippled forces, almost without ammunition, their artillery reduced by losses of guns, men and horses, their infantry greatly reduced, had to seek a last shelter in the woods and behind the fences, separated from the enemy's position by open fields, but not farther than a mile from our trains. They formed a contracted and curved line, determined to resist, not disheartened, but awaiting with some apprehension another attack. Fortunately the enemy did not follow up his success, and night fell in, closing this terrible conflict."

Of the Indian forces in McCulloch's column Col. Drew with his Cherokee regiment retreated to the southwest toward Bentonville, while Col. Greer, who succeeded McCulloch in command of the wing, moved with the remainder of the force during the night and joined Van Dorn, taking position on his extreme left the next morning. Col. Stand Waitie, with his Cherokee regiment, retreated to Bentonville during the second day of the fight. It is said that the hardest fighting in this battle took place between the forces of the Confederate left and the Federal right. When the battle opened the position held by the Federal right was stoutly maintained, and it was with a fearful struggle and heavy loss to both sides that they were dislodged and compelled to fall back. With repeated attacks on the Federal line it was compelled to fall back, so that when the day's engagement closed the left of the right wing rested near the foot of Big Mountain and the right a short distance east of Pratt's store. This was [p.89] confronted by the advanced line of the Confederates, who had captured Elkhorn Tavern, and formed their line west and south thereof, with their right resting at the foot of the mountain. The withdrawal of the Confederates' right wing from in front of the Federal left enabled Sigel to move eastward, with the division of Osterhaus along the south side of the mountain, to the relief and support of the right wing, which had been sorely pressed during the day. During the night of the 7th the division of Col. Davis was called in from Leetown, and this brought the Federal army all together.

.

On the first day of the fight, while Van Dorn and Price were so vigorously pushing their columns forward with marked success, they hoped that the right wing under McCulloch was equally successful. But learning of his death, and that of McIntosh. the repulse of the right wing, and the state of affairs in general. Van Dorn concluded to retreat, and during the night Green's division. that had been left back on Sugar Creek to guard the wagon train. was ordered to fall back and secure the train from exposure to capture. Early on the morning of the 8th the Federal line was re-formed, with the division of Asboth on the left (near the mountain), Osterhaus' division in the center, and that of Davis on the right, with Carr's division in a retired position to the rear of Davis right, and immediately in front of Pratt's store, the whole facing generally to the east, and confronting the Confederate line. The latter, as formed on the morning of the 8th (Saturday), was as follows: Little on the right. next to the mountain and directly in front of the Federal forces under Asboth and Osterhaus; Frost next on the left; Greer and Hill next, with Gates' cavalry on the extreme left. Gen. Curtis opened the battle on the second morning with cannonading, and having selected a good position he moved on to the Confederate forces, who seemed to fight more on the defensive than on the offensive, as they had the day before. "However, opposite the left of the Federal

line, near Elkhorn Tavern, Van Dorn made a determined effort to hold the spur of hills, the top of which was crowned and protected by rocks and bowlders. Some of Price's infantry had already taken possession of it, and a battery was being placed in position, when Hoffmann's and Elbert's [p.90] batteries were ordered to direct their fire against them, chiefly with solid shot. Not more than fifteen minutes elapsed before the enemy evacuated this last stronghold." [Sigel.] About the same time two Federal regiments advanced from the center and right into the woods, engaged the Confederate infantry and drove it back, and another Federal regiment (the Twelfth Missouri) captured the Dallas battery. At this juncture the Federal right advanced on to the Confederate left, the latter yielding, and the general retreat of the Confederate army now began. It fell back over the same ground it had gained the day before, and the main army, which remained in order, retreated to the southeast on the Van Winkle road. Some detachments cut off from the main army retreated in other directions, being followed by Federal forces toward Keetsville, in Missouri, and to a point beyond Bentonville, in Arkansas.

It is claimed by those who served in the Confederate army that Van Dorn's only object in maintaining the fight on the second day was to enable his trains and forces to make a successful retreat. The retreat took place before noon. The Federal army remained on the field, having won the victory which the Confederates felt confident of winning during the first day of the fight. The plan of attack adopted by Gen. Van Dorn was a wise one, and could he have reached the vicinity of Elkhorn Tavern by daylight on the morning of the 7th, as he expected to, he would have found the Federal army unprepared to receive his attack, and would in all probability have won the victory. Again, as it was, if the column of McCulloch had been properly handled, the Confederates might have gained the day. But be that as it may, it was a great victory to the Union cause, inasmuch as to a great extent it kept the war out of Missouri for the next two years, and completely defeated Van Dorn's contemplated project of capturing St. Louis and extending the war into Illinois. It is the province of this work, however, only to give the history, and not to make extended comments on what "might have been."

On the second day of the Pea Ridge battle Brig.-Gen. William Y. Slack, commanding a force under Gen. Price, was mortally wounded in a charge made on a part of the Federal line. His [p.91] home was in Chillicothe, Mo. He was a lawyer by profession; was a captain in the Mexican War under Sterling Price, who was then a colonel.

Composition, strength and losses of the contending armies at Pea Ridge:

Federal Army: Brig.-Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, commander.

First and Second Divisions, Brig.-Gen. Franz Sigel.

First Division, consisting of two brigades of infantry and two batteries of artillery, commanded by Col. Peter J. Osterhaus.

Second Division, cousisting of the First Brigade, some unattached troops, and two batteries: Brig.-Gen. Alexander Asboth.

Third Division, consisting of two brigades, one battery and some cavalry: Col. Jeff. C. Davis.

Fourth Division, consisting of two brigades, one battery and some unattached cavalry and infantry: Col. Eugene A. Carr.

Effective force of Union army, 10,500 infantry and cavalry, with forty-nine pieces of artillery. [See "Official Records" VIII,

Total loss of Union army: 203 killed, 980 wounded, and 201 captured or missing. Total 1,384.

Confederate Army: Maj.-Gen. Earl VanDorn, commander.

Missouri State Guards: Maj.-Gen. Sterling Price.

Confederate Volunteers: Various commands.

State Troops: Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Divisions.

McCulloch's Division (various commands): Brig.-Gen. Ben. McCulloch.

Pike's command. consisting of Indians and a squadron of Texas cavalry: Brig.-Gen. Albert Pike. Other troops not included in the foregoing.

Effective force of Confederate army: Price's command, 6,818, with eight batteries of artillery [Official Records, VIII, page 305]; McCulloch's command, 8,384, with four batteries of eighteen pieces [Official Records, VIII, page 763]; Pike's command, 1,000 [Official Records, VIII, page 288]; aggregate, 16,202 infantry and cavalry. This, of course, includes the number left back with Green to guard the trains. The Confederate loss has been reported at 800 to 1,000 killed and wounded, and [p.92] between 200 and 300 prisoners, which, if correct, would make the loss about equal to that of the Federal army.

Elkhorn Tavern.–The site of this famous tavern was settled in 1832 by James Hannors, of Illinois, who, in 1834, sold it to William Redick, also from Illinois. The latter built the house known as the "Elkhorn Tavern." It was an ordinary two-story frame, with a front porch to each story, and a brick chimney on the outside at each end, and was adorned on top with a huge pair of elk-horns taken from an animal killed by Mr. Casedy, who settled the site of Pratt's store, which still remains on the Pea Ridge battle-field. During the battle of Pea Ridge Mr. Cox, who lived in the tavern, was obliged, with his mother and his young wife, to seek protection in the cellar. The Federals took the elkhorns from the building, and sent them finally to New York, and during the latter part of the war the house was burned. In 1886 Mr. J. C. Cox, who still owns the property, rebuilt the tavern upon the original plan and on the original site. Then, through the assistance of Col. Hunt P. Wilson, of St. Louis, who, with the Confederate army, participated in the battle, he procured the return of the elk-horns and placed them upon the new building, where they are now gazed upon by the many who visit that historic place.

