Jacob Arnhart Family

From Arnhart Family Website
Courtesy of Tom Arnhart

Jacob ARNHART

There is very little history or information on the Jacob and Jane (Hensley) Arnhart family in Van Buren Co, AR. We do know that he was the son of George Arnhart of Rowan Co, NC. His father George was born in Rowan Co, NC, and was orphaned at a young age along with his other brothers. After George married Rosenna Airey in Rowan Co, NC, on 8 Feb., 1812, (Jacob was born in 1814, and was the second child born in this family, a older brother, John being born in 1813. A younger brother, Henry was born in 1816. There was another brother, that died as a infant in 1819. In addition there was one sister , Rosanna , born in 1817), they migrated to Tennessee, living in Perry County, McNarry County and Wayne County, TN. His father George, moved his family to Missouri, in the late 1830's settling in the town of Sleigman, Barry Co, MO, Jacob and his family came to Van Buren Co, AR. His older brother John, settled in Benton Co, AR, and Henry his younger brother settled in Prairie Co, AR. There is no record that Rosanna ever left Tennessee.

We find Jacob and his family in Van Buren Co, AR, as early as the 1840 census. At this time he list 2 male children under age 5. These are later identified as A son, George W. and Absolem Henry. We believe that he arrived in the county some time in 1938. There is some information that he may have arrived about the same time as the Jane Hensley family.

There were nine children born to Jacob and Jane Arnhart, seven of them being born in Van Buren Co., over a period of about the next ten years.

1st Wife:Jane HENSLEY

George W. ARNHART
BIRTH: 1837, TN
DEATH: 25 Feb 1865, Military Hosp, Lewisbury, AR
wife:Mary Jane LUNA
MARRIAGE: 19 Aug 1858, Wiley's Cove, Searcy Co, AR

Absolem Henry ARNHART
BIRTH: 1839, Wayne Co,TN

William F. ARNHART
BIRTH: 1841, AR
DEATH: 1866, Archey, Van Buren Co, AR
BURIAL: , Van Buren Co, AR
married: Susan CHRISTOPHER

Rebecca J. ARNHART
BIRTH: 1843
married:Andrew PRICE
MARRIAGE: 21 Aug 1868, Clinton, Van Buren Co., AR

John A. ARNHART
BIRTH: 1845, Van Buren Co, AR
DEATH: 27 Jan 1863, Military Hosp, Cleveland, TN

Martin Benjamin ARNHART
BIRTH: 1847, Van Buren Co, AR
DEATH: ABT. 1882, Archey, Van Buren Co, AR
BURIAL: , Arnhart Cem, Van Buren Co, AR
Married: Nancy M. LOW
MARRIAGE: 24 Dec 1868, Clinton, Van Buren Co., AR

Lucinda ARNHART
BIRTH: 1848, Van Buren Co, AR
DEATH: ABT. 1861, Archey, Van Buren Co, AR
BURIAL: , Van Buren Co, AR

Harriett ARNHART
BIRTH: 1852, Archey, Van Buren Co, AR
DEATH: 1883, Gardner Cem., Van Buren Co, AR
Marriage:Felix G. GARDNER

Nancy Parilee ARNHART
BIRTH: 24 Jul 1857, Archey, Van Buren Co, AR
DEATH: 21 Sep 1943, Nolia Cem, Nashoba, Pushmataha Co, Ok,
Married:Samuel P. GARDNER
MARRIAGE 1: Clinton, Van Buren Co., AR

Marriage 2 : Marion D. BYERS
MARRIAGE: ABT. 1891, Van Buren Co., AR

Jacob Arnhart was one of the earliest settlers to get a land grant from the Federal Government. His patent was granted in 1860 and signed by president James Buchanon. He states in his Affidavit that he has been residing on the property since the 1st day of January 1850. Nathan Sanders was the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the time he made the Affidavit. He stated that he had about 30 acres of the land cleared and in cultivation. There were two dwelling houses along with four corn cribs, a smoke house and other out buildings The description of this land is: the North East quarter of the North West quarter of Section fourteen, in Township twelve, North of Range sixteen, West, in the District of lands subject to the sale, at Batesville, Arkansas; containing forty acres. This was before Van Buren Co, become the office of record. The legal description of this land would put it in the general area of the Tollie Bixler farm.

From what we can determine Jacob spent all of his life living on his homestead there is no evidence that he ever lived anywhere else during his life time. We are not sure where he was buried when he died. There is some speculation that he was buried on the homestead. There is a cemetery located on the land that was the homestead that he and his son, Martin laid claim to. This Cemetery is known as the Arnhart Cemetery and was marked at one time with the name Arnhart Cemetery, with a gate and the traditional Arch that is usually associated with a cemetery. There was also at one time a wire fense that enclosed the cemetery grounds. Some of these grave markers date as far back as 1869. Many of the graves have no information or markers other than field stones. I believe that this cemetery could date back to the 1840/1850 era and possibly even earlier. The Van Buren County historians have also located a cemetery, that is also known as the Arnhart Family Cemetery, but this cemetery is located on the old Tyler Ott farm further down the river than where the homestead is located. They have correspondence from one of the older residents of that area, which states that he has heard that Jacob Arnhart, Jane Hensley, his wife and some of the children are buried there in that cemetery. There is only one readable marker, and that is for James L. Sanders, A civil war soldier. The legal description for the location of this cemetery does not correspond with the official documents that I have obtained from the land management office for his homestead.

Ollie Belle Koonne has some information that the first person to be buried in the Arnhart Family Cemetery was a young man that was killed by some bushwackers. She said some women found him on the side of the road and carried his body home, and he was buried in this cemetery. She was not sure who the young man was. She has heard this story related by her grandmother Hensley.

Jacob Arnhart married his sister-in-law Clarrisa Sanders Hensley some time around 1872. Their daughter Eada was born ca.1873. Jacob would have been in his late 50's when his daughter was born. I have not been able to find any record of marriage in Van Buren Co, AR. There were two children born to Jacob and Clarrisa. Eada and Jacob Jr. After Jacob died Clarrisa remained on the Van Buren Co, AR tax records through 1890.

2nd Wife: Clarissa Malinda SANDERS

Edith Catherine ARNHART
BIRTH: 18 Feb 1873, Van Buren Co
DEATH: 3 Dec 1909, Raiford, Mcintosh Co, OK
BURIAL: 1909, Mellette Cem., Mcintosh Co, OK
Married:John Francis NUNN

Jacob Andrew Jr. ARNHART
BIRTH: 27 Apr 1876, Van Buren Co, AR
DEATH: 29 Dec 1943, Hanna, Mcintosh Co, OK
Married:Ida CARROL