Page 130 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

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HISTORY O F ARKANSAS.

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lives of those whom it is his privilege to meet, is I was denied. The family were sold by the admin-
permitted to enter upon the record of a man more istrator of the estate, to one Peter Finerty, who
deserving of honorable mention than Wiley Jones, i held them a short time and sold them to @en.

Iof Pine Blnff, Ark., one whose name is almost a James Yell, a distinguished lawyer and planter of

household word in Central Arkansas, and to whom - Pine Bluff. Wiley was sent to the plantation, and

!the citizens of this section, especially, owe a very drove the gin mules during thecotton.ginning sea-

Ip a t debt of gratitude. His career has been a ! son. When only ten years of age, on the marriage

remarkable one, and as noted in this brief sketch, of Pitts, *en. Yell's only son, Wiley was a mar-

can not fail of intereet, even to the most indiffer- riage gift to the young benedict, who made him

m t reader. Mr. Jones was born in Madian (h.o- his body servant, and treated him kindly, At
ty, Ga., July 14, 1848. His father was George ! twelve years of age he drove his mistress' car-

Jones, a Georgia planter; his mother's name was riage horses, and was the special trusted servant

Ann, one of George Jones' slaves, a woman far of Col Yell and his wife. While in this serPice

above mediocrity of women of her race in point of I he improved himself in every way possible, and
general intelligence, form and features. She was ' laid the fonndation of that self-reliance and sound
the mother of six children, by George Jones: judgment which stamp him now a remarkable
Mathew (the eldest, a man of fine constmotive , man. On the inauguration of the Civil War he
ability, whose service8 as superintendent of the con. attended his master as his camp servant. At the

struction of the Wiley Jones Street Car Line, at 1 death of Gen. Yell, who fell while leading acharge

Pine Bluff, Ark., are well remembered), Thomas on a Federal battery, a t the battle of Mansfield,
(who died several years ago), Julia (wife of Mr. La., Wiley a t once joined the Yell family, who
Ben Reed, one of the most prominent colored men ! were refngees at Waco, Texas. There he served
in Pine Blnff), Wiley (the subject of this sketch), : as porter in a mercantile house one year. On the
Taylor (who was mnrdeted in Johnson County, expiration of his term as porter, he was hired to
Ark., for t.he money on his person, some years drive wagons, loaded with cotton. to San Antonio,
ago), and James (who is manager of Wiley's mer- Texas. At the close of the war he returned with
cantile business, a shrewd business man, enjoying , Mrs. Yell to her home at Monticello, Ark. Set at

the confidence of his fellow citizens, both white ! liberty by the emancipation act, he was free to

and colored). Wiley was named by his mother, take such steps as seemed t o him best. Leaving
for the family physician, Waltnr. Being some- Mooticello, he debated in his mind whether he
what mischievous and wild, but never vicions, he would locate in Pine Bluff or Fort Smith, Ark.
was nicknamed Wiley, which name he retained, Visiting the latter place, but not being pleased

Ialthough, as he grew to man's estate, he proved to ' with the outlook, he returned to Pine Blnff, re-

be rather sedate and thooghtfnl. When five years solving to cast his lot in that city. Being now

of age, his father moved by wagons from Georgia seventeen years of age, and capable ot any manual
to Jefferson Coanty, Ark., taking with him over labor, he hired, at $20 per month, to a mule driver,
forty slaves, and his slave wife and her children, : with whom he worked several months. He then
settling on the Gov. Byrd plantation, twelve miles contraded with his old master's son, Col. Yell, to
above Pine Blnff, on the Arkansas River, where work on his plantation, a t $20 per month. I n a

'he died in 1858. When on his daath-bed he told , short time, his snperior intalligence and adminis-

his wife that he had made provision for the free- trative ability, warranted Col. Yell in placing
dom of herself and children. T h i ~intention of i Wiley at the head of his planting interest, giving

her husband to free his loved ones she maintained ' him full control, in which capacity he remained

to the hour of her death, but no manumission unlil the crops were marketed. Tiring of plan-
papers could he found, and if such were prepared, I tation work, and believing a higher destiny

they were destroyed, and the expected freedom I awaited him, Wiley moved to Pine Blnff and

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