Devastations of War.–From the date of the battle of Pea Ridge to the close of the war Benton County was alternately possessed, overrun and devastated by the opposing armies. Provisions, crops and other property was appropriated for the use of the troops; houses were pillaged and burned, and the fences on many farms, especially in the vicinity of the soldiers' camps, were entirely consumed for fuel. Good, dry rails burned so much easier than green wood, made better fires, and saved the labor of chopping. However, the soldiers only took the "top rails," but it was understood that after these were taken off the next ones in turn became "top rails," and so on down to the bottom. Many citizens were wantonly killed, some for their money, and others for no cause whatever. Some were even tortured with fire to compel them to give up their money, or tell where it was concealed. The taking of provisions, horses and other animals for the use of the armies, and the burning of rails for fuel, [p.93] was authorized by the officers of both; but the burning of buildings, with but few exceptions, if any, the killing of defenseless citizens, and the torturing of others for the purposes of robbery, were not authorized by the officers unless by some inferior subordinates of either army.

War gives an excellent opportunity for thieves and robbers to practice their fiendish profession, and on the occasion of the late war this class of men armed themselves and organized as bandits, and scoured the country, stealing, plundering, burning and murdering as they went. To them and the bushwhackers the greatest atrocities were chargeable. Of the depredations generally authorized by the "usages of war," the Federal army is undoubtedly chargeable with the greater portion in Benton County, as the citizens were not generally in sympathy with it, while they were in sympathy with the Confederate army, hence the reason. There were bad men in both armies, who committed many misdeeds, for which neither could be held responsible. War is a terrible thing, and it is hoped and fully believed that the people of the United States now living will never see any more of it, especially among themselves. The many individual incidents that occurred in Benton County during the late struggle, if related, would fill a volume in themselves, and consequently cannot be inserted in this work.

Confederate Reunion at Pea Ridge.–On the first day of September, 1887, over twenty-five years after the battle of Pea Ridge was fought, the people, with the surviving veteran soldiers, met on that famous field to commemorate the event, and to witness the unveiling of the monument erected to the memory of Gens. McCulloch, McIntosh and Slack, and other brave Confederates who fell on that occasion. The camp-ground for the reunion was established one mile southwest of Elkhorn Tavern, near a fine gushing spring in a densely shaded grove. Here thousands of people, including many veterans, assembled to enjoy the occasion. From this lovely spot in plain view lay the high point where once stood Sigel's battery, and off to the southwest of him was the Round Mountain, where stood the Confederate battery. The points where McCulloch and McIntosh lost their lives were still a mile or so further west and southwest of Sigel's battery.

About 100 yards southwest of the old tavern stands the monument built by the people of Benton County to the memory of their fallen heroes. The square pedestal that rises from the base has an inscription on each side, as follows: On the north, "Gen. W. Y. Slack, of Missouri;" on the west, "Gen. Ben McCulloch, of Texas;" on the south, "Gen. James McIntosh, of Arkansas," and on the east, "The brave Confederate dead, who fell on this field March 7 and 8, 1862." It is a plain, unpretentious shaft of marble that does credit to the donors. Below the pedestal and above the sandstone base is a marble block, upon which the following verses are inscribed:

Oh give me a land where the rains are spread, And the living tread light on the hearts of the dead; Yes. give me a land that is blest by the dust And bright with the deeds of the downtrodden just.

O give me the land with a grave in each spot, And names in the graves that shall not be forgot. Yes, give me the land of the wreck and the tomb; There's a grandeur in graves, there's a glory in gloom.

The graves of our dead, with green overgrown. May yet form the footstool of liberty's throne, And each single wreck in the war-path of might. Shall yet be a rock in the temple of right.

A few yards from the spot where the monument is erected stood Capt. Bledsoe's battery, which included the famous cannon, "Old Sacramento," which had seen service through the Mexican War.

The address of welcome was delivered by Col. S. W. Peel, member of Congress from that district, and the response thereto was made by Judge C. A. DeFrance. The latter drew a contrast between the welcome extended to the large number of Federal soldiers who were present, and the terrible reception given them on the spot twenty-five years before. They were then welcomed with bloody hands to gory graves, and now they were welcomed as friends and neighbors, and were happy to accept and extend hospitalities.

Ex-Gov. Lubbock, of Texas, delivered the general address, concluding it by commending both the "Blue and the Grey" for their bravery, and by exhorting his hearers "to stand by the old [p.95] constitution as it now is, and be a loyal and conservative people." He was followed by Senator Berry, Judge DeFrance, Col. T. J. Patton and others, who made appropriate short speeches.

AVOCA.

In compiling the history of the battle of Pea Ridge the writer acknowledges assistance from Hon. D. H. Hammons and others, who participated in the battle on the Confederate side, as well as from a few Union soldiers who participated therein, and also from the Benton County Journal, which contains a brief sketch of the battle. Acknowledgments are also due to the Journal for the account of the Confederate Reunion on the occasion of unveiling the monument to Gen. McCulloch and others.

This little village is prettily located on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, five miles north of Rogers. It was laid out in 1881 by Albert Peel, who built the first house and opened the first store in the place. It now contains the railroad depot, two stores, kept, respectively, by Albert Peel and J. R. Dunagin, a blacksmith shop and grain warehouse, also a district school-house. Grain, railroad ties, fence posts and fruits, especially small fruits, are extensively shipped from this station.

Brightwater is a station on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, two miles northeast of Avoca. As a village it was established about the year 1840, by an old pioneer settler, Enoch Trott, who kept a tavern or "stand" and a grocery, principally for the use of the drovers and other travelers on the old State road. A leading article sold at the grocery was in liquid form. It was called "Trott's Stand." At the breaking out of the war Judge Long kept the only store in the place. This store-house and the few other buildings there were burned on the occasion of the battle of Pea Ridge. The first improvement there, after the war, was made by Albert Peel (now of Avoca), who bought the land and put up a dwelling-house and a store-house. It now consists of the general store of Joe Dickson & Son, the drug store of Drs. T. M. & R. S. Rice, the grocery store of Hill & Lynch, a [p.96] blacksmith shop and a fruit evaporator, the latter by Kimmons &

Son. The capacity of the fruit evaporator is about 200 bushels per day, and when operated the proprietors employ about twenty-five hands. The place has a district school-house, but no church edifice. The only organized church there is the Christian, and the members thereof worship in the school-house. Pea Ridge Lodge No. 119, A. F. & A. M., is located at Brightwater. In amount of shipments the place compares well with other stations on the road.

The origin and location of Bentonville, the county seat of Benton County, has been given in connection with the organization of the county. Being established in 1837, the first store opened in the place was managed by Dr. Nicholas Spring, under the firm name of Blythe & Spring, and the next one was opened by two brothers, John G. and William T. Walker. Blythe & Spring had a pretty fair stock of goods, but the Walkers had a broken stock, worth only about $800. In 1840 or 1841 another store was opened by some parties from Fayetteville, and in 1850 the town had about five business houses and a few mechanics' shops. Being so far inland, and in a new country, the settlement of which was slow, the growth of the town was also slow and gradual. In 1860, just before the outbreak of the Civil War, it contained five general stores, kept respectively by A. W. Dinsmore, James Woolsey, Greenwood & Hobbs, J. M. Vestal and James A. Dickson; the furniture store of Henry Baumeister, the saddle and harness-shop of J. W. Clark, the Clark Hotel by J. W. Clark, the Vestal Hotel by W. R. Vestal, and three or four mechanics' shops. It also contained the county public buildings, and two churches, Cumberland Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal, South, and the building of the Masonic lodge and school-house, and had a population of about 500. Of professional men there were four physicians–Drs. C. D. Talliaferro, D. H. Hobbs, William Wilson and John Gray. There were also a few attorneys and local officers, together with the county officers. In addition to the foregoing there were one or more "dram-shops" or saloons in the town.

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Bentonville, especially, suffered terribly from the ravages of [p.97] war. In February, 1862, when a portion of Federal troops belonging to Gen. Curtis' army passed through the town, a soldier lingered behind, either with or without authority, and was killed by one in sympathy with the Southern cause. Some of the Federal soldiers returned to the town next day, and on learning of the fate of their comrade became exasperated, applied the torch in revenge, and on this occasion thirty-six buildings were consumed by fire. In justice to the commander of these troops, who were then encamped a few miles southwest of the town, it must be said that as soon as he learned the state of affairs he sent orders back to stop the burning of the town. Afterward, from time to time, buildings continued to be burned in the town, and in the country surrounding it, by both Federal and Confederate soldiers, and some were burned by thieves and plunderers belonging to neither army. Both contending parties now claim that the court-house was burned by the other. According to best authority, the two churches, the Masonic hall and school building, and the jail, were burned to prevent their being used by the Union armies. After the first urning, scouting parties of either army, passing through and finding houses standing, would imagine that they were left because their owners were in sympathy with the other army, and would therefore burn them. This work of burning property was carried on to such an extent that when the war closed only about a dozen houses were left standing in Bentonville.

