I have been a citizen of Carroll County since the year 1838, and write from my own recollection since that date. Prior to that time I have been wholly dependent upon others who resided in the county before that time.

In presenting the history of Carroll County, we find that Arkansas was organized into a Territory in the year 1829. Izard County was one of the original counties of the Territory, named in honor of the then Territorial Governor, Mark W. Izard. It embraced the present counties of Izard, Fulton, Baxter, Marion, Boone, Carroll, nearly all of Newton, and a large portion of Madison.

Carroll County was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature about the year 1834, and embraced all the territory extending west from Range sixteen to the divide between Kings River and War Eagle Creek, and from the Missouri line to the Boston Mountains, or, in other words, to the divide between the Buffalo and the Arkansas River waters.

The first white settlements made in Carroll County were a short distance between the mouth of Clear Creek, now in Marion County. The Shawnee Indians had a small village at the mouth of Clear Creek, the houses of which were principally made of cedar logs. They were said to have been peaceable and well disposed toward their white brethren. Horse racing was their favorite amusement, and they were passionately fond of whiskey and tobacco.

The first white settlement ever made on Crooked Creek was at the Stiffler Springs, where the town of Harrison now stands, by Barny Cheatham. He built the first mill in the county on T. W. Hopper's spring branch. It was then known as 'the natural dam.' It was not uncommon for the early pioneers to go forty or fifty miles to Cheatham's mill in wagons. Those who were less fortunate and had no wagons were compelled to beat or grate their meal.

The first mail route over established through Carroll County was in 1831, and blazed through by Hargroves and Cooper to Ft. Smith. The first post office was established at Bellah's Stand, on Crooked Creek, a few miles above Harrison.

The first settlement made west of Carrollton was at Scott's Prairie about 1830 or 1831, by John Yocum, from which the beautiful stream of Yocum Creek took its name.

The first wagon ever driven through the county was by Mr. Boyd, Roland Boyd's father. He moved the Sneed family from some point on White River to Osage.

Several settlements were made in the County during the years 1832 and 1833, notable among which were Aaron Baker, John Baker, David Williams and William Wood on Osage, the Boyds on Long Creek, Watkins on Upper Osage and Lafferty's on Long Creek.

The county seat of Carroll County was located at Carrollton in 1835. The first court house was built of hewn logs and was about twenty feet square, covered with clap boards. It had two doors and one window, and the floor was loose plank sawn with a whipsaw. The first circuit was held the same year (1835), and presided over by Archibald Yell. David Walker was Prosecuting Attorney. Judge Yell was afterwards Governor of the State. At the outbreak of the Mexican War he accepted the position of Colonel, went to Mexico, and lost his life in the famous battle of Buena Vista. David Walker still survives, and has from time to time filled some of the most prominent positions in the State government.

John Adams was the first Sheriff of Carroll County. He was appointed by Governor of the Territory. The first Clerk was a man by the name of Moody. Nothing is known of his history afertwards. The first County Judge was George W. Campbell. Thomas H. Clark was second Sheriff. John F. King was the delegate to the convention that framed the constitution of 1836, under which Arkansas was admitted into the Union the same year. Mr. King was a successful minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. He died at his residence in Kingston a short time previous to the war.

The first County Judge after Arkansas became a state was William King; th first Sheriff, Charles Sneedm and the first Clerk, William C. Mitchell.

The first circuit court was held in Carrollton in the spring of 1837, Judge William Hoge presided. L. D. Jones was Prosecuting Attorney.

In 1836 or 1837 Marion and Madison counties were established. All that portion of Carroll east of range 19 west, was stricken off and attached to Marion County. All that portion west of the divide between Dry Fork and Kings River was attached to Madison County.

In 1836 Thomas H. Clark and Jone E. Stallions were elected Representatives.

In 1838 Thos. H. Clark and Felix G. Wilburn were elected Representatives; John M. Perriman, County Judge; Chas. Sneed, re-elected Sheriff and W. C. Mitchell, Clerk. Perriman moved to Texas some twenty-five years ago, and we knew nothing of him afterwards.

In 1849 William C. Mitchell was elected State Senator, Carroll County, forming a part of his district; Thos. H. Clark and Beal Gaither, Representatives; Charles Sneed again re-elected Sheriff, and Johnathan Hicks, Clerk; and William Estest, County Judge.

During the session of the Legislature of 1842-43, Newton County was established. All that portion of Carroll south of a line dividing Townships 17 north form Madison to Marion County lien was taken to form a part of Newton County.

George W. Baines remained in the county but a few years after his term of office expired, when he moved to Louisiana. Know but little of his history afterwards. James Fancher never sought position afterwards. He lived to a good old age and died at his residence in the county in 1866. Charles Sneed died at his residence near the close of the war.

