Jefferson County AR Genealogy

Slave Narrative of Sarah Anderson

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: Sarah Anderson Location: 3815 W. Second Avenue, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Age: 78? “I don’t know when I was born. When the Civil War ended, I was bout four or five years old. “I jes’ remember when the people come back—the soldiers—when the War ended. We chillun run under the house. That was the Yankees. “I was born in Bibb County, Georgia. That’s where I was bred and born. “I been in Arkansas ever since I was fourteen. That was shortly after the Civil War, I reckon. We come here when they was emigratin’ to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mandy Billings

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: Mandy Billings Age: 84 Location: 3101 W. 14th Highland Add., Pine Bluff, Arkansas “Now I was born in 1854. That was in slavery times. That wasn’t yistiday was it? Born in Louisiana, in Sparta—that was the county seat. “Bill Otts was my last owner. You see, how come me sold my mother was my grandfather’s baby chile and his owner promised not to separate him nary time again. It was in the time of the Old War. Charles McLaughlin—that was my old master—he was my father and Bill Otts, he bought my mother, and … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rose Adway

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: Rose Adway Location: 405 W. Pullen, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Age: 76 Occupation: Farmed “I was born three years ‘fore surrender. That’s what my people told me. Born in Mississippi. Let me see what county I come out of. Smith County—that’s where I was bred and born. “I know I seen the Yankees but I didn’t know what they was. My mama and papa and all of ’em talked about the War. “My papa was a water toter in durin’ the War. No, he didn’t serve the army—just on the farm. “Mama was the cook … Read more

Slave Narrative of Matilda Bass

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: Matilda Bass Location: 1100 Palm Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Age: 80 Occupation: Farmed “Yes ma’am, I was eight years old when the Old War ceasted. “Honey, I’ve lived here twenty years and I don’t know what this street is. “I was born in Greenville, Mississippi. They took my parents and carried ’em to Texas to keep ’em from the Yankees. I think they stayed three years ’cause I didn’t know ’em when they come back. “I ‘member the Yankees come and took us chillun and the old folks to Vicksburg. I ‘member the old … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jeff Bailey

Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor Person Interviewed: Jeff Bailey Location: 713 W. Ninth Street, Little Rock, Arkansas Age: 76 or 77 Occupation: Hostler [HW: A Hostler’s Story] “I was born in Monticello. I was raised there. Then I came up to Pine Bluff and stayed there thirty-two years. Then I came up here and been here thirty-two years. That is the reason the white folks so good to me now. I been here so long, I been a hostler all my life. I am the best hostler in this State. I go down to the post office they give me money. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rev. Wamble

Interviewer: Archie Koritz Person Interviewed: Rev. Wamble Location: Gary, Indiana Place of Birth: Monroe County, Mississippi, Date of Birth: 1859 Place of Residence: 1827 Madison Street, Gary, Indiana Occupation: Wagon-maker Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project Porter County-District #1 Valparaiso, Indiana EX-SLAVES REV. WAMBLE 1827 Madison Street Gary, Indiana [TR: above ‘Wamble’ in handwriting is ‘Womble’] Rev. Wamble was born a slave in Monroe County, Mississippi, in 1859. The Westbrook family owned many slaves in charge of over-seers who managed the farm, on which there were usually two hundred or more slaves. One of the Westbrook daughters married a … Read more

Chitty, William Edward – Obituary

W. E. Chitty, Formerly of Pine Bluff, Lost Life in River—Helena, May 17–(Special)– The body of W. E. Chitty, age 60, who disappeared between the hours of 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesday, off the Chicago Mill and Lumber Corporation’s derrick boat, was found early this morning, near the bank of the river about a mile below where it is thought he stumbled from the boat and fell into the river. Chitty, prior to his moving to Helena about two months ago, had lived in West Helena where he had been employed as night watchman for the Chicago Mill and the … Read more

Slave Narrative of J. H. Beckwith

Interviewer: Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: J. H. Beckwith Age: 68 Location: 619 North Spruce Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas “No ma’m I was not born in the time of slavery. I was sixty-eight last Friday. I was born November 18, 1870 in Johnson County, North Carolina. “My mother was born in Georgia and her name was Gracie Barum. Father was born in North Carolina. His name was Rufus Beckwith. He belonged to Doctor Beckwith and mother, I think, belonged to Tom Barum. Barum was just an ordinary farmer. He was just a second or third class farmer—just poor white folks. I … Read more

Slave Narrative of Stephen McCray

Person Interviewed: Stephen McCray Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Huntsville County, Alabama Date of Birth: 1850 Age: 88 Occupation: Fisherman I was born in Huntsville County, Alabama, right where the Scottsboro boys was in jail, in 1850. My parents was Wash and Winnie McCray. They was the mother and father of 22 chillun. Jest five lived to be grown and the rest died at baby age. My father’s mother and father was named Mandy and Peter McCray, and my mother’s mother and father was Ruthie and Charlie McCray. They all had the same Master, Mister McCray, all the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Liza Smith

Person Interviewed: Liza Smith Location: Muskogee, Oklahoma Age: 91 Both my mammy and pappy was brought from Africa on a slave boat and sold on de Richmond (Va.) slave market. What year dey come over I don’t know. My mammy was Jane Mason, belonging to Frank Mason; pappy was Frank Smith, belonging to a master wid de same name. I mean, my pappy took his Master’s name, and den after my folks married mammy took de name of Smith, but she stayed on wid de Masons and never did belong to my pappy’s master. Den, after Frank Mason took all … Read more

