Letters & Memories

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Cornelius Brown	Cornelius Brown #2	Joseph Stokes	Joseph Stokes #2

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These lines are my paternal lines. I will gradually include documents such as wills, probates, inventories, deeds etc. I appreciate an information anyone can add to these lines. If you have connections to these lines please contact me


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Joseph Stokes

Joseph was the son of John Stokes & Amy Duty. The first written memory:
The History of Joseph Franklin Stokes At the first settling of this country (Ar.), and the incidents and accidents of his ups and downs.
My father John Stokes was a son of John Stokes, who was born in Ireland a full blooded Irishman, was drilling one day, and knocked a Military officer down, of which was death by Law. His mother before she would see him hanged, she cooked up grub, and prepared water to do him to America, and hid him on a ship, and sent him to America, at the age of 17 years old.
It weren't long till the war of the Revolution came up. He served in the war as Captain, and at the end of the war he drawed land warrants, to the amoung of 4000,600.66 and and two thirds acres, and layed one in South Carolina, where he married Mary Hale of Irish and Scotch blood. He reared a famil of three girls and seven boys.
My father John Stokes being his son. My father married Ona Dutie, she was Irish, she was Sir Eric M Duties daughter of South Carolina. My father and mother came to north Alabama and settled a place on Cottste creek, near Blue Springs, and there me and Jacob and James were borned, in Morgan county.
My father and sister Nancy, and brother Richard died, and in the case of time my mother married a man by the name of Stephen Baley, and Baly took the Arkansas fever, and fix to come. He sold the place for a yoke of oxen and a wagon, and came to Arkansas in the year of 1846. We started with 40 head of cattle, 30 head of hogs, and had on that wagon at one time, one pet bear, and one pet deer, one cat one sow and pigs.
We landed down here in 4 miles of Dierks, at a spring of water. Stretched our tent, put up a house.
So one night there came a bear and killed a hog. Balie went out in his night clothes and hollered to me to bring him his gun. I went and took it. He shot the bear killed it. He told me to go and yoke a yoke of oxen and bring a log chain. So we drug that bear in the yard, and took the hyde off. Mother rendered out 7 gallons of oil out of the fat. They got fat on swich cain.
Then i Jock and James got married and lit out for ourselves. Balie rented some land from a man by the name of person in 1846, and we had to go by Mr. Dan Tollets, to the land rented. So one evening me and brother Jacob came back by Mr. Tollets. So Mr. Tollet asked us to take the gun and dogs and run that bear off her hog down in the swich cain. So we lit out, the bear had killed the hog, and was eating on it. So the dogs run it up a tree. I shot, and out it came. but not dead, the dogs lit on to it. I ramed a naked bullet down that gun, and a considerable amount of powder and stuck the muzzle of that gun in the bears ear and fired. The smoke came out of that Bears ears and nose for a considerable time, but he was dead all the same. I was at that time 14 years old and brother 12. This bear scrape happened when we first came to this country in 1846.
A panther scrape near Dierks on merrer creek. One brother lived on one side of the creek, the other brother on the other side of the creek. One brother sent his daughter over one day on an errand, she had to cross on a footlog, as she was going back home a big panther jumped on her as she was walking the foot log back home. Her uncle heard her screams and he and his two hound dog puppies went to her. The panther was on the footlog aiming to jump on her again. He grabbed it and beat it to death. It bit her through the leaders of the neck till she never could hold her head up straight, held her head over in front. And then down on the river at star of the west Arkansas two Dutchmen and families camped one night and was cooking supper around a log heap fire, a large panther jumped out of the bush on to one of the women's back, their men grabbed it and poked it in the log heap fire and burned it to death.
Well now for the next incident. There was a man by the name of Bill Tweedle that lived on the south fork of the caddo river, that plowded till 12 oclock, came to the house for dinner, sent his little boy to the spring to water the horse, his little girl got up behind the boy, and as the horse was drinking a big panther taken her off the horse and killed her. The little boy went back and told his father. Tweedle went as quick as he could, and when he got there, the panther had a part of the childs liver in it's mouth.
