[mountaingirl75]

Just wondering if anyone relocating to AR from another state is doing so because they have family history there or to you AR natives...what is your local family history? i'm interested in your stories!


mine:
my ggggrandfather came down from Missouri sometime in the 1870's and settled his family in Searcy Co. along Richland Creek. He worked at a sawmill that was somewhere near st.joe/pindall area? His son built a cabin there (that i'm told people are still living in) and married my gggrandmother who was Cherokee and also from Missouri. Their son worked for the railroad, moved his family, briefly, to reservation land before returning to AR and settling in Harrison. His wife's family was from Yellville and had been in Marion co. as far back as 1820's and maybe before that. Anyway, my grandpa was born in Berryville, he also worked for the railroad before going into the Army and was a self-proclaimed 'redneck'. The family land now belongs to my father and will pass to me. i'm planning on settling my family in searcy co. in the year to come and hopefully will reunite with some long-lost kinfolk. i hear the 'nichols' run rampant thru the ozarks

[Stormcrow73]

Some history of one of my relatives from the Ozarks:

Isaac F. Morris was born in 1820 in Bedford, TN. Moved to Newton Co. prior to 1850 with his wife's family, the O'Daniels. The two families were never far apart in the early years of settling Newton Co. Isaac disappeared during the Civil War. It has also been said that Isaac Morris taught music. He was bushwacked returning from a music lesson and his body was never found. "Isaac F. Morris came up missing in 1865, supulated that Bushwackers killed him and threw his body into the Buffalo River, which was near his home." -source: Replies to Requests

Evidently, Isaac Morris sent a letter to the "True Democrat" April 25, 1861, p.2, c. 1. "NEWTON COUNTY We publish below a letter from a subscriber in Newton County, who received his paper at Cave Creek post office. The letter explains itself, and we congratulate our friends in that county on having rid themselves of a man, whose character when contrasted with his actions must be at a very low ebb. As he has gone north, would it {not} be well for Missourians to be on their {guard} in his passing through that State: April 15, 1861 Dear Sir: After my very best respects, I hope when you receive these lines, that you will stop sending the True Democrat to me, as I am determined not to take it any longer, your secession, Tory principles don't suit me; therefore you will confer a favor on me to stop that worthless sheet; and please let me know when you get your pay for what you have already done for me and I will keep it secret, as I expect to start north this evening. So, farewell Dick and secession too; there is two of your papers now in the office at Jasper, and if you can't come yourself after them you can soon send one of your blacks after them. I remain a Union man, ISAAC F. MORRIS"

So, he didn't die during a music lesson. Appears he headed north. Since he didn't come back, we can assume that someone killed him--either in or out of uniform. We know at least one of Isaac's sons fought for the confederacy because in 1897, William H., Isaac's eldest, gave this deposition for a Mr. Lemuel Jones, "I am acquainted with Petitioner Lemuel R. Jones. Became acquainted with him since long before the war. Have known almost since my earliest recollection. He went to school to my father when I was a small boy. Jones was married at the time he attended my father's school. I was in several companies and regiments in the CSA Army. Was never in any service except Confederate service"

[strumpeace]

Hmmm. Neat thread.

I was born in Tennessee, and most of my family lives there. However, my paternal grandfather was from Osceola, and I have lots of family (most of whom I've never met) in the southern part of Arkansas. I have a great uncle who served seven terms in the US House (that seat is now occupied by Mike Ross), and my family is apparently heavily involved in the timber industry in and around El Dorado.

The earliest records of my paternal ancestry that I've located go back to colonial North Carolina. I'm not sure at what point down the line my folks made it to Arkansas.

[SwinerBock]

Both sides of my family can be traced here in Arkansas back to Civil War times. On my mother's side, prior to Arkansas, it was Georgia and South Carolina, and prior to that, it was Ireland. On my father's side, prior to Arkansas, it was South Carolina, and prior to that, it was Wales.

One of my distant relatives on my father's side (he is not a direct ancestor) was a Confederate major general by the name of Sterling Price, who made his home in Missouri and participated in several battles in Missouri and Arkansas. You can Google or Wiki him if you want to know more.

On my mother's side, I have a distant direct ancestor (female) of Native American heritage. Many years ago I had asked my grandmother what tribe. After several evasive responses, she said "Cherokee", and wouldn't say any more. Several years later during her last days, the topic came up again, and she whispered to me that it wasn't just Cherokee, but a Blackfoot to boot. She then warned me not to tell anybody. I was like "Okay.......".

Some years later after she passed, I started getting into researching my family history. I decided to look up this native American tribe of "Blackfoot". There were two different groups, from what I could tell. One was up near the Canadian border, and one was in northern Georgia. Considering none of my ancestors, as far as I knew, ever made it up to the north, and plus my mother's side had been in Georgia, I figured the northern Georgia group was my group. Come to find out, "Blackfoot" was the term given to descendants of Cherokee and African-American mix. I was like "what was the big deal", but then I had to remember that my grandmother was from a different time, and that, in her days, it would have been frowned upon to publicize that you had an African-American ancestor.

[LadyRobyn]

I have roots, trees, branches and leaves all over Madison County. My Mother was born outside of Fayetteville in Farmington. My Grandmother and Great-Grandmother were both born in Japton. My Great-great Grandmother was also born in Madison County in 1854.

If you are related to a Spurlock, Rogers, Roach or Ledbetter chances are we are kin somehow!

[Bull Winkus]

LadyRobyn,

I used to know a Harry Spurlock out of Corpus Christi, TX. We worked together on a project in Port Lavaca for Formosa. He was a little older and smarter than me, but a great guy to work with. I'll bet you've never heard of him! LOL

[mountaingirl75]

great stories! thanks for sharing.

[btoverdrive]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

Hmmm. Neat thread.

my family is apparently heavily involved in the timber industry in and around El Dorado.

You must mean the Anthony's. I know and went to school with many of them and am still good friends with some. Very well respected family around there.

My father was born in DeQueen and my mother in Felsenthal (near Huttig on the Louisiana border). My father worked for the railroad, as I do now, and they met and married in El Dorado. My mother has since passed on but my father still lives in El Dorado and will be 92 this October, still living at home and driving around town.

[arguy1973]

Not sure exactly how they got there, but my grt-grt-grts (from my dads side) and my family have lived within the same 5 miles stretch for what I can tell, for about 183 years. Weve been Arkansans for a long time-lol.
After looking back at deeds, I find the property that my grandparents house stood on was deeded to a soldiers family for some type of service to the US Army in the 1840s. That same family still has relatived across the hill (about a 1/2 mile) from us.
The old family cemetary...The Original Arkansas Genealogy Project,Cemeteries

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by arguy1973

Not sure exactly how they got there, but my grt-grt-grts (from my dads side) and my family have lived within the same 5 miles stretch for what I can tell, for about 183 years. Weve been Arkansans for a long time-lol.
After looking back at deeds, I find the property that my grandparents house stood on was deeded to a soldiers family for some type of service to the US Army in the 1840s. That same family still has relatived across the hill (about a 1/2 mile) from us.
The old family cemetary...The Original Arkansas Genealogy Project,Cemeteries

Said soldier probably fought in the Mexican War. One of my ancestors was also deeded land for fighting in that war and also for the War of 1812.