Early Settlers Personal History

1.  George W. Fritts.

2.  Huntsville, Arkansas.

3.  Retired.

4.  Farmer and Freighter.

5.  I was born September 8th, 1859.

7.  I was married to Eliza Jane Chappel, at Huntsville, Ark., January 12th 1880 by a man they called “Peg Leg Russell” a preacher and a School  teacher.

9.  Native

10. I have lived in Arkansas all my life.

11. Native

12. Native

13. The house I was Born in was a log Structure, Two Rooms, Puncheon Floors, With a lean to.

14.  We used Grease lamps, sometimes we would kill beef and melt the tallow, then we would make candles, my mother had a set of candle molds that her grandfather brought from England, I remember it was “a sort of a Holiday when my Mother announced "to-night is candle night.”

15. About 1912 I think, I was too far out in the Country to remember exactly.

16. Wood has always been the fuel in this country.

17. Corn Bread Ground at Water Mills, Fish and Game was depended upon for the Meat supply.

18. Homespun clothes were worn, we raised our own cotton and wool.

19. We had chivarees and all the things that go with a marriage. If the groom did not come out, we went in and got him, and if he did not pay off, we rode him on a rail.

20.”Things were much cheaper then than now, Corn was worth 10 to 25 cents per bushel, oats 10 to 20 cents per bushel, wheat when we had it sold for around 50 to 75 cents per bushel, Hogs on foot 2 or 3 cents per pound, Beef Cattle, there was no sale for them, but good milk cows sold for around $15.00, as to the clothing prices, I never owned a suit until I was 18  years old outside of homespun, I gave $8.00 for the first one, it was only coat and pants, broad cloth suits cost $15.00 or 20.00 dollars.

21. We did not have any cases of common need, except in individual Families then we all chipped in and helped them out.

22. We raised what was called poke berry corn, oats, wheat, some cotton, potatoes and tobacco, I don’t remember when tomatoes were called love apples, but I have heard my grandmother talk of same.

23. We used wooden plows, with the points made at the blacksmith shop, they were known as bull tongue and twisting shovels. Our turning plows were home made, with sheet from iron shares.  The price of plows when we got to where we could buy them, was double shovels $4.00 turning plow $10.00, single stock, $1.75.

24. Our early industries were farm, and “Sash Saw Mills.

25. Our early fruits were Goose berries, Huckleberries, we used mullen for coughs and colds, Sassafras for a “Blood thinner” Sumac for dye, Paw-Paw was used for fruit, and the bark for chair bottoms, We also used poke salt for greens.

26. We had all the group activities that was carried on in any other community, such as log rollings, house raisings, Corn huskings, quilting bees, dances, play parties and all those things.

27. When we had forest fires, we did not pay much attention to them, if they got to close, we fired against them or whipped them out.

28. I don’t remember how any of these hills or creeks get their names.

29. As I lived in the country, I don’t remember much about the hotels or stage coach stations.

30. I went to my first school at what was known as the “Hawkins School House” in 1865, a fellow by the name of Wid Baker was the teacher, and it was a subscription school, we paid $1.00 per month, and if we did not have the cash, we paid in produce, we used Webster’s Blue Back Speller, Wilson's reader, and Rays Arithmetic.”

35. We did not have any early reading matter when I was a boy, not even a newspaper until I was grown.

36. We have never had a Telegraph Station in this section of the country.

37. We have had no horse cars or any electric railways, in this country.

38. I saw my first Automobile in 1907, at Rogers Arkansas.

39. I saw my first train in 1877, at Pierce City, Missouri.

40. I saw my first Airplane in 1915, at Rogers, Arkansas.

41. About 1930 is when the first successful bus lines started to operate in this country.

42. The first shows in this country were traveling shows. I saw my first circus, in 1879, at Huntsville, Arkansas.

43. The only important local celebration that I remember, was when Grover Cleveland was elected President.

44. I remember the James boys, and that is about all.

45. I don’t remember any duels.

46. I don’t remember any Feuds.

47. I don’t remember any early tombstone inscriptions.

48. I don’t remember any bank robberies, except the First National Bank, here.

49. I don’t remember much about the Civil war days, except seeing the soldiers camped about the country.

50. I don’t remember any battles or skirmishes, except what little fighting that happened around here.

51. I don’t remember anything about the carpet baggers or Scalawags.

52. I don’t remember anything at all about the old Ku-Klux-Klan.

53. None

54. I was not old enough to go to the war, but my folks were Southern.

55. I don’t remember any Indian Mounds.

56. I don’t remember any Historical Sites.

57. I have four Children, Six Grandchildren, and 2 Great Grandchildren.

58. ”My children were Vernon Fritts, Huntsville, Ark.; Lettie Simpson and Anna Rainey, Huntsville, Arkansas; Samuel Fritts of Huntsville Arkansas.”

59. My Grandchildren, are Maxine and Artie Rainey, Huntsville, Arkansas; Bill and Harold Simpson, Price Fritts of Huntsville, Arkansas; and my Great Grandchildren are Tommie Fritts, of Huntsville, Arkansas.”

Transcribed by Cole Crippen, GHS Class of 2012