xt7s4m91cf2z https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7s4m91cf2z/data/mets.xml Arkansas Historical Records Survey (Ark.) United States. Work Projects Administration. Division of Professional and Service Projects. 1940 xi, 114 p.: ill.; 27 cm..: UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program libraries.  Call Number FW 4.14:Ar 4/k/no.19 books English Little Rock, Ark.: the Projects This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Arkansas Works Progress Administration Publications Cross County (Ark.) -- Archives -- Catalogs Cross County (Ark.) -- History -- Sources -- Bibliography -- Catalogs Inventory of the County Archives of Arkansas. No. 19. Cross County (Wynne) text Inventory of the County Archives of Arkansas. No. 19. Cross County (Wynne) 1940 1940 2019 true xt7s4m91cf2z section xt7s4m91cf2z *le I I L/ 3 1 2 r ‘ , LLL/H‘LT‘MHLHZ‘IH‘L 'LH ‘ L , I I I I '
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  i
i
i INVENTORY OF THE COUNTY ARCHIVES
{
[ OF ARKANSAS
1
I No. 19 CROSS COUNTY (WYNNE)
i .
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2 Prepared by
The Arkansas Historical Records Survey Projects
Division of Professional and Service Projects
‘ Wbrk Projects Administration
‘ .
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[ Little Rock, ArkanSas
E The Arkansas Historical Records Survey Project
( July 1940

 ' The Historical Records Survey Projects
' Sargent B. Child, National Director
John C. L. Andreassen, Regional Supervisor
Howard H. Jacoway, State Supervisor
:
‘ Research and Records Section E
!
Harvey E. Becknell, Director 3
. W. B. Hazleton, Regional Supervisor
Ben F. Witsell, Acting State Supervisor I
A !
Division of Professional and Service Projects
> Florence Kerr, Assistant Commissioner
Leo G. Spofford, Chief Regional Supervisor
May Bevens, State Director
!
1
k
work Projects Administration !
F. C. Harrington, Commissioner ‘
Lawrence westbrook, Regional Director
Floyd Sharp, State Administrator
‘ i
‘ f
' E
Sponsor: University of Arkansas ' ‘
College of Arts and Sciences
Co—Sponsor: Joe woods, County Judge
Cross County

 ' FOREWORD

: The Inventory 2£.:EE County Archives of Arkansas is one of a number
of guides to historical materials prepared throughout the United States
by workers on the Historical Records Survey Program of the work Projects
Administration. The publication herewith presented, an inventory of the
archives of Cross County, is number 19 of the Arkansas series.

The Historical Records Survey Program was undertaken in the winter

I of 1935-36 for the purpose of providing useful employment for needy un-
i employed historians,1awyers, teachers,and research and clerical workers.
E In carrying out this objective, the project was organized to compile in-
’ ventories of historical materials, particularly the unpublished govern-
t ment documents and records which are basic in the administration of 10-
i cal government, and which provide invaluable data for students of polit-
i ical, economic, and social history. The archival guide herewith pre-
; sented is intended to meet the requirements of day-to-day administration
J by the officials of the county, and also the needs of lawyers, business-
men, and other citizens who require facts from the public records for
l the proper conduct of their affairs. The volume is so designated that
I it can be used by the historian in his research in unprinted sources in
the same way he uses the library card catalog for printed sources.

The inventories produced by the Historical Records Survey Program
attempt to do more than give merely a list of records -- they attempt
further to sketch in the historical background of the county or other

‘ unit of government, and to describe precisely and in detail the organi-
zation and functions of the government agencies whose records they list.
‘ The county,town,and other local inventories for the entire country will,
1 when completed, constitute an encyclopedia of local government as well
g as a bibliography of local archives.
E The successful conclusion of the work of the Historical Records
i Survey Program, even in a single county, would not be possible without
; the support of public officials, historical and legal specialists, and
many other groups in the community. Their cooperation is gratefully ac—
knowledged.

