Page 13 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

128 HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

1 ;at this date that John Derresseaux, of Pine Bluff, enterlng land all the way to the Indian Territory.

the oldest resident of the county, chose himself a Entr~esafter 1836 were most numerous in the

plantation near Pine Bluff. A Mr. Prewett was 50's. and next to that period in the 60's.

also on the site ot Pine Bluff with Joseph Bonne; There were really no towns before Pine Bluff,

their two log houses constituted the city. Among where, after some efforts to locate it near Derres-

those scattered along the river on the north side seaux's, Dorris', and at another site, the couuty

were Ambrose Bartholomew, Antoine Duchesson, seat was placed. The first mill was built at New

David Musick, Euclid Johnson, the Dardennis, Gascony by *Louis Gosserreaux; Stephen Vaugine

the Dnchessons, the Vaugines, Israel Dodge, the 1 opened the first store about 18'25: Creed Taylor

Widow Collar, Francis Villier, Racine (an old I and the Vaugines built the first gin, which was

man), Mitchell, Mrs. Emery and son, the Masons, I patronized over a territory that would astonish the

Mrs. Hackett, Vassar, Rigne, Barraque, Palmer gin owners of the present day; Bradford had the

and Holland; while on the south side were Bailey, first water-mill; Mr. Barraque opened an early

Morrison, Arrington, with possibly a few others, store at New Gascony, which was named in honor

who were chiefly engaged in hunting and the rais- of his European birth country; the first store at

ing of a little cotton and corn to vary their ex- Pine Bluff was kept by a Mr. Fugate, and another

tended leisure. and many of whose names are per- was controlled by a Mr. Gibson. The mail, when

petuated in streets and townships. it did come, was carried on horse-back. Deer,

That there were settlements made here previous bear and turkey made hard work almost unknown.

to the organization of the county has been shown, Shooting matches for beef or money were not un-

but no regular land entries were made, or at least common. The first election was held at P. B.

none appear on the records, before 1829, except Greenfield's, when Mr. John Derresseaux was just

numerous private surveys undated. Thoso made under age and was not allowed to vote for his

during that year were by Mary DuBoyce, A. Bar- favorite candidate, Henry Clay. in consequence

raque, James Scull, Joseph Prewett, Allen Miller, of which his challenger lost a vote many years later

J. S. Kelton, J. Boutwell, Stephen Coose, Joseph when Mr. Derresseaux assured him he was still

Snodgrass, Susan Crump, Robert Logan, Isaac "too young to vote "-for him.

Snodgrass, J. Russell, Robert Crawford, Abraham If it be remembered that in 1813 a county was

Shelly, Solomon Prewett, Ruth Wagnon and first formed by the Missouri Territorial legislature

George Ivy; in 1830 there were John Boyd, John along the Arkansas River, and so given a name;

Sherley, Robert Hammond, Charles Curtis, Abel and that the same body erected Lawrence in 1815,

Johnson, William Marrs, Mark Bean, Hiram Tit- while in 1818 it formed Clark, Hempstead and

well, Polly Lawrence, Chester Ashley, Willis Mc- Pulaski, it will be seen that Jefferson County must

Cain, C. Aldrick, Israel Embree and Peter Kuy- havn been formed after Arkansas became a Terri-

kendall; in 1831, R. W. Smith, Thomas Trammel, tory, as it did in 1819. I t was a decade follow-

Jarred Griffin, James Duchesson; in 1832, S. H. ing this, however, and meanwhile four counties

Hempstead, Martin Serano, Creed Taylor, A. Har- (Miller, Phillips, Crawford and Independence)

rington ; in 1833, D. F. Vaugine, one Imbraugh, were made in 1820, one (Chicot) in 1823; three

Lucy Butler, George Flinn, a roan named Wall; in (Conway, Crittenden and Izard) in 1825; three

1834, John Emberson, I. Harrel, Thomas Phillips, (Lovely, St. Francis and Lafayette) in 1827, and

John Cureton, Thomas Warren. Sr., Levi Uum- two (Sevier and Washington) in 1828. During

mings and S. C. Roane; in 1836, John Pope, Arch- the month of November, 1829, there were more

ihald Yell and J . B. Thompson. These were all counties made than in any other years except 1873

1I / were by those who kept in the van of settlement, / pages. Ill