Well the next incident.
Well when old Dallas was the county seat of Polk county, there was some people went to the church, and left two young ladies at home, and a baby in the cradle. A panther came in the house, taken the baby out in the yard. The two girls and a fiste dog made it drop it. Then it jumped the fence and killed 9 head of geese. The men and a lot of dogs trailed it down in the tan yard killed it and two young ones. That baby became a woman and married Judge Byers the county probate Judge of Polk County.
Another incident.
Me and old uncle Jim Young trailed a panther up and treed it, shot it out of the tree, and it was about to get the best of his dogs, uncle Jim run up and stuck his butcher knife in it on the off side or it would have got him.
Another incident.
Bill Brisco went over one night to have a talk with uncle Jim Young. He was terribly aflicted with rheumatism. When talk was over he picked up his crutches, and made for home. A panther on the side of a white oak tree screamed three times. He throwed down his crutches, and made back for uncle Jim's, that was one half mile hollering panther, panther uncle next morning took his dogs and trailed it up in the snow and killed it. That run cured that fellow of rheumatism.
Another incident.
Ame Rebecky Sturd went to the creek to work one day, took two dogs with her, while working she happened to look around, and there was a big panther fixing to jump on her. The dogs spied it and put it up a tree. Well she had to let some men know, she went to the nearest house, his name was John Chatman. He was a cross eyed man. He took aim at it's head. and shot the end of it's tail off. The dogs run it about half mile, and treed it. His brother came and killed it.
Another incident.
Uncle Jim Young had a fight with a big ole buck. He got behind a tree and as it run by him he would stick his butcher knife in it, till he killled it.
Another incident.
One old man by the name of Nat More, somthing rilled his hogs, his chimney was only built to the mantle piece. He stepped out in the yard and hollered to incourage his dogs, a big wild cat lit on to his shoulder off the chimney, and split his shirt and hide too. He pulled the cat off, and put his knees on it, and told his wife to bring him his butcher knife, then he cut it's head off.
Another incident.
When me, Joseph Stokes, mother and my brothers and step father came to the Mississippi river we drove our cattle and hogs on a boat. One little cow went to the other end and leaped off in the water, her calf leaped off on her back in a straddle, she swam out with it on this side of the river. We lived in a house close to the river, and when it rained a heap, the water backed out under the house, and we could hear fish floping under the house. We had a boat and when the water got high we would boat out to higher ground. We lived near crolas rize, me and my stepfather run a buffalow yearling down and brought it in, and petted it. We was nearly give out as we had run having chills.
The next incident.
I the writer and B.F. Bard, and others, several about eight men and two boys, something riled more hogs at night. We let everything lie still till morning. We took a team of dogs and put them on the track, and we tracked the bear down on mars creek and found him in a grape vine thicket. Well boys the fight took place, the dogs run him up the mountain side, and then down the other side towards the creek, and us shooting at him all the way around to the creek he went, the water was not deep enough to sink the bear, the dogs swam in nabbing at him, he would strike the dogs with his paw and sink them to the bottom, and we kept shooting him till he sank to rise no more.
Well the next.
Well over on white oak creek a man lived, named Tal Wilson, he was gone one night, his wife and children at home. A big panther came and got on the house and scratched and screamed all night. The woman burned up a straw bed by handfulls in the fire place, to keep it from coming down the chimney.
Now the next.
My son John Stokes was out sparking one night two miles from home, he started home and when he got to Indian Creek, and in coming on he could hear something each side the road in the leaves, and when he got in about 100 and 20 yards of home, a panther run under his horses neck, that horse began to run and snort. He managed to stay on the horse, and to get the saddle off, and put him in a lot, the horse kept snorting and snorting.
My brother in-law John Ralls, was at my house one day, and he had to go home, of which was ten miles. He crossed the Missouri river, and when he was going on through the hills, all at once a panther jumped up on his horse behind him, he scared it off and went home. He lived on blocker creek.
Next case.
