1956 Chevy "Bob" Truck

Farm trucks were once seen all up and down these roads and highways. . . .

Do you remember this model?

Read the story behind it at:

The 1956 Chevy Farm Truck Comes Home

Colonial Timeline: Mississippi Country, Arkansas

Chickasaw Indians

This timeline is one of the best summaries I've found for Northeast Arkansas. We have had several flags fly over our area in early history--Spanish, French, District of Missouri, District of Arkansas, United States.

From:”Chickasawba”, H. Terry Childs and Charles H. McNutt, The Arkansas Archeologist, Vol 48, Arkansas Archeology Society, Fayetteville, AR, 2009, pg 28

Part of section entitled: The Local Historic Period (Childs)

Chickasawba Region (North Mississippi County Area)

Historic Period Time Line:

1541    June 18            Hernando De Soto expedition crosses the Mississippi River into Present-day Arkansas (Clayton et al. 1993)

            June 29            De Soto, accompanied by foot soldiers, cavalry, and a large contingent of Casqui                                     Indians, comes to frontier town of Pacaha. Remains in Pacaha until July 28 or approx one month (Clayton et al. 1993)

1673    Marquette and Jolliet descend Mississippi River. Observe great decrease in native population (Phillips et al.)
1951:419). Below the Ohio, the first town mentioned is Mitchigamea, located near the 33^rd degree of latitude. The next village, Akamsea, was ca 40 km down-river. It is believed that the occupants of the latter village were Quapaw. (Morse and Morse 1983:316-317; Phillips et al. 1951:402-403)

1682    LaSalle Expedition build Fort Prudhomme on Chickasaw Bluffs, hunts in present-day Ms Co,         Arkansas. Claims region for France. (Goodspeed 1889:450)

1686    Tonti’s expedition, establishment of Arkansas Post (Delanglex 1944)

1712    Louis XIV grants A. Crozat a 15-year monopoly for granting lands, mines, and trade in region          including northeast Arkansas (Thomas 1930)

1722    French historian Charlevoix passed down Mississippi River and visits Indians in the area. No permanent settlements observed (Goodspeed 1889:450)

1762    Prior to defeat in the French and Indian wars, Louis XV or France secretly gives “Louisiana”            west of the Mississippi River to his cousin Charles III of Spain. Transfer ratified the following year. (Presson 1957:92)

1765    Map by Lt. John Ross first reference to Prunes River. Surveys western boundary of British territory after French and Indian War (BCN, December 31, 1999)

1785    A few Spanish and French traders located at Barfield Point, at the head of Canadian Reach. No        permanent settlements are in area during the 1700’s (Goodspeed 1889:450)  
1795    Spain recognizes Mississippi River as the western boundary of the US, grants free navigation rights on river. (Pinckney’s Treaty a.k.a. Treaty of San Lorenzo) (Walker 1971:5)

1799    White and Black population of Arkansas recorded as 386 (Reynolds 1908:214)

1800    Spain cedes Arkansas back to French by Tready of San Ildefonso (Walker 1971:5)

1801    Zadok Cramer begins publication of Navigator: Assigns numbers to island in Mississippi River (Cramer 1808)

1803    Louisiana Purchase. Arkansas region obtained by the US (Bolton 1998:24)  
1808    Governor Chouteau’s treaty with chiefs of Big and Little Osage, ceding 14,830,432 acres,  including MS Co Ar (Hempstead 1911:55-56; Reynolds 1908:214-215)

1810    First census shows 1,062 Whites and Blacks in Arkansas. Most people (874) living along the Arkansas River. (Reynolds 1908:214)
Note: Native Americans were not counted. 

1811-1812       Great Shakes, the New Madrid Earthquakes. The “Little Pemiscoe River,” that parallels         the Mississippi at a distance of ca 12 miles empties into the St. Francis, fills with sand (Fletcher 1812)
        (Dell was originally on the Pemiscot Bayou) 

1812    First steamboat passes Mississippi Co enroute to New Orleans from Pittsburg (Goodspeed 1889:451)

1812-1819       District of Arkansas attached to Missouri Territory (Walker 1917:6)

A Chickasaw Indian

1812    Soon after Great Shakes, Chief Chickasawba arrives at 3MS5 and builds hut on one of the mounds.  An Arkansas journal published at about this time gives detailed account of native ceremony intended to avert wrath of Great Spirit (Goodspeed 1889:450, 504)

1819    Arkansas Territory created (Presson 1957:127)

1828    *Captain Charles Bowen settles at Barfield Point. Gives account of Chief Chickasawba and also        fortified Indian site at Barfield Landing (Edrington 1962:24-25; Goodspeed 1889:451-452, 470)

1830    **Crawford family settles at North Sawba. Speak of friendliness of local Chickasaw Indians and        their chief, Chickasawba (McCall 1994)

1832    Elijah Buford settles on top of the largest mound at Barfield Point. Builds house and plants garden   on top of a mound. At this location are “immense mounds surrounded by ditches” (Goodspeed 1889:447)

1836    Arkansas becomes a state

***********************************

Notes: *Descendents of Charles Bowen influenced the formation of the town of Dell. The Moody's of Dell are also connected to the Bowens.

