Early Days In North Louisiana 

Chapter V

In the latter part of the winter of 1818 could have been seen in the Horse Shoe bend of Cumberland River, Tenn., about three miles from Carthage, a flat boat tied by ropes to the shore. On this boat was a man and his wife, some children, a few household goods, cooking utensils and a rifle. That man was John Murrell, starting with his family in search of a home in the far west, somewhere up in the Red River valley. Early in the morning the lines that held the flat boat to the shore were cut looser and John Murrell, wife and children turned their backs to their old Tennessee home. Floating down the river, they joined at Nashville, according to a previous understanding, a company of emigrants that were bound to the same unknown promised land.

Disposing of his old flat boat, Murrell and family got aboard one of two barges, or, as then called, keel boats. There were about ten families, to wit: that of Wallace: Clark, Ward, Manning, Dyer, Big Joe, Hutson, Robinson, Duty, Dooly, Peterson and Murrell. Descending the Cumberland, they entered the great Mississippi and floated down to the month of Red River. After resting here a few days, they slowly ascended the wondrous Red River, and after many days of toil and much loss of time in working their way through the Great Raft and among monster alligators, safely landed at Long Prairie, in the Arkansas Territory. All were charmed with the country; it was so fresh and new but it was a solitude. The sound of an axe or rifle was not to be heard, nor the smoke of a cabin to be seen. They were alone in a primeval world. One of the company, H. Robinson, became so dissatisfied because of the wild and unbroken solitude of the country, that he alone with his wife and child, made off through the wild woods for his home in dear old Tennessee. The others, having more nerve, spent some time in hunting out localities to suit them. Murrell and Wallace pitched their camp on the bank of the river, put up rude board shelters, cut down a small patch of cane and planted corn and vegetables.

Murrell having about $100 in cash, determined to invest it in cattle; so in June he took a trail that led down to Natchitoches Parish; for it must be remembered that the only pass ways were the hunter or Indian trails, or paths. On the trail Murrell traveled there were between Long Prairie and Natchitoches, only two cabins, one of which was vacant, for the man, Bosel, who built it, left in a few days after completing it for Texas, or the Spanish country, as it was then called. The other was the home of Isaac Alden and Mrs. Johnson, the place now known as the Bools place, eight miles east of Minden. Alden and his wife entreated Murrell to bring his family and take possession of this cabin. But Murrell wanted cattle, so he went ahead on his cow hunt south of Natchitoches found and bought ten cows and calves. On his arrival home with his cattle, he was horror struck to find a number of his family sick with fever.

This he could not stand, and at once determined to get his family away from the river. The deserted cabin on the Natchitoches trail, the kindly suggestion of the Aldens, promptly came to mind, and he resolved so soon as his family was able to travel, to leave the poisonous Red River and find a shelter in this lonely cabin. His wealth was not great, consisting of two ponies, ten cows and calves, one dog, one rifle and an axe, but of far more value to him than all else, a brave wife and six dependent children. August 6, 1818, he stopped in front of that vacant cabin on the place now belonging to Wm. H. Maxey, and beneath its humble shelter, thankfully placed his wearied wife and children. Letting Mrs. Johnson know that his family was in the Bosel cabin she immediately attended to his wants, letting him have meat, bread, corn, etc., and showing every delight at knowing she had a neighbor within twelve miles, for up to this time her nearest neighbors were at Campti a few miles below on Red River. As neighbors, we mean such as a civilized, Christian woman could welcome. We could almost daily see Indians, for there were many of them in the country. They lived in small villages, and moved from place to place as their hunting expeditions required. But these Indians were inoffensive, committing no depredations on stock or other property. One of these villages was on the land now owned by Col. John Kimbell, and among these roving people was a half breed Cherokee, who had fled from his people for killing one of the tribe. Away from the malarial Red River, Murrell's family soon regained good health, save the babe, which in a few days left the lonely cabin a corpse.