BENTONVILLE.

At the close of the war the county was devastated and the towns likewise, but the people were inured to hardships, and were determined if possible to retrieve their lost fortunes. With but little capital they applied themselves to the work, and the following directory and sketch of the present business and institutions of Bentonville will show how well they have succeeded in their efforts. It is true, however, that much of the success of Bentonville is due to its immigration from other States.

Bentonville was incorporated by the county court at its January adjourned term in 1873. At the present writing (1888) its officers are Hon. W. D. Mauck, mayor; Henry Cowan, recorder; W. S. Black, treasurer; councilmen, Dr. John Smartt, Dr. J. M. Thompson, N. S. Henry, Robert Brashear, George P. [p.98] Jackson; W. T. Woolsey, marshal. The town contains several large brick business blocks, besides many frame business houses, and many beautiful residences. The latter are mostly surrounded with large lawns well filled with shade and fruit trees. Though the oldest town in the county, it is yet a young town, having been nearly all built since the close of the late war, and mostly within the last ten years. Its population is between 2,500 and 3,000.

Bentonville Directory.–Banks, Benton County Bank, The Peoples Bank; dry goods, W. A. Terry & Co., Craig & Sons, Woods & Claypool, George Jackson; auction store, W. E. Goodwin; groceries, J. C. Knott, Morris & Co., J. H. & J. P. Burns, Wagner & Jefferson, G. M. Bates & Co., P. S. Powell, drugs, Dr. C. D. Taliaferro, E. H. Looney, W. S. Black; confectioneries, Inson & Larick, W. R. Hoffman, M. M. Harkins, P. McBride; furniture, T. C. Barney, J. L. Pluck; hardware, Hobbs & Co., Maxwell & Hickman; harness and saddles, H. A. Rogers, Stahl & Crough; clothing, Lincoln & Arthur; boots and shoes, Laughlin & Brashear; watchmakers and jewelers, R. J. Laughlin, M. M. Hawkins; undertakers, J. Huffman & Son; marble works, McWhirter & Robbins; bakery, J. K. Putman; candy factory, H. C. Turner; agricultural implements, C. W. Clapp, F. C. Hawkins; millinery, Wakefield & Deming, J. A. Sanderson & Co., Miss Julia Loomis; boot and shoemakers, Roberts & Thomas, D. R. Thompson; produce dealers, McHenry & Bryan, R. Y. Nance; blacksmiths, W. H. Ferguson, W. A. Smith, A. Marcum; feed store, Corley & Son; meatmarkets, S. N. Price, J. H. Houston; livery, Smartt & Brown, Faircloe & Brim; brickyards, J. Haney, Z. Mitchell, M. T. Carroll; contractors, J. Haney, C. A. Blanck, A. W. Duffie, J. Cook, Carney & Dodson, Robert Carley; Eagle Mills, H. W. Schrader, proprietor; Bentonville Mills, John Curtis, proprietor; tobacco manufactory, Arkansas Tobacco Company; canneries and evaporators, Bentonville Canning and Evaporating Company; wagon factory, McGruder, McAdams & Co., proprietors; lumber yard, Hall, Guthrie & Co.; cooperage, Dungie & Hunter; hotels, Rogers House, Western Hotel, Eagle Hotel, Eclipse Hotel; physicians, T. W. Hurley, J. M. Thompson, John Smartt, C. D. Taliaferro, B. F. Smith, J. R. Lucas, W. R. Davis, [p.99] J. M. Hobbs, J. A. Gill, N. B. Cotton; dentists, D. A. Watson, S. H. Petit, M. B. Vaughter; collector and conveyancer, F. M. Bates; insurance, C. E. Bruce, Cotton & Craig; attorneys, see "Benton County Bar."

Churches.–Cumberland Presbyterian, Rev. F. T. Chaston, J. D. Ritchie, temporarily in charge; Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Rev. T. J. Reynolds; Presbyterian, Rev. D. C. Boggs; Baptist Missionary, Rev. J. M. McGuire; Christian Church, J. R. Lucas, M. D.; Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. W. M. Brock.

Sales Transactions in 1887.–Four dry-goods, notions, etc., $122,000; five groceries, $90,000; one clothing and gents' furnishing, $21,000; one boots and shoes, $10,000; two furniture, $20,500; one undertaker, $1,500; two saddlery and harness, $11,000; two hardware, $37,000; two agricultural implements, etc., $61,000; two drugs, $17,000; one watch-maker, $4,000; two millinery and ladies' furnishing, $5,000; four hotels, $10,000; two butchers, $11,000; one bakery, $2,600; one tobacco, $15,000; one lumber, $25,000; two produce and fruit, $81,000; one evaporating plant, $25,000; grain and grain products, $116,000; live stock, $41,000; railroad ties, $16,500; railroad earnings, $12,953; miscellaneous, $100,000. Total, exclusive of banking and loans, $896,000.

Bentonville Railroad Company.–Length of railroad in miles, 5¼; cost of construction, $42,000. Passengers carried west, 5,077; passengers carried east, 4,182; total tickets sold in 1887, 9,259. Tons of freight received. 2,833; tons of freight forwarded, 5,477; total tons of freight handled in 1887, 8,310. Tons agricultural products handled, 661; tons animal or live stock, 260; vegetable foods and products, tons, 738; manufactured articles, tons, 168; merchandise, tons, 2,838; products of forest, tons, 3,450; eggs, 195. Total tons handled, 8,310.

Officers Bentonville Railroad.–President, John Smartt; vice-president, J. H. McClinton; general manager, N. S. Henry; traffic manager, D. H. Woods; conductor, C. M. Robinson.

The Benton County Bank was organized in May, 1885, by John Black, president; J. A. Rice, vice-president; S. F. Stahl, cashier; Jesse Motter, assistant cashier, and J. G. McAndrews, with a paid-up capital of $20,000. In May, 1887, the bank was [p.100] reorganized, and the capital stock was increased to $50,000, all paid up. The present officers are W. A. Terry, president; A. J. Bates, vice-president; S. F. Stahl, cashier; N. B. Cotton, assistant cashier; J. A. Rice, attorney. Other stockholders aside from the officers named are J. W. Langford, John Black and J. G. McAndrews. The bank is located in the Terry Block, opposite the People's Bank, at the southwest corner of the public square. This fine brick block is three stories high, and is the most attractive and imposing structure in the city. The lower story contains the banking room on the corner and a large store-room, with one front on the north side of the bank facing eastward, and another front west of the bank facing southward.

The People's Bank was organized and began business in June, 1888, with a capital stock of $50,000. Its first and present officers are John Smartt, president; I. B. Gilmore, vice-president; F. E. Gilmore, cashier; A. W. Dinsmore, assistant cashier. Board of directors: John Smartt, J. A. C. Blackburn, I. B. Gilmore, A. W. Dinsmore, W. R. Davis, I. R. Hall, W. H. Fry. Stockholders: John Smartt, J. A. C. Blackburn, A. W. Dinsmore D. H. Woods, I. B. Gilmore, George T. Lincoln, E. S. McDaniel, C. A. Blanck, W. R. Davis, James Haney, F. E. Gilmore, J. B. Mayo, W. H. Fry, Leonard West, G. Ambrose, T. A. Woods, I. R. Hall, F. M. Bates, B. F. Dunn, A. W. Taylor, G. H. Moore.

Bentonville Mercantile Company.–This is a joint stock company, with a paid-up capital of $30,000, the stockholders being W. A. Terry, R. E. Brashear, Alex. Hall, B. F. Burks and J. W. and Asa E. Langford. This company keeps a wholesale and retail general store in the Terry Block, occupying all the stories and all the space in the entire building, aside from the banking room, with their goods.

The Eagle Mills were erected in 1881, and have since been equipped with the roller process apparatus. The capacity is sixty barrels per day. The business is so pressing that the mills are being run both day and night.

