When De Soto traveled through Arkansas in 1541, he found the Quapaws (from whom the State later derived it's name). These Indians were describled as mild and peaceable. The Quapaws did not view the land as private property but claimed certain areas as their tribal hunting grounds. These grounds included that part of Franklin County along the south of the Arkansas River. They usually lived in villages along the rivers. The men did the hunting, fishing and fighting, while the squaws
did the cooking, sewing, and raised crops of corn, beans, pumpkins and potatoes.
In 1818 the Quapaws ceeded to the United States all their claims to lands south of the Arkansas River
except a small reservation below Little Rock and Pine Bluff. Records that some white settlers had
obtained land titles in Franklin County south of the Arkansas before this treaty was made and leads
us to believe that most of the Quapaws had left Franklin County prior to 1818.
North of the ARkansas River were a branch of the wandering Sioux. A group of them left their homes in in western Missouri about 1802 and adopted the land included in north Franklin County. They spent their time hunting and making war. At first they were recognized by the Federal Government but gave up this territory in 1825.
The Cherokees were members of the Iroquoin tribes. They explored and hunted the mountains and hills of North Arkansas for many years prior to the white man arriving. In 1817 the Government granted them a reservation between the Arkansas and White Rivers in exchange for their lands in Tennessee. The Cherokee tribe began their long and difficult journey on a trek known as "Trail of Tears". The white settlers in their quest and greed for land lead to disputes which was settled by forcing the Cherokee to move once again; this time to Indian Territory.
Water transportation was one method of travel, however, there were Indian trails that came through Franklin County and many early settlers travel to and through this area. One trail was the "Great southwest Trail". This trail followed the river south from St. Louis to the northeast corner of Arkansas, then traversed the state to the southwest corner following the edge of the Ozark Mountains thus crossing Franklin County. Another trail crossed the state from Memphis to Ft. Smith and crossed Franklin County. A third trail followed the White River northwestward. These trails were narrow and made by foot or horseback. These trails later became the main highways and railways of the state and Franklin County.
Lateral trails intersected these Trunk trails from both sides. One crossed the Boston Mountains in the north part of the County and followed the route of Highway 23 to Cass and passed through the gap between the heads of Fains Creek and Mill Creek, instead of through Fly Gap, where highway 23 corsses the mountains.
The Cherokee crossed Franklin County on their "Trail of Tears". The County courthouse sets on a patch of land that had been a pearch orhard that was planted and used by the Cherokee.
The White Man in Franklin County
We have little knowledge about who the first white men were to set foot in Franklin County, however, we suspect that De Soto and his followers were the first to set foot in Franklin County. According to recorded authentic history, 131 years passed before another white man came to "Arkansas Post". In June 1673 Marquette and Joliet landed at an Indian village some miles above the mouth of the Arkansas River, they found the Indians in possession of guns, knives, and axes, indicating their contact with the white man. This leaves us forever guessing what white men came to Franklin County after De Soto. There is no record of White men in North Franklin County during Spanish and French possession prior to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
Early Settlers
The earlisest deed recorded in the county transferred 640 aprens (about 544 acres) of land from Jean Baptiste Dardenne to William Russell for the sum of $60.00 on April 10, 1816. This land is located on the Arkansas River southeast of Altus. There were a few French settlers in the County prior to this date - some of them as well as many who came later never bothered with such technicalities as obtaining or recording a deed to thier land. This survey is numbered 2348 and is the only French survey in Franklin County, Arkansas.
Simon Miller, his son Jesse and others settled in the Mulberry Valley near Pleasant Hill in 1818. They were forced to leave later when the government gave the land between the White and Arkansas Rivers to the Cherokee Indians. The Indians were removed in 1828 and the settlers returned. It was sometime after this that the Robert Tucker Clan settled in the COunty. Exactly when they came in unproven.
David Walker and Archibald Yell bought some land from William Hail about 1836. Hail had obtained a title by patent in 1820. Walker and Yell surveyed the land into streets and lots and held the first public auction of lots on July 4, 1836. This town was named Ozark.
William Cureton also owned a part of the land where the original town of Ozark was built. He and William Hail secured a boat landing prior to 1836 and named it Curetons Ferry or Cureton Landing. This is probably where the bidge is now located on hwy 23 which crosses the river between Ozark and Webb City. It was on this bridge that my wife's Grandfathter C. V. "Charlie" Carlile died of a heat attack while returned from jury duty in Ozark. It was a toll bridge at that time. Cureton's landing consisted of two log business houses, two log residences and a warehouse.
As the result of a New Orleans advertisement, Samuel Evans put up a large building, using it for a store, post office and hotel. He became Ozark's first post master and served as Franklin County's first Clerk. At that time 32 steamboats were plying up and down the Arkansas River.