Murrell being possessed of a fair supply of native genius, as well as plenty of pluck, at once went to work and in a day or two had rigged up and in fine working order a first class Armstrong mill. This mill, though simple in appearance, combined several of the mechanical powers, operating through a spring pole to a pestle in a mortar box, or hole burnt into the end of a heavy block of wood. The spring pole is worked up and down by hand hence the name "Armstrong mill." The sifting apparatus of this mill was made of a dry deer skin from which the hair had been shaved, stretched tightly over a broad wooden hoop, and then burned full of holes with a hot spindle. It was a great success; far surpassing the common hand pestle and mortar. However, two or three years thereafter, he succeeded in getting an improved Armstrong, a steel mill, which proved to be a great saving of labor, and made a better meal than the old fashioned spring pole.

The country then was almost entirely covered with a dense thicket of brush, briars and vines. Cane was abundant on all the streams and abutting hill points, but fire breaking out and spreading, all over the land, killed this mass of brush, while a second fire cleaned off all the face of the land, leaving it an open, beautiful country. You could see a cow or deer as far as the eye could reach through the intervening living timber. New grasses sprang up, the wild pea vine and switch cane, and a better range for farmer's cattle, hogs, deer and turkey was never seen. Murrell cultivated his first crop with the hoe, both his ponies having died. The woods abounding with all manner of game, he got his main supply there from. A turkey for dinner required only a few minutes hunt, venison steak was to be had at any hour, and bear in the proper season was readily converted into the best of bacon. Wolves, too, abounded. It was common to see them, of moonlight nights, traveling around the house or cow pen. Mrs. Murrell left her churn at the creek side one night and the wolves carried it off it to a tree top fifty yards away and gnawed it to pieces.

They were fearful on young pigs and calves. As previously stated, there were no roads, but in lieu thereof were two trails leading through the country one from Mt. Prairie, Arkansas, to Natchitoches, the other from Long Prairie, Ark, to Monroe, or Ouachita Parish. Natchitoches Parish, in which was then embraced Claiborne Parish, extended from Rapides north to Arkansas Territory, and from Ouachita Parish on the east, to Texas on the west. In the fall of 1818 several families moved into the country. Mrs. Long settled, where is now Haynesville. Her house, or cabin, stood about where now is the residence of A. Brown. Her son, Davis Long, settled the place now known as Long's Springs, near Minden, and lived there a bachelor for years; but in 1836 he took unto himself a wife, and raised a clever family of children; among them we recollect Miss Lucy Long. She is now dead.

If I mistake not, about this time, Martin Allen came into this same neighborhood and settled on what is known as the J. W. Fuller property. He was the first Justice of the Peace appointed in this part of the parish. Mr. Holcomb, about the same time came among us, and Mr. Brazil and Obadiah Diskill, and Mr. A. Crownover. Mr. Diskill settled the Cooper place, and Mr. Crownover on the Dr. Harper Creek. Mr. Crownover was a hatter by trade, and to get me a hat I hunted coons many nights to get fur enough to make it. Ten good skins were required to make a boy's hat. Dr. Walker located on the same Harper Creek; and he was a doctor by nature and not by education, and very successful in treating all the simple sickness of that day, for the country was remarkably healthy. The population of this settlement increased rapidly, it looked to us to be numberless, and may be enumerated by calling the names of the families Mr. Jessie Williams and his good wife, Aunt Minnie, two children and a black dog, and Thomas Gray, who settled three miles south, of Murrell. He was a most zealous Methodist and seemed to think, from the way, he talked, that Methodism was first and the Bible second. But religion was at a mighty low ebb in those days. Meat, bread and shelter were the main considerations.

In 1820 news came that some German emigrants had been left near Loggy Bayou in a destitute and helpless condition. Mr. A. J. Alden, Thomas Gray and Murrell went to see if they could be of any assistance to them. Finding them in a truly bad condition, each contracted with a family to live with him two years in consideration of a support and being taught the use of our implements in making a living in a new country. Mr. Alden brought home with him Jacob, a peddler; Mr. Gray, Adam Miller and Murrell, Frederick Miller and his father, father and grandfather of Long John Miller. The old man Miller died the second year after he was brought among us, and for his body was dug the first grave, in Murrell's grave yard, and we believe he was the first man to die in Claiborne Parish. That grave used to look lonely out there in the woods, but it is in a little city of the dead now shaded by the cedar and forest growth.

