At a very early date the Everett brothers came to the valley of White River. They first came to Lawrence County or Black River, however, they moved to White River sometime after and settled in the west part of Izard Co., in that portion which is now included in Marion Co. The families consisted of Old Sim, Old Jess, and Old Bart and their families. A part of them were mechanics, if not all of them, and noted for being men of honesty and uprightness in all activity, great manhood and bravery, and given a great deal to fighting. A few men were able to contend with them or either of them in combat. It was Old Jess who encountered John P. Houston at the mouth of Big North Fork.

After Yellville was laid off as a town and begun to grow, Hansford Tutt, a man of some property and influence, settled in the town. He was, perhaps, a North Carolinian and not generally liked by his neighbors. After a time a difficulty grew up between the Everetts and Tutt. This difficulty continued to grow year after year, and was occasionally rekindled by combats in which the Everetts always came off best. It progressed for ten years or more and resulted in the formation of two parties, known respectively as the Tutt and Everett parties, and there were few citizens who were not in some way or other identified with one of the other of these parties.

In the meantime, Old Jess, who had gone into merchandising and river tradings, sold out and went to Texas. However, the contention did not abate by Old Jess moving away. There were young men who had grown up and had the bitterness of the occasion engrafted in their bosoms.

In the summer of 1840, Jess Turner Esq., had an appointment to speak at Yellville as a candidate for Presidential Elector. This appointment called out quite a number of people, and the Everett and Tutt parties were both well represented. A preliminary combat or two rallied the fighting men of both sides in lines a few paces apart, without outside influence enough to quell it. At this critical moment a terrific dry whirl wind passed over the crowd scattered their hats and filled the air with dust; this so confused the parties that they got apart and dispersed for the time. However, the Everett party, who lived in the country, mounted late in the evening and rode off, but before they got out of hearing, the noise of a row reached their ears. They wheeled and rushed back, when the fight became general and in a few moments there were four or five men killed and several knocked down and wounded.

There were four brothers named King, who figured as champions on the Tutt side. Old Sam and Bart seemed to be most dreaded by the Tutt part. They were said to have been held by the arms by some whilst others shot them; they were both killed and young France Everett wounded. All them killed at this time were of the Everett party, the Tutt party having taken the advantage of their charge. Young France Everett immediately left for Texas, for his Uncle Jess.

Old Jess, on receiving young France's report, made his will, armed himself, took young France and a man named Stratton, and came back to Arkansas. They arrested the King brothers over toward the Arkansas River and started toward Yellville with them. They took them a short distance and killed three of them and the fourth one made his escape. Soon after a shot was fired at Hamp Tutt, as he passed the road, without taking effect. He then quartered himself at home and kept a strong guard of armed men about him. A writ was placed in the hands of the sheriff for Old Jess Everett and his escort. The sheriff took a posse of about one hundred men and went to where Old Jess was know to be, but on finding him, he had more men than the sheriff.

It was said Old Jess run up the red handkerchief and offered battle; the sheriff declined to accept, and returned to town. Application was made to the Governor and about 500 militia ordered out. The militia succeeded in surrounding and capturing Old Jess, Stratton, and young France, and lodged them in the Lawrence County jail. Soon after, a party of about 40 men equipped with implements to work with, went to the jail late in the night and broke down the jail door and mounted Old Jess and his boys and they all rode away in triumph.

The news of Old Jess being at liberty only made old Hamp stick closer to his quarters. Some months after, old Hamp stepped outside his door, just at day, and was washing in a china bowl, a gun fired and the bullet struck the bowl, but old Hamp stepped inside unhurt. After some months of fruitless efforts trying to get old Hamp, Old Jess was known to leave the country for Texas, where he died soon after, but it was believed that he left parties not so well known as himself, to watch the movements of old Hamp. There was occasionally a man killed and old Hamp kept close quarters. Thus time moved on, for about twelve months, when old Hamp got to walking around, generally between two men. In this situation he was shot from ambush, at a long range, with a rifle, whilst walking in a retired street. He lived a few days and died.

It was said he charged his friends to let his death be the end of the affair. This rioting known as the Yellville War, lasted about eighteen or twenty months, in which there was said to have been about fourteen men killed. The parties identified in this war, who escaped generally dispersed to other countries, the county settled with new men. It was thought that the sympathy of the country was largely in favor of the Everetts.