In 1844 Wm. C. Mitchell was again elected to the Senate, and George F. Birns and Thos. H. Clark, Representatives; J. J. Wilburn, Sheriff, and Jonathan Hicks, Clerk.

In 1846 S. S. Matlock and James Turman were elected Representatives, the Senate holding over; J. J. Wilburn, Sheriff; Tilford Denton, Clerk, and Thomas H. Clark, County Judge. Matlock moved to Texas soon after the commencement of the war, and when last heard from was living in the town of Belton, in that State. Turman, I think, died soon after his term of office expired.

In 1848 William Mitchell was elected State Senator; Thomas Gaskins and Garrett Greer, Representatives; J. J. Wilburn, Sheriff; John W. Peel, Clerk and T. H. Clark, County Judge. Clark was waylaid and shot by some unknown person near his residence on Osage in 1849 or 1850. S. H. Ewing was elected to fill the unexpired term. Gaskins died a few years after his term of office expired.

In 1850 B. W. Ayers and Tilford Denton were elected Representatives, the Senate holding over; J. J. Wilburn, Sheriff; John Peel, Clerk, and S. H. Ewing, County Judge.

In 1852 William Mitchell was elected to the Senate; Tilford Denton and John H. Britton, Representatives; A. C. Oliver, Sheriff; John Peel, Clerk and S. H. Ewing, County Judge.

During the administration of Judge Ewing, a good, substantial brick courthouse was built, costing the county $3,000. Josiah Childers was building commissioner and Lewis Raines contractor. Ewing’s administration was economical and just and furnished a bright page in Carroll County’s history. County taxes were reduced from one-fourth of one per cent to one eighth of one per cent on the assessed value of the taxable property.

Prior to the election of 1854, Wm. Mitchell resigned his office as Senator and removed to Marion county. At the general election in that year, John McCoy of Newton, was elected to fill the unexpirtd term, and John Haggin and Bradley Bunch were elected representatives; A. C. Oliver, Sheriff; George Gordon, Clerk and Matthew Bristow, County Judge.

In 1855, A. C. Oliver resigned his office as Sheriff, and James Myers was elected to fill the vacancy.

In 1856 W. W. Watkins was elected to the State Senate; Bradley Bunch and B. W. Ayers, Representatives; J. C. Shipman, Sheriff; George Gordon, Clerk and George W. Walker, County Judge.

In 1858 Bradley Bunch and George Gordon were elected Representatives, the Senate holding over; R. C. Campbell, Sheriff; S. W. Peel, Clerk; Jacob Turner, County Judge.

In 1860 W. W. Watkins was elected Senator; Bradley Bunch and Josiah Childers, Representatives; David Smith, Sheriff; S. W. Peel, Clerk; Jacob Turney, County Judge.

The Courthouse at Carrollton was burned in 1860. As to how it took fire is not known, but is supposed to have been fired by parties against whom indictments had been found, the Clerk’s office being kept in a room on the second floor of the building.

By act of the General Assembly, approved January 1861, an election was held in February or March of that year for or against a State convention and for delegates to said convention, should one be held. Carroll County voted largely against a convention, but elected B. H. Hobbs and W. W. Watkins as delegates. During that year Watkins resigned his seat in the Senate and I. J. Thorn of Berryville, was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. Thorn left the county soon afterwards and died in Virginia during the war. B. H. Hobbs, went to Kentucky during the war, and has never returned to Carroll County.

In 1862 Bradley Bunch was elected to the State Senate; Dr. A. A. Baker and Isham R. Holt, Representatives; John Peel, Clerk and R. C. Campbell, Sheriff. The county officers qualified, but did little if any official business.

Under the constitution of 1864 J. F. Seaman and John Plumlee were Representatives in that year. Plumlee, I believe, attended the sitting of the Legislature, but Seaman did not. Whether county officers were elected that year I am not advised, at any rate they never served.

The war closed in 1865, and Carroll county was organized by the appointment of the following officers: Geo. J. Crump, Clerk; A. S. McKennon, Sheriff; S. H. Ewing, County Judge; Isham R. Holt, Treasurer.

In 1866 W. W. Watkins was again elected to the State Senate; Bradley Bunch and J. H. Berry, Representatives, G. J. Crump, Clerk; N. B. Crump, Sheriff; S. H. Ewing, County Judge.

Joseph Wright was the delegate to the constitutional convention of 1868 from this county. Under that convention J. J. Grim was elected Sheriff and W. W. Davis, Clerk. Robert Rains was appointed County Judge.