Slave Narrative of Boston Blackwell

Interviewer: Beaulah Sherwood Hagg Person Interviewed: Boston Blackwell Age: 98 Location: 320 Plum, North Little Rock, Arkansas Make yourself comfoble, miss. I can’t see you much ’cause my eyes, they is dim. My voice, it kinder dim too. I knows my age, good. Old Miss, she told me when I got sold—”Boss, you is 13—borned Christmas. Be sure to tell your new misses and she put you down in her book.” My borned name was Pruitt ’cause I got borned on Robert Pruitt’s plantation in Georgia,—Franklin County, Georgia. But Blackwell, it my freed name. You see, miss, after my mammy … Read more

Slave Narrative of George Benson

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: George Benson Age: 80 Location: Ezell Quarters, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Occupation: Cotton Farmer “I was here in slavery days—yes ma’m, I was here. When I come here, colored people didn’t have their ages. The boss man had it. After surrender, boss man told me I ought to keep up with my age, it’d be a use to me some day, but I didn’t do it. “I member the soldiers would play with me when they wasn’t on duty. That was the Yankees. “I was born down here on Dr. Waters’ place. Born right here … Read more

Jefferson County Arkansas Cemeteries

Most of these cemetery listings are complete indices at the time of transcription, however, in some cases we list the listing when it is only a partial listing. Hosted at Jefferson County Arkansas USGenWeb Archives Bellwood Annex Cemetery A – L Surnames M – Z Surnames Blalock and King Family Cemetery Branch Family Cemetery Brown Cemetery Curl Cemetery Flat Bayou Cemetery Graceland Cemetery Hardin Cemetery Harmony Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery Jefferson Memorial Cemetery Lee Cemetery Memorial Park Cemetery A – B Surnames C – E Surnames F – H Surnames I – M Surnames N – R Surnames S – … Read more

Biography of Walter J. Arnold

Walter J. Arnold. The county engineer of Shawnee County, Walter J. Arnold has led an active and diversified career, and although not yet forty-one years of age has crowded into his life more experiences than the ordinary man sees in an entire lifetime. From gold mining in Colorado to chasing the insurgents in the Philippines is a long call, but unlike many men whose activities have led them to out-of-the-way-places, Mr. Arnold has been constantly advancing, and each new experience, each new employment, has brought him a little bit further ahead toward the goal of success. In his present capacity, … Read more

Jefferson County, Arkansas Census

Jefferson County, Arkansas was formed from Arkansas and Pulaski counties in 1829. 1830 Jefferson County, Arkansas Census Free 1830 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1830 Jefferson County, Census (images and index) $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems Free 1830 Census Index Free 1830 Census Transcription Hosted at Census Guide 1830 U.S. Census Guide 1840 Jefferson County, Arkansas Census Free 1840 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1840 Jefferson County, Census (images and index) $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems Free 1840 Census Index Free 1840 Census Transcription Hosted at … Read more

Slave Narrative of Katie Arbery

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: Katie Arbery Location: 815 W. Thirteenth, Pine Bluff, Arkansas Age: 80 “I am eighty years old. My name ‘fore I was a Arbery was Baxter. My mother was a Baxter. Born in Union County. “My mother’s first people was Baxter and my grandmother was a Baxter and they just went by that name; she never did change her name. “The boss man—that was what they called our master—his name was Paul McCall. He was married twice. His oldest son was Jim McCall. He was in the War. Yes ma’am, the Civil War. “Paul McCall … Read more

Slave Narrative of Hula Williams

Person Interviewed: Hula Williams Place of Birth: Arkansas Date of Birth: July 18, 1857 My mammy use to belong to the Burns plantation back in old Mississippi; that was before I was born, but the white overseer, a man named Kelly, was my father, so my mammy always said. She stayed with the Burns’ until her Master’s daughter married a man named Bond and moved to Jefferson County, Arkansas, about 25 miles south of Little Rock. The old Master give mammy and two other slaves to the girl when she married, that’s how come mammy to be in Arkansas when … Read more

Biography of Christopher Columbus Hughes

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS HUGHES. This prominent and successful tiller of the soil owes his nativity to Jefferson County, Arkansas, where he was born, in 1840, to Matthew and Clara (Hill) Hughes, who were born in Crittenden County, Kentucky, and Maryland, respectively. Their marriage occurred on Blue Grass soil, and in Crittenden County, where Mr. Hughes has spent his entire life, with the exception of a few years when he resided in Jefferson County, Arkansas He is now over eighty years of age, has been a lifelong and successful farmer, and prior to the war had accumulated a comfortable fortune, but lost … Read more

Villages of the Quapaw Tribe

This article explores the history and settlements of the Quapaw Tribe, a Siouan group residing near the mouth of the Arkansas River. It traces their journey from the Ohio Valley, citing early French accounts of their villages and customs. The text details their gradual westward migration and eventual decline, referencing explorers’ observations and archaeological evidence of their presence in the Mississippi Valley.

Slave Narrative of Bob Benford

Interviewer: Mrs. Bernice Bowden Person Interviewed: Bob Benford Age: 79 Location: 209 N. Maple Street, Pine Bluff, Arkansas “Slavery-time folks? Here’s one of em. Near as I can get at it, I’se seventy-nine. I was born in Alabama. My white folks said I come from Perry County, Alabama, but I come here to this Arkansas country when I was small. “My old master was Jim Ad Benford. He was good to us. I’m goin’ to tell you we was better off then than now. Yes ma’am, they treated us right. We didn’t have to worry bout payin’ the doctor and … Read more