** A few of the descendents of the Crawford family settled in the Dell area. 

Dell School Board of Directors, District #23

J. H. Brinn

  
   Board of Directors, Dell School District #23

1896             John B. Richardson

                        John Perry

                        Robert Peterson

1911             G. A. Newport

                        J. D. Brown

W. P. Sheridan

Henry Bailey

1911-1913  Hiram Smith

                        E. W. Ballou

1911-1915  W. A. Osborne

1911-1916  J. A. Koehler

1912             J. W. Perry

                        A. J. Jarratt

                        S. M. Bailey

1913             W. D. Graves

                        J. L. Bettis

1913-1914  W. C. Grice

                        J. A. McConnell

1913-1914  Otto Bradberry

1914-1916  Abe White

1915-1917  S. V. Ragsdale

                        Joseph Grice

                        P. M. Nelson

1916             Abe Jones

1917             J. R. Barron

                        W. D. Graves

                        J. S. Naney

1916-1917  J. W. White

1920-1929  John Farley

                        J. W. Perry

                        C. F. Armstrong

1920-1948  E. M. Woodard

1926-1927  F. F. Martin

C. R. Gill

M. W. Lewis

1930-1931 C. G. Evans

                        J. H. Perry

1931-1932  Otto Bradberry

1933-1949  J. H. Brinn

1934-1935  L. M. Moody

1933-1941  Earl Magers

1945-1955  C. W. Garrigan

1946                         Sam Simmons

1946-1956  M. J. Koehler

1947-1975  John M. Stevens

1951-1966  C. A. Smith

1952-1962  M. R. Griffin

1953-1958  R. B. Crawford

1955-1960  H. Noble Gill

1955-1981  Max B. Riggs

1958-1963  Glen Cook

1960-1983  Curtis J. Loveless

1963-1975  Doyle Houston

1966-1979  Russell Simpson

1975-1980  Harold Lewis

1975-1984  Robert Payne

1979-1980  Clarence Crosskno

1980-1984  Donald L. Barnes

1980-1984  Magers Griffin

1983-1984  J. T. Tate

1984             Louis Lammers

If you have photos of any School Board Directors listed here, please email them to me, so I can share with everyone. . . .Thanks!

       

It's Cotton Pickin' Time

For those of you who no longer live in the Dell area, here's a reminder that it's Fall and time to pick cotton. . . . .

These photographs were taken a couple of years ago. . . .but late yesterday afternoon, into the night, and again this morning, it was the scene here at the farm. . . .

Wish I could convey the "smells" of Fall when harvest season is here. . . .and the chug, chug, chugging of the cotton gin behinds us. . . .the activity up and down the road. . . .

or, how much fun it is to ride in one of those big air conditioned pickers. . . .

For now, the best I can do is share these few photos. . . .

and hope. . . . .

that you're having a fine, cotton pickin' day, too. . .

Dell Methodist Church Dedication: Blytheville Courier News, 1951

 

from the Blytheville Courier News, January 24, 1951

DELL CHURCH DEDICATED--Officials at the dedication of the new Methodist Church at Dell are shown above as they stand in front of the building following the services Sunday morning. Unless otherwise identified, the people pictured are members of the Board of Stewards of the Dell Church.

Front Row, Left to Right: B. S. Simmons; H. Noble Gill, chairman of the Board of Stewards; the Rev. Paul E. Martin, Bishop of the Northeast Arkansas Conference; the Rev. E. B. Williams, Superintendent of the Jonesboro District; and the Rev. E. H. Hall, pastor of the Dell Methodist Church.

Second row, left to right: Lester Gill; Earl Magers; Mrs. Mavis Settlemire, President of the Women's Society of Christian Service; Clem H. Whistle; Mrs. Helen Sanders; Charles Stuck of Jonesboro, contractor for the building; and Ralph Simpson.

Third row, left to right: O. E. Honeycutt; R. B. Crawford; M. F. Brownlee, Sr.;  John Stevens; L. M. Moody; and Bob Henderson.

Back row, left to right: William Stuck of Jonesboro, contractor for the building; Wendell Phillips of Blytheville, architect; and Noble Dixon.

About 400 attended the dedication ceremonies Sunday. 

Random Notes from Edna Keltner Interview

The Sheridan Home, Dell, AR

Notes:  Edna Keltner Interview

26 July 2001

Edna Stanley  b. 4 Dec 1910, Malden, MO    m. Dave Keltner  b. 1905 Humbolt, Tn  d. 1978

Dave worked at the airbase for 30 years.  They were the only Kelners in Dell.

