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BRAMBLE BUSH
THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
OF THE HISTORIC GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
OF MARION COUNTY ARKANSAS
Vol. 1, No. 1 January 1996 Yellville, Arkansas 72687
THE FIRST SIX YEARS OF HGSMCA
The Marion County Historic Genealogical Society originated in the minds of several men and women several years before 16 Jan 1990 when 15 people actually sat down and organized the Society. The Marion County Library was the logical place to meet and, with permission from the Library Board, a regular monthly meeting was established. Officers were elected: L. Don Ott, Chair; Mary Bostian, Vice-chair; Vicki Roberts, Recording Secretary; Mary Birrer, Corresponding Secretary; Gail King, Treasurer; Mysty McPherson, Membership Chair; Gene Buckelew, Program & Resource Chair.
The purpose of the Society is to collect, maintain, preserve, and share data of historic and genealogical significance in the area today known as Marion County AR. To this end a Permanent Collection of printed and microfilmed material was established. Through a small annual grant from Marion County Quorum Court, this collection increases yearly and contains many of the census, land, military, historic, and genealogical records of Marion and adjoining counties as well as from out of state (a list of these holdings will be printed in a later newsletter). The Collection is housed in the Society's Research Room at the Marion County Library and is available to everyone.
In 1993 the Society began the "rescue" of the contents of the vault in the basement of the County Courthouse. This vault houses the oldest surviving records of the County and was in deplorable condition. Decades of dust and broken shelving mingled with scattered and fallen books dating from 1888. New shelves and florescent lighting was installed; several hundred volumes were cleaned, organized by type and date, and placed on shelves in order of usage. Lack of space in the vault - the most difficult problem to solve - was at least eased when Quorum Court passed a County Ordinance granting over 100 volumes of Marion County Tax Assessment Books to the Society. These books are being removed, temporarily stored, and will be transcribed for research use in the future.
Genealogical Workshops, designed to help the beginner begin and the advanced advance, are held annually at the Library. Members participate in additional workshops in Searcy County and at area Ancestor Fairs. Framed photographs of Marion County buildings named to the Arkansas and National Registers of Historic Places are donated to the County Courthouse and to the Library. Metal signs are being placed along major roads to help in locating the many old family cemeteries in the County.
Many knowledgeable speakers on a variety of subjects have graced our halls of learning with valuable information for old and new historians/genealogists alike. From the story of Rush to songs of our Scottish ancestors and tales filled with Indian lore, something new, something different, something fascinating comes along most every month.
We appreciate information from any and all who wish to contribute and questions from all who wish to enquire.
FROM THE EDITOR
Genealogy today is a fast-growing search for one's roots. Whether it be ten years or a hundred years into the past, 3 out of every 5 people feel compelled to trace their family history. The Editor and Staff of Bramble Bush are devoted to serving people in their search for Marion County roots. We feel that searching for and finding one's past, one's roots, one's history, can help to establish a better future for those to come.
In future issues of Bramble Bush we plan to publish articles, columns, facts, and data to help you with your search. If we miss a topic or you have something special you'd like us to cover, please feel free to drop us a line. Suggestions and comments will always be welcome. We're all new at this newsletter business, so please bear with us as we struggle with our growing pains.
The Families & Fairs column is designed to announce dates and places of reunions, ancestor fairs, and historical commemorations wherever they may be held. This information should reach us at least two months before each issue of Bramble Bush goes to press and the name and address of a contact person must be included. This feature will be free of charge.
Queries can be an important part of research. We've included a Queries column in Bramble Bush and hope you'll use it. For details check the top of the column.
Advertisements for historic and genealogical books, services, research aids, and related materials will be included in our Services Directory. Details can be found at the beginning of the Directory. These will help us with the costs of producing and mailing Bramble Bush to you four times a year. For information on larger, individual ads, please write for rates.
We are delighted to have you on our mailing list and look forward to your becoming a member of the HGSMCA family. Please do plan to join us each quarter for more Marion County history.
Vicki Roberts, Editor
Bramble Bush
EJACHASHUN
Ever wonder why you can't translate or understand some census reports? Perhaps this will help.
"I am a census taker for the city of buffalo. are city has groan very fast in resent years and now in 1865, it has becum a hard and time consuming job to count all the peephill. Thur are not meny that can do this work, as it is nessarie to have an ejachashun, which a lot of pursons still do not have. Anuther atribeart needed for this job is good speling for meny of the peephill to be counted can hardly speek inglish, let alone spel there names!