The Bentonville Canning and Evaporating Company is of recent origin, and its officers are I. B. Gilmore, president: W. B. Lyon, secretary, and F. E. Gilmore, treasurer. The capital stock of the company is $20,000; cost of plant, $10,000. of which [p.101] $5,000 was for machinery. Their main building is 30×80 feet, and three stories high. It was built in February, 1888, by Plummer & Son, of Leavenworth, Kas., and is equipped with the Plummer process for evaporating fruit. Its capacity is 800 bushels of apples per day, and from fifty to sixty hands are employed. The contemplated canning factory is not yet erected. W. L. Plummer & Son have received for their process of evaporating fruit the medals from five world's fairs: Centennial, in 1876; Paris, in 1878; New Orleans; Melbourne, Australia, and Chili. South America.

The Arkansas Tobacco Company, dating from October, 1887, is a succession of Trotter & Wilkes. The secretary and general manager of the company is J. W. Trotter, of the former firm. The president is W. B. Deming, original proprietor of "Deming's Additions" to Bentonville, formerly of Kansas. They manufacture several brands of plug and smoking tobacco, and do an extensive business.

The Bentonville Mills, located on the spring branch below town. were erected in 1869 by T. K. Blake and J. Claypool. John Curtis has been proprietor since April, 1884. It is supplied with two run of buhr stones, with a capacity of 100 bushels of wheat and 200 bushels of corn per day. A carding machine is run in connection with the mills.

Societies.–Bentonville Lodge No. 56, A. F. & A. M., was chartered November 4, 1852, with J. D. Dickson, W. M.; J. H. Hobbs. S. W., and James M. Rogers, J. W. The present membership of this lodge is about sixty-five, and the present officers are R. J. Laughlin, W. M.; T. T. Blake, S. W.; C. W. Clapp, J. W.; C. R. Bruce, Secretary; S. F. Stahl, Treasurer; Josephus Huffman. Tyler. This lodge is in a good financial condition, and dispenses all its surplus for charitable purposes.

The Benton Chapter, R. A. M., was chartered October 23, 1874, on petition of R. S. Armstrong, John Black, W. B. Roper, S. H. Kelton, Josephus Huffman, Thomas J. Webster, H. W. Glover and others. It was reorganized under its first charter in June, 1887. The present officers are R. J. Laughlin, H. P.; J. M. Thompson, King; J. H. Burns, Scribe; R. N. Corley, C. H.; T. J. Reynolds, P. S.; P. Gotcher, R. A. C.; G. T. Lincoln, T. [p.102] T. Blake and Isaac Cook, G. M. S.; J. P. Burns, Treasurer; J. W. Taliaferro, Secretary; Josephus Huffman, Tyler. The chapter has twenty-seven members and applications for several more. Its financial condition is good, and it dispenses charity with a liberal hand.

Bentonville Lodge No. 37, K. of P., was organized in June, 1887, with sixteen members. Its present officers are F. E. Gilmore, P. C.; E. H. Looney, C. C.; J. W. Taliaferro, V. C.; C. C. Huffman, Prelate; S. H. Claypool, K. of R. S.; T. T. Blake, M. F.; W. B. Deming, M. E.; J. D. Bryan, M. A.; present membership about thirty.

Benton Lodge No. 33, I. O. O. F., was organized under a warrant or dispensation dated November 25, 1870, granted to H. S. Coleman, T. K. Blake, Leonard West, J. O. Alexander and J. W. Simmons. The present officers are R. B. Lawson, N. G.; G. W. Hurley, V. G.; Lewis M. Dailey, Secretary; George M. Bates, Treasurer. The membership of the lodge is about fifty, and its financial condition is good, having money at interest. Nearly three-fourths of its membership have been acquired within the last year.

Burnside Post No. 4, G. A. R., was organized in June, 1887. B. F. Hobbs was the first Post Commander, and still holds that office. The other officers are M. Starbuck, S. V.; A. H. Gingrich, J. V.; George Bill, Adjutant. This post has about thirty-five members now in good standing.

The Masonic Hall and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, a large two-story brick building erected in 1869, was built conjointly by the church and the Masons, the church occupying the first and the Masons the second story. The building cost $3,000. All of the above mentioned societies except the G. A. R. meet in the Masonic hall.

The Bentonville Press.–The Advance, a Democratic newspaper, was established early in the seventies, and was published for a number of years, frequently changing hands, and was finally sold to the founder of the Bentonian, and consolidated therewith.

The Bentonian, also a Democratic paper, was established in the fall of 1881 by S. D. McReynolds, with S. M. Wamack as editor. McReynolds continued its publication until October, [p.103] 1885, when he sold it to J. B. Thompson. The latter then changed the name of the paper to the Benton County Journal. Soon thereafter W. M. Bumbarger bought a half interest, and in the fall of 1886 became sole proprietor of the paper, and in July, 1887, he sold it to S. M. Dailey, who still continues its publication. The Journal is an eight-column folio, well printed and ably edited in the interest of Benton County. In politics it is stanchly Democratic.

BLOOMFIELD.

The Benton County Democrat was established in January, 1885, by John W. Corley, who continued its publication about one year, and then sold it to J. B. Thompson, who published it about the same length of time, and then sold it to H. A. Cook. The latter published it a few months, and until July, 1888, when he sold it Hurley & Stevenson, two young and energetic men, who are now publishing it. It is located in the new Peoples Bank building, and has one of the most convenient and commodious offices in the State. It is also neatly printed and well edited, and is Democratic in politics. Both of the Bentonville papers have a large circulation, and both do a good business.

The village of Bloomfield lies on Round Prairie, six miles north of Siloam Springs. It was surveyed and platted by David Chandler for G. W. Mitchell, its original proprietor. It contains a large public square surrounded with lots. Dr. J. H. Neagle built the first house in the village. It stands at the northeast corner of the public square. R. B. Mitchell opened the first store, and has continued in business ever since. The post-office was established the next year after the town was laid out, and R. B. Wilson was made postmaster, and still holds the office. Following Wilson, several parties opened stores, but soon left. Following is the present business of the village: General stores, R. B. Wilson, W. I. Richardson; drugs and groceries, Mitchell & Bro.; hotel, David Chandler; blacksmith, J. Johnson; woodwork, J. E. Stewart; physician, J. R. Floyd. The Masonic hall building was put up in 1871 by the Masons. The lodge hall is in the second story, and the lower room is used by all religious demoninations that choose to have it. The Rogers Academy is a fine [p.104] two-story brick building, with seating capacity for 150 pupils. Prof. A. B. Marbury is principal of this school. He teaches all branches ordinarily taught in high-schools, and also the public school in connection with his school.

Bloomfield Lodge No. 243, A. F. & A. M., was chartered in 1871, and William Kellum was the first W. M. The present membership of the lodge is from forty-five to fifty, and the officers are Z. T. Mitchell, W. M.; William Parker, S. W.; James Peek, J. W. This has always been a prosperous lodge. It is out of debt and has money on hand.

The Bloomfield Steam Roller Mills are located three-fourths of a mile south of the village. These mills have just undergone repairs, have had the roller process apparatus put in, and are thus prepared to make the best of flour.

This town was extensively laid out early in the eighties, occupying nearly all of the southeast quarter of Section 31, Town 20 north, Range 33 west, being seventeen miles west of Bentonville on a straight line. There being good springs there, it was established for a watering place or summer resort, and for a short time it had a business boom, but now it contains only one small country store.

The village of Cherokee City is situated in Section 26, Town 19, Range 34, about three-fourths of a mile from the Indian Territory line. It was surveyed by David Chandler in 1880, for himself, James Ingle and M. D. Cunningham, the original proprietors. Before the war there was a place kept on the opposite side of the branch at Cherokee City, called "Hog Eye," where whisky was kept to sell to the Indians. Cherokee City was built up in 1881 and 1882, by a "boom" it acquired as a summer resort. Like several other places, it has some excellent springs of good water. It was built in a great hurry, to accommodate its guests who resorted there in 1881 and 1882, consequently the houses are small and of a temporary character. W. D. Cunningham opened the first general store in the place. The directory of business at present is as follows: General stores, J. M. [p.105] Tucker, Crawford Bros; drugs, J. M. Norris, Eurial Farmin; furniture, Mr. Baxter; blacksmiths, A. E. Funk, —– Cook; hotel, Cherokee House, by Samuel Haag; physician, Dr. O. M. Dodson; churches, Baptist, Christian, Methodist Episcopal, South, Congregational. The population of the place is about 200. T. A. Fleener has an orchard of 2,200 apple trees and many other kinds of fruit, adjoining the village.