These people worked out their contracts, then settled near by on homes of their own and raised large and respectable families. There are many of these true Millers in different parts of the parish. During this year William Gryder moved in and settled on Buck Creek, with all his girls, boys and dogs many, though he had no more than the law allowed him. He was our first blacksmith, and hammered more iron and with more persistence than any man in ail the land. With him bell making was a specialty; he could not be beat, and he learned all his boys to make bells his girls were belles by nature, of the best kind, as was proven by the boys taking one as soon as they could. Also came this year the McCaftys, the Edmonds and many others, good men and women, whose names I cannot now recall.

In 1821 Mr. Newt Drew settled on Black Bayou, near Driskill. Drew was a gunsmith by trade, though he here turned his attention mainly to farming. He sent his old servant, Jack, one morning to drive up his horses. That morning Jack found a bear turning over a log in search of bugs, and thinking himself a good bear hunter, picked up a pine knot and made for the bear. Slipping close up he let drive at the bear, and to his astonishment the bear wheeled around to see what was the trouble. Seeing Jack, the bear laid his ears back and made for him, but Jack, trusting to his legs, fled like a scared wolf. He escaped from the bear, but when he stopped in his wild flight, he was lost, and wandered around for three or four days when he was found in Dorcheat Swamp, near Long's Springs, as now known, about twenty miles from home. Jack quit the bear business. Mr. Drew afterward moved down on the Dorcheat, established the lower landing and got under way the town of Overton, which being at the head of navigation it was thought would become a big inland city. He also built the first saw and grist mill in the parish.

It was on the Cooly and ran by water power. Much might be said of this good old go-ahead pioneer. Himself and wife were true old Tennessee Baptists. His oldest son, Thomas Drew, became Governor of Arkansas. Harmond Drew, his youngest son, became District Judge in this State; and Richard Drew died while Probate Judge of this Parish. Some of his daughters married well, others, contrary to the old man's wishes, not so well. This makes me think of the first marriage that took place in our parish though the ceremony of the marriage was performed in Arkansas, if I mistake not. At least it soon became the fashion for the bride and groom to go to Arkansas to get married. People then were about the same as now, in this particular. When they determined to marry, any officer or preacher, who was able to administer the ceremony, would do. This was in 1821, and Mr. John Allen and Miss Mary Holcomb were the happy pair. The next, in 1822, was Wm. Crowly and Miss Jenny Long. This pair, I think went to Natchitoches. Then came the marriage of Raleigh Rogers and Miss Mary Ann Long; then George Demos to Miss Nancy Gryder, and then, well, almost a host in rapid order. All went to Arkansas for convenience.

A certain pine log in Arkansas became known as the stopping place, and which soon became famous for it had frequent visitors from far and near. One couple came from beyond the Sabine river. It was my friend Thomas Palmer and Miss Steel, They told a good joke on her old father. He left home for Natchitoches on business, when seeing their chance, they made ready and followed on just after him. When near Natchitoches they turned to Grande Core, crossed Red River, took the Claiborne trail and made direct for that old pine log, where they were duly married. They dodged the old man completely, because they feared, I reckon, he might say not and therefore knew nothing about thereafter until be got back home some two or three days afterwards. If that old log could talk it could tell some funny things.

Sometimes the justice of the peace would be absent on a bear hunt, sometimes attending court at Champanolle or Echore Fabre, and sometimes exercising himself as a good old Arkansas gentleman. He would be hunted down and brought in sometimes under arms. In the meantime the anxious Couple would camp out and wait patiently.