(Madison Co. Genealogical Soc., Winterset IA 50273 Newsletter 1987)
THE
HISTORIC GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF MARION COUNTY ARKANSAS
PROUDLY ANNOUNCES PUBLICATION OF
M A R I O N
C O U N T Y
F A M I L I E S
1811 - 1900
A genealogical record of those families who settled in Marion County between the years 1811 and 1900
ADAMS, ANGEL, AKIN, ALFORD, ALLEN, ANDERSON, ASHMEAD, ATHEY, ATTERBURY, AVEY, BAILEY, BAKER, BALDRIDGE, BALLARD, BARKHEIMER, BARNETT, BAUCOM, BAYLESS, BEARDEN, BECKHAM, BELL, BENCH, BERRY, BLACK, BLACKWELL, BLANKENSHIP, BLYTHE, BOGLE, BOND, BRADSHAW, BRADY, BRIGGS, BROOKSHER, BROWN, BRYANT, BUNDY, BURCH, BURLESON, BURNES, BURRIS, BURROW, BUTLER, CAGLE, CALLAHAN, CAMP, CANTRELL, CARSON, CARTER, CASEBOLT, CASEY, CAVANESS, CHANDLER, CHAPPELLE, CHEEK, CHOAT, CLEM, CLINE, COCKRAM, COKE, COKER, COLE, COPELAND, CORNELL, COVINGTON, COWAN, COWDREY, COX, CRAIG, CRAVENS, CROWNOVER, DAFFRON, DAVIS, DAVENPORT, DAY, DEAN, DENTON, DePRIEST, DERRYBERRY, DEWEY, DICKERSON, DILDAY, DILLAHUNTY, DILLARD, DOBBS, DODD, DODSON, DOSHIER, DOWELL, DOWNHAM, DOWNUM, DUE, DUGGINS, DUNLAP, DUREN, ELAM, ERWIN, ESTES, EVANS, EVERETT, FAULKENBERRY, FEE, FIRESTONE, FLETCHER, FLIPPIN, FLOYD, FREEMAN, FRIEND, GAGE, GARRETT, GAY, GENTRY, GIBSON, GILBERT, GILLEY, GILLIAM, GLEN, GOODALL, GREENE, GREGORY, HAGGARD, HALL, HAMLET, HAMM, HAMPTON, HAND, HARPER, HARRIS, HELMS, HIGGS, HILLHOUSE, HODGE, HOGAN, HOLLAND, HOLLINGSWORTH, HOLLOWELL, HOLT, HORNER, HORTON, HUDDLESTON, HUDSON, HUDSPETH, HULEN, HURST, JACKSON, JAMES, JEFFERSON, JENKINS, JOBE, JOHNSON, JONES, KEESEE, KEETER, KELLOUGH, KING, LAFFOON, LANCASTER, LANGSTON, LANTZ, LARRAMORE, LASSITER, LAWHON, LAY, LAYTON, LEDFORD, LEE, LEFEVERS, LEWIS, LINCK, LOWERY, LYNCH, MAGNESS, MARBERRY, MARKLE, MARLER, MARTIN, MASSEY, MATHIS, MATLOCK, MATTHEWS, MAXEY, McAFEE, McANALLY, McBEE, McCABE, McCARTY, McCLAIN, McCRACKEN, McDOWELL, McENTIRE, McGINNIS, McGOWAN, McKINNEY, McPHERSON, McVEY, MEARS, MELTON, MERRIMAN, MERRIOT, MESSICK, METHVIN, MILLIGAN, MILUM, MITCHELL, MOORE, MOREAU, MORELAND, MORGAN, MORRIS, MORROW, MOTLEY, MULLINS, MURRY, MUSICK, NALLEY, NANNY, NARRAMORE, NAVE, NEWTON, NOE, NORTHCOTT, NORTON, NOWLIN, ORCUTT, ORR, OSBORNE, OTT, OWEN, OWENS, OXFORD, PACE, PANGLE, PANNELL, PARKER, PARNELL, PASCOE, PATTERSON, PATTON, PAXTON, PERRY, PETITT, PHILLIPS, PICKLE, PIERCE, PIERSON, PIGG, PILGRIM, PLUMLEE, POYNTER, PRICE, PUMPHREY, PURDOM, PYLE, RABY, RAINES, RAILSBACK, RAINES, RAY, REA, REED, REID, REYNOLDS, RICE, RICHARDSON, RISLEY, RITTER, ROBERTS, ROBERTSON, ROBISON, RORIE, ROSE, ROWDEN, RYALS, SANDERS, SASSER, SEAWELL, SETZER, SHARP, SHELTON, SHIPMAN, SIMMONS, SIMS, SMART, SMITH, SNIPES, SNOW, STANLEY, STILL, STINNETT, STOKES, STONECIPHER, STOVALL, SULLIVAN, SUMMERS, SWAFFORD, TABOR, TALBERT, TAYLOR, TEAFF, TERRY, THOMPSON, TICER, TILTON, TIPPET, TREADWAY, TREAT, TRIMBLE, TUCKER, TURNBO, TUTT, UNDERWOOD, VANZANDT, WAGGONER, WATTS, WEBB, WEST, WHITSON, WICKER, WICKERSHAM, WIKLE, WILLIAMS, WILLINGHAM, WILKERSON, WILMOTH, WILSHER, WILSON, WINGATE, WOLF, WOOD, WOOTEN, YOCHAM, YOUNG, YOUNGER.