Well when I came to this country is was almost widerness, people lived in settlements ten and fifteen miles apart. We would go ten and fifteen miles to haul logs, one settlement was downon the saline creek, called the flat head nation. One man by the name of Kitchens, and another man swapped wives, one the men give the other a quart of whiskey and a barlow knife to boot.
Next.
Some men found a bear in a cave, up here on bear mountain, the crowd of fixt togo get him, and there was one old man was afraid they would not manage right so he would go, so there was apart of the men went into the cave to kill the bear, a part stayed out to shoot him as he came out. this man went in last, so they failed to get him, he run out a hole which was narrow, and run between this old man's legs, and so the bear went through the hole and the old man on his back, pulled quite a lot of skin off the old man's back.
Next.
Well there was an old man that lived over in greasy cove, in the mountains by the name of Matlock, about three miles from my place, had killed hogs one day, he went to bed that night, there came a panther in the house and lit on to him in bed, he grabbed it and lit in the floor with it, told his wife to cut it's feet off with the axe, she blazed away and hit Matlock on the head and addled him. He still held the panther. She chopped it's feet off. It bit his thumb off, where it sprouts out of his hand. They killed the panther, he was bleeding so bad he hollered for Berry Vaught to come stop the blood. So Matlock went to his grave minus of one thumb.
Another case.
Berry Vaught lived four miles east of here on the little missouri river, one night a panther riled his hogs, the dogs put it up a tree in the yard, the dogs and old aunt Sarah Vaught kept it up a tree till Berry went a mile to get a gun to kill it with, and did kill it. My grandfather John Stokes, who was borned in Ireland, was born in the year 1758, died in the the year of 1825. He served seven years in the Revolution war. His grandmother's maiden name was Joana Obrine. My won father was a babtist preacher. I married Elender Presiller Ralls, reared five girls and three boys, Thomas, John and William Stokes. Wne i lived near Dierks, i had a neighbor by the name of Jim Stinson and he had a boy by the name of Granville, so i had a dog i called Jack, so he would go out in the woods every morning and tree something, so Granville heard him one morning, and he told his Pa he would go and see what old Jack had treed, when he got there it was something stretched out on a limb of a tree floping it's tail over it's back, he shot it and out it came. He went home and told his Pa he had killed something over there but did not know what it was, his Pa went with him, and his Pa knew what it was, it was a large panther about nine feet long, from end of nose to the end of tail. Granville told his Pa it was something the size of an ox.
Well boys a wolf scrape:
Well i picked up my war gun one day, and went out in the hills, to get me a deer, I looked over on a hill and seen a black wolf running along with a pig in it's mouth, and a gray wolf following it, I took aim and shot it. I didn't think I had really killed it, run up to it and stuck the bayonet that was on the muzzel of my gun through it's body. I sure got him. My gun was a springfield rifle, that I brought home out of the civil war, that i had fought with in the war of 1861 and so on.
another incident:
One of my daughters went to the milk pen to milk the cows one evening about one hour by sun, got through milking, and then a panther screamed dow at the spring three times, which one hundred and eighty yards of the house, and the milk pen was about half way to the spring, she gather up the milk and here she came. About one half mile at my bottom field on white oak creek, he screamed twice more.
Well one day two of my daughters went into the woods to hunt a cow, that was missing, and traveled a road east for some distance, then went into the hills, to look for the cow, and as they came back to the road, that they traveled going, they spied a big panther track in the road following them, now they sure got home.
Well it is now not like it use to be. The country is not full of panthers and wolved and wildcats. It is just now and then that you hear of someone seeing any of them.
This man that wrote this history lived to be ninety two years old, and three days, and went through five years of war.

