History of Wilton, Little River County Arkansas
Little River News 1/31/1934
The history of Wilton is not unlike that of any other town or village whose origin began with a few pioneers whose purpose was chiefly the homesteading of choice and fertile lands which the United States Government agreed to patent for those settlers who were willing to qualify under the then existing homestead laws.Those individuals, most of whom had families, converged upon this immediate vicinity, during and following the year 1880, coming from the various southern states. The principal being Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.
The homestead department of the Department of the Interior of the United States Government indicates that the following named persons, John W. Thompson, James H. Barkman, James H. Clark, Sam A. Weaver, Newt Cothen, Alec Scott, Elisha Talley and Jordon Johnson, the last three being Negroes, settled on their respective homestead, and their rights of title given them by the Federal Government several years, subsequently, most of them being signed in testimonial by the then president of the United States, Benjamin Harrison.
The principal site of the town was located on the N.W. corner of the Alec Scott homestead, with the homestead of John W. Thompson, coinciding from the North, and the Barkman and Weaver homesteads coinciding on the East of these nine principal homesteaders, Elisha Talley, alone survives.
J. W. Thompson arrived in this community from Alabama in 1880 being united in marriage to Miss Josephine Patty, originally of Tennessee the following year. To this union eight children were born, five of whom survive. The widow of John W. Thompson and mother of these children also survives and resides in this town.
James H. Barkman, born at Dardanelle, on the White River, in Arkansas, and grandson of James Barkman, who with his brother John, were trappers and traders among the Indians of the White River from its source to its mouth in Arkansas earliest history removed to Texas, from which state he came to Arkansas in 1880 during which year he was married to Miss Sallie N. Weaver, daughter of Sam and Elizabeth Weaver then recently from Georgia. To this union seven children were born, five of whom survive. The widow Mrs. James H. Barkman also survives and continues to reside on the original homestead, which remains today, intact.
The History of Wilton would be far from complete, should we fail to take into account the coming of various other pioneers, chief among whom was S. S. P. Mills, P. S. Kinsworthy, Rev. C. M. Powell, William D. Waldrop and others. These four in particular possessed virtues that was by a community for in them was found that pioneering spirit, with executive ability and spiritual aspirations paramount.
Sergeant S. Prentess Mills was married to Miss Rebecca McCord in the county in 1871 and to them three children were born, Amelia (now Mrs. W. M. Sykes, of Richmond) Ada and Joel, both of this city who survive their parents. S. S. P. Mills served as sheriff of the county later removing to the vicinity and acquiring land. Through close application to duty and the practice of the Golden Rule he accumulated a competitively large personal fortune, and at his death which occurred in 1912, he left plans and specifications for the erection of a brick building, which today stands as sturdily as the man and mind who conceived its erection.
P. S. Kinsworthy, son of an early historical character of Arkansas, and Regimental Commander of Confederate troops, arrived in this village, according to his books, in 1888 from Brownstown, Ark. He succeeded his brother, William E. Kinsworthy, who opened the first general store in what is now Cleveland Township. The newly acquired mercantile business under the able direction of P. S. Kinsworthy, grew into undreamed proportions. W. A. Goforth, then a young man, now a banker in Oklahoma City, was chief clerk for the house.
In 1900 Mr. Kinsworthy was united in marriage to Miss Irene Hargrove of Brownstown, Ark. and to this union three children were born, Anne, Burton and William, all of whom are now living. Land was donated by P. S. Kinsworthy for the building of the Baptist church, and a large part of the grounds upon which our present high school stands.
Adequate land was donated by John W. Thompson, for the erection for a Baptist parsonage, which building stands today.
There newspapers have flourished here in as many different decades. The first owned and published by Rev. C. M. Powell, The Inland Visitor, The second by S. M. Kelley, The Wilton Democrat and the last by one whose name has been forgotten and who like his predecessor vanished overnight.
Prof. Cobb taught the third school succeeding Mr. and Mrs. Willingham, those who preceded Prof Cobb, without doubt, paved the way, yet the regime of Cobb was a distinct turning point in the School System of the newly founded town. His teaching was one thing, his technique another, Discipline and Duty was his watchword His conduct and personal habits were in themselves exemplary and went for in enforcing his theories.
The cross tie Industry, was of no mean proportions, after the arrival of the Rail Road. Newt D. Cooper arriving here, was shortly thereafter married to Mrs. Ella Hill, of Hicks community and grand-daughter of that distinguished southern orator and statesman, James J. Hill of Georgia. To this union five children were born all of whom are still living. Mr. Cooper engaged in this newly made industry of Cross Ties and as inspector and buyer for an independent concern, he amassed and considerable personal fortune. He erected the first brick building in this city, in 1906, operating a Gen mercantile store. Although a land owner and city property owner in our city he resides in Texarkana where he removed with his family in 1927. He is retired but continues to pay intermittent visits to his old stamping ground, where the scenes of his old activities are indelibly imprinted within his mind. His unquestioned integrity incident to his personal dealings with his fellow man prompts an ever ready welcome to him upon the part of his old contemporaries.
Dr. W. M. Lambert came to this town as its first practicing physician, opened up the first Drug store and was succeeded in that business by Tom B. Dulaney, who conducted this business for a number of years later. Other doctors, who came later but during the early history of this city were Dr. Loyd, Dr. Coats, Dr. Cathey, Dr. Hale, and Dr. Cook.
Hezekiah McGough was the first duly elected city marshal of this city who was killed by Jim Lee, on the main street of the town in 1902.
