Old Pete and The Wildcat
Many years back I was in Jacksonport one day and meeting up with some of my old cquaintances, we concluded to go in a saloon and get some of the "hot" to warm the "coal" and some of the "coal" to warm the "hot". After we had got replenished with a sufficient quantity to make us feel like we was at peace with the world and all mankind, John Mankin asked me if he had ever told me the joke on Pete, his neighbor.
I says "no, not that
I know of". "Well", he says, "I must tell it on him". Of course I says,
"yes". "Well", he says, "me and Pete heard a turkey a gobbling one
morning and I says let's
go and kill him for dinner. Pete says,
all right, so we got our guns and away we go in the direction of the turkey.
We come to a log in the vicinity of the turkey, when Pete says to me, I
will hide by this log and shoot it when it comes up. So I goes and
gets where he said, him down calling like a turkey hen. The gobbler
heard him and was comin strutting and gobbling, and
tearing up the ground, as usual for gobblers
to do on such occasions, by this time the gobbler had got within one hundred
yards of me and I was looking with all the eyesight I had to see him, when
I saw a very large wildcat creeping up to the log where Pete was calling
and my attention was drawn off so that I didn't think about shooting
the d--- thing until it was too late. It crept up to within jumping
distance of the log and on the opposite side from Petes, when it gave a
leap over to log lighting right on top of Pete, with all four feet.
"After it had got in the air it could not stop itself, and by the time it go to the top of the log it knew Pete was no turkey, and commenced sqalling as it let on the shoulders of Petes. The the squalling commenced in earnest and I never heard such d--- squalling both scared nearly to death. The wildcats claws had got fastened in Petes clothing and it was trying to get off of him, and him trying to get loose from the cat. It had put every nail in Petes hide good and deep".
"When it finally got loose from Pete it run up a tree and I shot it dead. When Pete come to his senses a little he said, why in the h--- didn't you shoot that cat sooner. I had to lie to him, for fear I would have him to fight, but some days afterwards I told him the truth about it. So we went home, Pete bleeding and mad".
"It was a case of a wildcat on one side wanting turkey for breakfast, and me and Pete on the other side wanting turkey for dinner, and all defeated".
Hunters in them days
took great delight in telling jokes on each other. If was to
take the pains and tell all the jokes I have heard and such on old hunters
it would make a book as large
as Websters unabridged dictionary, and I may
sometime write them, too, if I have as much good luck as bad.
Chapter
46
Old Joe Egner's Ship Wreck
In the year 1834 Old Joe Egner was doing a mercantile business in the town of Batesville, in the county of Independence, and Territory of Arkansas. He was one of the first settlers of that place.
In the fall of that
year he made at trip to New Orleans in a flat boat to bring back a load
of dry goods and groceries. On his way back, two days back up the
Mississippi River, on dark night, the boat struck a snag, and in two or
three minutes all was under water and gone. What few of them who
could swim went at it, and them that could not, went under. Out of
about thirty
passengers and crew twenty one got out.
Old Joe said when the water came to him it was all over him at once, and that he went off with the tide, swimming, not knowing which way to go, as it was so dark he could not see anything. He thought he would keeo himself up and try and keep from drowning as long as he could.
All at once he strikes
a loose stage plank and he grabbed it fast and held on to it and went on
floating down the river, in a little while he felt someone grab the other
end of the plank. He told hiim for Gods sake to not get on the plank, only
just hold to it, which they both done, and they floated down the river
for some five miles, and at last floated down to the shore and a bush
scratched Old Joe's face; he grabbed it and
the other man struck the shore. They both then crawled out on shore
and was so numb they could hardly get up on the bank. Fortunately
there was a house close by which they went to and stayed until morning.
The next morning a
steam boat come along which they hailed. It landed and took them on and
carried them to the mouth of White River, where they got off. They,
then, had to walk home two
hundred miles, as no steam boat would venture
up White River, in them days.
He had about a thousand dollars worth of goods on his boat when it sunk, which was fully insured, however. He had his duplicate and four hundred dollars in notes on different banks all safe belted around him next to his hide.
He arrived home safe and sound and got his insurance money all right. But, he told me that would be his last trip on the water, and it was. Uncle Joe has gone to the world unknown, whence no traveler returns.
I don't suppose there are but few living who ever heard him tell this, and that is the reason I have written it.
Chapter
47
Old Judge Tully's Cangaroo Court With The Typical Natives
I will tell you young
readers how sharp we were here in early times, in law matters ect. expecially
in some of the counties where coon skin caps, with the tail hanging down
behind
were very fashionable.
Thomas T. Tully was
the circuit Judge at that time. On the time of which I speak, the
grand jury was summoned as usual, and on the day appointed for them to
be there, here they come with
their guns, shot pouches, and belts on with
their butcher knives in them, all with coon skin caps on tails hanging
down their back and all with leather suits on, which had become as slick
as a
ribon from contact with grease.
They all answered ready for business. So the role was called and they were sworn in, and instructed as usual and retired, out to a vacant log to await any business as that might come before them.
The court house was
an old black smith shop, and when the jurors first arrived they stacked
their guns in one corner of the shop. Judge Tulley's seat was in
the other corner on top of the
old furnace, with an old bench for his seat.