The Survey Program was organized by Luther H. Evans, who served as
National Director until his appointment as Director of the Legislative
Reference Service of the Library of Congress. He was succeeded on march

i 1, 1940, by Sargent B. Child, who had served in the capacity of National
; Field Supervisor since the inauguration of the Survey. The Survey Pro—
E gram operates as a Nation-wide series of locally sponsored projects in
t the Division of Professional and Service Projects,of which Mrs. Florence
* Kerr, Assistant Commissioner, is in charge.

i

; F. C. Harrington

} Commissioner

 PREFACE ’

i The Historical Records Survey was organized in Arkansas in March
, 1956, as a branch of the Federal writers' Project. In November of the
i _ same year it became an independent part of Federal Project No. 1 and, as
i such, functioned until September 1, 1939, at which time Federal Project
1 No. l was abolished by an act of Congress. The Arkansas unit re-opened
2 on September 5, 1959, as a State-wide, locally—sponsored project, with
I Howard H. Jacoway as State Supervisor.
. The project is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences of the
[ University of Arkansas and co-sponsored by 66 county judges of the
, State. It operates under the general directions applicable to the Re-

search and Records Section of Professional and Service Projects of the ,
; work Projects Administration, and under the technical and editorial su—
; pervision of the Survey's National office in washington, D. C.
1
1 The Survey in Arkansas, throughout its existence, has been engaged
i chiefly in the publication of county inventories, but it is also making _
I a survey of church and state archives, and of early American imprints.
l
f The Inventory 2f the County Archives of Arkansas, when completed,
‘ will consist of 76 volumes, one volume for each of the 75 counties and a
1 volume on the general laws regulating county government in Arkansas. The
1 books are numbered according to the position of the particular county in
I an alphabetical list of the counties,thus the volume herewith presented,
~ Cross County, is No. 19. It is believed that the volume on county gov-
1 ernment will serve as a handbook on the organization, structure, and
5 evolution of county government in Arkansas and will make it unnecessary
f to repeat certain items of general information in the various invento-
; ries. The office essays in this inventory are, therefore, limited to
3 the creation of the office and its present status, the manner in which
i it is filled, and the term of office. Pending issuance of the volume on
1 county government, it is suggested that the reader consult the Inventory
1 of the County Archives of Arkansas, No. 23, Faulkner County TCEhway5,
E fbr‘more detailed essays_—than those fSfihd‘ih the present inventbryT— A
1 list of the publications of the Arkansas Survey will be found on the
f last page of this volume.
1% This inventory is divided into two parts. In the first section of
F the book is an historical sketch of Cross County, brief discussions of '

the governmental organization, the housing, care, and accessibility of
J the records, and an explanation of abbreviations used in the inventory.
l The second part of the book gives a listing of the records of the coun-
g ty, which are segregated under subject headings, according to the office
1 of origin or of final deposit. Records are described 'in entries whose
1 style is formalized to give the following information: Title of record,
f _ dates for which available, quantity, labeling of volumes or containers,
1 variant titles, description of record contents, manner of arrangement,
1 indexing, nature of recording, size of volumes or containers, and loca-
~ tion. Each group of records is preceded by a brief discussion of the
I structural set-up of the office to which the records pertain. In the

