Crawford Co, AR - A History of Mulberry ------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non- commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. Submitted by: Don McGee 18 Mar 1998 ------------------------------------------------- MULBERRY In 1895, an act passed to change the boundary line between Crawford and Franklin counties, by which the town of Mulberry became a part of Crawford county. Among the early settlers of Mulberry and vicinity were Beans, Quesenburys, Russells, Hendersons, Moores, Jesse Miller, Simpson, Beneaux, Snodgrass, Reeves, Williams, Mosses and many others. Mulberry was born of a railway, and drew largely from Old Pleasant Hill. Dr. T. A. Carter bought land east of Main street from the Allen Miller heirs, and the west side was purchased by R. H. Hicks. Dr. Carter's house, erected about 1874, was the first dwelling, and this was followed by a store and residence built in 1876 by Quesenbury and Company. Quaile and Carter built the next store in 1877. Mulberry was incorporated in 1880 and John Hudgens was elected first mayor; E. D. Pyle, recorder, and James Hatch, marshall. Other mayors of Mulberry were L. R. Hawkins, H. H. Pyle, Ed Pyle, J. T. Jeans, and R. H. Hicks. Mr. Hicks served in 1888 as mayor; J. W. Baily, recorder, and Clay Agent, treasurer. In 1898 the city officers were: H. S. Ramsden, mayor; H. C. Bledsoe, recorder; W. F. Alexander, treasure; G. W. Wagner, I. L. Hight, W. B. Dugan, H. A. Beneaux and W. H. Turner were alderman. J. T. Jeans served as mayor in about 1895, A. Quesenbury served in 1905. In 1906, Joe M. Scott was again elected Mayor, with aldermen G. W. Wagner, W. B. Dugan, John Turner and J. M. Chaddick. Other aldermen not known and Jerry Riddle was city marshall. It was during this administration that the site for the city cemetery was secured. J. W. Storie was mayor in 1904. C. R. Counts was mayor in the year 1913 or 1914 and was the youngest mayor in the state. The following officers served Mulberry in 1908: Ben Hawkins, mayor; Bob Johnson , recorder; Thomas House, treasure; J. D. Holmes, J. M. Chaddick, George Shearer, C. C. Henderson, T. L. Jackson were alderman. In 1917, the following city officers were elected: Tom House, mayor; Carruth Alexander, recorder, W. B. Dugan, treasurer; Colquit Wilson, E. D. Chastain, Wallace Wagner, George Counts Jr., and Jess Forrest, aldermen. In 1924 J. B. Hight was elected as mayor; R. S. Remy, appointed recorder, Roger Hill being elected but moved away, J. L. Selby, secretary-treasure; Henry Hamm, marshall; R. L. Price, James Jackson, Hal Hawkins, C. Wilson and W. F. Wagner, alderman. M. C. Shelby was mayor in 1927 with John Hight recorder. A very interesting will, a copy of which Mrs. Delia Price of Mulberry has, which was written seven years before George Washington became president, and in the days of Maria Antoinette. The will is as follows: "In the name of God, Amen: I, William Bean, being in perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men to die, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testimony, revoking all others by me made. "First, principal and first of all I give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God, relying on his mercy through Christ, and my body to the dust from whence it came. As touching the the worldly wherewithal it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Lidy, one negro girl named Grace and all my horses and cattle and hogs and sheep and all my household goods, together with the mill and land whereon I now live, during her natural life and after her decease the land and mill to be given to my beloved son, Russell. The remainder that is given to my beloved wife at her decease to be equally divided among my surviving children and all the residue and remainder of my estate, real and personal, and all my last debts being paid, to be equally divided among my surviving children. Also I leave my sons, Williams and Robert and George, executor of my last will. "Signed: X. "(Mark of William Bean.) "Signed, sealed and declared in the presence of us this sixth day of January, 1782. "Signed: Thomas Hardiman, "John E. Callahan, "Robert Stone." The following names were those of citizens of Mulberry and surrounding country copied from an old account book found by Mr. Wirt Wagner in the walls of an old building owned by Mr. Quesenbury that he was tearing down. The book belonged to Mr. Jefferson M. Walker, Mulberry, Crawford county, Arkansas. A list of hands set apart for Mr. Bean: Jesse Miller, Wm. H. Johnson, Wm.Bean, Mark Bean, Wm. Galloway, Jesse Bean, and Wilson Miller. A list of hands set apart for Joshua Fisher: Isaac Snodgrass, Jerry Ancrom, Wm. C. Maxey, Benjamin Hussett, Thomas Moore, Joshua Fisher, Benjamine Eslice, R. H. Bean, John B. Lyon, John Fisher, Johns S. Eslice, Jas. Hensley, D. D. Williams, Jas. M. Fale, A. L. Anderson, J. P. A list of hands set apart to Wm. P. Moore to work on the road from Mulberry via Mills of Moore and Henderson, to the mouth thereof: Wm. P. Moore, Wm. Stout, Wm. Riggs, Elisha Riggs, F. W. Wyatt, John H. Blackwell, Jas. Blackwell, John Ainsworth, Richardson. The following are those who bought leather from Mr. Walker: W. C. Boren, Lewis Russell, Cyrus Maxon, John Elliott,, 1834; D. S. Corley, John Oliver, 1834; Eddy Bose, 1834; William Duvall, Wm. Friels, 1838; James Marrs, W. S. Reeves, William Quesenbury, 1834; Ed W. Roach; Thomas Quesenbury, 1834; James Byrd, March 1834; William Mageehee, 1834; Abraham Waggoner, 1835-36; Elizabeth Mays, John Heard, 1837; William Howard, 1834; Armstead Smoto, 1834; Alfred Wallace, John Lassater, 1835; Thomas Graham, 1834; Russell Jesept, Paul Briant, Samuel Oric, Simon Hensley, Charles Read, John Read, John Wilson, John Quesenbury, George W. Martin, Arnold Briant, Jefferson Walker, Wm. C. Bouran, W. C. Wagoner. John Dillard, Winchester, Tenn; John Brooks, Hide book; John S. Scott, J. M. Walker, James Oric, Franklin county; Abel Barnhill, Ebenezer Bourland, Franklin county; Wilston Post Office, Ark. Following is a list of postmasters who have served the city of Mulberry througth the years; Harris, 1879 and 1877-1881; A. C. Heard, 1889 and 1881-1885; J. Bailey, 1888, and 1885-1889; John Franklin Turner, 1889-1893; Will Leavett, Jas. Will Alexander, Solon Jackson, 1914; Noble Nixon, 8 years from 1913 through 1921 and Ted Shambarger, 1925 to 1933; and R. S. Remy, the present postmaster. So it is written: History of Crawford County, Arkansas By Miss Clara B. Eno