Under the constitution of 1868 the several counties of the State were arranged into Senatorial and Representative districts.

At the first general election after the adoption of the constitution of 1868, T. W. Hopper, P. A. Williams, Benjamin Vaughan and Mr. Fitzwater were elected Representatives from the district of which Carroll county formed a part.

By an Act of the General Assembly approved April 9^th, 1869, Boone County was established, and all that portion of Carroll county east of Range 22 west was taken off to create the county of Boone. At the same session, Cedar and Clifty townships were attached to Carroll county.

In 1870 William Dugger was elected Senator from this district and E. P. Watson, G. J. Crump, J. S. O’Neal and __ Ewbanks, Representatives.

Robert Rains died in 1870 or 1871, and Cyrus Maxwell was appointed County Judge.

In 1869 the citizens from the west end of the county made application to the county court, by petition, for the removal of the county seat from Carrollton to Berryville. There being the requisite number of petitioners the court granted an order for an election, which resulted in favor of Carrollton. Two years afterward application was made to the county court, by petition, to set aside the first election upon the grounds that Cedar township had not voted in the former election, not then being registered voters of the county. The court thought the grounds sufficient to set aside the former election, and made an order granting a new election, which took place soon afterwards, and resulted in favor of Berryville. The case was carried to the circuit court by John W. Peel, but never came to trial.

In 1872 Joseph Wright, W. L. Chapman, Dr. Foster and __ Cunningham were elected Representatives from the district; Senator Dugger held over; James P. Fancher, Clerk; S. L. Hayhurst, Sheriff.

Bradley Bunch was elected delegate to the constitutional convention in 1874, and also to the State Senate. H. M. Moore was elected Representative; James P. Fancher, Clerk; A. Fanning, County Judge, and James G. Walker, Treasurer.

On the 4^th day of January, 1875, a petition was presented to the county court of Carroll County praying the removal of the county seat from Carrollton to the town of Berryville, in said county, and there being the requisite number of petitioners, the court ordered an election to be held on the 22^nd day of February following for or against such removal. At the July term of said court, it appearing that a majority of the qualified electors of the county on the 22^nd day of February, 1875, had voted to remove the county seat from Carrollton to Berryville, it was ordered by the court that the county records be removed to that place as soon as practicable, which was done on the 17^th day of July, 1875. Since that time the courts have been regularly held in the town of Berryville.

In the early settlement of Carroll county, farm machinery, other than the ordinary home-made plow and hoe, was unknown. The old Barshear or Cary plow was used for breaking land, drawn usually by oxen, and when so broken, was crossed off and cultivated with a bull-tongue or shovel plow. New lands were sometimes broken with bull-tongue and coulter, and this mode of breaking is not entirely abandoned at the present day, especially in the barrens and wild grass lands, but in most cases plows of modern improvement are used as breaking plows. The walking cultivator, as it is called, has been introduced into the county, and so far as tested, has proven to be quite an improvement in point of labor-saving. The first threshing machine ever brought into the county was in 1859. It was known as Johnson’s thresher, and was brought from Washington county, near Oxford’s Bend on White River. It was what was known as 'a chaff piler.' The next thresher brought to the county was in 1866 by Mr. Caliais, of Benton county. It was a one-horse endless chain power. Callais sold out to Simmons and Brown, in the neighborhood of Berryville. Since that time threshing machines have been common in almost every neighborhood. The county is now supplied with good separating threshers of the most improved style.

The first saw mill ever built in Carroll county was by Mr. James in the year 1843, a short distance below where Carroll’s mill now stands, on the Dry Fork of Kings River. Joel Blair built another on the same stream, a year afterward, about one mile below. Both used the sash saw.

The first steam saw mill was built by B. H. Hobbs and Co., nine miles northwest of Berryville in 1857. At the present day there are no less than eight or nine steam saw mills in the county, all using the circular saw, beside several good water mills, where the sash saw is still in use.

Good flouring mills are not sufficiently plenty at present to supply the wants of our rapidly increasing population, especially at the dry season of the year. There are, however, some good mills in the county, and others in course of construction, and it is to be hoped that the wants of our people in this respect will be speedily met.

The educational interests of the county have by no means been neglected. In almost every neighborhood in the county, public schools are taught at least three months in the year, and are conducted by teachers, who, under the law, must be of good moral character, and of literary attainments. Besides these there are other schools and academies of high grade, carried on by private enterprise, notable among which are the Carrollton High School, Fairview Academy and Clarke’s Academy.

The Carrollton High School is located at Carrollton, the former countyseat of Carroll county, and on a beautiful eminence lying east of and overlooking the pure limpid stream of Long Creek. This place is remarkable for good water and healthfulness of situation, besides affording facilities for a thorough as well as a practical education. This school is conducted by Prof. W. R. Belding.