In 1822, Mr. Deck who was a gunsmith, blessed with an interesting family, settled near where Minden is now located, and Mr. Bias settled within three miles of him on the now Leary place. Near here also settled Mr. Loyd, a devout Methodist preacher, and John Gerren, a very quiet man, but a true born Methodist, and be-liked by everybody. James Crow one of our best citizen, and a full fledged Baptist, but not a fussy man, lived on a place that is now embraced in the farm of Mr. D. Murrell, now dead. Mr. W. Wright located on part of the same farm. Aunt Jenny, as everybody called his wife and whom everybody liked, could tell as good a joke and laugh as long and loud as any one. She was a kind hearted, generous woman. We had no such thing as store clothes in those days. Every family had their cotton cards, spinning wheel and loom. Our shirts and pants were all home­spun, home woven and homemade.

Buckskin pants and hunting shirts, and moccasins, the regular old Indian moccasins, were very fashionable, and a pair of good heavy homemade shoes made one feel almost proud enough, particularly if he was a young man, to think and feel like courting every woman he could hear of in the country.

Our first school was taught by James Ashburner, in 1822, at a salary of $15 per month. John Murrell employed him. We got our salt at McCally's salt works, some­where in the vicinity of Drake's old salt works, in Bienville Parish. It was about this time, too, that Mr. James Brinson of Ouachita parish, commenced his monthly preaching at John Murrell's house. Assisted by Mr. Arthur McFarland, they soon established a Baptist Church and kept up regular services for many years. These were the first Baptist preachers in the parish. To show how our section was improving, and what notoriety it was gaining, sometime in this year, 1822, Harrison & Hopkins of Natchitoches, sent up a small stock of goods in charge of a Frenchman by the name of Forshe, who opened up in a small cabin close to Murrells. But he went off on whiskey, and in a year or two lost his stock in trade and ran away.

In 1823 a long step towards the civilized world was made, for in that year a mail route was established from Natchitoches to Washington in Arkansas. Our post office was called "Allen Settlement Post office," because Mr. Allen was our first Justice of the Peace, and John Murrell was appointed postmaster. Trips were made back and forth twice a month. Letters conveyed over 500 miles cost twenty-five cents, and under 500 miles twelve and one half cents postage. Let us here state that our old friend Peter Franks, was an early settler on Brushy Creek, now in Bienville Parish; also John Leatherman, the Cragiles, and Robert and Jas. Henderson were on the road near the place now known as Buckhorn, but the date of their coming we have forgotten. The first cotton gin was erected by Thomas Moore, in 1824, for Adam Reynolds, who sold it to Russell Jones in 1825, then on the present Harper place. Reynolds was a man of great energy. He made more improvements and sold out oftener than any man in the parish, except perhaps, John D. Pair. About this time Josiah Wilson, believing competition to be the life of trade, started up the Middle Landing, near Minden. These two landings go to show that the boating business-keel boats- amounted to something. James Lee and R. L. Kilgore, in 1825, opened a fair stock of goods in the little storehouse near Murrell that had been put up by Harrison & Hopkins. And in this year we had our first camp meeting, held near Isaac Miller's place, and conducted by Revs. Wlm. Stevenson, McMahon and Ross.

The next, in 1826, were held on the Maxey place, and in 1827 was assembled our first Baptist Association, in a school house on the late Dr. Martin's farm, near Germantown. In 1825 Charley Hays settled on the place now known as Keener farm, near Athens. He was reputed the greatest bear hunter of his day making bear hunting a specialty in the winter when they were fat. In those early days the French Creoles in and about Natchitoches and Campte would make raids through the country bear hunting, having with them from 25 to 30 ponies and as many dogs. They moved north­ward in December and returned generally in February, with their ponies loaded down with bear meat and skins. This year George Grounds located on Flat Lick. He was as kind and true a hearted Dutchman as ever lived but would go off on whiskey sometimes. He had a large family, some of whom were devoted Methodists. I think some of his descendants are yet in this Parish.

