"Doddridge", Arkansas, Miller County - by Mrs. Hazel Fields
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Submitted by:  GVRICHARDS@aol.com
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"Doddridge", Arkansas, Miller County - by Mrs. Hazel Fields

Taken from the book "Bloomburg U.S.A in Cullen Baker Country", by the 
Bloomburg Historical Committee.

* Champ T. Field, who owned the land on which the town of Doddridge  was 
built, came from Red Oak, Georgia in 1858.  He left Georgia in 1849 and went 
to California to the gold rush, finding enough gold to return to Georgia, 
marry * Millie Ann Dodd, move to Arkansas and buy several hundred acres of 
land which he farmed.

Doddridge was named either for the railroad official or for the * Dodd family 
who came to Arkansas with the Field Family.  The ridge part was added because 
there was a ridge formation.

The railroad came through in 1892.  Mr. Field gave the land for the right of 
way and depot, and across the street from the depot, his son * Henry 
established the first mercantile business.  His business partner was * 
Stephen Thomas Slay, another Georgia native.  The first post office at 
Doddridge was in the Field Slay Store.  Henry Field was postmaster until 
retiring in 1942. 

Other early businesses established was * Sheppard and Hemperly, * J.H. 
Atchinson, (who was in business from 1905 until his death in 1973, at the age 
of 93) * Mr. Joe Brown and son * George were in business many years.  

>From the turn of the century until WWII, Doddridge was a prosperous, small 
town having a bank, cotton gin, grist mill, black smith shop, hotel, drug 
store, doctors office, café's, barber shops, service stations, garages, and 
several general mercantile stores.

* C.T. Field, * Spark Kennedy, * Alfred Brown, and * John Kennedy organized 
the Mt. Zion Church in 1859.  The first preachers were * Nelson Porterfield 
and * James E. Dodd.

The Doddridge Methodist Church was organized in 1850 as the Sulphur Fork 
Baptist Church.  The old church was located on the Spring Bank Jefferson 
Road, south of Doddridge.  In 1900 the church was moved to the present 
location.  The * Blantons, 
* Mays, * Smiths, and * Magee's organized the church.  

Land for the Baptist Church, the present Methodist Church and the cemetery 
where donated by the Field family.

The Union Grove Church of Christ was organized July 6, 1874, and Bright Star, 
then in Lafayette County, Arkansas.

According to the minutes from that initial meeting, 35 charter members were 
present, and two ministers, * J.M. Wilks and * C.S Reeves, of Texas.


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