The first case for
the grand jury to investigate was this; there had come in the neighborhood
a man who had brought an old pack-saddle with him, of a diferent style
from any that had ever
been seen in this country. The suspicion
was, that he had stolen with it and he was reported to grand jury at once.
The grand jury questioned the witness very closely as to the case. The witness testified that the reason he believed the pack-saddle was stolen that it was of a different pattern from any ever seen in the country before. Then he went on to describe it as follows; It had for the fore tree a forked limb, cut to fit the hind tree, and two slabs hewn out to fit the sides of the horse, with not much pains taken in dressing them. The jury then discharged the witness.
They then consulted with each other, and after they had weighed the testimony in the case, they concluded that the prisoner was guilty, and brought in a verdict of "guilty of manslaughter", and presents it to the judge.
The judge says gentleman "give your bill to the Clerk". The clerk saw the mistake and whispered to the Judge the mistake the grand jury had made. Then the court tells them that they was not to try the case; they were only to find a bill if the case was a good one.
So the jury went out the second time and called the witness and examined him again and found the same man guilty of murder in the first degree. They take their verdict and give it to the clerk this time. The clerk tells the Judge that the jury had found the same man guilty of murder in the first degree.
The judge now got
very angry, and says, "I have told you that you had no jurisdiction to
try the case" and went on to say a right smart to them. The foreman
of the jury got mad, jerked off his
coon skin cap, throwed it down on the ground
in front of the old furnace on which the Judge was setting, and says to
him "you may go to H--- and we will go home". So they gathered up
their caps
and guns and pulled out leaving the Judge
setting there. This broke up Judge Tulley court for that time.
Chapter
48
Old Bill Cliften and Old Bill Wooton
In the year 856, at
old Athens, in Izard County, Arkansas, old Bill Clifton one day concluded
he would have some fun out of old Bill Wooton. It seems that Wooten
owed Clifton a small
amount of money and Clifton had been in the
habit of dunning him for it every time he met him, and Wooton would put
him off with a promise to pay soon.
So on this occasion Clifton
concluded he would have some fun out of Wooton about the debt; accordingly
Clifton got one of these old fashioned ink stands with a vial in one end
of it. The vial was empty and had the cork out which made it look very
much like a pistol. So Clifton told some men he wanted them to see
the ink stand and see him draw it on Wooten when he come in town,
so they could be his witnesses.
So when Wooton come
in town and Clifton catches him in a crowd and after passing compliments
with him, says, "have you got that little change by this time, Mr. Wooton"?
Wooton says, "no, but I will get it for you soon". "No you won't",
says Clifton, "and I intend to take it out of your hide you old liar, and
don't you give me any of your jaw, either, for I would as soon shoot
you as to look at you, you old scam p".
Wooton said somethingback to him. Clifton says, "stand back gentleman,
I will shoot the d--- rascal", and jerked out the inkstand and presented
it toward Wooton. He saw the neck of the inkstand and thought it
was the muzel of a pistol, and takes to his heels, like a good fellow,
Old Clifton right after him, going around the crowd, Clifton hollowing
to the crowd all the time to "stand back that he was going to shoot".
Wooton finally makes
a bee line and heads for home and "distance soon lent enchantment to view".
When Wooton hets home he goes to Judge Jeffrey and gets a warrant and carries
it to the
bailiff, but Clifton beats Wooton to the bailiffs
and goes a short distance from the house and hides in the brush.
Presently Wooton comes up to Jeffreys puffing and blowing with his warrant,
and tells the circumstance to the bailiff,
then goes back.
Clifton saw Wooton go off and goes walking down to the house and asked Jeffrey if Wooton had been there. Jeffrey told hiim that he had just left there, and had left a warrant for Clifton for attempting to shoot him on last evening. Cliffton says, "I will come in and let you arrest me". So he was arrested and had witnesses summoned, which he had previously shown the inkstand. A day was set for trial and the case called. Clifton answered ready for trial on the day set.
When the accusation
was ready Clifton denied it, pleading "not guilty", saying, "I can prove
myself clear of the charge sir". His witnesses were called and testified
that it was an inkstand
instead of a pistol that Clifton was trying
to shoot Bill Wooton with.
Then the laughing commenced and Old Bill Wooton left badly sold out. Old Bill Clifton holloed at him as he left and ask him if he had any more cases on the docket to dispose of.
Chapter
49
Old Daniel Hively and Old Bill Clifton Fight About The Cableroap
Daniel Hively, Bill Clifton, Joe Churchill and John Smith came from Michigan to the Territory of Arkansas, in the year 1819.
Old Daniel Hively,
or uncle Dan, as we all called him, would have a fisticuff every once in
a while. He would fight any man, it dident make any difference how
big he was, and when he got
enough he would say so. Hively
weighed about one hundred and sixty five pounds. If he fought a man
one day and met up with him the next day and the man gave him any jaw he
had him to fight
that day, or else run. But if the other
man was friendly so was uncle Dan.
Old Bill Clifton, spoken of in the preceeding chapter was a good match for uncle Dan, both in size and temper. About the year 1850, Hively and Clifton were each flatboating to Batesville. In those days boat cables were very scarce here, if you got one you had to go to Batesville after it.
Hively had bought him a cable and one day Clifton goes to Hively and borrows his cable roap to tie his raft to Batesville, and tells him that he will fetch it back up the river in a canoe. Hively told him if he would do that he would let him have it, telling him he would need the rope by that time.