Joseph Stokes #2

the first page for Mrs. Margrett Arnel a portin of Joseph Stokes history
my grandfaterh is john stokes was a full blooded irishman - borned in or near old limberic ireland in the year 1758. came to america at the age of 17. served in the Revolution war as captain. married mary Hale of south carlina a daughter of sirqire C.M. Hale of Scotland. had borned unto them 7 sons and 3 daughters his son John was my father. my father married Ama dutie. had borned unto them eleven children all of which was borned in south carolina except 7 which was borned in georgia and alabama.
second page
my mother was a decendent of the Dutie family on her mother side she was scotch and her father side she was duch. she was borned in south carlina. married same place. then my father emigrated to georgia thence to north alabama where i was borned on cattato creek Morgan County. near Blue springs. february the 2ond 1827. my father died there when i was 5 years old. 4 years after the death of my father my mother married a man by the name of stepen Baley. they then emigrated to pickens county Alabama. on the tumbigba river. thence north missisippi chickasaw county. now took out to arkansas we came the year 1841to critentan county. we left the missisippi swamps with 40 head of cattle 4 yoke of oxen one wagon. at one time we had on that wagon one sow and pigs, one pet deer and pet Beare, one cat. we had along about 30 head of hogs from the time we left the swamps. we were 2 years making it through to sevier county. the 17 august 1844 settled where J.H. Stokes lives at this time.
third page
now for the writers life with incidences and accidences. from 1841 to 1845 i never had learned a letter in a book. in 1841 i found a boy by the name of Dave Warrun which had an old Blue Back spelling book. I said to Dave what will you take for that book. he said 25 cents. i said talk enough the contract was that he was to learn me the letters in the book and i was to put up 1/2 cord of wood for it. which was worth 25 cents on the same day which was sunday. me and Dave sit down on an old cottonwood root. and to my grate suprise in one hour i learned the a, be, cee at that time. i was onely 12 years old. and when i was married the 5th day of october 1848 that book was not torn. Boys gard carefuly your opertunitys and your books for you know not what my be found in you. the book spoken of I went through 13 times. what little i went to school was a fine pole cabin. and to a man that could not pause? gramer. i went to school to Surdly? a. cockeran 2 months. i went to john freeman 20 days. all told 76 days. in the year 1848 there was not a high school or colege in the state of Arkansas not black boards.
History of Joseph Stokes
in the year of 1884 3 men went to a deer lick one night to wait for deer. after being there a short tim a smal deer step into the lick. one of the men shot the deer down. thery warent in no hurrah as the graging the deer out of the lick. in a short time in walked a panther pict the deer up and walked off with. well the next thing was to draw straws as to who woul go home for the dogs. the lot fell on Jake Ramsy to stay at the camp. well the other 2 lit out home after the dogs. they soon returned with the dogs. they called out for jake Ramsey. well boys where do think they found him. they found him about 40 foot up a black locus tree. which has those large branches of thorns growing on them. Hellow Jake where are you. By the Holy saint patric i am up this tree for safty. the tree Ramsy was up has bunch of thorns growing on them a large as a mans hat crown. Ramsy was a man 6 1/2 feet high waighed 226 lbs. Rough enough to have taken a panther by the tail and knocked its brains out against a saplin.
in the year 1843 in the langgee swamps on the west side of crollers Ridge Poinset county Arkansas Stepen Balley and Bill Stuegall risng and day in the swamps hunting. they found 4 cub bears up the same tree. the bears all got out on the end of a smal limb. they comenst shooting them upper side of the limb. they so weakened the limb that the limb broke off and fell to the ground with all 4 of the cubes. they brought them home and we petted them.
in the winter of 1843 Henry Durrhum and Jack Muset were in a large swamps a hunting and they came upon about a 6 months old Buffalow yearling. they managed to shoot the yearling through the top of the neck creeceing and the buffalow recovered of the stund and come very near werying them both our before they got ? they brough the buffalow ? and petted it. I seen it when ?
in the spring of 1844 in the Langee swamps Joshaway Grinder and W.M. Rainey seen and counted 28 snakes coyled upon thickets of grass all in rite at once. the snakes spoken of comprised of mockisons, cotton mouths and matter thames. the parties proved by one another that the snakes was quiled up in a circumfers of one rod. also said there was friys? by the thousand. i give this as a statment not as an eye witness.