The original town of Rogers was surveyed and laid out in March, 1881, by John P. Hely, a land surveyor and civil engineer, for Benjamin F. Sikes, the original proprietor. It comprises parts of the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 12, Town 19, Range 30, and the west half of the west half of Section 7, Town 19, Range 29. The bearings and courses of the town were surveyed on a magnetic variation of seven degrees east. The plat contains fifteen blocks, with twelve lots each, one tier of blocks being east of the railroad, and two west thereof. The lots are fifty feet north and south, by 140 feet east and west, and all streets are eighty feet wide except Arkansas and Douglas, which are fifty feet each. The town is situated on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, at the junction of the Bentonville Railway. The first addition to Rogers was laid out the same year by the original proprietor, and it comprises tracts of land adjoining the first plat on every side thereof. This addition contains in all nineteen blocks, subdivided into lots. It was surveyed by D. W. German.

J. Wade Sikes' Park Addition to Rogers, embracing the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 12, Town 19, Range 30, was surveyed and laid out the same year. It lies southwest of the original plat, and contains sixteen blocks, subdivided into large residence lots, some being 150×238 feet, some 150 feet square, and some 150×245 feet. It contains the most desirable residence lots.

CITY OF ROGERS.

Reuben Wallace's Addition to Rogers was laid out in 1882. It lies northeast of the old plat, and contains seven blocks of twelve lots each, and two blocks of six lots each, all lots being 50×140 feet in size.

[p.106] The Electric Springs Plat, adjoining Wallace's Addition on the northeast, was laid out in September, 1881. It contains forty-five blocks surrounding the springs, all being laid out in the most ornamental style, for residence lots.

Rogers' Cemetery, containing five acres, was laid out in November, 1882.

Enough land at Rogers has been surveyed into town lots to make a large city.

Rogers was incorporated on the 28th day of May, 1881, and in June following an election was held for town officials." In evidence of the fact that the people have always been fortunate in the selection of their officers, Rogers is entirely out of debt, and its paper is at par and has been from the first year. But few young towns can say as much.

When the site of Rogers was chosen, in 1881, it contained nothing but a dilapidated pole cabin. When the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway was making its way through the county, a number of farmers, with a view to their future interests, secured the amount demanded by the company's right of way agent, some $600, and secured the location of the depot where it now stands. The parties who contributed this amount may truly be called the founders of Rogers. Their names are H. B. Horsley, George E. Wilson, Clark Brixey, Ben T. Oakley, N. S. Horsley, J. R. Swafford, Maj. S. S. Horsley, W. B. Horsley and, possibly, others. B. F. Sikes donated to the railroad company one-half of sixty acres in the original town, and the depot grounds and the right of way. He lived on the land first platted, and was therefore the first resident of the town. The first house built after the town was projected was put up by John Cox, and a saloon was opened therein. The next house was erected by Lowry and Scroggins, and a grocery and the post-office were located therein. Then followed the "Rogers House," and a number of business houses and dwellings too numerous to mention in detail. The town was named in honor of Capt. C. W. Rogers, who was at that time general manager of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway, and a good friend of the town. The natural advantages of the place attracted the attention of enterprising men, and before the trains actually got to running there were several business houses in successful operation.

[p.107] The following is a directory of the first business of Rogers, as it existed a short time after the town was established: C. C. Davis, clothing; George Raupp, furniture; J. L. Merritt, restaurant; W. A. Miller, dry goods; Huffman & Wade, hotel; H. L. & S. T. Stokes, livery stable; Pratt & Gibbs and J. H. Rackerby, hardware; John Cox, A. Greenstreet, Capt. Blue, saloons; Scroggins & Lowry, Stokes and Bowman, groceries; Van Winkle & Blackburn, wholesale lumber merchants; Huffman & Williams, McCubbins & Peck, produce and commission merchants; J. W. Brite, Berryhill & Durham, Mitchell

The following, pertaining to the period before the railroad was completed to Rogers, but after it was decided that a depot would be erected there, is an extract from the pen of Maj. A. J. Allen, who wrote a history of the town when it was a year old: "The months of March and April were extremely cold and stormy, as the winter months preceding them had been. We had no railroad and no telegraph line. The wagon roads, most of the time, were entirely impassable. It was impossible to get lumber, and all building operations were delayed in consequence of bad roads. But few people were here then, and they took hotel lodgings in the forest during the night, and kept themselves busy during the day by foraging for subsistence and building huge fires by which to keep warm.

"One man, who had waited patiently and long for good weather and lumber, opened up a business house in the top of an oak tree. The huge oak had been felled to the ground, and he took his wagon body off the wheels, and placed it lengthwise on the trunk of the tree. He then, like a good Southern man with Yankee principles, stuck up a sign with six letters, and spread out his goods for sale; and, judging from the number of people who daily gathered about his place of business, we conclude that he did a good thriving business. He said he would open the first business house in Rogers, and he kept his

word."

During the seven years of the existence of Rogers it has grown to be a thriving and prosperous little city of from 1,500 to 1,800 inhabitants. The following is its present business directory, to wit: Bank of Rogers, W. R. Felker, banker; dry [p.108] goods, clothing and notions, Finch Brothers, C. A. Nelson, W. A. Miller, H. L. Stroud; groceries, Caywood & Son, J. A. Smith, W. L. Watkins, W. R. Cady, Nance & Oakley, C. Livesay, Williams & Saunders, Osborn & Garnett, Z. H. McCubbins, Kimble Bros.; hardware, C. L. Gibbs, Dyer Brothers; drugs, I. V. Davis, C. L. Alexander, J. E. Applegate, Dr. R. D. Cogswell; restaurants, L. J. Merritt, William Story, W. W. Reynolds; confectioner, A. Bucklin; furniture, George Raupp, W. H. Dwyer; millinery, Miss Alice M. Roberts, Mrs. L. Horsley, Mrs. C. A. Wickes; harness and saddles, Morgan & Stewart; general second-hand store, Joseph Milligan; livery, James M. Vandover, Oakley & McSpadden; bakery, B. F. Woodruff; butchers, C. Juhne, S. Fleek; barbers, K. T. Heflin, W. A. Patterson; hotels, Brown House, Rogers Hotel; boot and shoe maker, F. Duval; watchmakers and jewelers, W. H. Dwyer, J. E. Applegate; painters, James Neal, Charles Clark; blacksmiths and wheel-wrights, Jeffreys & Duff, Robertson & Duff; steam roller mills, Rogers Milling Company; fruit evaporator, D. Wing & Brother; canning and packing factory, Rogers Canning and Packing Company; Arkansas Lime Works, C. A. Wickes; cider and jelly plant.

Lumber yards, J. A. C. Blackburn, W. H. Fowler; mineral waters, ginger ale, etc., King & Co.; water supply works, Rogers Lime & Water Works Company; contractors and builders, W. H. Fowler, R. C. Copp, H. Nelson, J. B. Mills; attorneys, E. R. Morgan, Ed. Finch; insurance agents, Duckworth & Bixler, J. W. Price, Z. H. McCubbin; real estate agents, Duckworth & Bixler, J. W. Price; physicians, H. Weems, R. D. Cogswell, P. C Pennington, J. C. Freeland, E. N. Stearns; dentists, – Reynolds, R. F. Stringer; churches, Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, South, Baptist, Cumberland Presbyterian, Christian; Rogers Academy, principal, J. W. Scroggs; Miss Mary G. Webb, J. R. Williams, Elta Scroggs, Hettie C. Tryon, assistants. This was the faculty for the school year closed. Societies, Rogers Lodge No. 460, A. F. & A. M., Rogers Lodge No. 89, I. O. O. F., Rogers Encampment No. 14, George H. Thomas Post No. 29, G. A. R.