chronological index, record entry numbers are arranged chronologically

 , Preface
The inventory of the records of Cross County began October 19,1957,
and the original field worker was Mrs. Lavinia Lancaster. Wbrk was dis-
; continued for a time during the early part of 1958, but on August 1,
f 1938, Miss Dorothy DeMent was assigned to re—inventory the records. Un—
{ der the supervision of Joel H. Spragins, District Supervisor of the His-
} . torical Records Survey, the re-inventory was completed February 1, 1940.
I .
i The work in the State Office, which included the editing of forms,
} writing of entries, historical and legal research, the writing and edit-
i _ ing of essays, and the publishing of the volume, was done under the di-
» E rect supervision of Raymond Foster, Project Supervisor. For the accu-
f rateness and quality of the work, credit is due Albert A. Condray, forms
3 editor; Mary Winburne, entries and indexes editor, and Virginia Farley, .
i essay editor, who wrote the office essays, the housing and care essay,
: the explanatory notes, and the bibliography. The historical sketch was
E written by the editorial staff writers and the governmental organization
E essay by Muida Arnold. The publication of the volume was under the .
[ direction of Evelyn Jones. '
l
E Helpful editorial criticism of this inventory in manuscript form
E was offered by Mabel S. Brodie, editor in charge of public records in-
g ventories, of the National office staff. The general progress of the
E work was facilitated by the friendly cooperation of State officials of
1 , the WOrk Projects Administration and of John C. L. Andreassen, Regional
E Supervisor of the Historical Records Survey.
E The Survey is indebted to numerous agencies and individuals whose
; cooperation and technical advice made possible the completion of this
E volume. Among these are the Survey's official sponsor, Dean H. M. Hos-
E ford of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Arkansas;
L the Advisory Committee, composed of Dallas T. Herndon, Little Rock, Sec—
? retary of the Arkansas History Commission, Dr. David Y. Thomas, Fayette-
; ville, Senior Professor of History of the University of Arkansas, Mason
{ E. Mitchell, Conway, Dean H. M. Hosford, and J. M. Malone, County Judge
§ of Lonoke County;the Little Rock Public Library; the Library of the Sec-
% retary of State; the Arkansas Supreme Court Librarygthe Arkansas Library
E Commission; the Arkansas writers’ Project, WPA, and Judge Joe woods and
i other county officials of Cross County.
i Former publications of the Survey have been distributed to state
L and local libraries, to a limited number of agencies outside the State,
E and to each county judge in Arkansas. Requests for information concern»
1 ing any of the inventories should be addressed to the State Supervisor
E or to Dean H. M. Hosford, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville,Arkansas.
E Raymond Foster, Project Supervisor
E Historical Records Survey
i war Memorial Building
; Little Rock, Arkansas
i July 1, 1940
i _
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' COOPER OFFICE BUILDING, 1938

 l ' j
‘ TABLE or CONTENTS j
INTRODUCTION 1
Page i
- l. Eli-Storical SketCh IOIIOICIOOOOOIIOOIBIOOIIIIIDI...OOCII".OOOI. l :
Physical Characteristics. Historical Background. Creation. 3
' Organization and Development of County. County Seats and
j Courthouses. Religion. Education. Transportation. Popu— {
‘ lation. Agriculture. Industry and Assessed Valuation.
: 2. Governmental Organization In...OI...IIoounce-OIIOOOOOOOODCOIOIU 11 J
Chart of County Government. i
4 i
F - 3. Housing, Care, and Accessibility of the Records ............... l7 :
5 Floor Plans of Courthouse. Floor Plans of Cooper Office ‘
E Building. , T
i
E 4. Abbreviations, Symbols, and Explanatory Notes ................. 26 3
COUNTY OFFICES AND THEIR RECORDS 3
1
. 1. County Court 00-IOOOOIIIIIIIIOOIQOOIIIIOOIIOIOCIOCQOOIIO'QQOOID 29 ‘
‘ Board of Supervisors.
[ II. County Highway Commission DUI!.I'OIDOQCIOOIOIOIOOIIOOIUOOIQO-UII '32 I
I III. Internal Improvement Commissioner (Defunct) ................... 32 ‘
IV. Circuit Clerk as Recorder onno...nanosecoooooccoousoacoovttI-oo 35 ‘
i Real property conveyances: Deeds; mortgages; liens and lis ;
pendens; surveys and plats. Personal property. Bonds, com— g
missions, and credentials. Discharges.
VI Notary PIAblj-C 0OO...IIOIIIIIICOOCIOOIIOI.IIIIOUCIIOIIQUUOOIDIOO 41 ‘
I “VII Circuj-t Court I.0.0.0!IO...O.D'IIIOIIOIIIOIIOIIUII‘IOIIOIII'I.‘ 41 1
Official Stenographer. Circuit Clerk. Case papers. In- ?
quests. Grand and petit jurors. Indictments. Dockets. i
; Judgments and executions. Proceedings. Naturalization. Fi— j
[ nancial. Miscellaneous.
E VIII Jury Cojmission IIOOIIIIIIIiIOUOOOIIDIIIIOOO.IOO'..‘..IIIIIIOII 47 ‘
‘ VIII. Chancery Cour-t CU...IOU...I.IIO‘QII.OIOQOIOIIDOOOIOIOICUOCI‘IOO 48 1
Case papers. Docket. Proceedings. Delinquent taxes.
‘ IX. Probate Court lII.ICC-CIIOIICDI'UIIOUCIOD‘.OlIIOIOIOOIIOC'UCCII 50
Case papers. Dockets. Bonds and letters. Inventories, ap—
praisements,and sales. Accounts current. Proceedings. In-
dex. Financial. ;
‘ - ix —
. i
. ' J

