Slave Narrative of Tom W. Woods

Person Interviewed: Tom W. Woods Location: Alderson, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Florence, Alabama Age: 83 Lady, if de nigger hadn’t been set free dis country wouldn’t ever been what it is now! Poor white folks wouldn’t never had a chance. De slave holders had most of de money and de land and dey wouldn’t let de poor white folks have a chance to own any land or anything else to speak of. Dese white folks wasn’t much better off dan we was. Dey had to work hard and dey had to worry ’bout food, clothes and shelter and we didn’t. … Read more

Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Funeral Log Books

This page links to known Arkansas Funeral Records whether they be available online or offline. Funeral records are an invaluable source of genealogical information that can provide insight into the lives and deaths of our ancestors. They offer a wealth of details on the deceased and their family, including their names, ages, dates of death, causes of death, and other key information.

Slave Narrative of Cyrus Bellus

Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor Person Interviewed: Cyrus Bellus Age: 73 Location: 1380 pulaski Street, Little Rock, Arkansas [HW: Made Own Cloth] “I was born in Mississippi in 1865 in Jefferson County. It was on the tenth of March. My father’s name was Cyrus Bellus, the same as mine. My mother’s name was Matilda Bellus. “My father’s master was David Hunt. My father and mother both belonged to him. They had the same master. I don’t know the names of my grandfather and mother. I think they were Jordons. No, I know my grandmother’s name was Annie Hall, and my grandfather’s … Read more

Slave Narrative of James Bertrand

Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor Person Interviewed: James Bertrand Age: 68 Location: 1501 Maple Street, Little Rock, Arkansas [HW: “Pateroles” Botlund Father] “I have heard my father tell about slavery and about the Ku Klux Klan bunch and about the paterole bunch and things like that. I am sixty-eight years old now. Sixty-eight years old! That would be about five years after the War that I was born. That would be about 1870, wouldn’t it? I was born in Jefferson County, Arkansas, near Pine Bluff. “My father’s name was Mack Bertrand. My mother’s name was Lucretia. Her name before she married … Read more

Slave Narrative of Henry Blake

Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor Person Interviewed: Henry Blake Age: 80, or more Location: Rear of 1500 Scott Street, Little Rock, Arkansas Occupation: Farming and junk, when able [HW: Drove a “Horsepower Gin Wagon”] “I was born March 16, 1863, they tell me. I was born in Arkansas right down here on Tenth and Spring Streets in Little Rock. That was all woods then. We children had to go in at night. You could hear the wolves and the bears and things. We had to make a big fire at night to keep the wolves and varmints away. “My father was … Read more

Biography of Robert M. Divin

This venerable citizen and esteemed gentleman and resident of Vale is one of the substantial men of Malheur County and is well and favorably known throughout the precincts of this region, being a man of stanch integrity, and always manifesting those qualities of worth and merit that redound to the good of all. Mr. Divin was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, on December 17, 1831, being the son of Irbin F. and Hannah Divin. The father died when our subject was two years of age, having removed with the family to Washington County, Arkansas, where the death occurred. There were … Read more

Biography of Nathan T. Veatch

Nathan T. Veatch has been superintendent of the city schools of Atchison since 1901. He is a veteran educator, and was teacher, principal or superintendent for a number of years before he came to Kansas. A native of Illinois, he was born on a farm near Astoria in Fulton County February 25, 1852, grew up in Schuyler County, attended the public schools, and had been teaching almost continuously since 1879. He taught his first term in Schuyler County, Illinois. In 1881 he was graduated from the Illinois Normal University at Normal. Mr. Veatch taught in Brown County, Illinois, was principal of a … Read more

Slave Narrative of Amsy O. Alexander

Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor Person Interviewed: Amsy O. Alexander Location: 2422 Center Street, Little Rock, Arkansas Age: 74 Occupation: Track laborer, Track foreman, Railroad builder [HW: Helps Build Railroad] “I was born in the country several miles from Charlotte in Macklenberg, County, North Carolina in 1864. “My father’s name was John Alexander and my mother was Esther McColley. That was her maiden name of course. “My father’s master was named Silas Alexander and my mother belonged to Hugh Reed. I don’t know just how she and my father happened to meet. These two slaveholders were adjoining neighbors, you might say. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Louis Wolsey

Wolsey, Louis; rabbi; born, Jan. 8, 1877, Midland, Mich.; son of William and Frances Krueger Wolsey; educated, public and High Schools, Chicago, University of Cincinnati, B. A., 1899, Hebrew Union College, B. H. L., 1894; rabbi, 1899; post-graduate University of Chicago and Western Reserve University; married, June 12, 1912, Florence H. Wiener, daughter of Abraham Wiener, Cleveland; rabbi Congregation B’Ne Isreal, Little Rock, Ark., 1899-1907; rabbi Euclid Ave. Temple, Cleveland, 1907-; during incumbency new temple built at Euclid Ave. and East 82d; Chaplain-General Arkansas State Guard, 1905; member American Association of Political Science, Religious Education Ass’n, Central Conference of American … 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

