Woodmen of the World

The week’s column is dedicated to all those fearless Woodmen of the World
who helped develop this area with renewable resources and husbanded the
area land with kindness and care.  The founding fathers of the Timber
Industry of Southwest Arkansas, Northern Louisiana and East Texas.

Aunt Ludie

Thomas Addis Brown
One of the first timber fathers of Stamps that helped build and erect a
Timber Empire riveled by no other area was Thomas Addis Brown.  Mr. Brown
was president of the large lumber company in Stamps and as executive in
other lines of enterprises brought him eminence throughout the State and
adjoining territory where he also had large interests.  He was born in
Hillsboro, North Carolina in 1861, and the son of Allen and Letitia Brown.
His father was the owner of a large iron foundry of that town.  The son was
given an excellent education in grammar and high schools, at Hughes Academy
and at Horton and Graves Military College.  After his studies he went to
Texarkana, Arkansas where he found employment in a sawmill and remained
seven and a half years, mastering the fundamentals of the wood business.

Some what later in his career, he and other members of the family, with
others, bought a small mill at Stamps and all actively worked in the at its
operation.  Their knowledge and experience and steady effort brought huge
success, with their investment and a huge growth opportunity.  As larger
and larger tracts of timber and doubling growth at a very swift pace
another mill was added in Stamps. Then five mills were added in Northern
Louisiana to supplement their huge growth.  Mr. Brown, who started as a saw
filer and certainly climbed a corporate ladder that, was headed to the
heavens.  His thirty-five years as a progressive, and constructive citizen
and leadership of the industry marked him as one of the outstanding and
widely known men of the United States.

Brown was a supporter of the Democratic Party (but much like today he was
actually a closet Republican “writers opinion”.  Mr. Brown followed the
tickets of the Republican Party in national affairs.  He belonged to the
Free and Accepted Masons, holding the thirty-second degree, and to the
Little Rock Temple of the Ancient and Mystic Order of Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine.  He also belonged to the National Lumbermen’s Association.  He was
by faith a member of the Stamps Presbyterian Church.

Thomas Addis Brown and June Hoes were married, April 20, 1904, in
Hillsboro, Illinois.  June Hoes daughter of George F. and Mary Hoes.  Her
father had success as a goldminer in California and owned important
stamping mills and mines there.  Mr. Hoes spent much of his times at his
mines in California but owned many Acres and a lovely home in Hillsboro,
Illinois where June was raised and educated, however Mary Hoes was born in
California.  She was president of the Presbyterian Auxiliary Society and
Mr. Brown served as a Deacon.  She was a member of the Stamps Parent
Teachers Association, the Women’s Study Club and also is a director of the
Chamber of Commerce.  The Browns were the parents of three children who
attended Stamps Public School.  Helon and Hazel twins attended Stamps
Schools and then Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia; Addys also
attended Stamps School, but I show no reference of where she attended
College, --excerpts and snip-its Arkansas and it’s People 1930.

Mr. Brown shown in his brotherhood to the Stamps Lodge 121 is remarkable of
“charge off” and in kind services he did for his brothers and fraternal
organization he loved.  I was granted permission to look at an old ledger
of minutes and several entry mentions of Mr. Brown and Bodcaw Lumber
Company and of their generosity to their Lodge and brothers.

ANOTHER MAYOR—Rueben Thomas Boulware

Rueben Thomas Boulware; as a young man Mr. Boulware came to Arkansas from
Louisiana just out of high school.  Mr. Rueben Boulware taught school for
several years and at the same time read law. He was admitted to the
Arkansas bar in 1913, and he established himself in the practice of law the
following year in Stamps.  Mr. Boulware was a most respected barrister and
citizen of Lafayette County.  He was liked so well he by his fellow
citizens they elected him mayor of their fine city and with so much respect
and confidence from his fellow residents filled that capacity for several
terms.

Rueben Thomas Boulware was born in Texas, 1889 one of five children of R.
P. and H. Peevy Boulware. As an infant Ruebens parents moved to Louisiana
and it was in that state he received his education in Springhill,
Louisiana.  Not only was he admitted to the Arkansas Bar he also was
admitted to practice in the Supreme Court in 1922.  Mr. Boulware actively
took part in many civic activities. He was affiliated with the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and he was a member of the board of stewards. He was a
democrat, a family man, and was loved and respected by all whom he came in
contact with.

Mr. Rueben Boulware married December 22, 1915, Vida Sanders, of Magnolia,
Arkansas.  They had two children the late Robert A. Boulware, and Dr. Ralph
Boulware who we are very grateful that he and wife Lela Boulware chose to
come home after retirement at Louisiana State University. “Thanks Brother
Ralph and Sister Lela”.  The Boulware’s daughter Robbie Roller chose to
come to Stamps also and I think Aunt Ludie will end on a very positive note
for this week.

------------------- snip-its from Arkansas and its People 1930--------