The manufacturing industries of Rogers deserve especial mention. It is claimed that the Rogers Flouring Mills are the [p.109] best and most extensive in the State of Arkansas, and that they are doing an extensive business, running both day and night. D. Wing & Bro.'s evaporating plant was the first one established in the State. Their lead in the industry dates from 1882. The capacity is 450 bushels of apples, or 250 bushels of peaches, per day. The evaporator used by them is the Alden patent, and their parer the Wizard machine. During the working months they employ an average of sixty hands, many of whom are women. The canning and packing company was organized with a capital stock of $12,000, and next to the milling company its business is probably the most valuable single enterprise in Rogers. It has extensive buildings, and has the advantage of a long season for operations, as it cans all kinds of fruits (small fruits included) as well as vegetables. It employs a great many hands.

Business Transactions in 1887.–Four dry goods, clothing and notions, $60,000; seven groceriers, $46,000; two hardware and implements, $23,000; three drugs and medicine, $15,000; one harness and saddlery, $2,000; one newspaper and job printing, $4,100; two butchers, $3,400; one variety store, $3,000; three millinery and ladies' furnishing, $4,000; one furniture and undertaking, $5,000; two hotels, $5,500; one barber, $1,500; one lumber, sash, doors, etc., $16,000; contracting and building, $28,000; produce, hides and furs, $45,000; grain and grain products, $123,300; live stock, $44,500; 374 carloads ties, $18,000; 11,125 barrels apples shipped, $22,500; 15,000 bushels potatoes shipped, $6,000; evaporated fruit transactions, $60,000; miscellaneous, $20,000–total, $565,600. Bank transactions and loans, $663,872. Grand total, $1,239,472.

Carload Shipments.–Total carloads forwarded, 737, divided as follows: flour, 123; wheat, 13; potatoes, 15; apples, 51; dried fruit, 13; eggs, 10; live stock, 89; ties, 374; miscellaneous, 49.

The Press.–The Rogers New Era was established in the fall of 1881, and has ever since been controlled by its present proprietors, Graham & Mason. It is a six-column quarto, neatly printed and well edited. It is Democratic in politics, and is the oldest paper now being published in the county. The publishers of this work are under obligations to it for much of the history of Rogers.

The Rogers Republican, a five-column quarto, was established [p.110] in April, 1888, the first number being published on the 26th day of that month, by its present proprietors, Warner & Honeywell. It is also a neatly printed paper and well edited. In politics it is Republican, and has done much to organize the Republican party in Benton County.

The Rogers papers are both well patronized by local advertisers, which speaks well for the town.

History of Benton County

LOWELL.

This is a station on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, in Section 32, Township 21 north, Range 28 west, containing about 200 inhabitants. The first store existing at this place was opened in 1881 by A. Blansett, and the next year another was opened by A. Peel. Following this a drug store was opened by Thomas R. Marshall. In July, 1883, the village was surveyed into lots and named Garfield. Following is a directory of its present business: General stores, A. Peel, G. P. Rogers & Son, J. A. Wilks; hardware, L. Ellison & Co.; groceries, J. W. Cundiff; confectionery, H. Wilks; post-office, jewelry, etc., A. J. Wilks; hotel, J. N. Wilks; drugs and jewelry, M. J. Walters. Also two blacksmith shops, a barber shop, the Arkansas Lime Works, the fruit evaporator of D. D. Ames and the lumber yard of A. L. Ricketts. The Arkansas Lime Works Company manufacture 200 barrels of lime per day, make their own barrels and employ about seventy-five men. The fruit evaporator has capacity for from 100 to 150 bushels of apples per day, and when running the proprietor employs about fifteen hands. Garfield has a frame schoolhouse and Masonic hall combined, the school-room being in the lower story and the hall in the upper, built recently, costing $800. Fruits, timber, railroad ties and fence posts are shipped in great quantities from this place. There are no church buildings. Baptists and Christians worship alternately in the school-room.

Lowell is a station on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, located six miles south of Rogers. It was laid out in 1881 by J. R. McClure. J. W. Main built the first house in the place, and opened the first business–a grocery. Next, M. B. Hathaway erected the building now occupied by J. W. Williams, and opened [p.111] a general store therein. The business at this writing consists of two general stores, kept respectively by J. W. Williams and F. H. Rizer; a drug and grocery store, by Green Bros.; a grocery, by R. H. Odell; confections, by J. Plummer, and a blacksmith shop, by Daniel Wann. Also J. W. Williams and F. H. Rizer each have a fruit evaporator and grain warehouse. Grains, fruits, poultry, timber and railroad ties are extensively shipped from this place. The village contains a brick school-house and Masonic hall combined, and built conjointly by the Masons and public school board, the school-room being in the first story and the hall in the second. This building was erected in 1885.

Lowell Lodge No. 424, A. F. & A. M., was chartered in 1886, and it has now thirty-two members. The principal officers are J. F. Archer, W. M.; J. N. Tuttle, S. W., and J. W. Packer, J. W.

MAYSVILLE.

The Missionary Baptists, Methodists, South, and Christians worship in the school-room.

The village of Maysville, one of the oldest in the county, is situated on the State and Indian Territory line, twenty-one miles west and one and a-half miles north of Bentonville. An Englishman by the name of Tigret opened the first store in Maysville, in 1839. His most profitable trade was selling whisky to the Indians. He continued in business about ten years, and then returned to his native country, where he died. The second merchant in the place was a Jew, who did business about three years. Early in the forties Maysville contained six or seven stores, all of which did a thriving business, getting much of their trade from the Indians. The place continued to have this number of stores most of the time until the Civil War broke out. Then business was nearly wholly suspended or destroyed, and it has never regained its former magnitude. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, built through the Indian Nation, has cut off much of the trade formerly given to Maysville. It is claimed by old settlers that in 1846 Maysville was larger than Bentonville. The village lies entirely on the east side of the line, and all the business houses face toward the "Nation." The "line" is the main street, with the business on one side of it only.

Northwestern Lodge No. 36, A. F. & A. M., was organized at Maysville about the year 1850, prospered for many years, and suspended about ten years ago.

NEBO.

Directory of Maysville.–Dry goods, Freeman & Dumas, Henry Coats, Mrs. E. J. Tinnin (these also kept groceries); groceries and hardware, Thomas Keith; groceries, Samuel Ward, M. Harmon; harness and saddler, Isaac Harrouff; hotel, Line House, by Alex. McDonald; grist-mill, Spencer & Taylor; postoffice, Mrs. Mary Linch; physicians, C. F. Baker, E. N. Freeman, J. L. Larue, A. B. Bills. The town has a Union Church and a public school-house. Maysville is surrounded with a good country, and should it get a railroad, as contemplated, it will make an important trading point.

SPRINGTOWN.

This is a small village, containing two or three business houses, located on the line between Sections 12 and 13, in Township 20 north, Range 33 west. A post of the G. A. R., No. 62, was organized at this place August 29, 1888, with Robert Green as commander, and M. J. Anderson, adjutant.

This beautiful village is located on Flint Creek, eighteen miles southwest from Bentonville. It derives its name from its famous spring, which flows from the foot of a bank in the valley not more than fifteen feet high. The village lies just west of the spring, at the foot of the southern bluff of Flint Creek Valley. The hills beyond the valley, covered with their native forests, present cheerful scenery. Charles Kincheloe built the first house where Springtown is located, about the year 1841, and Isaac Dial built the next one close by the spring, and it is still standing. Soon thereafter a Mr. Yarberry built the next house, it being where Frank Wasson now lives. No business, however, was established at Springtown until 1868, when Manning Richardson opened the first store in the place, and built the first house in the town proper. Marion Seaburn was the next merchant, and Thomason & Northcut the next, neither of whom remain. The town was surveyed and laid out in lots in 1871. It lies in the southeast corner of Section 6, Township 18, Range 32, and is laid out on a bearing of south 59½ degrees west.

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[p.113] The following is its present business directory: General merchandise, W. D. Wasson, McGaugh Bros.; hardware, drugs and groceries, W. Collins & Co.; drugs, Sewell & Enterkine; hotel, J. L. Allen; steam grist and saw-mill, Mitchell & Loy; blacksmiths, Collins & Holland, Collins & Brown; boot and shoemakers, R. D. Morland, A. T. Moodey; post and telephone office, William J. Collins; physicians, N. Sewell, James Hall, T. H. Roughton; churches, Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, South. The Methodist Episcopal society has not as yet erected a church building. The village also contains a schoolhouse and lodge hall combined, the school-room being in the first story and the hall in the second.