in the summer of 1846 in white county Arkansas I the writer and one J.H. Rall had been helping one Kiney Branch cut and tie oats. Being late at night giving home a panther come to the road side makeing a noise like a cat a purein. Ralls were careing some oats on a horse and threw rocks at the panther and frightened it a way. the next day some parties geathered a team of dogs and give it a chase. But failed to kill it. it had been killing Haywood Branch turkess.
in the year of 1846 at or near where Nat Davis now lives on Harresses fork of the coetnt river then Polk county Arkansas. one night about dark there came a bear and caught a 2 year old hog belonging to Nat More. Well me took the fire pan toed up with pine got good afire. me came on the bear and his shined his eyes but did not kill him. we let every thing lie still till morning then we geathered together 7 dogs and 8 men. we lit out on trail of him. we found him upon mars creek next where Bedwells mill is now in what was called the big grape vine thicket. Well Boys the fight opened rite now the first thing we seen here he come with his ears flat down an his head his upper lip sticking strate out in front. snaping at old Blues tail. well here we went. nelson, stewerd, stokes, and chatman B. M?? and others. they got 3 ? shot balls about his ? stewerd shot through the to high up I said hold up Jeremiah my shoot next sprang i took him crushing one OM? ball thru that bear. about that stage of the game the bear grabed old Blue in hug bit her through the Rudy? about this time old Beaver sprang upon the beares back shuck him like a oposum. well here he went down the mountain side. whip cut slash rip snort lam bang into the creek he went. the watter was deep enough to swim. the dogs and the beare. he would strick the dogs with his paw and sank them to the bottom. after while seeing the way cleare of dogs I sent one O.Z. ball in at the point of the shoulder so he sank down without telling.
in the year of 1849 in Polk county Arkansas on white oke creek near where J.R. Killgore now lives a man by the name of Tolemas Willson. he bring gone one night from home, a panther come and got on top of the house. comensed screaming and made an atempt to come down the chimney. it said that the wife of willson burned a straw bed in the fireplace to keep the panther from comeing down the chimney the cursed thing squalled and riped on the froof of the house till it scared that woman nearly to death.
in the yera of 1847 on white oak creek one chink baker a 17 year old boy was out one day hunting with 2 dogs and gun. well he comes upon a panther shoots it and wounds it. his dogs runing it into a creek and in a hole in the bank and was fighting it. about this time chink comes up and jumps in the creek grabed the panther by the tail and tryed to pull it out of the hole. this is what his father said to him as his danger. By jenny did not know you was in danger of that thing tareing you to pieces. no pa by girl i wanted to see my dogs and it fight. by jenny had of got that thing out of that holl you would have had a fight rite. never you be guilty of such a trick any more. son if that thing had of got a holt of you your mama would have to sew up your leather britches and your hide too.
in the spring of 1845 James Waterly then living on Haresses fork of the catot river neare whre upire is located now. he went out hunting one day to kill himself a deer, he found the deer, the deer was behind a log when he seen it standing behind the log watching the deer until it led out from behind the log so as to get a fare shoot at it. and a panther jumped over the log upon the deers back be out and down in its loins with its hind claws. then cut its throat with its teath. stept off a piece leassherly looking about while his deer was dieing then steping up to the deer takeing it by the neck clost to the body started off with it. draging it by the side of him self. the same day Jeremiah Stewerd and john chatman ralleyed a team of dogs and was soon at the place. the dogs jumped the panther up a tree he went. they shot him out of the tree and he was dead. that ended that panther.
in the year of 1846 at of near Baker Springs in Polk county Arkansas one Rebecca Steward was at the creek washing about a quarter of a mile from home. while there a large panther sliped upon her about to make its leep upon her. she haveing 2 sevier dogs with her the dogs found the panther out and pitching on to it put him up a tree. she fled give the ? John Chatman come with a gun. him being cross eyed he took ame at the panthers head and shot the end of its tail off. out of the tree the panther jumpt. away he went about a mile up on the other tree he went about this time the brother to the girl got here and shot the panther square between the eyes so that ended that panther.
