D. Porter West's Early history of Pope county, Arkansas

This little book contains a synopsis of the early history of Pope County, its first settlements, County sites, Churches, Courts, brief mention of the wars of 1S36, 1846, 1861, also Brooks and Baxter. Also an agricultural Allegory and a new year story to amuse lawyers, encourage young men, please children, gratify and defend the ladies, for whom and to whom, I have written and dedicated, for the'r gratification and defense, as you will see, "Only A Small Family," makes enough work for one little woman.

I am now in my 75th year. This little token of remembrance I submit for inspection, hoping that its contents may be instructive and gratifying to many children, grand-children and great grand-children, whose parents' names appear in this book It also contains the confession of Lee Barnes in full. I here attach extract from the Russellville Courier-Democrat, of July 27, 1905: "Perhaps no other living man is so well acquainted with the County of Pope as Mr. West, who has watched with interest its advancement in all its stages. He has written a series of articles for county papers on the early history of the County, dating from 1828, and upon perusal of many of his writings, we find them gotten up in an interesting and complete manner, and displaying quite a literary talent. His writings on Pope County would truly be valuable in book form." I did not write the articles for a book, but after they appeared and were read, I was solicited by my friends, Capt. J. R. Homer Scott, Hon. Charles E. Tobey, F. M. Hudson and many others, who were contemporaries, to have them published for preservation, for the posterity of those whose names appear therein.

 

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I was born in Cross Plains, Robinson county, Tenn., June 30, 1831. My father immigrated to Arkansas and landed at Old St. Martin, near Scotia, on May 7th, 1839. We remained on Big Piney a short time, and when Dover was selected in 1842 for county side, (in the woods) we moved here and this place has been my home since. There was no postoffice, but Mathew T. Logan, within 1-2 mile was post- master. He employed me to ride the mail for him every Saturday; the other postoffice at Old Dwight Mission, 4 miles west of the prairie, where Russellville is now located. I was paid two-bits a week; and to get a letter from Tennessee cost two-bits cash, paid on receipt of the letter. The postoffice at Dwight was kept by Joe and Bob Davidson. At this time and place, I met and made the acquaintance of Hon. Jesse S. Hayden; the father of Mrs. Ella Crownover, Misses Gary, Lucy and Will Hayden of Dardanelle. I was at the double wedding when Hon. Jesse S. Hayden married Miss Clara, and G. W. Holledger and Miss Tennie Rye, daughters of Mr. Stephen Rye.