Hector Township named for the William Hector Family, First Pioneers

Hector Farm, ca 1900

William Hector moved his family to Mississippi County from Missouri in 1837. William actually lived east of Big Lake as early as 1828, when he helped survey the then Territory of Arkansas.  Born in Virginia in 1791, William lived on his farm, in the area that is now called Roseland, until his death in 1865. His son Sam Hector, who arrived with the rest of the Hector family, also owned land in the Roseland area, as well as several pieces of property north of Pemiscott Bayou, directly above present day Dell. Goodspeed speaks of Sam in his BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF NORTHEASTERN ARKANSAS:
 
    "Let it be remembered that this region of country abounds in lakes, and that, on the map attached to Part II, of the Historical Collections of Louisiana, drawn and printed at an early period during the last century, Big Lake, on the borders of Mississippi County, Ark., and Dunklin County, Mo., are marked as the extreme northern limit of De Soto's expedition; thus the reader will have some solid reasons to believe that the movements of De Soto in 1541, in this county, have been properly traced. The country in and around Big Lake, or Mich-i-gam-ias, its Indian name, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, still bears upon its surface traces of a wide but now extinct population; and precisely such a ditch as described by the Portuguese narrator can now be traced near the home of Mr. Sam Hector, of Big Lake.
    Sam Hector, a truthful, upright citizen of Big Lake, who is proud of his Indian blood, lived in 1833 at an Indian village called Chil-i-ta-caw, the site of Kennett, Dunklin County, Mo., not far from Big Lake.
    When he settled on this lake in 1837 the Indians occupied the country, chief among whom was Corn Meal, John East, Moonshine, John Big Knife and Chuck-a-lee. The latter killed an Indian named Keshottee on an island in Little River, still known as Keshottee's Island. He thinks the Indians gave the name to the Bayou now called Tyronza. Corn Meal told Mr. Hector there had been an Indian town on his (Mr. Hector's) place, and several along the banks of Little River. Where these villages were said to have been located he has often seen apple and peach trees growing in the woods."
 
 Descendants of William Hector remained a part of Dell Community history well into the 20th century. 

In 1901, Hector Township was established from part of Chickasawba Township, honoring this pioneer family.

Hector Farm, ca 1900

Lone Oak, AR

B. B. Hodge Home, Lone Oak--The Lone Oak was located in front of the home.

Lone Oak got it’s name from a single, very tall oak tree that was a landmark for local hunters. It was so tall that during the 1882 flood, the only thing that could be seen above the water was that one lone oak. It was also the only oak tree around during dry periods. Other trees included sycamore, gum, cypress, and other general woods. The story goes that Sam Hector actually gave the community it’s name in honor of the oak landmark.

One of the stories that’s been handed down concerns that oak tree and Sam Hector. He was traveling down the Pemiscot Bayou in a boat one day and looked up at the big oak tree. There was a bear hugging the tree. Sam took out his rifle and shot the bear and killed him.

At the beginning of the 20^th century, the Lone Oak was found south of the Lone Oak school at the home of B. B. Hodge.

  

B. B. Hodge was a log hauler for the Chicago Mill Company. He was married to the daughter of T. J. Richardson, Margaret Alvenia. Alvenia was born in the Dell community.

The Richardson story goes back to the 1860s, when T. J. and J. B. moved from Osceola to the Dell area. The Perrys and Hectors were their neighbors. 

T. J. and his family  lived at the community of Dell on the Pemiscot Bayou until the early 20th century, when they moved to the Half Moon area. T. J. was the second postmaster of Dell.

T. J.'s brother, J. B. Richardson, was a prominent figure in Dell history until a logging accident in 1914 took his life.  J. B. was the first store owner, first postmaster, the first mayor (before Dell was incorporated), and the first justice of the peace in Dell.

Sources of information: MsCo Courthouse Records, USPS Federal Records, Blytheville Courier News, Bert Richardson's Memoirs, Cleo Houston Lewis Research.