Early Settlers Personal History

1. Sam A. Metcalf

2. Waldron Ark. also Abbott Ark,

3. Farming & stock raising

4. Farming

5. 10-15-1864

6. Near Marshall, Texas

7. Married Diana Doyle - 1890 - Tomlinson Twp., Scott County

8. None

9. 73 years

10-11. Brought here by parents

12. Log houses, stock and mud chimney and stone

13. Candles poured at home

14. 1939

15. Wood and pine knots

16. Bread meat and sorghum molasses. Game was plentiful deer, turkey, squirrel, opossum, coon and few bear and beavers and otters.

17. Wool and cotton home spun and woven

18. None

19. Prices dry goods were higher but groceries were cheaper

20. When one neighbor killed a beef or or a hog it was divided up among all the neighbors.

21. Cow, cotton, wheat, and oats, Irish and sweet potatoes

22. Early farming instruments were home made, simple, plow stocks, home made plows, hoes with eyes

23. Clearing and fencing land

24. Sassafras roots poke sallett  (salit)

25. Dances - play parties, log rolling, corn huskings, quiltings were very common

26. Never tried to extinguish forest fires only to save some neighbors fence.

27. Booth Hill was named after N. A. Booth an old settler and first merchant of the locality

28. Free Malone of Waldron Ark ran the first hotel in this county dated about 1870

29. The early school houses were built of logs had a fire place - first books Webster Blue Back Speller.

30-31. Called Pack Saddle. First teacher Dock Hickman was the first teacher.

32. Partly tuition and tax county?. Tuition $1.00 per month.

33. Books used, McGuffey's and Rays were mostly used.

34. Books – newspaper first newspaper, Waldron Reporter.

35. Mansfield Ark. - in 1886 by Frisco R. R. Co.

36. 1916

37. 1905- on highway from Ft. Smith to Waldron Ark.

38. At Ft. Smith Ark. 1878

39. At Mansfield Ark. 1912

40. About 1925

41-46. None

47. Bank of Mansfield was robbed about 1931 or 1932

48-53. None

54. Over on little Pettit Jean Creek - there is to be found some Indian mounds

55. About 3 miles east of 71 Highway on Pettit Jean Creek is to be found a ledge of rock - which forms and makes a natural dam across said creek. Just before the war between the states there was a man by the name of Wm. Smith from the state of Alabama who built a water mill on this dam which was used only one time before being burnt down by Bushwackers.

56. Four

57.  J. T. Metcalf  Mansfield Ark

       J. L. Metcalf  Red Oak Ark

       R. L. Metcalf   Mansfield Ark

       C. C. Metcalf   Mansfield Ark

58. Bryon Metcalf - Millard Metcalf - Tenna Metcalf - Inez Metcalf

Transcribed by Alyssa Metcalf, GHS Class of 2007