Our first singing school, in 1827, was taught by Mr. George Ridley, near Mr. Ground's house. He used the patent notes. In this year also, and I am sorry to tell it, the Baptists had a split in their church about the fellowship of the members, whose conduct was not in keeping with the word. Some condemned while others sustained them believing their conduct not to be unscriptural. The parties sustaining the brothers, took the Bible for their creed and guide, and went off, refusing to be governed by mans greed, and there are a few of that faith in the parish yet calling themselves Christians, for short. They came very near playing out though when the war of 1861 came on.

Some time during this year the road heretofore referred to as the military road, was cut by United State troops, connecting Fort Jessup, on lower Red River, with Fort Towson, away up on upper Red River. This road was opened to transport supplies to that distant garrison. I well recollect that the soldiers and recruits passing to and from that fort, stole everything of small value they could lay their hands on such as bells, whetstones, chickens, geese, etc., and among other things a pet deer from Murrell's yard. In 1828 Claiborne Parish was created. It was bounded on the east by Ouachita Parish, on the west by Red River, on the north by Arkansas Territory and on the south by a line dividing townships 13 and 14, crossing the old military road at or near what was then called Boggy Branch, and touching Red River at or near East Point. Our first probate judge was Chichester Chaplin, a young lawyer and widower of some promise. He was from Natchitoches and was appointed judge. But he soon cast aside his weeds and married Mrs. Palmer, a most estimable lady. Bol was Clerk of the Court, Isaac McMahon Sheriff. Mr. Wilson of Monroe, District Judge. Murrell's house was used for a courthouse for a year or two, when, by the influence of Sam Russell and others at interest, a place on Russell's property was selected as the parish site, which was named for him, Russellville.

Then James Lee and R. C. Killgore moved their stock of goods there, thereby being the first merchants in Russellville. As our people had now increased considerably in numbers, the convenience of public roads began to be called for. So in 1829 our first public road was opened. It was from Russellville to the Minden lower landing, the head of navigation on Bayou Dorcheat. Hands were summoned for a distance of 25 to 30 miles to open it. This road was a big item in our history then. An election was held this year, and Murrell's house, which seems to have become the headquarters on all public occasions, was the voting place. A difficulty sprang up while the voting was going on between George Grounds, Jr., and James Madden. They exchanged a few blows and were then separated. Wm. Robinson, Justice of the Peace, ordered the Sheriff to arrest the two combatants and bring them before his august presence, which order was promptly executed. On investigation the J.P. found Grounds guilty of assault and battery, fined him $20 and to be held in custody until paid. Grounds, poor fellow, had no money, but offered to sell two cows and calves to pay the fine.

A purchaser was soon found for the cattle, the fine paid, and so was closed this breach of the peace without further trouble. Was that not a better way to dispose of such troubles than now prevail? James Dyer, who moved to Texas after the war, was the first representative, 1829, that Claiborne Parish had the honor of sending to the State capital; and his immediate successor, a full-blooded Democrat, was Berry A. Wilson. It was in 1830, I think, the legislature appropriated $1,500 for the improvement of navigation in Loggy Bayou and Lake Bistenau. The contract was awarded to a Mr. Leavright, which work he executed to the satisfaction of the committee appointed to examine and pronounce upon the faithful fulfillment of the contract. And now as our honorable Court had got into good working order, it may be well to refer to the first case of any importance that was spread upon the court docket. This was Hempkin vs. Mabry Wafer. It hung fire for years.

Mr. Wafer lived on Sugar Creek, and was Justice of the Peace in that ward. He was a shrewd man, knew what he was about, and in law was generally successful. By this time and up to 1837 a number of small trading houses were set up in different parts of the parish. Mr. Savage, of Campte, had a shop at Overton, and was succeeded by Joe Robinson, also of Campte. D. C. Pratt was his successor. One McGrady opened up on Flat Lick. George A. Bell succeeded him and then Wm. Harkins bought out Bell. They all carried on a splendid one horse business. Mr. Harkins was justice of the peace for years, and was considered a good judge of law at least he had considerable experience as defendant.

