The group of Achlev, Wheeler. O'Hara and Bryan based theirs upon a New Madrid Certificate claim. Bryan was son-in-law of Moses Austin and brother-in-law of Stephen F. Austin. The other group, headed by William Russell, had a claim to part of the site via a Pre-Emption Certificate. Joseph Hardin had an interest in each. His interest in the Pre-Emption Certificate, he  had  purchased from Townsend Dickinson on October 13,1820. Finally a compromise was effected between the two groups, but not before an armed confrontation took place and
several buildings had been blown-up p with gun powder. In November 1821, Joseph Hardin, Henry W. Conway, Robert Crittenden, William Russell and Thomas P. Eskridge,  proprietors,  signed a Bill of Assurance for the Town of Little Rock, Pulaski County, and laid-off a new townsite. Shortly thereafter, Chester Ashley acquired a half interest in the Proprietorship. This town is now our Capital City  Additional proof that Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville, the Sheriff and Colonel, is the Joseph Hardin of Lawrence County, one of the proprietors of Little Rock, is in my book, "Colonel Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville : 1784-1826," which was published in 1973 In this are photographs of numerous legal instruments and official documents from the counties of Lawrence and Pulaski which prove the identify. He was Not, as historians of Arkansas have previously written, the Joseph Hardin of  Lawrence County who was Speaker  of  the  House of Representatives in 1820. The Speaker was Joseph Hardin, Sr., of Union Township, Lawrence County, which I have also proved via specimens of authentic signatures. The unrecorded legal instruments found among the papers of Richard Searcy were of supreme value in effecting final proof. No one now disputes the evidence.

 In  1823,  politics  in  Arkansas  Territory  were  "hot."  James  Woodsman Bates, the incumbent Delegate from the Territory to Congress (Territories are not allowed Representatives or Senators) changed his mind after professing his intention not to seek re-election, but didn't get on the ballot. Henry W. Conway was elected Delegate in August 1823, defeating William Bradford. Below, is presented portion of a letter Delegate Bates penned to ' Colonel Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville, Arkansas Territory, before the election.  "Washington City, February 1823  "In this mood and in this train of reflection, 1 met Mr. Conway. To him I expressed my willingness to retire from political life, and manifested my disposition to support him if he chose to be a candidate. he did not accede to the proposition, but said it would be time enough to stir the business on my return in the Spring. Thus, we parted, leaving the subject as open as we found it, and I feel myself under no more commitment than I did previous to the conversation. My good opinion of Mr. Conway is unchanged" but he did not embrace my proposition, and all the reason on which that proposition was founded has ceased to exist. I have now reasons as strongly indicates the wish to serve another term, reason as well with reference to myself as the Territory. (Signed) J. Woodsman Bates."
 

 As a Deputy Surveyor of the United States, Joseph Hardin surveyed Townships No.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, all North of the Baseline and in Range One East of the Fifth Principal Meredian. These were in Lawrence County when he surveyed them in 1823. They are geographical townships, each six miles by 6 miles square, each containing 36 square miles. Geographical townships must not be confused with political townships. Political townships are segments into which a county is subdivided for administrative purposes, such as Spring River Township. The plats of these five geographical townships and the five books of original survey notes by Joseph Hardin are in the Office of the Commissioner of  Lands, State Capitol Building, Little Rock. The signature in these books is that  of Joseph Hardin, the primary subject of this article. His contract as Deputy Surveyor of the United States was signed on June 11, 1823, with William Rector, Surveyor of the Lands of the United States in the States of Illinois and Missouri and the Territory of Arkansas.

On August 8,1823, Joseph Hardin did a private survey of the 640 acre (about 752 arpent) Spanish Land Grant, No. 36, which is in Lawrence County on Big Black River at the now town of Lauratown. He and the heirs M Charles Logan (deceased) owned this old Spanish Grant, which originally had been confirmed to John Baptiste Janis (alias: Jo Janis), who was of French-Canadian extraction. In a  file in the Lawrence County Courthouse are the Estate Papers of Charles Logan (dec'd). Among these are several receipts signed by Joseph Hardin for payments received for various services rendered this Estate as Sheriff, Collector, Deputy Surveyor of the United States, appraiser of the persons  property of the deceased Logan, and for attending and hiring the slaves and leasing the Logan plantation. The signatures are those of Joseph Hardin, the primary subject of this article.

