Chapter Eleven

White River - Gateway to Marion County

By: Duane Huddleston

 Pages 104-106

The magnificent scenery of the Upper White River country has been extolled for decades, and today the Marion County area is a tourist's paradise. As vacationeers happily ski on the blue waters of Bull Shoals Lake, or float the river for trout, few realize that its imposing grandeur was lauded as early as 1831, when a traveler wrote:

But the river was more than just a mecca for hunters and fishermen-it was the transportation artery to the county, a waterway through the mountains. In today's jet age of rapid transit, super highways, fast automobiles, truck transports and railroads, it is difficult to visualize the hardship of travel in the pioneer days, for there were few roads in Marion County, and those in existence were crude horse and wagon trails, often impassable for many of the winter months. Consequently, most travel and shipments were by water in piroques, canoes, rafts, flatboats and keel boats.

The early settlers were served by hardy boatsmen, who brought such items as salt, flour, whiskey, coffee, lead, iron and other articles in keel boats to barter for animal skins, bear's bacon, venison, beeswax, honey, beef, pork and other commodities. Among these rivermen may have been Robert Bean (18110), John Lafferty (1811), John Luttig (1814-1815), and Asa McFeltch (1820's and 1830's). Henry Schoolcraft, who passed through what was later Marion County, lent his canoe to Mr. Yochem on January 14, 1819, to carry bear's bacon and pork to the mouth of the Great North Fork River, where a keel boat lay with trade goods. Yochem lived in the vicinity of what was later Talbert's Ferry.

The first Marion County keel boat operator of record was Jesse Goodman, who arrived in 1837 with the Rutherfords, Flippins, and others. He brought a 30-ton keel boat from Louisville with a large stock of merchandise to Talbert's Ferry, which he had previously purchased. The thoughtful riverman also brought an ample supply of old peach brandy, Spanish brandy, rye whiskey, cherry and mint cordial, and other alcoholic beverages "for his friends". Goodman operated the keel boat from the ferry for about three years.

As immigration increased, the keel boat operators met with competition from flat boats. Often farmers and traders built such vessels, loaded them with products_, then floated to Batesville, or other downriver markets After disposing of their commodities, they also sold the boats for lumber and journeyed home on foot, wagon or horse back.

Usually a flat boat was constructed for a single trip Built with a flat bottom in a box or rectangular shape, it resembled a ferry boat and was steered by an oar on the rear. Layers of earth were placed on boards and fires built for cooking, or for warmth if needed.

The keel boat was more durable, often giving years of service. Built on a regular model, it had a keel running from bow to stem and a cargo box about four or five feet high, which extended about ten feet from each end. The boat was guided by a long, heavy, wide-bladed oar in a pivot on the stern. Often the handle extended beyond the top of the cargo box, from where it was manipulated.

The arrival date of the first steamboat at Buffalo Shoals, in southeast Marion County, is uncertain. On March 24, 1844, Captain Thomas T. Tunstall, of Jacksonport, announced that the CARRIER would depart on April 20 for the mouth of Swan Creek, the site of the Forsythe, Missouri, settlement, which gave promise of becoming an important river town. However, its growth depended upon the vastly improved navigation of White River, of which Major John P Campbell, founder of Springfield, was a foremost advocate.

Captain Tunstall tried to ascend the Buffalo Shoals in 1845 with the steamer WASP, but again failed. Nevertheless, he kept running his boats to the shoals and made another unsuccessful attempt with the steamboat KATE KIRKWOOD in May 1848.

Among the other vessels running to the shoals were the LT. MAURY, the MAJOR BARBOUR, and the EUREKA, which conquered the obstacle and churned upstream to the Elbow Shoals on the Missouri line in June 1851.