Includes over 400 families with birth dates and places, marriage dates and places, death dates and places, burial places, date of emigration, where they came from, where they went, where they settled.
Hard Smythe-sewn binding, 8.5 x 11, 680 pages, 93-page cross-reference index, sources for each family, bibliography, contributors with their addresses. $60 including shipping and handling.
Order from HGSMCA, PO Box 554, Yellville AR 72687.
With the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the area now known as Marion County, Arkansas, became a part of the United States. In 1810 Marion County was a part of the New Madrid District of Louisiana Territory and in 1812 it was a part of Missouri Territory.
Arkansas Territory was created in 1819. In 1820 a small portion of Marion County was in Lawrence County, while most of it was within the Cherokee Indian Tract. It wasn't until November 1835 that Arkansas was recognized as a state. During this transitional period, the first white settlers came - some to trade with the Indians, some to find a new way of life.Mostly these people were hunters, trappers, and fishermen; none were farmers.
The town we know today as Yellville was originally founded about 1820 by the Shawnee Indians, who migrated from Ohio through Missouri, and was known as Shawneetown. The Indians built cabins of split cedar logs, roofing them with boards six feet long with about two courses to the side. Traditionally the Shawnee notched their logs on the top instead of the bottom. These cabins were located near Noe Spring on Shawneetown Branch just north of Crooked Creek.
Besides Shawneetown, there were at least two other towns built by the Shawnee in this area. "Little Shawnee Town" was located about a mile southwest of Shawneetown on Crooked Creek. "Upper Shawnee Town" was near the mouth of Clear Creek not far from present-day Pyatt.
Each year about roasting ear time, the Shawnee gathered either at Shawneetown or another settlement down White River near Norfolk to celebrate with their "Green Corn Dance." They cleared the ground in a 150-foot circle to make a dance floor. When preparations were complete, the dance would begin. One Indian beat a drum made from a hollowed-out log covered with a dried hide. Dancers filled their leggings with pebbles and mussel shells which rattled to the beat of the drum. The dancers half-danced, half-marched around the circle once, faced about, and danced-marched to where they'd begun. Now they stopped, taking their pipes from their belts, filling them with tobacco, and sitting down. Each lit his pipe, took a puff, and passed it around the circle until every dancer had smoked every pipe. Then they would rise and begin the dance again. This was repeated over and over many times.
By the time Marion County was formed 3 November 1835, white traders were settling the area and most of the Shawnee had moved into Indian Territory. The name of Shawneetown was changed by the white settlers to Yellville, in honor of Captain Archibald Yell.
Today, Marion County has much Indian heritage to be proud of and many of her citizens have at least a trace of Indian blood.
J O H N H A R V E T A B O R
by Bonnie Sanders
In 1829 he set out 40 to 50 apple trees at Tucker Bottom on White River for his brother-in-law John Stallings, husband of his younger sister Minerva. This was the first known orchard in what is now Marion County.
John married Elizabeth "Betsy" Magness, daughter of James W. & Narcissa (Barnett) Magness, who was born at Spartanburg, South Carolina, in September 1815. The Magness family was reportedly the first white family to settle near what is now Yellville. Betsy's father opposed her marriage to John Tabor, but John built the first cabin at Flippin Barrens for his bride and took her there anyway. In 1833 John and Betsy moved to Shawneetown (now Yellville), and in 1836 they moved near Upper Shawneetown (now Pyatt). John and Betsy were the parents of 15 children, eight sons and seven daughters.
Betsy Tabor died in 1860 or 1861. John married second Feriba (Patton) Sharp, daughter of Miles S. & Susannah (Milum) Patton and widow of John Sharp, who was born at Hickman County, Tennessee, in February 1832. Feriba had five children by her first husband. She and John Tabor had one son.