 Of the various ferries in Lawrence County, the one at Davidsonville across Black River was owned by Joseph Hardin (later known as the old Scott ferry), and the one across Spring River at the mouth of Eleven Point River was his with Richard Searcy (known as the Searcy-Hardin  ferry). The records of the Court reveal that regular license fees were paid for the right to operate these ferries.

 Previous writers have stated that Robert Smith, Jr., and Champ T. Stuart owned and operated the first cotton-gin in what later became Northeast Arkansas, which of course includes Lawrence County. Pages 33-34 of Deed Record Book "D" of Lawrence County reveal how the cotton-gin was obtained by Smith, which he and Stuart later operated. Champ T. Stuart was a brother of Smith's wife Finetta Stuart, and a son of the deceased Colonel William Stuart  and wife, Rebecca Kuykendall, previously mentioned in this article. These pages in Deed Record Book "D", reveal that on the first Monday in July 1830,  the cotton-gin in Davidsonville and lots number 4 and 5, upon which it stood were sold for cash at a public auction held on the steps of the courthouse of
Lawrence County in the Town of Jackson son (in 1829 the county seat had been moved to the Town of Jackson). The cotton-gin and lots number 4 and 5 were part of the estate of the deceased Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville, and were being sold in the process of converting some of his assets to cash for the benefit of his heirs. The highest bidder and purchaser was Robert Smith, Jr. This proves who owned the first cotton-gin in what is now Northeast Arkansas; he was Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville, the Sheriff and Colonel.  The old Administrator-or Executor Bonds relating to estates probated in Lawrence County are available. A survey of these revealed that Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville was involved with quite a few, either as an Administrator- Executor or as a bondsman for same. In those years, a bondsman received no fee. Being a bondsman was an act of friendship for a trusted friend or relative. The authentic signature of this Joseph Hardin appears on the following original Bonds:

 1. July 29,1816, as a bondsman, with Richard Searcy, for Augustus de Mun, Administrator of the estate of George Rennekamp, dec'd.

2. January 29, 1817, as a bondsman, with James Creswell, for John L. Lafferty, Administrator of the estate of John Lafferty, dec'd.

 3. April 19,1817, as a bondsman, with John Davidson, for Charles Logan, Administrator of the estate of Pierre Le Meux, dec'd.

 4. May 9, 1817, as a bondsman, with John Hudgens, for William Ingram, Administrator of the estate of James Ingram, dec'd.

 5. May 18, 1818, as a bondsman, with Benedict White, for John Reed, Administrator of the estate of Dacon Reed, dec'd.

 6. November 7, 1818, as Administrator of the estate of Joseph Gingolet, dec'd. The bondsmen for Hardin were Simon Miller and Essex Harris.

 7. November 19, 1818, as a bondsman, with James M. Kuykendall, for James Campbell, Administrator de-bonis-non of the residual estate of Pierre Le Meux, dec'd.

 8. March 24,1819, as Administrator with-the-Will-annexed of the noncupative Will of Joseph Gingolet, dec'd. The bondsman for Hardin were James Boyd and John Pierce.

 9. March 1,1821, as Administrator of the estate of William Cox, dec'd. The bondsmen for Hardin were Bartley Cox and James M. Kuykendall.

10. November 6,1821, as a bondsman, with Jesse Jeffrey, for Samuel S. Hall, Administrator de-bonis-non of the residual estate of John Ottry, dec'd.

  11. September 9,1823, as a bondsman, with Reuben Rice, for William Beard and Wm. E. Glenn, administrators de-bonis-non of the residual estate of George Mansker- dec'd.

12. ,July 20, l825, as a bondsman, with John Hinds, for Nathaniel McCarrell Administrator of the estate of John McCarrell, Jr., dec'd.

 13. March 1, 1826, as a bondsman, with Fielding Stubblefield, for Robert McWilIiams and Coleman  Stubblefield,  Administrators  of  the  estate  of Elizabeth Stubblefield, dec'd.