Societies.–Springtown Lodge No. 222, A.F.& A. M., was chartered about the year 1868, and has now about thirty-five members. The principal officers are W. E. Garrett, W. M.; J. T. Chastine, S. W.; R. J. McGaugh, J. W.

Springtown Chapter No. 70, R. A. Masons, was chartered about the year 1873, and has now thirty members. This was the first chapter organized in Benton County. The present officers are J. F. Mitchell, High Priest; J. T. Chastine, King; Isaac January, Scribe. Both of these societies are in good financial condition, and both prosper in the work laid down on the

Masonic trestle-board

SILOAM CITY.

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This city is situated on Sager's Creek, in Hico Township, twenty-eight miles southwest from Bentonville, and has a population of about 1,500. It is within two miles of the western and six miles of the southern line of the county. Hico, which may be properly called a residence suburb of Siloam City, is a very old place for this country. Col. D. Gunter settled where he now resides, in Hico, in 1844, before the place had even become a village. About that time, or perhaps a little later, a post-office named Hico was established at a point about two miles from the present Hico. This office was soon thereafter moved to the village that now bears its name, and Hico became a trading point, especially for the Indians, who patronized it to a considerable extent. It continued to be the leading place in that corner of the county until Siloam City was established, which drew away nearly [p.114] all of its business except that of its flouring mills, and left it only a residence suburb.

That which led to the origin of Siloam City is its natural springs of pure, health-giving waters. In 1879 it was discovered that these waters contained medicinal qualities, and preparations were at once begun for the establishment of a summer resort. On the 24th of June, 1880, the first anniversary of the place was celebrated by a large and interesting meeting of the citizens of that vicinity. In March, 1880, J. V. Hargroves laid out the original plat of Siloam City, embracing parts of the northeast quarter and of the northwest of Section 6, in Township 17 north, Range 33 west. The following November East Siloam was laid out by Logan Teague. This addition contains the "college grounds and park," and a large number of lots. Couches' addition was the next one laid out, and in April, 1881, the additions of J. H. Beauchamp, T. R. Carles and William C. Tate were laid out. Johnson's addition was surveyed and laid out in November following. In January, 1882, "C. D. Gunter's Addition No. 1 to the town of Hico" and "S. G. Rogers' Addition to Hico and East Siloam" were laid out. At the same time, or soon thereafter, Gunter's second addition to Hico was laid out. By the foregoing it will be seen that the real estate owners in that vicinity intended to be ready at all times to accommodate persons desiring to purchase lots.

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As soon as the first plat of Siloam City was surveyed buildings began to be erected and the town began a rapid growth. John D. Hargrove opened the first business, a general store, on Main Street. The place rapidly gained a reputation as a sumner resort, and that fact, coupled with the prospects of the early completion of a railroad through it, induced many people to immigrate thereto. In 1880, the first year of its existence as a town, it was incorporated as such, and the influx of immigrants was so rapid that in 1881 it had acquired a population of over 3,000. It was then incorporated as a city of the second class. During the rapid increase of population it was impossible to build houses fast enough to supply the demand, consequently for a time many of the new-comers had to camp out in their wagons or in tents. To supply the demand for houses "the sound of the hammer" [p.115] was heard both day and night, and the whole town as it now stands, with the exception of a few buildings, was built in the first two or three years had gone there for the purpose of going into business discovered that the place was overdone, that the prospect for a railroad was not encouraging, and consequently moved away. Those also who went there in the summer of 1881, to get relief from the excessive heat and drouth of that year, returned to their respective homes, and the large population (being chiefly transient), on which the city obtained its charter, has dwindled away until it is now only about one-half of what it then was. Fortunately, however, Siloam City is situated in the midst of a good agricultural country, which will sustain it as a good, substantial trading place, even though it remains deprived of railroad facilities. The citizens still have hopes for a railroad, and when these hopes are realized, if ever, Siloam City will make a large and flourishing town, with a large and permanent population. The exceedingly pure water of its many springs, and the magnificent natural scenery surrounding it, and its healthy location, make it a most desirable place to live.

This place is commonly called "Siloam Springs," but the name given it on its first recorded plat is "Siloam City."

Siloam City is in fair financial condition, having a debt of only about $700. The city officers are D. R. Hammer, mayor; William H. Cravens, recorder, and Charles E. Copeland, marshal. The city is divided into three wards, and has two aldermen in each.

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Sales Transactions in 1887.–Seven general merchants, $76,000; three grocers, $22,500; two hardware, $6,500; three druggists, $7,100; two furniture, $8,500; one saddlery and harness, $8,000; two lumber dealers, $6,500; two newspapers and job printing, $2,900; two milliners and dressmakers, $1,400; one bed spring and mattress factory, $1,600; two watch-makers and jewelers, $1,600; three wheel-wrights and blacksmiths, $4,200; grain products, $18,000; live stock, $15,500; hides and furs, $2,100; 18,000 pounds wool, $3,600; 31,000 pounds dried fruit, $2,170; 53,000 dozen eggs, $5,300; 1,000 dozen quails, $2,000; 17,000 dozen pigeons, $6,800; deer, turkey and ducks, $930; [p.116] hotels, $2,900; butcher, $4,000; livery and transfer, $6,500; miscellaneous, $2,500–total, $220,100.

Present Directory of Siloam City.–Bank of Siloam, R. S. Morris, cashier; Z. T. Conley, assistant cashier.–General merchandise, Ewing & Gilbreath, Jacob Nathan, Crane Bros., R. S. Gibson, W. W. Brown, C. W. Hinds & Co., J. H. Chitty, R. G. Ravenscraft; groceries, Parker & Mason, R. D. Jordan, J. V. Tracy, Morris & Graves, C. B. Randall, Mrs. A. Bottoms; drugs, R. B. Pegues & Co., D. W. Atkinson & Co., W. F. Brooks & Co.; hardware, R. E. Henry, W. A. Griffin, Wyatt & Bartell; furniture, M. O. Hicks; harness and saddles, J. P. Carl; watch-makers and jewelers, N. L. Lindsay, H. J. Hancock; photograph gallery, B. M. Rakestraw; boot and shoemakers, A. H. Budd, P. R. Stanfield, J. F. Nethery, J. Eslinger; wheel-wrights, E. B. Rosson, Paul Williams; cabinet-maker, L. L. Goacher; carpenters, H. Jack, C. B. Randall, H. Mark, W. M. Jones, W. H. Hancock, O. C. Davis; blacksmiths, McNair Bros., Bruner & Daniels, H. M. Martin; Hico Roller Mills, Gunter & Late; evaporating factory, W. O. Morris; wool carding mills, J. H. Chitty; furniture factory, Chamberlain & Woodmansee; bed spring and mattress factory, L. M. Prowse; Distillery No. 129, C. E. Noyes; steam saw and planing mills, Hinds, Wisner & Ragsdale, Suttle & Bruner; physicians, J. T. Clegg, J. F. Runyan, G. W. Jackson; dentist, J. A. Doss; attorneys, A. T. Rose, E. D. Feno, J. H. Trader; real estate, D. Shafer, Z. Abernathy, Rose & Davis; hotels, Ewing House, J. M. Ewing, proprietor; Fountain House, A. J. Davis, proprietor; butchers, Tolbert & Spencer; livery, Breedlove & Cresswell, M. N. Donaldson, I. S. Davis; churches, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, South, Cumberland Presbyterian, Congregational, Missionary Baptist, Society of Friends, Christian; high-school–faculty last school year, principal, H. J. Blake; assistants, Misses Annie Egy and Gertie Backus, E. S. Gibbs.

Societies.–Key Lodge No. 7, A. F. & A. M., at Hico, was chartered long before the Civil War. At the beginning of the war its charter was taken to Texas, and kept by a lady who returned it after the war closed. The present principal officers are Felix Miller, W. M.; Dr. J. F. Clegg, S. W.; Frank Carl, J. W. It has a small membership.