John Tabor was fondly called "Uncle John" in his later years. He died in May 1902 and is buried in Patton Cemetery. Feriba lived with her son Samuel Sharp and his family until her death in 1920.
Editor's note: Galligaskins were long, loose hose worn in the 16th century; or loose breeches. [Gleanings of Pioneer History. W.R. Jones ca 1929. "John Tabor ... erected the first cabin in the Flippin Barrens; {was} the man who danced the Green Corn" dance with the Shawnees at Yellville, with the Delawares in what is now Tucker Bottom on White River not far from John McCracken's river bottom, and with the Cherokees at Big North Fork, Peter Cornstalk, chief of the Cherokees, being present. John Tabor, a fine but quaint old pioneer, lived to the great age of 96.
"No doubt that {John E.} Stallings set out the first orchard in Marion County, in the Tucker bottom, prior to 1829. His brother-in-law, John Tabor, set out this orchard for him. And Tabor told of how Stallings would go out with Johnny Cake, Chief of the Delawares, whose village occupied a portion of what was afterward Tucker Bottom, and kill buffalo. Tabor would go out and help them drag the buffalo in with Indian ponies.
"John Tabor used to tell how Stallings, Johnny Cake, and himself used to kill buffalo and take them down to Johnny Cake's spring to skin, wash, and cure; sometimes they cured by fire and sometimes only in the sun. Dried buffalo meat in those days was as plentiful as corn bread; and even moreso.
"John Tabor, who carried a chain when Marion County was sectionized by the U.S. Government, once told the writer that he was present, and danced in the Indian "Green Corn" Dance at the mouth of Big North Fork, in what is now Baxter County, in the presence of Chief Cornstalk, who seemed to be "Big Mogul" of all the Indians for miles around."]
[The White River Chronicles of S.C. Turnbo. James F. Keefe & Lynn Morrow 1994. "One of the pioneer settlers of Marion County, Ark., was John H. Tabor who died several years ago. ... He came with his parents to the mouth of Big North Fork River on White River in 1826. They and others pushed a keel boat all the way up White River. 'The year I came to {the} mouth of Big North Fork' said Mr. Tabor, 'I made a crop with Jack Hurst and 'Snappin' Bill Woods on the river near the mouth of Big North Fork. In 1830 I made a crop where Buffalo City now stands just above the mouth of Buffalo. ... I have lived at various places in Marion County until I took up my final location on Crooked Creek {Marion County} some two miles below Powell. I bought this claim from an Indian of the name of Little Pumpkin in 1836."]
AKIN - John AKIN b VA 1795 m Tabitha ___ b VA 1797 emigrated Giles Co. TN to Marion Co. AR 1852 w/ch. John Jr., Robert Franklin, Jesse Lee d during Civil War m Letha Jane CANTRELL (dau of Abner). Ch of Jesse & Letha: William Riley m Dulcine PARKER; John Edward m Sarah KILGORE; Lee Marion Sr. m Margaret PASCOE. Ch of Riley & Dulcine: Lola, Rosie, John, Rand, Lee, William James, and unamed child. Will exchange info. Truman Lee, 492 County Rd 457, Mountain Home AR 72653-8150
BALLARD - Seek obit William Henry BALLARD d 10 July 1918 and wife Sarah BALLARD 1868-1944, both bu Flippin Cemetery. Irene Sharpe, 15956 Colfax Highway, Grass Velley CA 95945-9681
GREGORY - Seek info Gabriel GREGORY b TN 1840 d near Stone, Marion Co. AR 31 Jan 1905. Bu where? M/2 ca 1901 Mary Jane ___, divorced 1903. Who was she? When, where married? divorced? Name of son b 1903? Daniel GREGORY, s/o Gabriel, 1863-1945 m/3 prob. Baxter Co. AR ca 1917 divorced after brief period. Need names/dates/places for marriage and divorce. Jim Gregory, 309 Jefferson Ave., Valley Park MO 63088
NAVE/TRIMBLE/YOCAM - Seek marriage records for Jake NAVE and Abraham NAVE. Seek info TRIMBLEs and YOCAMs. Jerry Young, PO Box 1111, Sand Springs OK 74063.