So Clifton takes the rope with the above understanding and runs his raft to Batesville, sells it and leaves the cable roap at Batesville and walks home. In a few days after this Clifton and Hively meets up together, and Hively says to Clifton, "did you bring my rope back, Clifton", Clifton says, "no there is a boat coming up the river in a few days and I got the Captain to bring it. It will be up soon".
There was not a word
of this true, Clifton had got miffed at Hively about something and was
doing this to aggravate Hively. In a few days they met again and, Hively
says, "have you got that
roap up yet", "no," says Clifton. "I will
sue you if you don't get it pretty soon," says Hively.
This was just what Clifton wanted and he said to Hively, "sue and be d-----, you old rascal." Hively throws off his coat and says, "you can't do that you d----- old rascal," and at it they went.
They had it round
and round for some time, who should and who shouldent, and at last Clifton
says to Hively, "that will do, and Hively gets off of him. Clifton
was a very aggravating man
when he took a notion to be. In a few
days him and Hively met again, and he says to Hively, "Howdy Mr Hively,
will you take some more of that cable roap this morning," Hively
says, "yes, I
believe I will" and they threw off their
coats and at it they went, up and down, knocking like two mules, and at
last they knocked loose from each other and quit.
This is the second fight they have on the cable roap and not done yet. The next time they met Hively was miller at the old Athens grist mill. Clifton went to the mill to get some corn ground. Hively come out and spoke to Clifton rolled the turn of corn off of the horse on Hively's shoulder. As Hively started in the mill with the corn Clifton says to him, "Mr Hively, will you have another bit of that cable roap this morning, Hively says when I take this sack in I will take another piece. So when he had set the sack down by the hopper he went out to where Clifton was standing waiting for him, and at it they went. It was tight up and tight up this time, no one present but them two.
Hively has spoken
of this fight often in my presence, and he said they both were about shipped,
and both agreed to stop, and done so. They went to the creek and
washed themselves and come
back to the mill and Hively ground Clifton's
corn and they both shouldered it up and put it on Clifton's horse and Clifton
got on him and he went home tired and sore. Hively said he was tired
and sore, also.
Time rolled on for
a year or two, when, one day at Mt. Olive when court was in session at
that place, and in one morning soon, Hively and Clifton met on the street.
Clifton saw Hively coming
and wanted to pay some more on the cable rope,
he filled his mouth full of tobacco, and by the time he gets in reach of
Hively he takes the tobacco out of his mouth and flings it in Hively's
face.
Hively says, "Clifton I will take another bit of that cable roap this morning, after that. And at it they went twisting and tumbleing, scratching and hooping. Hively got the start in this fight and got the best of Clifton. Got all the cable as it were, for this was the last of his and Cliftons fights on earth.
I was holding county court at Mt. Olive at the time of this fight. It took place before the court house door. I sat on my bench and watched the fight throughout.
Old Bill Clifton went
to Batesville once and had a fight with a man. At the trial he had
Townsend Dickson to defend him in the case. Dickson got up and in
about ten minutes he had the
case throwed out of court. Clifton told
him he would pay him his fee, which was ten dollars, the next time he come
down. So in a few days Clifton was there again, and Dickson had just
bought a
raft; he wanted it a little further down the
river and told Clifton if he would drop it down for him he would pay him
for it. So Clifton dropped it down, which took him about ten minutes, Dickson
asks him what he charged and he told him, ten dollars.
In a few days after
Hivelys last fight with Clifton, Hively was passing by Clifton's house,
and saw him standing in the door. Hively says, "come and go with me and
hear me preach tonight."
Clifton says, "all right, wait till I get
my hat." He went with Hively, and took a seat close by him in the
pulpit and stayed till meeting was over then, they walked out and back
to Cliftons together, thus at once they were foes and at once they were
friends.
Chapter
50
Old Bill Clifton and Old Bill Taylor
Many years back, Old
Bill Clifton had a favorite heifer cow and tried to keep a sharp
lookout after her, but one morning she give Old Aunt Betty Clifton the
dodge and Old Bill hunted the
woods through and through but failed to find
hair or hide of her.
The next morning he
starts out early to take another search, and meets Old Bill Taylor, who
tells him that he had seen the cow about six miles from there the day before,
on a certain glade.
As Clifton knew the glade well and starts
out with renewed energy, crippling along, his feet sore from his walk the
day before, his old shoes about gone to pieces, and when he gets to the
glade he hunts the woods out and finds no cow, not even a cow track.
He now saw that Taylor had lied to him in order to have a big laugh at him. Old Clifton was some on yarns. So he says nothing about the cow hunt, and waits two or three months, studying about how he would pay Taylor back for his lie.
So one day Clifton
goes to mill, the post office being kept there at the mill. As he
comes on back he rides about two miles out of his way in order to go by
Taylors house. He rides up and
asks Taylors wife where Taylor was; she told
Clifton he was down in the field plowing. Clifton rode on to where
he was and he was just taking out for the night.
Clifton says, "Howdo Mr. Taylor, I have just come by to tell you theres a letter in the post office for you. I would have brought it out but the postmaster said it was a registered letter and I could not take it out without an order so, I thought I would come by and tell you it was there so you could go and get it.
