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Early Settlers Personal History
1. Mrs. Dan H. Miller 2. 204 Canehill Street, Van Buren, Arkansas 3. Retired 4. Housekeeping 5. 1870 6. Danville, Illinois 7. Married to Mr. Dan H. Miller in the year of 1889, Nov. 20 8. -- 9. 60 years 10. Came down the Ohio River, down the Mississippi Rivers up the Arkansas River. Left Cincinnati went to Grandmother's after mother died and they came to Arkansas by steam boat. The boat was tied up for three weeks because of low streams. She remembers some of the people wanting some sweet gum as they came on down the river. “Kitty Haighler” was the name of the boat on which she traveled to Arkansas. 11. Because Grandparents came to Arkansas. 12. The house in which Mrs. Miller now lives is an old log house. There is no record when it was built. She moved into this house when she was 6 years of age. The same doors and windows are still used. There was only 3 housed on Canehill Street at that time. The old Moore home which is built of brick which is still standing. The old Lynch home . Mrs. Miller Miller remembers living in a big brick house right close to the river. The England Hotel and Brodie Hotel both were close to the river at that time. The Cornelius store was about the only mercantile business at that time. They used to have balls and suppers in the England Hotel. Mrs. Miller has the first “Van Buren Argus” printed in Van Buren. It was printed by George and John Thayer her uncles. After the Brooks and Baxter War some were on the Baxter side and some on the Brooks side. There was only one paper being printed at the time which was the "Van Buren Press." One side could have their say in the “Van Buren Press” but the other side had no paper in which to publish their views so Mr. George Thayer was asked to print a paper so he printed the “Van Buren Argus.” The first edition of the Van Buren Argus was printed on Dec. 25th 1875. Mrs. Miller has a copy of the first issue and in this paper I find how matches came into use and another article tells of an old lady living in Maryland who was 114 years old. Mrs. Miller relates how she used to go out into the country to the home of Mr. Jim Baxter and they would go to big picnics, pie suppers and entertainments of different kinds. Sunday School Conventions. Mr. John Weaver would play the organ. They would have a jolly time. Mrs. Miller tells of the Hinkles who were in business at that time in Van Buren. They had goods bought before the civil war. Their home was where the old Loyd Hotel now stands. She remembers an auction sale which they had and about the very old... The Hinkles were buried in the Fair View Cemetery at Van Buren, Mrs. Miller relates how the Indians would bring Huckleberries to town to sell and when they were asked how much they wanted for them they would show they wanted a dress for them. They wanted clothes from the individual because they were already made as the Indians could not sew. They had rather have a dress that had been worn and was old but was already made than to have the material as they could not sew and they could not buy ready made clothes. 13. The first lighting system was coal oil lamps and candles. 14. She remembers when electric lights were first used and remembers that there was a big celebration on that event. She relates it was in early 90’s. This celebration consisted of a parade and music which was on main street. 15. Wood and coal was the only fuel used at that time. There were five fireplaces in their home. 16. Game was plentiful in those days. She remembers when her grandfather bought game from the Indians. There was lots of quail, deer, fish, and other game. 17. Mrs. Miller relates that her first remembrance was that cloth was bought by the yard out of stores. Such as calico and gingham. Some silk but not very much as silk was scarce. She remembers a Mrs. Ann Clegg having a bright purple silk dress which she wore on special occasions such as Easter and Christmas. The black silk dresses at that time were trimmed with hand beaded trimming which made the dress very beautiful. 18. -- 19. Mrs. Miller relates that she bought eggs 4 dozen for 25 cents and chickens $1.50 per dozen. Turkeys $1.00 each. She does not remember about the staple groceries. 20. -- 21. Mrs. Miller relates that her grandmother was born in Virginia in 1804 and she remembered tomatoes being called love apples and were considered poisonous. 22-23. -- 24. Sassafras, Red Oak Bark (was used as a medicine and dye) She remembers getting wild mustard, dock, lambsquarter. 25. Mrs. Miller remembers when the youngsters used to get together and play games such as Skip-to-my Lou, King William, Lady’s Fishing, Slap in Slap out. She remembers a balloon ascension when a men fell into the river and drowned. 26-27. -- 28. England Hotel, Brodie Hotel, Stage Coach which stopped at the foot of main street and was ferried across the river. The boat landing was at the foot of main street and she remembers when the trains would just come to the river and the ferry boat was used to cross the river and this was the way of the conveyance from both sides of the river. 29. Mrs. Miller remembers a school on Logtown Hill. Another school was at the foot of Fayetteville street. A building called the Bostic House where the school was taught. The first school was down near the river. A long building which was first used as a school but later used as the Episcopal Church. Miss Anthony taught in this building and Mrs. Miller visited the school before she was old enough to go to school. This building is still standing. Mrs. Miller first really went to school in the Bostic House in 1877. Mrs. McBride was Principal. Miss Margret Wood, Miss Clara B. Eno and Miss Fannye Thompson all taught in this building. Miss. Thompson was Mrs. Miller’s first teacher. 30. Mrs. Miller went to school at Broadway School, which was built in 1885. 31. Mrs. F. L. Colburn was her teacher. 32. Schools were free schools at this time. For three years there were no schools. Money was being saved to build Broadway School which was from 1882-1885. 33. Her first school book was "Appleton Reader." She related how the teacher would write on the board and would point to it with a stick and have the pupils read the writing on the board until they would memorize it. 34. "Godey's Lady's Book" was a fine magazine in those days. Contained both fashion and stories. "Demorest Monthly Magazine," "Young Ladies Journal," " The Golden Days for Boys and Girls." 35. -- 36. Mrs. Miller remembers early horse cars used in Fort Smith which was drawn by a mule. She remembers going out to the Fair Grounds in Fort Smith in a car drawn by a mule. 37. A car came to Van Buren advertising for a business firm. This car was called the horseless carriage. She relates that everybody in town went to see this car. This was in the 80's. 38. She relates the first train she saw was in 1877 which came from Alma, Arkansas, over the Missouri Pacific Railroad. 39. Doesn't remember. 40-41. -- 42. Bridge celebration when the Free Bridge was complete across the river between Van Buren and Fort Smith. 43-46. -- 47. Mrs. Miller remembers a Negro being hung in Van Buren. The hanging took place above the cemetery. The Negro rode on his own coffin to the place of hanging. 48-53. -- 54. She tells of a grave in the cemetery in Van Buren that is surrounded by large rocks, a head stone was cut out of natural rock. This grave was on this plot before a cemetery was started. It is thought that this is the grave of an old soldier. 55. -- 56. Three children. 57. Mrs. Phillip Brodie, New Medford, Connecticut. Mrs. Florence Tibbs, Dallas, Texas. Mrs. Kathryn Knowles, Wellesley, Massachusetts. 58. Phillip Brodie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Brodie, Judy and Betty Tibbs, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Florence Tibbs. Robert Whiteside. 59. --
Transcribed by Alyssa Metcalf, GHS Class of 2007
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