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[p.117] Advance Lodge No. 435, A. F. & A. M., was chartered in 1887. Present officers, E. T. Smith, W. M.; G. W. Mead, S. W.; Rev. E. S. Gibbs, J. W. It has about thirty-five members, and is prospering. Among its charter members were W. H. Hancock, D. R. Hammer, G. W. Mead, A. J. Norris, J. H. Walker, D. B. Swallow, Levi Davis, J. J. Preece and R. P. Pegues.

Calumet Lodge No. 5, American Protective League, was chartered in the spring of 1886, with ten members. It now has thirty-seven members in good standing. Its officers are F. M. Reager, ruler; J. Van Butler, financial secretary; T. T. Chamberlain, recording secretary; S. A. Broyles, treasurer. It is progressing satisfactorily.

Agricultural Wheel, No. 984, was chartered in the fall of 1885, and has now about thirty members.

Streeter Union Labor Club was organized August 3, 1888, with thirty members. John H. Chitty, president; C. B. Randall, vice-president; A. J. Egy, secretary; J. B. Newbury, treasurer.

Siloam Springs Lodge No. 91, I. O. O. F., was chartered in 1882, with C. B. Randall, A. J. Egy, John H. Chitty, T. J. Patton, J. B. Newbury, John A. Denny and others as charter members. Present officers, A. G. Wilkinson, N. G.; C. B. Randall, V. G.; A. J. Egy, Sec.; W. F. Brooks, Treas. It has from thirty to forty members, and is in a prosperous condition.

Curtis Post No. 9, G. A. R., named after Gen. Curtis, of Pea Ridge fame, was chartered in 1884, and has had since its organization 109 members. Lewis Simmons is Post Commander, and E. D. Feno, Post Adjutant.

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The Siloam Press.–The first paper published in Siloam City was the Sun, established in 1880, by Thomas Gallagher. In 1881 it was changed to the Dispatch, continued about a year, and then suspended. The Globe was established in 1881, by D. O. Bell, who published it about one year only. The Arkansas Herald, an eight-column folio, was established in 1882, by S. Abernathy, who published it two years, and then transferred it to Messrs. Grammer & Dameron, who published it one year, and then J. B. Dameron became sole manager of the paper, and continues to publish it. It has a good circulation, and is Democratic in politics. The Locomotive, a six-column quarto, was [p.118] established in December, 1886, at Springdale, Ark., by H. Milton Butler and J. Van Butler, and was moved by the latter to Siloam Springs in August, 1887, where it continues to be published; J. Van Butler is sole proprietor. The paper is independent in politics, and has also a good circulation. The Siloam papers are well printed and edited, and receive liberal support from local advertisers.

This delightful summer resort is beautifully situated in the vale of Butler Creek, on Section 23, Township 21 north, Range 33 west, and on the line of the survey of the Kansas City, Fort Smith & Southern Railroad, now graded to Split-Log, in Missouri. It was surveyed and laid out in December, 1885, by S. B. Robertson, for the proprietors, Hibler & Cox. Lyons' addition thereto was laid out in May, 1887, and the whole village was re-surveyed in July of that year, by Mr. Robertson, for Charles Hibler and John Black. The group of springs at this place "includes one white sulphur, one potash sulphur, one magnesia, one chalybeate, one nitre, and one intermittent freestone spring, and is distant by highway northwest from Bentonville eighteen miles; from Split-Log, Mo., sixteen miles; from the Missouri State line, one and one-half miles, and from the line of the Indian Territory, eight and one-half miles." The village, surrounding the main group of springs, lies on a gently inclining plane, with a gravelly soil, and the natural scenery in every direction is "romantic and wild," like that usually seen from the valleys of a mountainous country. The village is in the heart of a region of cavernous limestone caves, there being fifteen caves within the radius of five miles. An elevated site, just south of the village and springs and overlooking the same, has been selected for the erection of a commodious hotel. The promenade grounds reserved around the springs contain several acres, beautifully ornamented and shaded with natural forest trees, some of which are gigantic in size. Of the five vales, which form a junction at this place, three of them open toward the southward, and the place is protected from the chilling winds of winter by a semi-circular mountain ridge rising high above it.

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[p.119] The flow of the mineral springs is sufficient to supply 10,000 people. The supply of water for domestic use, the source of which are springs near at hand, is collectively 700,000 gallons per day. The largest of the springs producing this supply is about one and a half miles southeast of the village, and over 100 feet above it. A good hotel, with adjacent cottages for the accommodation of guests, is now in operation, under the able management of Mr. Charles Hibler and his lady. An excellent bath-house has just been completed. A first-class livery stable stands near the pleasure grounds, the proprietors of which are always ready to furnish rigs for pleasure drives.

The village also contains a post-office, stores, a school-house,and a number of residences, and deserves especial mention as being the neatest and most cleanly kept village or town in Benton County. The approaches to the village are by hack line from Bentonville; by same from Southwest City, Mo., ten miles; and from Split-Log, Mo., sixteen miles, and it is confidently expected that this will soon be improved by railroad communication north and south.

There is no doubt about the waters at Sulphur Springs containing medicinal qualities, as every person that has used them can readily testify. The white sulphur spring is the most noted, and contains the greatest amount of curative qualities. With or without a railroad, this place is bound to remain a favorite resort for invalids and pleasure seekers.

The Benton County Bulletin, published at Sulphur Springs, was established at Bentonville in July, 1888, by its present editor and proprietor, John R. Huffman, and was moved to Sulphur Springs early in September following. It is a four-column quarto, is neatly printed, and labors in the interest of Republican principles.

VANWINKLE MILLS.

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This very lively place is situated on Section 22, Township 19 north, Range 28 west, and is worthy of especial mention on account of its being the headquarters of the native lumber industry of Benton and other counties. Peter Vanwinkle erected the first saw-mill at this place in 1858, and ran it until some time during the war, when it was burned, it is said, by [p.120] Confederate bushwhackers to prevent its being used by the Federal armies. It was rebuilt in 1866 and run until 1882, when it passed into the hands of J. A. C. Blackburn, son-in-law of its original proprietor. Mr. Blackburn has made some improvements, and continues the business on an extensive scale. The mills are inclosed in a building 70×90 feet in size, two stories high, and all covered with an iron roof. The power consists of a 150-horse power engine, with a 22×30 inch cylinder, and a balance wheel twenty feet in diameter and weighing 20,000 pounds. The steam capacity, equal to 200-horse power, consists of three boilers twenty-four feet in length and forty-two inches in diameter, with four twelve inch flues in each. The smoke stack is five feet in diameter and sixty feet high. The machinery consists of one circular saw, two planers, three cut-off saws, two rip saws, one resawing machine for making bevel siding, one shingle machine, one scroll saw, two moulding machines, one tenanting machine, one mortising machine, one automatic emory wheel for grinding planer bits, one lathe for turning iron and one for turning wood.

WAR EAGLE MILLS.

Mr. Blackburn has also another mill at Rock House, in Madison County; capacity, 20,000 feet per day, with all machinery for preparing the lumber ready for the builder's use. He also has in his employ two portable mills, one in Madison County and one in Benton County, four miles east of the home mill, cutting lumber for him by the thousand feet. The capital invested in this enterprise, including mills, machinery, teams, wagons, lands, etc., is about $60,000. The immense amount of lumber manufactured by Mr. Blackburn is all sold in home markets–in Benton, Madison and Washington Counties. He employs fifty hands, about twenty in Madison and thirty in Benton County, and he owns 17,000 acres of land, principally in these counties, 16,500 of it being timbered and the balance being farm land.

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This little village, consisting of the War Eagle Roller Mills, a large general store, blacksmith shop, and other industries, together with a small number of residences, is located in the beautiful and romantic valley of War Eagle Creek, in the southeast [p.121] part of Benton County. Sylvanus Blackburn built the first mills at this place, consisting of a saw-mill and grist-mill, in 1848. These mills were used for a number of years, and until a second grist-mill, four stories high, was erected. This mill was burned during the war by order of a Confederate general, as claimed by Mr. Blackburn. The present mills were built about 1872. They are now operated by James K. P. Stringfield, who does an extensive business. This is one of the best water powers in Arkansas.

Continued in part 1a