Taylor leads his old
poor horse out, the horse bare foot and very tender, his back sharp from
being so poor, gets on him and away he starts to the post office, without
waiting for his supper
or anything else, it being about four
miles to the post office.When he gets there he called the postmaster up
who told him there was no letter and had not been for him.
Taylor said Clifton
told him at dark there was a registered letter there for him. They
went to the office and after looking the papers over Taylor was informed
there was no letter. He
commenced cursing Clifton for all the lies
that he could think of, and said he would whip him, on sight, that he would.
Taylor had forgotten the lie he had told Clifton about the cow on the glade. So he goes on back home, with murder in his eye, swearing he would whip Clifton on sight.
In a few days Clifton
and Taylor met in a crowd of us White River boys, Taylor sees Clifton and
commenced cursing and says to Clifton, "what did you tell that d--- lie
about that letter for."
Clifton, looking as innocent as he could,
says, "was there no letter there, Taylor?" "No," says Taylor, "and
you knew there was none when you told me that lie". "Oh, well" says
Clifton, "I
guess that letter has gone to hunt that
cow of mine you saw in the glade". Then the crowd commenced laughing.
Chapter
51
John Steward Spooms Into White River, While Asleep
John Steward, Mose
Steward and James Wilson one time went out on a camp hunt as people frequently
done here. They stayed out several days and night. It was very
cool frosty nights, so
cool they could not sleep much, their covering
being light.
When they lay down
of nights to sleep they had away of turning all the same way to keep as
warm as possible; when they wanted to turn over they would say spoom, and
then turn all at
the same time.
One night it happened
that they had not slept very well, and the next day being very warm and
pleasant, John Steward was bumming around and got very sleepy, so he concluded
he would lie
down and take a nap. So he lies down
and was soon fast asleep, when Jim Wilson, one of the most devilish men
in the world, comes along and sees him lying there in the sunshine.
He slips up to
Steward and gives him a punch in the side,
and says, "spoom John," and John spoomed over at once off the bank, which
was about eight feet high, into the river, which was about four feet
deep and covered with a thin coating of ice.
He had to wade down the river for about fifty yards before he could get out, cursing and puffing, swearing he would whip Wilson. Wildon run off and kept out of his way all day and in the evening he turned up at camp and all took a good laugh at Steward.
Steward was one of these men that was not lazy, but forgetful, when there was anything to do he was allways out of the way.
Chapter
52
Old Bill Clifton and Old Lige Williams
Old Lige Williams and Old Bill Clifton were out boating together and one night at supper they fell out and quarreled awhile. At last they rose up and at it they went, fighting. They had so much of red eye they could not walk, and they had it 'round and 'round, scuffling on the ground, and finally separated and was feeling for each other, and Old Clifton fell on Old Lige William's feet, and Clifton took William's big toe in his teeth and clapped down on it, and held on to it with all the grip he had in his jaws. Old Lige hollowing all the time to part them. Some men run and parted them. They had to choke Old Clifton to get him loose from Old Lige's toe.
The next morning they were good friends again and all right except Old Lige's big toe, it was very sore. Old Lige says, to Clifton, "I am sorry you bit my toe so hard" Clifton says, "diden't you know that a turtle like to bite a mans toe when he got the chance.
This happened on upper White River at the mouth of a creek called Falen Ash Creek in Marion County, Arkansas, about sixty years ago.
Chapter
53
Hutcherson's Tragic Death On The Plains By The Indians
I will tell you of a farful circumstance which happened to a company of gold seekers on their way to California across the plains in 1886.
People would collect in as large crowds as possible to go together for protection to each other on the way. Some of the Wolfs, Adams and one of the Hutchersons all connection, went on all right guarding their stock, as they had to do when they got in the plains among the Indians and other thieving scamps.
One night the Indians gave their horses a stampede on the plains, and made them scatter in every direction and in the morning the men went out to hunt the horses.
There were some forty
men in the company; they hunted all day and found some here and some
there, and not all found. They hunted two days more and found all
but one and that was
Hutchersons fine horse, and they went on without
him Hutcherson so mad he could hardly live to think they would steal his
horse.
Hutcherson said, "the first Indian I see off by himself I allow to shoot him". Some of his crowd told him to not do that, for he might kill the wrong Indian. The second day out however he saw one off by himself and up with his gun and killed him sure enough. The third morning just about day light there come about one hundred and fifty Indians all in a breast, and halts some distance from them, then four of them laid down their weapons and advanced, toward the Americans, and hollowed for four of them to do likewise.
So four of the Americans went and met them, and the old chief says to them, "One of your men killed one of my men yesterday he saw on log, we never do you Meliken men any harm and you kill my man, we no take your horse, no cow, we good red man, that red man you kill he good red man and we want that Meliken man who killed our men, we want him to kill him, too".
They talked and persuaded for a long time but the Indian would listen to no reasonable terms, only that they would have that Meliken man that killed their brother. The Americans offered them horses, cattle, and money. It done no good, they would have nothing only the man, and at last told the Americans that they would kill the last one of them if they did not give him up.
The chief said, "We not mat at you, only that one that killed our brother red man." They saw there was no chance for a comprimise, and ask the chief if he could pick out the man that killed the red man. The Chief said yes, "me find the man," and spoke to four of his men to come and go with him, and told the Americans to pick four of their men to come, and they went.