Fairview Academy is located at the beautiful little town of Fairview, (Osage) in the southern part of the county, in the beautiful and fertile valley of the Osage, and in the midst of an intelligent and thriving population. This school is under the management and control of Prof. Isaac Hoyl, and is deserving of a liberal patronage.

Clarke’s Academy, located at Berryville, the county seat, has been in successful operation since January, 1867, a period of nearly ten years. This institution affords facilities unsurpassed for a practical education anywhere in the State (the Arkansas Industrial University excepted), and is under the control and management of Prof. Isaac A. Clarke.

The mineral resources of Carroll county are abundant, and only await capital and enterprise to develop the richness of her mines. Large deposits of lead, iron and zinc have been discovered in various places.

The Jackson mines on Kings River are said to be remarkable rich in silver, yielding 315 ounces to the ton of ore.

The Clobin mines have been more extensively worked, and yield about the same per cent of silver as the Jackson mines.

Gaskins’ mines, on Leatherwood, in Cedar Township, are believed to be very rich, though not extensively worked as yet.

Other discoveries have been recently made on Trigger Hill, west of Berryville, at a point known by the early pioneers as the 'Indian Graves,' but recent examination develops that fact that the earth had been removed for purpose of securing mineral and that no graves ever existed there. The earth appears to have been replaced so as to resemble graves or burying places. As to who did the digging, our oldest inhabitants have not the least idea, as it appears to have been done a century or two ago.

Iron abounds in great quantities on Owl Creek, about ten miles northwest of Berryville. Also in various places bordering on Osage and Kings River in Township 20 north, Range 25 west.

Carroll county is situated in thirty-six degrees north latitude, and ninety-three degrees west longitude, and contains about six hundred square miles. It is bounded on the north by the Missouri State Line, on the west by Benton and Madison counties, on the south by Newton, and on the east by Boone.

The county is well watered with beautiful dear-running streams, affording good water power for machinery. Good springs are numerous in all parts of the county. The principal streams in the county are Long Creek, which has its origin in Carroll, but gracefully meanders on the line between Carroll and Boone, Dry Creek, Yocum, Indian Creek, Osage, Kings River, Dry Fork and Piney, Leatherwood, Big and Little Clifty and fifteen or twenty miles of White River. These streams all have more or less rich alluvial bottom lands, yielding from fifty to seventy-five bushels of corn to the acre.

The surface of the county is hilly, and a large portion of the tillable lands are barren and prairie. The soil is very productive for all kinds of grain, clover and different grasses. Fruits of many varieties thrive well here.

The timber in Carroll County is abundant and valuable, consisting of cherry, white and black walnut, blue and white ash, white and black oak, hickory, maple, birch, mulberry, locust, cedar, dogwood, hackberry, iron-wood, besides almost interminable forests of beautiful pine.

White River, Kings River and Osage abound in excellent fish, and from these streams great numbers are taken during the spring season of the year.

There are two newspapers published in the county, The Carroll County Bowlder and the Carroll County Advocate, the former published at Carrollton by W. S. Tilton, and the latter by J. C. Hanna, at Berryville. Both commenced publication near the same time, in the fall of 1875.

In 1840 Carroll County proper contained but three political townships, with a voting population not exceeding three hundred. Now it contains thirteen political townships, with a voting population numbering about six thousand inhabitants.

In 1842 there were but three post offices; now there are ten in the county, and nearly every neighborhood is accommodated.

Society is good. But few neighborhoods are deprived of religious services each Sabbath in the year. In this respect Carroll equals the most favored counties in the state.

Good schools are sufficiently numerous to afford an opportunity for each youth in the county of acquiring at least a good business education. None are so poor but that, with energy and industry, can accomplish this most desirable end.

I have now given as complete a history of the county as the limited means at my command would allow. I acknowledge it very imperfectly written, and somewhat disjointed. I have done the best I could under the circumstances. Besides imperfect data, my mind has not been well centered upon the subject. I have had much else to attract my attention. The ordinary business on the farm, and the part I have felt called upon to take in the late canvass in this Senatorial district, has prevented work, only as short intervals; hence this work has been greatly delayed.

In conclusion, let me say to the people of Carroll County: let us be united in our labors to advance the interests of our county, develop her resources, and increase her productions, until she takes the rank that nature and nature’s God designed for her.

Berryville, Ark., Sept. 11^th, 1876.

Thank You for visiting my Carroll County, Arkansas site. To contact me specifically about this webpage, send email to: About This Page

For other subject matter, you can reach me at my base email address.
Take Care, Judy Tate