As before stated, roads in these early days were not, and the pathways and byways were winding, yet along these ways our people would bring from distant trading points nearly all their supplies on horseback, even to bars of iron. Our rude wagons would sometimes set out on a trip to Natchitoches or Monroe, with wooden axles and no skeins, and the screeching of the wheels, which were long and loud, could be heard of a morning three and four miles away, reminding one of a pack of hounds at full cry in the distance. But the boys and drivers were used to such a racket, and the game was so plentiful that by the time the wagons would reach Natchitoches or Monroe they would be bearing an extra load of deer skins and skins or peltry were then our main staple or exchange in trade. It took twenty to forty days to make these wagon trips. Sometime in 1833 Mr. Alexander and Jake Masters determined to slaughter an old bear that had got into the bad habit of making away with their hogs in Dorcheat swamp.

They soon got Mr. Bear up and then the chase began. The bear passed several times through an open slough in the cane brake, and Alex­ander discovering this, took a stand for him in the slough. Soon the bear entered the slough, and spy­ing Alexander, made for him with a vengeance. Alexander's gun failed to fire, the bear went for him, and had it not been for Alexander's buckskin suit he would have been killed he was maimed for life. Masters said it was the first fight he ever saw that he had rather not take choice of sides. I should have stated that the first killing in this section was by a Mr. Sapp who killed his brother-in-law, Bryant, and then fled to the Indian Nation. The cause of the killing was said to be heinous. Then came the next murder in our parish. It occurred about eight miles east of Minden, on the military road. It was the willful assassination of a Mr. Sloan, of Arkansas, by John Halthouser, for his money. Halthouser believed Mr. Sloan had a good sum of money on his person as he was a trader, but he had only $370 with him at that time, of which sum $60 was found in possession of Halthouser. To make a good thing of it, watch was kept on Sloan until report said he had some $1,500 that he was taking to Arkansas. Secreting himself in the brush, on the military road, Halthouser waited his opportunity. The old man Sloan, apprehending no danger, rode by where the murderer was concealed, and was shot through the head from behind with a rifle ball. It had been raining a good deal and the ground was wet and the grass luxuriant.

The track of the dead man was left on the ground, as his body was dragged to one side, about fifty yards from the road, and thrown into a pool of water. The buzzards attracted the attention of some passersby, a few days afterwards, when on examination the ghastly corpse was found, and a too precipitate display of money led to the suspicion of the Dutchman, which demoralized him. It was generally believed at the time that Halthouser's brother in law had a hand in the murder, but if such was the case Halthouser was too plucky to tell on him. Halthouser was found guilty, confessed, and was executed at Russellville in 1835, by Mr. Dyer, then our sheriff. But after this followed one of the most horrible murders and shocking crimes ever recorded. It was the desecration and murder of Miss Demos, a young lady about eighteen years of age. She was on horseback, going by a pathway from her father's house to a neighbors, to warp some thread. Failing to return in time search was made, the signs of a desperate struggle found, and the signs being followed, the dead body of the girl was found, with both arms broken and the face pressed down in a pool of water.

The footprints of the murderer were plainly to be seen on her shoulders, where he stood pressing her down. The whole community arose in its wrath and instituted search for the monster. A bloody shirt belonging to one Lambright was found in his own cabin, and on failing to satisfactorily to explain, he was arrested as the murderer, but escaping from jail, how, no one knew, fled to Texas and was no more heard of. Here we close these reminiscences, because a number of the actors of that day are yet living and the events of the later years are patent to many now with us, and can be recalled by them, perhaps, with more relish than myself, for we were all plain people then, with few wants and much love for our fellow man. Sixty seven years, with all their promises and disappointments, their sunshine and shadows, have come and gone since I came to North Louisiana. Many changes, ups and downs, since then have occurred. Then I was young and jubilant, now I am old and stricken in years; my sons and daughters, save one, fail to answer my call. Ah, Yes. '' My head it is gray; Yet I sit in the sunshine to watch you."

Claiborne Parish History | AHGP Louisiana