They got in about thirty steps of the Americans, and the Chief told them that were with him to stop and him and the captain would go on and find the man.
So the Old Chief and
the Captain went on and every one the Chief met he would say, "you kill
my brother," each one would say no, and the chief went on for some time
asking the same way,
when the old chief stopped still for a moment,
and said, yonder he is, and went up to Hutcherson, and says to him "you
killed my brother," Hutcherson said, "yes, and I want to kill more of you,
you trifling wretches."
The Chief says, "you come and go with me, you bad man, we kill you, " and Hutcherson refused to go. The old chief turned to the red men who were with him and told them to come and get Hutcherson and take him to their wigwam.
So they come and took
him and carried him off to their wigwam. There they formed a ring
around him. In the mean time he had concealed a knife in his clothes
and they stepped up and
told him they were going to kill him, and
as they endeavored to do so, he run at them with his knife, when one of
the Indians shot him and he fell. They then run up and stabbed him
to death.
This was told me by one of the men who was in the party after he come back from California. I knew Hutcherson from a boy and he was grit to the core.
Chapter
54
Old Bill Trimble Killed By Grant
About the year
1811 the two Trimbles, Bill and Wat, very noted characters, emigrated to
the White River valley. They wanted to do something to immortalize
their characters and they
stopped at a mans house o their way
here and called for their suppers. There was two women at the house
who got their suppers for them. After they had eaten their suppers
they wanted to stay
all night.
The ladies told him
that the man of the house, whose name was Grant, was not at home, and that
they could, therefore not keep them. They said they would stay anyhow
and the two women
could not help themselves. They treated
the two women verybadly. When this man Grant come home and learned
what they had done, he rigged up and followed the two men. Keeping
himself in
disguise, he soon got to be very intimate
with Bill Trimble. They made arrangements to go down the river together,
hunting, in August.
They stopped at a mans by the name of Hawthorns for dinner. Trimble was drinking while there. A very old woman cautioned Trimble for his safety while there, from a dream she had had the night before.
There is a rock standing in the field there where they got their dinner the size of an ordinary house. She told him that she dreamt that she saw an owl setting on that rock, and that it flew down on the ground and she went to it and it was Bill Trimble.
They left there late
in the evening, to go to where there were two women by the name of Carter
lived, to stay all night. It was after dark when they got there, and sometime
afterwards, Grant pretending to be drunk, picked up his gun and swore he
was going on that night. Trimble followed him out and prevailed on him
to go back in the house, which he done, but left his gun
outside. He soon made another start
to go and went out of the house carrying Trimbles gun. Trimble followed
him to the door trying to get him to come back, when Grant shot him dead
with his own gun.
The women were greatly
alarmed. He went in the house and told them that he would not hurt
them. He then told them that his name was Grant, and that he
had killed him for abusing his
wife in Kentucky. Grant called his gun "sweet
lips" and the gun is a relic in Izard County yet. He turned Trimble
over to see that he was dead and bade the women good night. Grant
was not
heard of any more till he got to Wat Trimbles,
at the head of Trimble's island, where he landed his canoe and went up
to the house, and found Wat Trimble almost dead with consumption, and
unable to walk. He told Trimble his
name was Grant and that it was his wife he had abused in Kentucky, and
that he had killed his brother and had stopped to kill him, but said to
him, "your
Maker is killing you fast enough." He
then got in his canoe and was never heard of on White River any more.
They carried Bill Trimble and buried him where the old lady dreamed she saw the owl light by the rock.
Chapter
55
The Killing of Jeff Jones by Jim Trimble
About the year 1828
Jeff Jones came from Georgia to the White River valley to buy land.
He stopped here for a few days with a man by the name of Partee.
There was at the same time a
man by the name of Jim Trimble stayed at Partees,
also, at the same time as Jones. One time Jeff Jones said to Partees
in the presence of Jim Trimble that he wanted to buy some of the
rich
bottom land on White River and that he had
the money to pay for it, and that he wished Partees to assist him in purchasing
a claim, of the largest bottom he could find.
Partees told him that he would do so. Jones said, in the presence of Jim Trimble that he was going up the river to the place known as sugar loaf country on White River to see how he would like that country before he went back to Georgia; and he sets a time to start.
Jim Trimble told him
that he was well acquainted with that part of the country and he would
like to go along with him if he had no objection, as he was doing nothing
anyway. Jones accepted
of his offer as he was a stranger and was
glad of company in a wilderness country, like this was at that time; and
plenty of Shawnee Indians on the South side of White River.
So they got ready
and starts for the Sugar Loaf ferry which is on upper White River.
Jones by this had made Jim Trimble a bosom friend, thinking him all right.
They was to be gone about
two weeks. It being such a wilderness
country, and Trimble being acquainted, he was to be the pilot.
Time went on and in about
a week after they started some one happened to be out hunting for game,
and come across a horse with a part of a bridle on his head, and they catch
the horse and
brought him in. He being a stray horse
they began to inquire for the owner. Partees comes along and looks
at the horse and said it was Jeff Jones's horse which Jones had rode off
from his
house, with Jim Trimble.
In about three weeks
Jim Trimble come back to Partees and they told him that Jeff Jones horse
had been found by some hunters. Trimble seemed to be very much astonished
about it, and
said that him and Jones separated two days
after they started and that he had not seen him since. But Jim Trimble
had Jone's saddle, he said they swapped saddles after they got started
on
their journey.