Biography of Edward A. Hood

Edward A. Hood, cashier of the Greenleaf State Bank, had had an active career in Kansas for a number of years, at first in the lumber business and leter as a banker. Mr. Hood did not begin life as the son of a wealthy family, but had gained his opportanities by hard work and constant vigilance. He was born at Salem, Arkansas, October 5, 1878. His ancestors in the paternal line were Scotch people. His grandfather, Graham W. Hood, was born in Scotland, came to this country when a young man and settled in Missouri among the pioneers, and for … 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

Gorham, Sarah A. – Obituary

Mrs. Gorham’s Death Recalls Mate’s Murder Mother of Wolfe Creek Farmer Passes While Visiting Relatives in Texas – Lived in Mexico Mrs. Sarah A. Gorham, mother of Jack Gorham of North Powder and Mrs. Enolia Brothers of Cove, died at the home of her neice, (sic) Vesta Green, at Slidell, Tex., July 26, last. The funeral took place in that city July 27, at the Methodist church, of which she was a member nearly all her life. Mrs. Gorham and her family for many years made their home in old Mexico and her death recalls the murder of her husband, … Read more

Slave Narrative of R. B. Anderson

Interviewer: Samuel S. Taylor Person Interviewed: R. B. Anderson Location: Route 4, Box 69 (near Granite), Little Rock, Arkansas Age: 76 Occupation: Grocer, bartender, porter, general work [HW: The Brooks-Baxter War] “I was born in Little Rock along about Seventeenth and Arch Streets. There was a big plantation there then. Dr. Wright owned the plantation. He owned my mother and father. My father and mother told me that I was born in 1862. They didn’t know the date exactly, so I put it the last day in the year and call it December 30, 1862. “My father’s name was William … Read more

Graham, James E. “Jim” – Obituary

Rock Creek, Oregon James E. “Jim” Graham, 82, a resident of Rock Creek near Haines, died June 20, 2002, at his home. His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home and again on Monday from 9 a.m. to noon. Mr. Graham was born at Little Rock, Ark., on Aug. 28, 1919. He married Faustina Stevens at Paragould, Ark., on Nov. 11, 1939. Mr. Graham was drafted and entered the U.S. Navy … Read more

The Cherokee Revolt – Indian Wars

From the removal of the Cherokee Indians from Georgia and Tennessee to Arkansas and their establishment upon the reservation allotted to them by treaty with the Government in Arkansas, they have, until the period of this outbreak to the narrative of which this chapter is devoted, been considered as among the least dangerous and most peaceable of the tribes in that region. But through various causes, chief among which has been notably the introduction among them of a horde of those pests of the West the border ruffians; these half wild, half-breed Nomads were encouraged by these Indians, as it … Read more

Biography of Hon. Samuel Leslie

HON. SAMUEL LESLIE. Among the representative and venerable citizens of Searcy County, Arkansas, and one who is a splendid type of the enterprise, industry and self-reliance of the early Arkansas pioneer, it is a pleasure to introduce to the readers of this volume the subject of this sketch. Considerably more than half a century ago he braved the dangers, trials and privations of pioneer life in order to establish a home and competency for his growing family, and where now are waving fields of grain then stood the mighty monarch of the forest. He was born in Barren County, Kentucky, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Katie Rowe

Person Interviewed: Katie RoweLocation: Tulsa, OklahomaAge: 88 I can set on de gallery, what de sunlight shine bright, and sew a powerful fine seam when my grandchillun wants a special purty dress for de school doings, but I ain’t worth much for nothing else I reckon. These same old eyes seen powerful lot of tribulations in my time, and when I shets ’em now I can see lots of l’ll chillun jest lak my grand-chillun, toting hoes bigger dan dey is, and dey pore little black hands and legs bleeding whar dey scratched by de brambledy weeds, and whar dey … Read more

Cash, Neva Eliza Simms Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Neva Eliza Cash, 87, a former longtime Baker City resident, died Jan. 9, 2003, at the Keiser Permanente Hospital at Santa Clara, Calif. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Lenny Spooner of the First Church of the Nazarene will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Neva was born on June 22, 1915, in Arkansas to Thomas H. and Maud Mills Simms. She attended school at Little Rock, Ark., and graduated in 1933. She married Alvin M. Cash on Sept. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Cindy Kinsey

Interviewer: Barbara Darsey Person Interviewed: Cindy Kinsey Age: About 86 years of age “Yes maam, chile, I aint suah ezackly, but I think I bout 85 mebby 86 yeah old. Yes maam, I wus suah bahn in de slavery times, an I bahn right neah de Little Rock in Arkansas, an dere I stay twell I comed right from dere to heah in Floridy bout foah yeah gone. “Yes maam, my people de liv on a big plantation neah de Little Rock an we all hoe cotton. My Ma? Lawzy me, chile, she name Zola Young an my pappy he … Read more