The 65-ton YOHOGANY, commanded by Captain Childress and piloted by Captain D H Hardy, steamed to Forsythe in May 1852, and within twelve months the steamer BEN LEE had passed through Marion County three times enroute to Missouri. Silas Turnbo, a Missouri historian, also listed the MARY L DAUGHERTY as running to Forsythe, but did not give the dates or number of trip. Owned by Captains Silas Daugherty and Jonathan Whitesides, the 95-ton sidewheeler plied the upper river in 1854 and 1855, making several trips to Marion County landings. Turnbo mentioned the JESSE LAZEAR as another Forsythe boat, but again failed to list dates and trips. Owned by Captain John B Adams, who later became one of Arkansas' most famous steamboat owners, the vessel made several trips to the county in 1856 and 1857.

As more and more settlers arrived, river travel increased, and the settlement at the foot of Buffalo Shoals was named Buffalo City, where a post office was established. Talbert's Ferry, located on the old military road, became the second most important landing, serving Yellville and other nearby hamlets.

Small steamboats ordinarily came to Buffalo City about nine months per year and to Talbert's Ferry for six months.

The first Marion County steamboat owner was Jesse Mooney, who obtained title to the THOMAS P. RAY in early 1856. The small steamer was engaged in the Upper White River trade, but was having financial difficulties. Pool and Watson, Jacksonport merchants, filed a claim for supplies, materials and money furnished to Captian Oaty P. Dowell, master and owner, prior to January 6, 1856. A writ was obtained, and the boat seized by the Independence County sheriff. Jesse Mooney and Captain Francis A. Maffatt obtained ownership and appealed the judgment to the Circuit Court, which reversed the decision. Pool and Watson then took the case to the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Jesse Mooney kept the THOMAS P. RAY in the Upper White River trade, operating from his landing with Captain Maffitt as master, but disaster struck in early summer. The boat was blown from her moorings during a storm at Batesville and sank in eight feet of water, greatly damaging the steamer and cargo. She was quickly raised and repaired. Meanwhile, Captain Maffitt obtained ownership of the THOMAS P. RAY, and on November 22, 1856, sold the boat for $2500 to George Pearson of Marion County, although the deed was not recorded until December 25, 1857. Thus, it appears that Pearson was the last owner of the vessel, which resumed operations; February 27, 1857, a newspaper reported:

"The THOMAS P. RAY very unexpectedly made her appearance yesterday for the Upper White. We admire her pluck, and sincerely hope that she may straighten out her embarrassments and again take her place in the White River trade, and make regular trips to our landing."

Thereafter, the small steamboat busily plied the upper river, making frequent trips from Mooney's Landing to Batesville. She was there in late March of 1858, obtaining a load of salt, whiskey and other products for Marion County customers. The RAY had carried over 3,000 sacks of salt, many barrels of whiskey, and tons of other merchandise up the river during the boating season.

Among the other boats serving the local landings in 1858 were the MONONGAHELA BELLE, owned by Captain J. M. Gilchrist, of Jacksonport, and the MARY PATTERSON, which was launched at Grand Glaize in November. Owned by J. C. Matthews and A. B. Corner, the PATTERSON was commanded by Captain Morgan Magness Bateman and was 125 feet long, 23 feet wide, and displaced 105 net tons.

In the fall of 1858, John H. Quisenberry tried to develop Buffalo City into a major port. Recognizing its strategic location at the foot of Buffalo Shoals, usually considered the head of year-round navigation by small steamers, the ambitions gentleman purchased land, laid it off in lots, then advertised them for sale. He stated that river mail service would soon be extended to Buffalo City, which would furnish continuous transportation to the Mississippi River, and cause the formation of various state lines from Buffalo City to the interior.

Undaunted, he completed plans with Captain Pete Fleming and T. J. Wood to purchase a boat to run from Buffalo City to Augusta to connect with the steamer ADMIRAL, owned by Captain Fleming. This would provide a steamboat line from Buffalo City to the Mississippi, thence to Memphis and New Orleans They purchased the steamboat OAKLAND, which they claimed could run the entire year, since it drew only 14 inches of water.