Towns & Cities: Beulah Community, 1938, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: February 25, 1938 Winnfield News-American History of Beulah Community by Mrs. R. E. McCartney The first settlers of Beulah, or the first settlers of what is now Beulah, in the year 1881, were Mr. (Uncle Joe) Williams, Uncle Coll (Collier) Maxwell, and Uncle Mats Devore. Mr. Dave Williams, doctor and preacher, son of Joe Williams, was a Civil War veteran. Most of this brief record that I was able to obtain, dates, from his time as a man, recorded by his son, Mr. C. A. Williams. The Dugdemonia River which runs through our community, separating ward two and nine, was at that time, around 1883, crossed by means of a flat boat. This was attended by Mr. C. A. Maxwell and sons, who charged a fee for ferrying people and objects across the river. Another ferry was run by Uncle Matt Roberts, about two miles down stream from this one, and conducted in the same manner. A wooden bridge took the place of the ferry-boat, built by Mr. John Burkes about ten years before the iron bridge was built by M. S. Masie, Jr., from Dallas, Texas. The committee being composed of Uncle Dave Williams, C. A. Williams, H. M. Roberts, J. T. Porter, A. S. Peters, and other nearby residents. These bridges were financed by ward nine and two going together with the expenses, some kind of tax, I believe. The first Baptist church, Shiloah, was located between what is now Curry Station and the old Devore place. It was just a log house with a door in one end, and one window with a wooden shutter. Mr. Dave Williams and Mr. Lilly were pastors of this church. Another Shiloh, the same construction as above, was built by Dense Randel. Mr. Williams and Mr. O'Quinn were the pastors there. Next, there was another log church built where Cross Roads Church now stands, by S. S. Lizenby in the year 1893. In the organization of this church there were only Mr. and Mrs. Mart Roberts, Uncle Mose Mercer, and Uncle Morgan Gates, who was a singing school teacher. About the year 1885, Uncle Dave Williams established a post office, while living on what is now known as the Wade Williams place, between Beulah and Winnfield on the Zion Road. There was another post office located at Tunica and operated by S.M. Smith (Spencer M. Smith). The mail carrier to these post offices from Winnfield was Uncle Dave Dunn. He traveled by way of buggy or jumper and when there was only a little mail, by horseback. Later there was another route from Bertrand Post Office to Red Hill Post Officer around the Beech Creek Community. At Red Hill, Mr. Jim Holmes was postmaster and merchant. At that time mail was carried horseback from Rochelle to Winnfield, because there were no roads. The first school house situated near where Beulah School was later built, was a log house with split log seats. It had no windows and pupils studied by the light filtering through the cracks. This was known as the Long School house and Mr. Dave Williams was the teacher. Of course, all the books they had were Blueback spellers, readers, and arithmetic. School was only conducted three months int he summer and pupils had to pay for their tuition. Another school was taught by Uncle John Cox at the second Shiloh Church. Every Friday afternoon there was a spelling match, a hymn, and all the children shook hands with the teacher while they sang; they were then dismissed until Monday morning. Rules were written on Fool's Cap paper and read every Monday morning and a number of stout hickory switches displayed to make the rules impressive. After Zion Church was built, a school was taught there by Miss Edith Houston of New Orleans. School terms became longer and there were more church services as more people moved in. There were two public roads. One from Columbia to Alexandria by way of Maxwell's Ferry, the other by Roberts' Ferry known as the three notch road. (Note: part of the old Harrisonburg Road-Natchez Trace-Buffalo Road-St. Augustine Road). The nearest markets were Columbia and Alexandria by way of ox team. Usually two trips a year were made, taking 5 or 6 days for the trip. Supplies for trip were an ox bell and a tar bucket. The bell to put on oxen when camping and tar for wagons; there was no axle grease. Winnfield at that time consisted only of a log courthouse, log post office, and Morris Bernstein's store. Uncle Bob Jones, Clerk of Court, also lived in a log house. About 7 or 8 years ago the Methodist Church was built and four years ago a Baptist Church was built, about a mile apart, the Methodist on one side of Dugdemonia and the Baptist on the opposite side. Both churches now have regular services. Our school was discontinued at Beulah 2 years ago. Most of the pupils are transferred by bus to Winnfield, and some to Curry, about four miles from Beulah.