 F Table of Contents ‘
3 Page
" X, Court of Common Pleas ......................................... 55 ‘
. XI. Juvenile Court I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 56 l
3 , l
1 XII. Justice Of the Peace v...IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 56 I
L XIII. Prosecuting Attorney I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 5'] t
M XIV. County Attorney (Defunct) . 57 i
E XV. Sllleriff IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIQIIIIII 58 f
- Papers. ‘ ,
‘ XVI. Coroner IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 59 I
L XVIII CfDllS-ta‘t)]-e IIIII I IIIIIIIIII II III-IIIII II I IIII IIIIII IIIIIIIIIII.’ 59 I
1' XVIII. Quorm Court I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l 59
‘ XI;{. Co‘lnt3r Clerk I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 60 I
' Financial: Accounts; warrants. Assessment and taxation. {
j Tax receipts. Delinquent taxes {nd tax sales. Public works.
Election. Marriages. Corporations. Professional licenses.
f Pensions. Livestock. Fire arms. School lands. Miscellane- ’
, ous. .
m. Tax Assessor I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 72 i
’ -X-XII Boa-rd- of qulalization I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I 75 J
_ Township Board of Assessment and Valuation (Defunct). i
. XXIII Ta}: COllec-tor I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I l I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 74- J
I
E XXIII. County Treasurer l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 74 g
f
I XXIV. Director of County Audits ..................................... 76 J
: Commissioner of Accounts. i
, XXV. County Board of Election Commissioners ........................ 76 i
, XXVI. Board of RegiStl‘a-tion (Defllnct) I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 77
A. XXVIII COI-ln‘tET Examiner of schools I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 77
County Superintendent of Schools. County Board of Education. '
F XXVIII. 861100]- Directors I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 79 !
f XXIX. Ilealth Unit I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 79 j
XXX. County Board of Medical Examiners (Defunct) ................... 81 J

 .> Table of Contents 1
Page

A5 m1. County Department Of Public Welfare on.loo-IOIOOIOOIDIOIOOOIGI. 81

t XXXII. confederate Pension Board; (InaCtiVe) 0no.IIIIQIOOJIICOOIOIOOIIC 85

‘ |

I XXXIII. SuI‘VGyOI‘ I'l0..loo...OOOODIOOICIICIOOIO'IOIIOQOOODUOOOIJOOIIOCQI 85 II

i mlv. Timber InspeCtOr I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I II I I I I I I I I. 83

¥ XXXV. Agricultural Extension Service Agents .........,............... 84

, County Farm Agent. Home Demonstration Agent.

