JOSEPH SIMMONS PERSON
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B14  JOSEPH SIMMONS PERSON was a native of White Oak mountain in Van Buren 
County, Arkansas. He was born May 8, 1898 the tenth child and fifth son of  Edward 
Randolph Person and   Jennie Bell Smith Person.
     
He attended school on the mountain. There he and his brother,  Herbert, helped with 
the farming and homework.
     
 Joe and Herbert attended the social life in the neighborhood. At that time the 
mountain was well populated.
      
Joe dated   Almedia Beavers who was living in the home of Mr and Mrs.  Young.  
Herbert dated  Ethel Armstead who lived close by. The two brothers were forced to 
cross hills and mountain hollows to reach the young ladies' homes. Their mode of 
travel was on backs of mules through a trail. It is said that on some dark nights the 
wild animals followed close behind them and let out wild screams. Cold chills ran 
through their bodies at the sound but, somehow, the animals were no detriment to 
the courtships as both couples later married.
    
On January 6, 1917 both couples,  Joe and  Almedia and  Herbert and  Ethel, were 
secretly married near the Mazzie Campbell farm. They had attended church at a brush 
arbor close by. The boys' father  Edward was very much upset because he felt the boys 
married too young.
    
Soon  Almedia was forced to reveal the secret because she was expecting a baby.  Joe 
and  Almedia left for Oklahoma and spent a short time before returning to Little Rock 
and living with  Rueben and  Eathel Person on Markham Street.  Joe worked at public 
works.
    
C17-  Joe Pate Person, Jr. was born on January 16, 1918. Soon after his birth they moved 
to Carden Bottom, Yell County, to farm with  Morris and  Adelaide Hignight.  
Almedia "Kelly" had a long term of illness soon after the "flu" epidemic of 1918.  
Adelaide cared for Joe, Jr.
    
In 1920 the Hignights and  Joe Persons moved to Lakeview to farm the Dave Love 
farm. Joe farmed 40 acres. He rented some land above the land that Morris farmed and 
built a house (in the direction of Cotton Town).

The social activities at that time consisted of Lakeview Sunday School, singing on 
Sunday night and the parties which Mrs.  G. L. Potts gave for her Sunday School 
classes. The class was made up of the better class of people and had nearly a hundred 
members at one time. The class attended picnics and swimming parties on Sundays 
after Sunday School.
    
Before 1938  Joe and  John Cowger were partners in buying sixty acres of land near 
Hayti, Missouri. The Persons moved there to farm, Joe, Jr, walked the railroad tracks to 
finish high school in Hayti.

 Joe, Sr. worked hard and bought more land in the Hayti area. "Kelly" had heart 
trouble and was unable to do her own housework for several years.  Joe, Jr. served in 
World War II.
     
 Joe, Sr. was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Carden Bottom #542.
    
On January 6, 1967  Joe and  Almedia Beavers Person celebrated their Golden Wedding 
anniversary at their home near Hayti, Missouri.
     
 Joe was named far an uncle by law  J. S. Gilliam who lived in Virginia.