The first court in Franklin County was held in 1829-30 in the house of H. B. Rose in the McLean Bottoms. Roseville was named for this man who was from New Orleans. Roseville is a small town at this time, however, it almost became the Capital City of Arkansas, missing by only 2 or 3 votes. The County seat was moved to the northwest corner of South Franklin County near the Sebastian and franklin County line in 1831. It was again moved to Mr. Whitson's place on big Mulberry in 1836. John Lasater, who wanted the courthouse located on his place, shot and killed Whitson in a quarrel. Later Whitson's son shot and killed Lasater and escaped. After that the courthouse was moved again to a point three miles west of Whitson's Town for a short time. In 1838 it was moved to Ozark to rest permanently. The first court held in Ozark (1838) was in a log school house without doors or windows. The first brick courthouse was built around 1850. The site of the courthouse was a peach orchard said to have been planted by the Cherokees before the Civil war. Federal troops used the building as a magazine and opened gun ports in the walls. When they left the Confederates captured the provisions and burned the courthouse.
Franklin is one of four counties that lie on both sides of the Arkansas River. Because of the River and a rugged ridge on the south side, a second county seat was created at Charleston in the southwest part of the conty, in 1885. Franklin County was founded December 19, 1837 and the first county wide election polled 184 votes. The name Ozark came from the French phrase "Aux D Arc" but there are two versions of its meaning and application. One (most accepted) means "The Great Bend" which applis to the big bend in the Arkansas River here. Another means "Big Bow" and applies to the extra large bows the Indians used here. The French used the same phrase when writing about the Big Bend in the River or the Big Bows "Aux D Arc".
My Family migrations to Franklin County
We believe Robert Tucker took the overland route from TN up into KY, then over to MO. and then southward to AR and finally settled in Franklin County before 1840. court minutes list Robert and some of his sons as attending court in this county. My wife's Great Grandfather was John Tucker, son of John A. Tucker and archived Federal records reflect his statement "I was born in Webb City, Franklin County, AR on 3 Jan, 1842. This, pluse court records put John A. in the area along with Robert and children. It is likely that Robert was the father of John A. TUcker. John further stated "I am of French & Indian blood" reporting Dark hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion.
Nancy Jane Saffell Carlile lost her husband John Carlile in about 1872 in Mississippi. Her brother John Franklin Saffell had moved from MS to Hemstead Co., AR where he married Mary E. Tollett in 1853 and their first born, William David Saffell was born in Franklin County in Sept, 1854. I strongly believe that Nancy Carlile had communications with her brother in Franklin County and was encouraged to moved here after her husband died. We know that Nancy did in fact, migrate from MS to Franlin County around 1874. They traveled by wagon to the Mississippi River and took a steamboat up the Arkansas River to Ozark. She and her children settled near her brother around Cecil which earlier was named Pleasant Ridge. Nancy homesteaded 80 acres of land here. Nancy's daughter Jannie married her first cousin William David Saffell who was a son of Nancy's brother John Franklin Saffell. Nancy's son Charles Van Buren Carlile "Charlie" said he remembered traveling to Ozark by Steamboat as a young man. It was Charlie Carlile who married Angeline Tucker, daughter of John Tucker and Margaret Loleta Stansell. Of course Angeline was young when her mother and father were divorced and it has been said that Margaret remairred a "Simmons" in Madison County between 1875 and 1880. A marriage record should exist for Margaret. ANgeline was called by her Indain name "Ho Ky" which means "well respected by the tribe" or Medicine woman or Midwife. The union of Angline Tucker to C. V. Carlile resulted in many children with one of them being my wife's father Bill Carlile. Basically, we know there was Indian and French with John Tucker, Angeline's father and it is believed that Margaret Loleta Stansell was of cherokee blood out of Georgia.
Others of my wife's clan is of her mother's people. Her mother is 96 years old and was born Mary Ruby Dewett. Her father was Samuel Dewitt, b. Dec, 1874 in River Hill, Clarke Co., AL and her mother was Mernarvia Adaline Tucker, b. Feb 28, 1874 in AR. Samuel stated he was 6 years old when his family migrated from AL to Franklin Co., AR. This was around 1880 when they came to this area by Steamboat. He said that the boat did not stop at Ozark but traveled onward up to Ft. Smith and they returned the following day. Samuel was the son of Alexander Hamilton Dewitt, b. Dec 1834 in Wilcox Co., AL and his mother was Elizabeth Woods. Samuel said that his mother died when he was born and he was nursed by a Black Nanny. Alexander was son of James W. Dewitt, b. abt 1796 in SC. While we know who the siblings of James were we have been unable to trace this family further.
Adaline Tucker was mentioned above as the mother of Mary Ruby Dewett but Adaline is not to be confused with the Robert and John Tucker line. Adaline's father was Perry Benjamin Tucker, b. Jan 22, 1842 in Westport, KY. Her mother was Nancy Caroline Bolding. Perry was the son of Jacob "Jake" TUcker, b. Dec 9, 1808 in Henry Co., KY. It is believed that Jacob had a brother named John Wesley Tucker who moved from KY to IN to the same town which Jacob moved. Both indicated in census tha their parents were from Ireland and John indicated on his marriage certificate that his father was George Tucker. This would be the same George Tucker listed on the net as being born in Bermuda. Available evidence inidicate that Jacob's father was George and that he was from IReland and not Bermuda as no evidence has been uncovered to prove this. Prehaps in time!