Early Settlers Personal History

1. O. C. Paschal (2) Ratcliff, Arkansas

3. Retired (4) Farmer and merchant

5. March 6, 1856 (6) Coosa County, Alabama

7. Della Suggs, Dec 6, 1883. Caulksville, Logan, Co

8-9. 71 years

10. By rail to Memphis, Tenn., from there by boat on Mississippi and Arkansas rivers. Landed at Roseville, Logan County

11. Land was old and worn out in Alabama, were seeking new and better farming land

12. Housed were built of hewn logs, chimney of stone

13. Tallow candles poured at home

14. 1928

15. Wood

16. Pork and lard, corn bread, Irish potatoes and honey also milk and butter

17. Clothes were homemade from cloth called (jean) bought at stores.

18. Hoop skirts and long dress

19. Prices of meat and clothing were about 50% of present price

20. In case a families home was destroyed by fire or they were unable to work because of sickness the neighbors would take him food or anything else he needed. They would also work on his crop.

21. Corn and cotton, later wheat and oats

22. Wooden plow stocks made at home.

23. A few sawmills

24. Paw paws, polk salat [sic] (poke salit), wild grapes and muscadines.

25. Hog killings, house raisings, and log rollings were common. Generally followed by a dance.

      Corn huskings were given at night. All the neighbors would meet at a farm home and shuck all his corn, while the women prepared a big supper.

26. None

27. Wildcat mountain so named because of the caves where wild varmints denned.

28. Boats landed at Roseville on the Arkansas River, which is one of the oldest towns in the county and at the time it was one of the largest.

29. School house were made of logs and the seats were made of split logs without desks.

30. Oak Bend, Franklin County, Caulksville, Logan County.

31. Whit Stevens

32. State paid past. Balance paid by subscription.

33. Readers by McGuffey’s,  Arithmetic by Rays

34. Weekly newspaper, New York Tribune 

35.  Ratcliff, 1890

36. None

37. Ratcliff about 1910 or 11

38. 1867 in Alabama

39. About 1915 at Paris, Arkansas

40. None here

41-42. None

43. Governor Miller passed through the country traveling by horse and buggy. Just visiting over the states. Took dinner at our house.

44-47. None

48. Were not molested by any soldiers, as they seldom come our way.

49. None

50. Carpet Baggers were very numerous, swindling the Negroes out of their money. They would sell them four blue and white sticks at one dollar each. Telling them anywhere they put those sticks in the ground, the land on the inside of them belonged to them without them having to buy it

51. They were active, dealing mostly with the unruly Negroes

52-55. None

56. 22

57. C. L. Paschal & Lloyd Paschal, Ratcliff; Fannie McClelan, Ratcliff, Ark.; Jessie Stroud, Kansas City, Kansas

58. Marquetta Paschal, Wilma Moffet. Great Grandchildren names not known

59. None

Transcribed by Whitney Robison, GHS Class of 2009