Moved to Dell 1920--Left in 1929--Returned in 1955.

Mother died when she was born . Father took her and ran away. About 5 years later her Grandmother found out she was left in an orphanage. He disappeared and she never saw him again. Father left her at an orphanage in Indiana; grandmother, who lived in Mo, sold a cow and got her aunt (Clara Sheridan=sis to Della Sheridan Ozee) to go get her  (bought her a ticket to Indiana). The Sheridans lived in Arkansas.
Grandmother thought it would be better for the Sheridans to take care of her in Arkansas.

Went to work in Post Office for Ms Della Ozee. Worked 6 days/wk for $5. Not even 18 yrs old.
Ms. Della taught school at Shonyo, and she paid her out of her salary. Aunt took $2.50 for room
and board. If she was big enough to work, she was big enough to pay room and board.

Grandmother, aunt, and she lived together in Dell.

She went to Memphis and stayed with Crick’s sis (Crick=Crystal Kerbrough Cranford).
Got job at telephone office and worked there for 25 years.

Married Dave in Memphis.  No children. Dave didn’t want to adopt.

Grandmother was good friend of the Kerbroughs, who were from TN. There was no bridge
across the river (Ms). Would say it was heaven over there. Mrs. Kerbrough was kin to Keltners
way back, so when she went to Memphis, she "got mixed up with the Keltners". Was going with one of
the Keltner boys and liked him pretty good. Then Dave came along and she liked him better.

Keltners from Ripley, TN

Lots of Keltners in Missouri

Had to pay to go to school in Dell (had to pay for books and all),
so she went to Missouri to school.
Came back to Dell in the summer 1920-25. She had to pay her tuition, too.

Dell School=white frame

Mrs. Craig=big fat teacher woman, daughter Francis m. Hop Secoy

                another daug--Mattie Wilma, was the youngest

                middle daughter--Versarine

                was her teacher when she was in school. Loved her

The school sat closer to street.

Edna went to school 1 year at Dell. M.F. (Brownlee), Dallas (Brownlee), Louise Brownlee,
Versa (Haney), Pauline, Naoma (Magers Gill), Mamie (Magers Griffin),
Buddy Armstrong, Louise Armstrong, Gene Bradberry and Olive Bradberry
were her school friends.

More than one grade to a room. 2 rooms on ea side with long hall
down the middle.
You entered at the hall.

Della Sheridan,  m Angleton (had a boy). Boy=Adeal?

Then married "old man Ozee"

Pybus=where Kenny lives now (Second & Jefferson).

Carried mail. Had a little two wheel cart. Elderly. Come to Post Office, put
the mail in a big pouch, put lock on it,
took it to the depot where the clerk would put it on the train.

On east side of Dell, built up like walkway and PO was on
side of Freeman’s Store, barber shop in back.

1^st Ms Moody had nephew that was a barber, was on this side (E) =
Bryan Turner m. Johnny Mooney (or Moody?)

(Edna worked at PO at that time. Bryan would come to PO ea day
with a letter to Johnny and the next day
she’d write him back.) 

Edna got her hair cut there.

Got $1/day for chopping cotton for Mr. Hardin. Bought overalls
to chop cotton in. Hot.
That’s when she got her hair cut.

Johnny, sis to Pauline, Virginia, (Pauline had beauty shop,
m. Bob Henderson), Mary Lee (in Keiser),
died when young-----

Annie m Wiley Grice’s boy

Mooney’s lived out about where Cleo Lewis lived (where Bogan Whistle currently lives).

Bud Mooney m Pansy Evans (there were 4 Evans boys), divorced.
Then Bud Mooney  m. one of the Minyard girls

Flippin=ran drug store on the corner  (not sure which corner) Edna
thinks it’s where the Secoys drug was. (Secoys was on the east side of Main & Second)

Maggie Morgan (Clint Morgans wife), spoke her mind most of the time.
Will and Clint Morgan=bros,
also Milton was another bro.

PO on west side of street

Sawmill behind Haney House. Haney had a sawmill.
Edna says she played in the sawdust.
(Aunt Mamie said it was a grist mill--maybe both?)

Versa Haney and Mamie good friend. Mamie and Versa and Edna=same age.
They’d been at the school house playing, was walking home, Versa and Mamie got into
a quarrel and Versa said “-----" Edna was so appalled,
she picked up a stick and whipped Versa on the back side.
Edna probably wasn’t over 10 y o

Versa and Pauline were young. Older sister=Winnie Haney
 and bro named Ralph

1920-30  Boys put Otto Bradberry in box car and locked him in.
Train took him to Roseland,
 where they stopped to take on water at the water tank there.
Otto had to walk back to Dell.

Don’t know who put him in there.

Jerry Frankum, good friend of Mitchell Houston’s=it was
boys about their age who put
Bradberry in box car.