Trimble had some washing
done at Partees and there was blood found on his clothes when they were
undone, and they told him of it. He said he killed one of the biggest
bucks he wver saw while
he was gone, and that he had a fearful fight
with it before he got it killed.
Partees said that Jeff JOnes went off with about three hundred dollars in money. The citizens now began to suspicion Trimble, and concluded to arrest him and see if they could get any trace of Jones as Trimble seemed to be very flush with money.
They ordered Trimble to jail, but there being none he was guarded for some time, they thinking they would get some clue as to the whereabouts of Jones. They took Trimble to the county seat of Izard county, which was at the mouth of the Big North Fork of White River. There they guarded him for some time but could find out nothing definite.
It seems that Jeff Jones had come to lower White River, some time before he had come to Partees, and was there engaged to be married to a lady by the name of Oneal, and she come and got the horse to keep until there comes a better owner for him, and a fine horse he was too. Jeff Jones had rode him from Georgia.
This woman got her
uncle to go with her to hunt for Jones, but they could find no trace of
him. They stayed over night with my uncle as they went up on the
search and also, as they come. I
happened to be there both times they stayed
at my uncles, I thought that Bige Oneal had the finest gun I ever saw.
While Oneal and the
young lady was up on this trip Jim Trimble was killed. They were
guarding him in a small house. Just after dark there was an owl hollowed
three times. In about
an hour after that Jim Trimble lay down on
some blankets for a bed, but before Trimble lay down he got a long bench
and set it up edgeways along side of a crack between two logs which he
lay
down by. He had not been lying there
long before someone poked a rifle through the crack and fired it.
The bullet went throught the inch board and through Jim Trimble lodging
in his clothes on the inside of his shirt on the opposite side of him from
the wall of the house.
Trimble rose to his feet and fell dead without speaking a word. Some one had put something in the lock of the door on the outside to keep them from opening it, so that who ever it was that done the shooting could have time to get away before they were seen by the guard opening the door. Jim Trimble had two hundred and ten dollars in his pocket when he was shot, and people who said they knew him, said he had no money of his own.
Chapter
56
Killing of Henderson by Jessee Jeffrey
I will give you the account of the killing of old man Henderson by Jessee Jeffrey. Henderson had knocked Jessee's father down with his gun after shapping it at him twice, it not making fire, which was proven in court at Jessee Jeffreys trial.
The trouble come up in this way; Old Henderson had an only daughter and Jessee Jeffrey and her had been keeping each others company and was engaged to be married. Henderson wanted to break up the match, so he goes and inters Old James Jeffrey's land. In a few days, Henderson meets Jessee Jeffrey at a still house. Henderson was drinking as usual staring around, and throwing out inemiations as usual. Jeffrey, a boy of only seventeen years was trying to keep out of his way as much as possible, as he knew he was mad at him about his keeping company with his daughter. So Jessee Jeffrey, after being abused by Henderson, goes home and tells James Jeffrey, his father, about it, and about Henderson entering his land. This angered Jeffrey and he went and swore out a warrant for Henderson for abusing young Jessee, who was a minor, and gave the writ to James Kerkindoll, who was the sheriff summoned a possee of men, consisting of the following; Old man Jeffrey, Daniel Jeffrey and Jessee his two sons and three others to go with him and help arrest old Henderson.
When they got to Hendersons he warned the sheriff to not cross his steps, as he would not be arrested by any such d----- rascals. The sheriff tried to reason the case with Henderson. It done no good. The sheriff then said, "we will take you sir," and ordered him to surrender.
Henderson told him
that he would be d----if he surrendered, and said he would kill the first
man that crossed the fence. Henderson was standing with his gun in his
hand. The sheriff got
over the fence, his possee right after him,
and started to the house, James Jeffrey in front. All the men with
their guns except old man Jeffrey, who was rather in front. All the men
with their guns except old man Jeffrey. Then Henderson saw they were
determined to arrest him, he presented his gun at old James Jeffrey, who
was rather in front and snapped it at him the second
time and the fire fell to the floor.
henderson was standing in his own door all this time and when old James
Jeffrey got close enough Henderson clubbed his gun and struck Jeffrey on
the head
and layed him dead, as they thought.
When young Jessee saw his father fall he snatched Daniel Jeffrey's gun
out of his hands, and says, "will you stand that" and shot Henderson down.
As he
fell he said, "the D--- rascal has killed
me." This was the last he spoke.
Old James Jeffrey finally got up but he had a desperate wound on his head, where Henderson hit him with the gun. I have seen the scar many a time.
Of course young Jessee got further. he come to Izard county, and dodged about with his friends, lying out in the brush and in caves. There is a cave nearly opposite Mt. Olive, that can not be approached only by water. When he thought there was danger he would go to that cave with his provision and stay till his friends would come after him. It is a very large dry cave. This is where the Clerk of Izard County kept his books for safe keeping during the late war.
Bill Gibson got the girl and Henderson lost his life. The only objection Henderson had to Jessee Jeffrey marrying his girl was that he was poor.
When my Grandmother
heard of young Jessee she was so bad scared that she fainted. I was
at the crib throwing corn out of a wagon when the man who had brought the
news to mother and
Grandmother, come to the crib where my stepfather
was, and took my stepfather off and told him about the circumstance.