E LiSt Of COunty Officj-als I II I I I. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I. I I II 85

E Bibliography IIIIIIIIIIIII II.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 91:

I .

i

g ChronOlogical Index I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 94 ’

é

if Alphabetical Index I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 96

3- List of Survey Pllblications I I I I I I I I I I I I ' I C I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 114

i‘

, E i
E
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l
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i

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i I
- xi -

 , .
. (First entry, p. 29)
f l. HISTORICAL SKETCH t
' Cross County occupies an area of 619 square miles (1) in the rich
delta land of eastern Arkansas (2), roughly, 25 miles from the winding
Mississippi River. It is bounded on the north by Poinsett, on the east
‘ by Crittenden, on the south by St. Francis, and on the west by Wbodruff ,
and Jackson Counties. (3)
Physical Characteristics
V The county lies in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, an area of re-
? cent origin built up by the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Crow—
ley's Ridge, which rises from 120 to 150 feet above the surrounding low-
lands, cuts through the county from north to south and is an exception
to the alluvial plain both in formation and soil. The Mississippi low-
; land on the east is about 225 feet above sea level and is characterized
? by numerous ponds and abandoned stream channels separated by swamplands
{ and low ridges. The lowlands to the west of the ridge form a nearly
I level plain 250 to 245 feet above sea level. (4) The various soil types
1 include the silty loessal loam on Crowley's Ridge, the typical Arkansas
i prairie soil west of the ridge classed as Crowley's silt loam, and the
g alluvial soil in the rich basin of the St. Francis (5). The St. Francis,
( one of the five major streams of Arkansas, flows across the eastern part I
l of the county. Its chief tributaries are the Tyronza and L'Anguille. V
Flood control, reclamation of swamplands, and mosquito control are major
problems. Three drainage districts lie entirely within the county and
g three others extend into it from adjoining counties. (6) The climate is I
l moderate with an average growing season of 215 days. The annual average 1
E precipitation is 51.94 inches and the mean annual temperature 61.4 de-
( grees Fahrenheit. (7) The trees most frequently occurring on Crowley's
E Ridge are the yellow poplar, beech, walnut, and oak (8). The trees of
l
l
l (l) U. S. Bureau of the Census, in Arkansas, pp. 1-3. I
( Fifteenth Census of the Unit— (5) finiversity of Arkansas Col-
t ed Stateslunl§§5,MFopulation, lege of Agriculture, Bulletin f
I 377703. (Hereinafter cited No. 187, The Soils of Arkan—
E as Fifteenth Census, Popula- sas, pp. SST—64, 69,——
I tioh.) -__.__m__. __’_—__ (6) Ariansas State Planning
4 (2) KEEansas, Bureau of Mines, Board, Arkansas water Re-~
i Manufactures and Agriculture, sources,m—pp. 12, lEE—BEL BC,
E Nineteenth Biennial Report... K:§:~A:3. (Hereinafter cited
‘ FEF‘Ehe Years 1929 and 1930, as Planning Board, Water Re-
; BT“iEKX"TfiE}eEEE?tEF’ cited sources.) —‘
' as Bureau of Mines, Biennial (7) finitedfi States Department of I
( Report.) -"-_-—-". Agriculture, weather Bureau,
f (3) Department of the Interior, Climatic Summary 2: the Eni:-
E U. S. Geological Survey,State ed States, secs. 1, 22-25,59.
; of Arkansas (Map). __—__ (8) fiBlVEFEEEy of Arkansas, Col-
l - (4) Arkansas ‘Geological Survey, lege of Agriculture,thension
~ Bulletin 2,0i1 and Gas Geolo- Service, Common Forest Trees
gy 22 the Gulf ‘55astal Plain of Arkansas,pp. 5-9,21,5§T§37