in the fall of 1842 in the ozark mountains in pope county Arkansas on what was called panter? creek some parties found a large beare out. the beare runing between the old mans legs takeing him our on the bears back. the mouth of the cave was small in giving out tore all the skin of the old mans neck. the back of it the partis did well in the managmet.
in the spring of 1836 one William Robberts was out one day hunting deer on Brushie Creek in Polk county Arkansas going to a deer lick. he spied a large panther lying upon a ? post oak watching for a deer to come into the lick. well Bill draws up his old flint lock rifle and shoots the panther out ot the tree. so that ended that panther.
in the spring of 1847 wayn Davis and his brother gabrel goes out one night hunting with fire pan, shined a deers eyes. shot it down. while they was ingaged following the other deer a panther came and carried offf ther deer they had killed. they followed the panther but could not get a shoot at him so they came home got ther dogs but made no success in the chore.
in the year of 1849 george Young killed his third panther/ he was out hunting for deer. his dog jumpt something and ? a murtle thicket and the panther run went up a pine tree. Young soon came up to where the dog had it treed. he blazed away and shot it rite between its two eyes. so that ended that panther.
in the year of 1879 the writer and Parson B.F. Bard in the winter time had occurunce to go to Dales Polk county Arkansas on business. on our return home night over took us near gilham Young's. the moon shining very bright we was riding along talking all at once something passed across the road in front of us. Bard calling to me at the same time to look out. at the same time geting his knife out telling me to get my knife and if it jumps on him to cut it. and don't cut me. well we crossed a small ravine. there sat a large panther we hollored at it but could not scare it away. our horses were snorting and plunging. I remarked to Bard that if he would hold my horse I would get down and rock it away. he said to me now if you get on the ground it will jump on you. well boys we had to back out and leave that panther siting there. I dont think I ever wanted a gun worse in my life.
in the year of 1845 on little holley creek near where J.H. Stokes now lives then sevier county Arkansas one granville Stinson I the writer owned a Sevier and valuable dog a blod hound which went out every morning and treed some varment. well the said stinson herd old jack a barking. he takes his gun and out he lit. when he got there old jack had a large panther standing upon a crooked tree looking down at him growling with its hair turned the rong way. its 3 foot tail over its back slashing to and froe. the boy swore he would be damed if it dident look as big as an ox. so he blazed away with his flint back rifle and hit rite between its two eyes of course it came it and old Jack tumbled awhile. here the boy come home trying to find out what he had killed. he said it was as large as an oxen and its tail 6 foot long now that ended that panther.
in the year of 1852 in polk county some girls went a visiting. having some dogs along with them. geting clost tothe house the dogs came in contact with something they new not what. the girls reached the house. the dogs still remained barking. lemial wakely remarked to the girls I will go aand out that rabbit out for those dogs. Behold when he got there what should he find in place of a rabbit. he found an old she Beare and 3 cubs. what do you think she done. she reared upon her hind feet and at wakely she came. poping her teeth and snuffing like a beare sure enough. well he called for reinforsement which he got soon. the fun soon opened rite now. the parties chased that Beare and 2 of the cubs. one cub got away.
in the year of 1848 Nathaniel Ralls went to see after some hogs he had running in the woods. when he reache the place of his hogs. he found a large Beare on trail of his hogs. well he lit down off his pony and shot the Beare dead in his tracts. so that ended that Beare.
in the fall of 1869 one Benjaman McCravens in Polk county arkansas went into a cave at or neare the head of snek Branch. found a Beare in the cave sent his dog Prince to bring the Beare out. the Beare killed the dog in the cave. then McCravens went into the cave and killed the Beare and brought the Beare out of the cave. he afterwards called that cave Princs grave. so that ended that Beare.
in the year of 1859 Parson B.F.Bard and O.P. Davis killed and treed a Beare off a white oad tree standing now neare W.N. Longs residence. I think Davis did the shooting of the Beare so the ended that Beare.
in the yeare of 1867 in Pike County Arkansas plilop musgraves owned a pet Beare. he had it chained in his yard. it got loose went to the woods some hunters found it. so the chain around its neck had well migh choked it to death. musgraves identified his Beare by the chain around the Bears neck.