 14. May 25,1826, as a bondsman, with Thomas Y. Crabbier and Elijah Vinson, for James Campbell and John Wilson, Jr., Administrators of the estate of John Wilson, Sr., dec'd. This John Wilson, Jr., formerly of Lawrence County, lived in Hempstead County, in 1836. It was he, Colonel John Wilson, Judge Advocate of
the Militia, President of the first Arkansas State Constitutional  Convention, President of the Real Estate Bank (the first bank in Arkansas), and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the first General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, who, while Speaker in December 1837, killed J. J. Anthony with a Bowie knife in the House chamber over a dispute concerning the status of wolf scalps as legal tendre. My sympathy lies with Wilson, though the House expelled him The next day. If given time and mind enough, I'll clear John Wilson's name! Elizabeth, a daughter of this John Wilson, married Abraham Kuykendall Hardin in Hempstead County on September 25,1828 (Marriage Records of Hempstead County, Book "BB," page 153). Abraham K. Hardin was a son of Joseph Hardin, Sr., who fomerly lived in Union Township, Lawrence County. By early 1825, Joseph Hardin, Sr., had moved his family to Hempstead County. Later, they were to live in Antoine Township, Clark County. James Campbell was the husband of Ursula Wilson, a daughter of the deceased John Wilson Sr.

 15. There are others containing the signature of Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville, but I will not prolong the presentation here.

On page 76 of the Minutes of the Circuit Court of Lawrence County, 1818-1838, under date of January 5, 1823. the Sheriff. Joseph Hardin. is also identified as the County Treasurer. On page 79 of the same, under date of May 14,  1823, it  says: " . . . Joseph Hardin, Esquire, Sheriff of the County of Lawrence, as County Treasurer." During those long ago years, the sheriff of a county was also its tax assessor, tax col lector, and treasurer, as well as the maintainer of law and order.

In August 1826, not long after the death of Sheriff Hardin, two horsemen left Davidsonville for Little Rock. Each wanted to be the first to reach the ear of the Executive. Each desired to be appointed Sheriff in  place of the deceased Hardin. One of these men was James M. Kuykendall. a large and powerful man, who had been Hardin chief deputy since l919. Either a better rider or he rode a better horse, for it was Kuykendall who arrived first and secured the appointment from Governor George Izard. The following petition was sent to the Governor on August 28, 1826:

 "We, the undersigned, beg leave to present to your consideration for appointment of Sheriff of Lawrence County, Mr. James M. Kuykendall.  He has long been an approved deputy of that county, its last representative in the Legislature, and unites, we believe, more of the confidence of the county than another man. From long acquaintance with him personally, we do not hesitate to say he is qualified for the appointment. (Signed) Ben Desha. Thomas W. Newton. Robert Oden. Robert Crittenden."  On December 20,1826, Jonathan Hardin of Conway County (of the portion that  later became Faulkner County), Arkansas Territory, wrote a letter to his    brother in Tennessee, Joab Hardin, Jr. over 40 years ago a descendant from Joab Hardin, Jr., placed this letter in the Historical Archives of Texas. I have a copy. Much interesting information is in this letter. Jonathan was a son of Joab Hardin, Sr., and first wife, Sarah Drake, as were Joab Hardin, Jr., and Prudence Hardin who married Ira Nash. Oliver Hardin Stark, who currently lives in the City of Conway, Faulkner County, Arkansas, is a direct descendant from this Jonathan Hardin. Joab Hardin, Sr., was a brother of Benjamin Hardin, the Revolutionary War pensioner, who died in Independence County on April 2,1848. Benjamin was the father of Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville. The portion of Jonathan's letter of December 20,1826, that mentions this Benjamin and Joseph Hardin is presented below:

 "Our relatives here are all well. Uncle Benjamin Hardin's children are all married and left him but two, viz: Walter and Ewel.

 "Cousin Joseph Hardin died about three months since, leaving a family of four motherless children and a second wife whom he had married a short time before."

 Jonathan Hardin's statement about the 4 motherless children is correct. These were the four surviving children of Colonel Joseph Hardin by his first wife, Margaret Johnson, who died in Davidsonville on August 17, 1817. Apparently, Jonathan did not know about the 1826 birth of Elizabeth, the only child of Joseph Hardin by his second wife, Ellen Davis.

 Though he died at about age 42, in 1826, Colonel Joseph Hardin of Davidsonville, sheriff of Lawrence County, was, as his obituary said,  - - one of the most enterprising and useful men in the county."