Thursday, January 29, 2009

History of Johnson County, Arkansas

I received the book, "History of Johnson County Arkansas: The first hundred years" by Ella Molloy Langford today through the Wake Co Interlibrary Loan system. The book came from Duke University. It is signed by the author and the pages are falling out. It was published in 1921. There is no index, however, there are some really great pictures in the back of the book of various buildings in and around the county seat of Clarksville.

My goal is to read the book (~200 pages), scan the photos, and learn about the history of Johnson County. My Smith family settled here shortly before 1850.

David Smith was enumerated on the 1850 Horsehead, Johnson Co., AR census report next door to Clayborne Smith. David Smith was 61 years old (born about 1789) from Tennessee. His wife Sarah Smith was also enumerated in the household. She was 60 years old (born about 1790) also from Tennessee. William and Richard Smith were also in the household. William was 18 years old (born about 1832) in Alabama and Richard Smith was 13 years old (born about 1837) in Alabama.

Clayborne Smith was living next door with his wife and family. He was 28 years old (born about 1822) in Tennessee.

In March 1855, David Editon Smith of Johnson County, AR purchased 40 acres of land in the NW quarter of the SE quarter of section 23 in township 9 north of range 24 west in the district of lands subject to sale at Clarksville, AR.

This is all we know of David Smith. His son, Richard Smith also settled in Johnson Co., AR. He was a Civil War Soldier for both sides. You can read about his Civil War Records here.

2 comments:

  1. Since the book was published in 1921, it is considered to be in the public domain. You should share some of those pictures online if you're able! I'm sure someone would benefit greatly from it. :-)

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  2. I was interested to see that one of your areas of research is Arkansas; I'm still kind of a novice researcher in this area (a gg-grandfather settled in Garland County). I've gotten materials from the state archives and am waiting for the Garland County book to come out. Would be interested in any Arkansas study tips. And you have Smiths - my big brick wall was a Smith. Sigh...

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