Clement Davis living on the saline River in polk county Arkansas in the yeare of 1846. he was out hunting deer in the snow about 4 inches deep. Davis found a deer killed and covered up. By a panther he began to track the panther in the snow and killed it. he tract round and round. he found out it was tracking him. he at once turned his course for home. so that ended that panther.
in the state of mississippi in the yeare of 1839. in the county of yelowbushy on mr Brewer and one mr Pitman finding a Beare that was so fat that it could not get out of ther way kept serounding it toward ther homes got it in a short distens of ther home then killed the Beare. so that ended that Beare.
in the yeare of 1842 in critton county in the mississippi swamps my self and step father went to a place called Halls pocket to see after some cattle that was serounded with back watters. on our way back we came in contact with a 2 yeare old Beare. te old man shot the Beare and broke its fore arm. well the dogs of course lit in after the Beare. us both had had the chills and was not stout. well boys the writer truthfuly sa to you. rite there we had the worse Beare fight I ever had in life and i have had a many a one. although we killed the beare but we got pretty scratched and churned up. the creature fot like a sea horse. so that ended that Beare.
in the spring of 1846 on misouri creek in sevier county arkansas one filander elicander climbed a projecting limb on which his dogs had a panther treed. elicander not knowing what the does had treed climbed the tree with his ax in hand and cut the limb off next to the body of the tree. down he came panther and all in a pile dogs and all. quite a mess.
in about 10 or 15 years ago one thomas killgore went upon the mountain there he seen a Beare. taking deliberate ame and shot the Beare and kiled it. he being afraid it was not dead shot it again.
in the spring of 1859 one Berrie Vaught liveing in greasy cove in mongumery county arkansas.vaught and his dogs run a panther up a shade tree in his yard. after killing a pig neare by haveing no gun left his wife sarah and dogs to keep the panther up the tree with torch lights till Vaught traveled a mile to get a gun to shoot the panther. he returned and shot the panther and killed it.
so i am wearey i will quit

Cornelius Brown

Cornelius S. Brown was the son of Abraham Brown. He and his family moved to Ar. with John & Margaret (Brown) Tollett. Cornelius wrote these letters to his and Margaret's brother Michael who remained in Va.
Red River Arkinsaw Territory
Augst 9th, 1819
Dear Brother, After a Journey of one hundred days on the water, we arived at the Salinas Landing at Mount Prairie, a settlement on the Borders of the Red River, On the third of May we got into Red River, and weare two months a navigating that River and at this time we are by the best calculation by water 1300 miles from the mouth of the same, and about 400 by land. The shore of the Red River is a mistery and the Country adjoining and at this time I am not able to geave you any satisfaction respecting of it, I have not been further than thirty miles from the River since I arrived here. The land I cannot be a judge of it, and as for water, I have not seen one good spring as yet, but I hear that further up the Country there is good water. I purpose about the 15th of Septbr. to set out in order to see the Upper Country. I hear that up near the mountains, there is good land and water, also good rainge booth for winter and summer, with plenty of Buffelow, Bear, and Deer. There is Buffelow within twelve miles of this place. There is as good looking Corn in the Prairies here, as I heave almost seen, in any part of the Country, and what is most extraordinary, is that wheate and cottoen booth grows to perfection here, and everything that is raised int the States may be raised here with advantage, excepting round potatoe, and I fear the will not do well. They sweet potatoe succeds well, also all kinds of garden vegetables. I have not in my power to right fully or satisfactorily tell you as I have seen but little of the Country. The year 1818 was a very dry season in this country and very small crops of corn and a large numer of people here corn was very poor, and scearce it hath sold as high as $3.pr.bushel, but people hath now got reliefe as there is corn here nerely fit to grind. There is corn here planted in the wheat stubble, that is now a shooting and Tasseling, and from appearance will make good corn and I believe corn will be sold at 50 cts.from they heape this faul.