I was a small boy at that time.
They took old James
Jeffrey and Daniel Jeffrey his son to a justice of the peace and they acquited
old James but Daniel was held for the grand jury. He was sent to
the old Davidsonville
jail in Lawrence County. He stayed there
some two weeks, when his wife who would go in to see him, gave him an auger
and a saw, with which he cut out, and after arranging his affairs he moved
from Lawrence coutny to White River, where he stayed undisturbed until
young Jessee Jeffrey concluded he had lay out long enough, come in and
concluded he would go to Little Rock and stand his trial.
So Jessee Jeffrey
sends word to James Kerkendoll, the sheriff, to meet him on Little Red
River, right where Clinton now is. When the day come, the two Jeffreys,
Jessee and Daniel were
there, with several others who were going
to the trial. When old Jessee Jeffrey hears that his name sake, young
Jessee was going to Little Rock to stand his trial (in them days people
had to go to Little Rock to be tried for murder) for murder, he takes eleven
men beside himself, and started to Little Rock, two and two, together.
They were to act like they were entire strangers,
on their way down as well as when they got
to Little Rock, and during the trial.
Old Jessee told them
that he had a "deer bleat" with him and in case Young Jessee was convicted
he, old Jessee would whistle, and they was all to come to him and they
would take Young Jessee away from the Court, and liberate him. Old
Jessee had told his mother that there never had been a Jeffrey "pulled
hemp" and he would be D---- if one ever did while he lived.
The trial of Daniel Jeffrey was called and witnesses examined when the state noliposed his case. Then the case of Young Jessee was called up and the jury empaneled to try him, the state introduced Bill Gibson, their main prosecuting witness, and he swears that Henderson did not snap his gun at any one.
The state argured the case very hard and began to personate Young Jessee. Young Jessee got up and said to the States attorney, "you are a lyer Sir, I don't allow a man to stand up and tell a lie on me, if I am a prisoner". Old Bot Critenden was Jeffreys attorney and Ambrose H. Sevier was for the State.
Critenden told Jeffrey to wait and he would tend to Sevier when he got up, and so he did. They said the like was never heard before, the way Critenden talked to Sevier. Old Judge Roan was on the bench. After the attorneys got done arguing the case the Jury retired and after a while come back a hung jury.
While the jury was gone out Jeffrey told Critenden that Gibson had sworn a lie and he could prove it right here. When the jury was brought in, Critenden plead for a new trial and it was set for the next day at 9 o'clock. The court told the sheriff that he would be held responsible for the prisoner. The sheriff told the judge that he was not responsible for any thing that the prisoner had come of his own accord.
So the prisoner retired
to his lodging, and was back at the courthouse the next morning by time.
The case was called and jury impaneled, and here comes Gibson on cross
examination.
Critendon said to him, "I understand you to
say that Henderson did not snap his gun at James Jeffrey". Gibson,
"yes sir," Critenden, "well Gibson, how do you feel setting there swearing
a
D---- lie, you low down rascal! You swore
a lie and I can prove it by two or three witnesses good men, I say Gibson,
tell the truth; Did Henderson snap his gun at James Jeffrey". Gibson,
"I
forgot it." Criteneden, "no you diden't you
diden't do no such thing you come up here to swear a man's life away, and
I ought to have you arrested for perjury". Judge Roan turned loose
on
Gibson for swearing the lie; he told him to
leave the court house and never testify in another court, for he would
not be believed on oath, Gibson retired. The jury, after being out
but a few
minutes brought in a verdict of acquital.
Court now adjourned
and they carried the Judge and Critinden to the grocery and old Jessee
Jeffrey to them the plans they had laid, prvided young Jessee had been
convicted. This was in the
year 1828.
Chapter
57
The Woods Family
Among the many characters to be found in the valley of White River who had come into notice east of the Mississippi was the Woods family. Old man Woods and his son Big Bill Woods they were worthy of note from being the father and brother of John Woods who was courtmartialed and shot in Jackson army in the war of 1812. Old man Woods and his sons Bill and John enlisted, in Tennessee for the campaign south against the Indians.
The two young men
were good soldiers but somewhat reckless. John Woods was on picket and
left his post, for which he was courtmartialed and condemned to be shot,
with a recomendation of
mercy. Jackson had reprieved others
but had notified the court that he would reprieve no more. John Woods was
the next. His life was in one end of the balance and Jackson's word
in the other. The General's word was the heaviest and John Wood's
fell. His father and brother stayed with him and cared for him, dressed
him for death and when the file of soldiers took him off, the old man and
Big Bill went in another direction in great agony. They soon deserted
the army and came to White River and settled three miles above Mt Olive.
It was believed that
Jackson was glad they deserted as there were no efforts made to bring them
back to the army. Through life the old man and Big Bill took this
greatly to heart. At the
mention of Jackson's name Big Bill would grow
frantic with oaths and the old man would melt into tears.
Chapter
58
The Adams Family
The Adams Family,
refered to in another place, were very numerous on White River. They
were from Kentucky of Irish decent, and noted for being men of strong native
intellect. John
Adams was the first sheriff of Izard County,
and was one of the delegates who framed the first constitution of the State
of Arkansas.