PARKER/HARRIS - Wish contact descendants Jeremiah S. PARKER b Marion Co. AR 6 June 1854 m Elizabeth HARRIS b AR 1849. Planning 12th Parker Family Reunion for 1996. Jay Etta (Parker) Blaesing, PO Box 65, Alden MI 49612
PEARCE/CHEATHAM - Seek info Jim M. & Tom PEARCE. Jim M., s. of Tom & Mary PEARCE, b Bells, Crocket Co. TN 8 May 1876 m Beardstown, Lamar Co. TX 8 Nov 1896 Beatrice CHEATHAM. Ch. Drumgoo Lester, Frank, Bessie Marie, Winnie, Cheatham, Lora Mae, Jimmie Robert, Jack Murl, ch. d at birth. Will swap data. J. L. Pearce Sr., HCR 63 Box 77, Yellville AR 72687-9507
TYLER - S. C. Turnbo in Ozark Frontier Stories, The Civil War pp 70, 71: Four men hid at Cave Bottom on White River. Three were killed: Shelte WILLIAMS, Jack TATE, and John TYLER. Who were John TYLER's wife, ch., gch, other desc? Dale Lee, 936 Baer St., Mountain Home AR 72653
TYLER - Seek Info Joseph & Anne TYLER Family in Marion Co. ca 1870-1900. Barbara Jackson, 375 College St., Quitman AR 72131
Suppose a man is walking across a field. To the question, "Who is that?" a Southerner would reply: "Wasn't his grand-daddy the one whose dog and him got struck by lightening on the steel bridge? Mama's third cousin - dead before my time - found his railroad watch in that eight-pound catfish's stomach the next summer just above the dam. The way he married for that new blue Cadillac automobile, reckon how come he's walking like he has on Sunday shoes, if that's who it is, and for sure it is."
To the same question, a Northerner would reply, "That's Joe Smith."
To which the Southerner might think (but be much too polite to say aloud): "They didn't ask his name - they asked who he is!"
(Reader's Digest January 1990)
GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH
Marion Co. AR and surrounding areas. Experienced researcher. $10 per hour plus copy costs and postage. Vicki Roberts, HCR 66 Box 399, Yellville AR 72687; (501)-449-6195 aft 6:00 pm CST
Marion Co. AR area. $10 per hour plus copy costs and postage. Experienced researcher. Mysty McPherson, HCR 66 Box 159, Yellville AR 72687; (501)-449-5223.
GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES
"EARLY DAYS OF MARION COUNTY" Lester & Marion Burnes, $25. Marion S. Burnes, PO Box 365, Yellville AR 72687.
"MARION COUNTY CEMETERIES" Marion S. Burnes. Hardbound $25. Softbound $20. Marion S. Burnes, PO Box 365, Yellville AR 72687.
"MARION COUNTY MARRIAGES 1888-1896" Marion S. Burnes & Vicki A. Roberts $12. Marion S. Burnes, PO Box 365, Yellville AR 72687.
"MARION COUNTY MARRIAGES 1897-1906" Marion S. Burnes & Vicki A. Roberts $15. Marion S. Burnes, PO Box 365, Yellville AR 72687.
"MARION COUNTY 1890 CENSUS." Reconstructed from 1880 & 1900 census; land, tax records, etc. Hardbound. $40. Helen McMindes, 626 West South Avenue, Harrison AR 72601.
F A M I L I E S & F A I R S
The second annual SHAWNEE DAYS celebration will be held at City Park, Yellville AR, 13 and 14 May 1996. Contact Linda Davenport, HCR 66 Box 427, Yellville AR 72687; (501)-449-4146.
The 7th Annual ANCESTOR FAIR will be held at the Leslie Public School, Leslie AR 31 May and 1 June 1996. Contact James J. Johnston, 2333 East Oaks Drive, Fayetteville AR 72703, (501)-442-3691.
HGSMCA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Please add my name to your membership list so that I may continue to receive Bramble Bush.
Enclosed is my check for $12 payable to HGSMCA for 1996.
NAME_________________________________________________________
ADDRESS_________________________________________________________
CITY________________________________________STATE______________
ZIP___________________
SEND TO HGSMCA, PO BOX 554, YELLVILLE AR 72687
B R A M B L E B U S H
Bramble Bush is published quarterly by the Historic Genealogical Society of Marion County Arkansas, PO Box 554, Yellville AR 72687. Subscription is $12 per year. EDITORIAL STAFF: Editor, Vicki Roberts; Design/Production, Mysty McPherson; Art Work, Bonnie Sanders; Queries, Mary Birrer; Subscriptions, Barbara Holland; Printing, ABC Printing Co., 721 Hwy 5 N, Mountain Home AR 72653; Contributing writers, Mary Birrer, F. Gene Garr, Ramona Lee. HGSMCA OFFICERS: Chair, L. Don Ott; Vice-Chair, Vicki Roberts; Secretary, Mary Birrer; Treasurer, Barbara Holland; Grants/Purchasing, Mysty McPherson.
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