There is no land office opened in this Territory as yet, they have survey'd 2 Townships on the west side of the Arkinsaw River, and is expected to be sold inthe course of the next season. From the lengthe of time that we ware on the River, and the extreme warm weather that we had in the months of May and June, all my family has had and now hath the ague and fevour, allso all Mr. Tollett's family, and when we shall git clear of it is uncertain. All the people that hath come here by water, also all those that lives on the River, is in the same way, it is a thing that hath not been common in this country. The oldest settlers hath not been here more than six years this faul, cattle and hoogs does well but horses does not do so well, I suppose for want of grain.
I should be glad to hear from you but there is no possible chance as there is no post office yet established here yet, nor perhaps wil be before the next session of Congress, without you could meet with a private conveyance you can direct to Mount Prairie in the Arkinsaw District, if you or any of my old neighbors wishes to move you would do well to come see the country first. There is lands of the first Quallity in this Country and on the River. I have seen the soile 40 feet deep without any alteration in the prairies where they have been diging for water, there is no perceivable change in the twelve feet as a great fault as I find with the country is the lack of good springs and the land is two level. Pleas communicate this inforrmation to all my friends and well wishers as at this time I have not had the opertunity of righting to any of them. I you have an opertunity of collecting of any money for me, there is no notes current here only the paper of the United States or of Orlienes Bank specie is the only currance in this country. Please let Mr. Clifford know of this circumstance.
About four days after we landed, old Daddy Ceasor departed life without any sickness or even a struggle. My family all desires to be remembered to you and yours and to all enquiring friends. I have not heard from you since in January last, I wrote two or three letters on my journey to you, but did not expect an answer as yet. I would be glad to hear how Mr. H Hance and the Hoggs hath settled their dispute. There hath been 23 sick people out of 26 in my family, myself, old Sarah and one of the little Negroe boys is all that hath escaped, a good many of them is got over the worst, and Ihope the reast will soon be well. Please Dear Brother to remember me to Mr. Brown and family, all my well wishes, and please except of the sincere respects of your friend and Brother, Adieu, adieu.
(Mr. Michael Brown) C.S. Brown

Cornelius Brown #2

Hampstead County, Arkansas Territory
April 6th, 1820
Dear Brother and Sister;
It is with pleasure I set down to write to you to give you some information of this country. I have just returned from a tour of hunting. I had Rowland and Aaron with me. We had five more in company we killed 70 Buffalo, 30 Bear and 50 Deer, all in the best order. Rowland has not yet returned. He hath stayed with some gentlemen to catch wild horses. There is a great number of the first rate in that part of the country. It is land covered with stock. We saw more than ten thousand Buffalo in one day and had more than three thousand in view at one time. The praries are very large. Your eye cannot see the timber on each side when you are in the middle, and the land is vastly rich. The land on the watercourses is covered with timber and the richest lands I ever saw. The bottoms on Red River are from five to fifteen miles wide, and the length of them, I cannot tell, but say forty or fifty miles. Grain of all kinds grows to perfection in this part of the country, and cotton more than commonly fine. Wheat also grows well, and that is uncommon for cotton and wheat to succeed in the same climate.
On the fourth of July last, we landed at the Saline Landing and was on the water from 28th of March. My family in a few days was everyone sick, only two besides myself, and some of them never go over it until the winter. But at this time they are all well, thanks to the giver of all good and hoping you are equal partakers of this bounty.
I flet much surprise and also disappointment in your not coming to Tennessee before I left there. I have not had a single letter from one friend since I left Tennessee, but hath heard verbally that there is two small negroes in Tennessee for me, Viz a boy of ten years and a girl of twelve. How they came there I cannot hear, nor in whose hands they are, I have not heard. I shall be glad to hear from you by letter. You can now send mail, as there is a post office established as is written in above this. When you write, direct to Hampstead County, Arkansas Territory and I shall in all probability receive it. Prey write soon, write long and often as I am anxious to hear from your country...C.S. Brown