Peter F. Adams, notorious
as the man who was connected with the killing of Dr. Ed. St. Lerdgen Hough,
was a man of good property but of forbidding appearance and said but little
but
sealed what he said with an oath was a determined
man, but for all this was a very good citizen.
Dr. Edward St. Ledgen Hough was a native of Germany educated in the best schools of Europe. He was of lwo stature and ungainly appearance, but was a fluent talker. He made his first appearance in Fulton County as a physician. He soon made ove to Judge Hunters wife, a woman of some accomplishments and beauty. After a very thrilling correspondence he took her and left.
Some years afterwards he come to the mouth of North Fork and set up as a physician. About this time Peter F. Admas had a grown daughter who had married a man by the name of Uz Walker. Their parents set them up with plenty of property. Walker died soon afterwards, and after a time his wife appeared as a gushing young widow.
Dr. Hough soon got tired of his old captive and made love to this young widow. A very pleasant correspondence followed with her faithful negro woman as mail carrier. Peter F. Adams suspecting the truth, it was said whipped the negro woman and his daughter until they told him all the truth and gave him the letters by which he learned the time and place of a secret meeting.
The negro and young
widow were locked in a room and guarded. At the appointed hour for the
meeting, Dr. Edward St. Ledgen Hough rode up to the place where the secret
meeting was to take
place and gave a hailing sigh. This
was followed by a volley of riflery and he fell dead from his horse.
The fact of this tragedy were never proven before the grand jury and there was no bill found. I was a member of the grand jury that investigated the case. It was very evident that Dr. Hough waked up the wrong man when he got to meddling with the affairs of Peter F. Adams. The widow Walker married after this and moved from the country.
This all occurred in White River valley in the year 1849.
Chapter
59
The Walkers, Findley & Harrises
Between 1820 and 1824
the Walker family and the Findley family came to the valley of White River.
Old man Walker and family and a few slaves came from South Carolina and
settled on
Rocky Bayou. They were remarkable for
their size. The old man and old woman weighed five hundred pounds
together, the sons were, John, Joe, Andy, Blair and Robin. The old
man and old
woman lived to be very old. The first
and most of the second generation have passed away, but there are an emmence
number of their decendents here in this valley at the present time.
Two brothers of the Findley family came here from Georgia. Old Ceven settled in the vicinity of Batesville, and old Uz stopped in Lawrence county but afterwards moved to White River Izard County. Uz Dindleys boys were Bill, Zack and Charles. He owned an old negro named Bosen. He and Bosen lived to be very old. IN their old days, Uz would go to elections and get drunk. He would take Bosen along to take care of him, and Bosen would always get drunk, too. Old Uz was a very witty man and was always laughing. He was at one time clerk of Izard County. On one occasion old John Carter and old Uz Findley fell out and wanted to fight. It was at an election and the bystanders would not let them fight.
Finally old Uz told Carter to stand and let him curse him. Mr. Carter, with hat off, and about ten steps from him told him to proceed. Findley commenced. "Mr. Carter, if this earth was one piece of parchment and the sea one basin of ink, and every quill on earth was one quill and I had the power to use it, that ink and that parchment would not be enough to describe the corruption of your old heart, sir!"
Mr. Carter who had stood silent until Findley got through now commanded Findley to stand until he should curse him. Findley obeyed and Carter commenced as follows. "had I all the talent ever produced in Europe and America combined and was to undertake to speak to you I would fall far short of describing the corruption of your old heart, sir." This ended the disturbance and they both were ready to take something more to drink.
The Harris family
consisted of the widow, three sons and one daughter. The sons were
Henry, Jim and Dick. They came from near Augusta Georgia in or about,
1816. Part of them settled in
Lawrence County Arkansas, and the balance
came on to White River in Independence County. They were good citizens.
Jas A Harris was sheriff
of Izard county one time and was also county judge at one time. They
finally concentrated in what was known afterwards as Harris Bottom on White
River where every
year they would hold a reunion and religious
festival. They were of the Methodist persuasion. These reunions were
held at Old Cannaan Campground.
Chapter
60
The Tradition of the Arkansaw
Now my readers as I am about to bring this volume to a close I must say something about the tradition of how Arkansaw, or Arkansas as it is now spelled got it name. The tradition as far back as I can remember is this, whether true or not I cannot tell, though it always seemed reasonable to me. Along time ago, we have no written history or account of how long ago that I have ever seen or heard of, long before the advent of the pale faces as the Indian calle the White man, there was a race of people who dwelt in the Ozark Mountains.
There were two noted chiefs among them. One of them was named Arkan, and the other Kansaw. These two chiefs fought very hard battles with each other for supremacy. Finally in one of these battles Arkan was slain by the warriers of his rival and the mantle of his greatness was transferred to his son, who continued the conflicts of his father against the enemy in the wars which followed.
The old Chief Kansaw was finally taken prisoner and sentenced to death, but was pardoned on condition that he give the hand of his beautiful and only daughter in marriage to the young chief. This he complied with and being satisfactory to all parties, was celebrated with great pomp.
When the young chief assumed sway over both tribes in the Ozarks, then it was that the great River and all the adjacent territory received the name of "Arkansaw," in honor of the two old chiefs, "Arkan," and "Kansaw". These two names were blended into "Arkansaw".
Completed retypying of this document finished August 2, 1997; one hundred and one years after it was written. By Kathryn L. Langston