George Byers, Negro, with twelve sons, organized the first and only Brass Band in this town. His music was heard on many occasions, particularly under the auspices of the various saloons, whose doors were congested night and day with customers and bar flies. M. C. Carroll, opened up the first blacksmith shop in the early nineties. Joe T. Hill, later opened up another on a more elaborate scale and continued to operated same for more than a decade.
J. W. and Marshall Pipkin arrived in this now thriving little town in the latter part of the nineteenth century and engaged in mercantile enterprises. Both married and reared fine and honorable families. These two fine gentlemen with their families were ever to be found with initiative and financial means in all laudable undertakings, religious and otherwise.
Smith and Coats, who operated a general store at White Cliffs, opened up a general mercantile store in Wilton about the beginning of the new century. The two story building occupied by them in their new location was built almost exclusively by a carpenter, blind from birth.
Benjamin Kitley was among the first peace officers of the new town, in which official position, he learned with alarming technique, the proper weight of a blow, with his cudgel, to fell or subdue a malefactor.
He was indeed one of the earliest settlers in what is now Cleveland township having come all the way from Alabama, his native state, on a mule.
From a family of six, including the mother and father, two alone survive, Mrs. Bam Conger and Mrs. D. L Pipkin, the latter two still residing in Wilton and are among Wilton's finest people.
P. S. Kinsworthy, who in his prime towered above his contemporaries in height and tipped the scales at 250 pounds, served Wilton in many capacities. He was and is an exception of the old school type. When this village was in its infancy and the corner saloon was in evidence, brains alone did not always predominate in the matters of state, 'Oft times brawn was the determining factor in making right, right, in which capacity, P. S. Kinsworthy, was many times weighed in the balance, but never found wanting. His influence was not confined alone to words, Authentic information together with public records show, undisputed evidence of his generosity toward church and school.
Today, he stands unchanged through out the years. His civil pride has never wavered. Today he can be found in the mercantile house which he founded more than forty years ago, expounding the doctrine which may seem to some of a bygone age, if practiced would, we believe, make us a both happy and prosperous people.
William D. Waldrop arrived here from Alabama in 1894. With him he brought his entire worldly possessions which included an extra shirt, wrapped in a bandanna handkerchief, and $11.50 in cash, ten dollars of which was confederate money. W. D. Waldrop, upon his arrival did not stop to talk. He secured a job and went to work, and today he is still working, some say work is the key to success. Others say making friends to the key to success Bill Waldrop had, and still has, both of these attributes. Today he knows every citizen and child in Little River County and the brand of chewing tobacco the male uses if any.
W. D. Waldrop has achieved success in all lines of endeavor, namely spiritually, traditionally, financially and politically. The latter being the result alone of aspiring to help his fellow man to a higher plane of civilization.
Wilton boasts of his achievements. Wilton is his rightful home for here it was that he labored, but not in vain.
Rev. C. M. Powell, a Baptist minister came to this village in the early eighties and today enjoys the distinction of having been the first regularly ordained minister to preach here. Thru his efforts, a suitable building was erected for regular services which stands today as a memorial to his work here. He established the first newspaper in this town of which was The Inland Visitor, excerpts of which are found elsewhere in this feature. Three children, Verda, Doyle and Eugene, graced his home. Miss Verda who was at all functions, The Belle Of The Ball, was married to C. C. Carr, a lumber manufacturer, Doyle the older son, was typesetter in his fathers printing shop and the younger son, Eugene, acquittal himself to a very creditable manner as the Printers Devil. This fine family all survive and are located in Oklahoma.
Reuben Russell owned and operated the first and only livery stable in this town. Reuben was a Beau Brummel of his day, and his mustache, which was of the handle bar variety, was indeed the pride and joy of our city during the time.
The Kansas City Southern, then known as the Texarkana and Ft. Smith R.R. Co., entered our city from the South in 1893, with Buck Campbell at the throttle, Pete Cook of 3 years in Arkansas fame serving as brakeman. Arthur Miller came as the first agent who had suffered the loss of all fingers on his right hand before coming here, was thought by some natives to have worn them off sending messages on the telegraph instrument.
W. E. Kinsworthy, later county Judge, was made the first postmaster of the newly named town, Wilton which was changed from Milkin, in deference to its founders and executives Mills and Kinsworthy, The newly incorporated village was laid out by an engineer with P. S. Kinsworthy, Ira Nunneley, Elisha Talley and others helping. From whence the origin of the name. We are not sure since there are today twelve post offices in the United States of a like name.
Rev C. M. Powell as has already been stated was the first white minister here. Rev. Elisha Talley was the first Negro minister here. A prof. Hamilton was the first white teacher; Rev. Enoch Nelson was the first Negro teacher.
S. S. P. Weaver opened up a general store in connection with the post office which was in their care and keeping, during the late nineties, the elder, Sam Weaver knows as, Square, Justice of Peace, In which official position he was loved and admired by the law abiding citizen and feared by the evil doer.
Through founded more than 40 years ago, in a rough and uncouth country, Wilton has kept apace with advancing civilization. Today, an accredited High School stands in place of the first small school building three major churches; with regular pastors are our midst. Unsightly buildings are no more in evidence.
Gravel and concrete streets and sidewalks are to be seen everywhere in town. A national highway traverses out city. An up-to-date telephone exchange and an electric high line are at our disposal. A Gravel Pit, at an estimated value of $100,000 is at our doors on Little River, 3 minutes from the city limits, which runs at full capacity 6 days each week. And last but not least, law and order has supplanted evil and strife, and the young men and young women, are legion, who have gone forth from our municipal portals and made their mark in the commercial and professional world.
{also printed in the LRCGS Journal}
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