 -2- 1
, HistOrical Sketch (First entry, P- 29) I
5 the lowlands include the sweet gum, ash, elm, cottonwood, cypress,pecan,
and sycamore (9). ‘
5 Historical Background
, 5 The pOSition of Cross County in the paths of Indians, explorers, 5
: and conquerors has given the county a rich and varied history which is
5 marked by events that occurred many years before its creation. It is
possible that DeSoto passed through Cross County. (10) It is more prob-
, able that Fort St. Francis, a temporary outpost erected on the St. Fran-
cis River in 1739 by Bienville, was in Cross County (11). French place
' names suggest an early French occupation (12). Settlement during Spanish
, possession after the Seven Years war was discouraged. The first white
1 settler of American parentage in Cross County was Samuel Filligan who
, built his cabin on a grant on Cooper's Creek in 1798. (15) The Spanish
5 grant on the St. Francis settled by Enos Chartruce is thought to have
5 been the site of Wittsburg (14).
p In 1824 Charles Shaver settled on Sugar Creek and gave his name to
the settlement that grew up near the later Bay Village. Settlers who
arrived before 1840 were the McCallisters, Searcys, Tyers, Greenwoods,
Hydricks, Neeleys, Halks, and Stacys. Later settlers were the Hares, 1
MCClarans, Hintons, Crumps, Perrys, Hamiltons, warrens, Lewellens,Leves- '
ques, Jones, Maggetts, vanns, Barnes, Blocks, Deadericks, McFarrans, Ap—
« plewhites, and the Reverend W. C. Malone. David C. Cross, who came from
Tennessee before 1844, owned 85,000 acres of land at the outbreak of the
5 Civil war. His home was 2% miles southeast of Vanndale. (l5)
5 (9) Bureau of Mines, Biennial Re- zette, August 22, 1957).
. port, p. 171. ' " “ (18) Williams, op. oit., p. 52.
(10) Torn Hugh Reynolds, Makers of The late "661. ‘T‘.’ o. Fitz-
Arkansas History, ppT_147_f77 patrick asserted that Samuel
5 (11)‘H'e““‘"rry Leo"‘Wi‘l‘l‘i“sms, History Filligan did not settle in
1 2f Craighead County, p. 5. this locality until twenty
1 (12) L'Anguille, sometimes written years later and cited the'
Eel (Josiah H. Shinn,Pioneers records of the General Land
, and Makers of Arkansas, p. Office to show that one John
146), or Langeel (L. Ark., Taylor settled on Spanish
1827, p. 8) refers to the Grant No. 498 in 1797. Fitz—
sinuous course of the river patrick said that Samuel
5 or to the number of snakes or Tyer, a grandson of Filligan,
eels in the river (Arkansas told him that Filligan came
Gazette,August 22,1937). The down from Cape Girardeau in
' s't."r'r"'aneis River, once known 1816. (Col. T.0..Fitzpatrick,
as the Riviere St. Francis, Memoirs. Ms. in the files of
‘ , was named' in honor of St. the Historical Records Sur-
" Francis of Assisi, doubtless vey.)
, through the influence of the (14) Shinn, op. cit., p. 42.
' Franciscan monks who were (15) weston AT GdEdspeed,Biograph-
, usually found in the train of ical and Historical MemoiTS
. the explorers (Arkansas 937 3: EastEFn Arkansas, p. 321:

 WI _ 3 _ )
i Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 29) I
; Wittsburg, which became a focal trading point for emigrants, plant-
1 ers, and river boatmen at an early date, was situated on the west bank
1 of the St. Francis on Crowley's Ridge about six miles east of wynne
, (16), One of the earliest available references to “fittsburg is an act _
i of the General Assembly of December 11, 1848,which incorporated the town ,
1 and authorized Ebenzer Slocum, Isaac beford, and Richard McKree to hold
5 the first election for an alderman and four councillors (17). _
: Although he had been active in his opposition to secession, Colonel
3 David C. Cross helped raise a company of volunteers for the Confederacy.
. This company became Company A, Fifth Arkansas Infantry, C. S. A.; Cross
was elected colonel of the regiment. Because Cross County had not yet
i been formed, the five hundred men recruited by the Confederacy in this
section are usually credited to Poinsctt County. (18)
1 Creation
1 Colonel Fitzpatrick said that as early as 1860 there was clamor for
the creation of a new county because of the inaccessibility of the coun-
? ty seats of St. Francis and Poinsett; however, nothing was done until
; the campaign for members of the Confederate General Assembly of 1862.
> At that time a delegation headed by Colonel Cross went to Little Rock to
‘urgc the creation of the new county. It was understood that if the dele-
: gation succeeded, the county would bear the name of the leader, David C.
Cross. (19) On November 15, 1862, the General Assembly,meeting in regu-
; lar session at Little Rock, created the county (20).
. The organic act directed that it be formed from portions of Poin—
sett, St. Francis, and Crittenden Counties. Although Wittsburg, at that
time the principal town within these limits, was designated as the tem-
- porary seat of justice (20), there are no available records indicating
‘ Wittsburg was used as the county seat in 1862.
After the war there was considerable doubt as to the status of this
‘ county because it had been created by a Confederate General Assembly,
Subsequently its legal status was clarified in a decision rendered by
the Arkansas State Supreme Court in a case in which the validity of the
acts of the State government during the Confederacy were questioned.
' The court held that no State convention, referring specifically to the
Constitutional Convention of 1864, has the power to render invalid the
5 executive, legislative, and judicial acts of the existing government and
3 its political subdivisions. (21) ‘
(16) G. W} and C. B. Colton & 00., Judge Edward Cross of Hemp-
' flew Sectional Map of the stead County (Fay Hempstead,A
' State of ArkansasT—_ ___ '__- Pictorial History of Arkan:
. (17)‘A."—Ark'.‘,‘ "184‘s? 1;). 149. sas,p. 1116; D.Y. Tmmam'?"
(l8) Goodspecd, op. cit., p. 531. EEEas and Its People,II,6§Z7.
, (19) Fitzpatrick,_”opT-_cit. Some (20) KT‘X?kTT"1§E§L‘ET‘§T
f historians are"3f the—opinion (21) Hawkins v. Filkins (1866),24,
‘ that the county was named for KFETT_§8§. _—fi——_- _

 1...? ' — 4 - I
. Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 29) I
» Organizers an 2222mm 2: he 9.223:
f The organic act directed that as soon as practicable the Governor
‘ should issue a proclamation for the election of the county officers and p
i that three commissioners should be elected at the same time to locate a '
f permanent seat of justice. Four days later an act was passed instruct-
i ing the sheriff of Poinsett to advertise this election in Cross County. '
3 (22) The county records do not disclose whether this election was held.
L The normal function of county government was prevented by the frequent
1 passage of both Federal and Confederate forces up and down Crowley's
f Ridge. (23) A further disturbance was the erection of a temporary Fed-
{ eral fortification, known as Fort Russell, on the bluffs overlooking the
' town of Wittsburg. At the conclusion of the war all the companies of
i soldiers from this section of the State surrendered at Wittsburg. (24)
‘ County £99.22. and miners
Apparently there were no county court records kept during the war,
for the first available records are dated July 5, 1865. On that date
? the county court, meeting with Judge W} A. Lea, ordered the reappoint-
: ment of the old county commissioners, John McElroy, William H. Barnes,
g and John Applewhite. It also directed that the court be held at Pine-
, ville until a permanent courthouse could be provided. (25) In the fol-
lowing October those commissioners, with the exception of the then de-
f ceased John McElroy, made their report. They stated that they had been
‘ selected originally in December 1862, but that there was no legal county
‘ court in existence at the time. They had selected a site for the county .
; seat from lands donated by David C. Cross. The site was laid off as a
L town and given the name of Cleburne, in honor of General Patrick Cle-
burne of Civil war fame. The center block was donated as a public square
4 and the buildings already located on it were considered suitable for a
, temporary courthouse and clerk's office. One-half of the remaining
- blocks and lots were to be used by the court to assist in raising funds
» for permanent public buildings. The county court accepted the report of ‘
the commissioners and directed that the courts be held at the temporary
5 courthouse in Cleburne until otherwise ordered. (26) For the next 3
“ years Cleburne was the county seat (27). No county buildings were
, . erected; the county clerk had his office in Colonel Cross's home and the
? county courts met in a tenant house on the Cross farm (28). Among the
~ i prominent residents were: J.C. Frierson, W. L. Cla