Journal Index – 2015

The Cleburne County Historical Society (CCHS) has compiled a list of the known cemeteries in Cleburne County, AR. The cemetery name, location including latitude and longitude (DMS), geographical quadrant of the county, and approximate number of graves is shown in the following table. The names of some of the cemeteries have changed over the years. Alternate names are shown in parentheses.

Contact:
Cleburne County Historical Society
PO Box 794
Heber Springs, AR 72543

The Tenth Arkansas Infantry Regiment was organized at Springfield in Conway County in July 1861. This is where many volunteers from Van Buren County (Eastern Van Buren County later became Cleburne) were mustered into the Confederate Army.

Company “A,” known as “Quitman Rifles,” was headed by Captain A. R. Witt. Other officers were First Lt. W. W. Martin, Second Lt. C. M. Cargile, Third Lt. Israel Davis, and First Sergeant W. R. Corbin. The company had eight non-commissioned officers and 94 men in all.

Company “G” was called “Red River Riflemen.” Officers were Captain John B. Miller, First Lt. James E. Lockard, Second Lt. Henry J. Gatton, Third Lt. Edwin Ellis, and First Sergeant Daniel Johnson. This company with ten non-commissioned officers had 91 men.

Other companies in the regiment were the “Randy Rifles,” the “Choctaw Riflemen” from Conway County, “Pemberton’s Company,” “Muddy Bayou Heroes,” “Perry County Mountaineers”, “Conway Tigers,” and “Springfield Sharpshooters.”

Field and staff officers for the Tenth were Colonel T. D. Merrick, Lt. Col. S. S. Ford, Major Obed Patty, and Adjutant Robert C. Bertrand.

The Tenth Arkansas Regiment was assigned to General Bowen’s Brigade, consisting of the Ninth and Tenth Arkansas, Fifth Missouri and Tenth Mississippi regiments before they were moved to Kentucky. They remained at Bowling Green until the evacuation of that place when they were placed to guard the rear on the retreat. They were then placed in Hardee’s Corps and marched to Corinth. Here the Ninth Arkansas was put in Breckenridge’s Reserve Corps and marched to Shiloh. In this battle they lost about 160 men.

After the Battle of Shiloh the regiment, as part of Beauregard’s CSA Army, withdrew back to Corinth, where they reorganized. Formal charges related to the disorganized condition of his regiment were brought against Col. Merrick. He resigned and on May 27, 1862 Captain A. R. Witt of Company “A,” “The Quitman Rifles,” was promoted to colonel and became commander of the regiment. Here their brigade was broken up.

They were moved first back of Vicksburg, where they stayed some time on the Yazoo River, at Camp Price. Then they were moved to Vicksburg, where they stayed a short while. They were placed in a brigade commanded by General Jeff Thompson and moved to Louisiana, 30 or 40 miles above New Orleans, where they spent the winter of 1862-63 guarding the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railway.

By the early spring of 1863, Beauregard’s Army, with the Tenth Arkansas was sent again to Baton Rouge where they were to prepare defenses against the approaching General N. P. Banks. This they did by felling large numbers of trees to block the roadways leading to Baton Rouge, digging trenches and mounting siege guns around the city.

By the first of March, 1863, the Tenth Arkansas Infantry was at Port Hudson, Louisiana above New Orleans and during March 7-27 as part of a CSA force under General Franklin Gardner, they were in operations against Federal forces at Port Hudson. After a series of engagements lasting into July, 1863, the Tenth Arkansas Infantry, was part of a Conderate force surrendered by Gen Gardner to Union General N. P. Banks, a surrender that was apparently helped along by internal dissension within the regiment. Certain officers of the Tenth Arkansas seemingly were able to influence some enlisted men to desert and refuse to alternate duties with their fellow companies. By July 7, just two days before the regiment capitulated, there was practically open mutiny.

On July 9, 1863 the entire regiment surrendered and became prisoners of war. The men were paroled until exchanged, with the officers imprisoned at Johnson’s Island, Ohio, in Lake Erie. The unit was eventually exchanged and returned to Arkansas. Col. A. R. Witt reorganized the unit, including some newly recruited members to form Witt’s Cavalry.

John F. Walter in his Capsule History of Arkansas Military Units gives additional information on the Tenth Arkansas Infantry and Witt’s Arkansas Cavalry.

This unit [the Tenth Arkansas Infantry] served east of the Mississippi River throughout its career. Listed below are the higher command

Oct. 31, 1861, Sixth Brigade, First Division, Western Department.

Nov. 30, 1861, Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Western Department.

Jan. 31, 1862, Bowen’s Brigade, Floyd’s Division, Central Army of Kentucky.

Feb. 22, 1862, Second Brigade, Third Division, Central Army of Kentucky, Western Department.

April 6, 1862, Second Brigade, Reserve Corps, Army of the Mississippi.

March 31, 1863, Buford’s Brigade, Third Military District, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.

April 30, 1863, Maxey’s Brigade, Third Military District, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.

Like almost all Civil War units, the regiment was frequently known by an alternate designation derived from the name of the unit’s commanding officer. Names of this type identified as having been used by or for the Tenth Arkansas Infantry are listed below.

A. R. Witt’s Infantry

C. M. Cargile’s Infantry

E. L. Vaughan’s Infantry

Thomas D. Merrick’s Infantry

S. S. Ford’s Infantry

Obed Patty’s Infantry

George A. Merrick’s Infantry

Zebulon Venable’s Infantry

Robert C. Bertrand’s Infantry

The regiment participated in the following engagements during its career:

Battle, Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh, Tenn. – April 6-7, 1862

Engagement, Baton Rouge, La. – Aug. 5, 1862

Operations against expedition from Pass Manchac and Ponchatuoula, La. – Sept. 13-15, 1862

Skirmish, Bayou Bonfonca, La. – Nov. 21, 1862

Operations against Port Hudson, La. – Mar. 7-27, 1863

Action, Plain’s Store, La. May 21, 1863

Siege, Port Hudson, La. May 24-July 9, 1863

Assault, Port Hudson, La. – May 27, 1863

Assault, Port Hudson, La. – June 14, 1863

Surrender, Port Hudson, La. – July 9, 1863

At its organization the Tenth Arkansas Infantry numbered 1000 men; yet at the close of the war there were not more than 200 men surviving.

Witt’s 10th Arkansas Cavalry

Witt’s Arkansas Cavalry, commanded by Colonel A. R. Witt, was composed primarily of men who had served with the Tenth Arkansas Infantry, been captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, and after being exchanged, returned to Arkansas.

On numerous occasions, the unit served behind Federal lines. A Federal report indicated that it often employed female sympathizers to spy on Federal installations and troop movements, reporting the information obtained back to the command. One of these spies was reported to be operating in Little Rock in mid-November, 1864.

The unit served unattached throughout its career, with the exception of Price’s Missouri Expedition in late 1864. During this time it appears to have been attached to Fagan’s forces.

Below are the engagements in which the unit took part.

Skirmishes, Clear Creek and Tomahawk, Ark. – Jan. 22, 1864

Skirmish, Rolling Prairie, Ark. – Jan. 23, 1864

Skirmish, Sylamore Creek, Ark. – Jan. 23, 1864

Skirmishes near Burrowsville, Ark. – Jan. 23, 1864

Skirmish, Crooked Creek, Ark. – Feb. 5, 1864

Skirmish, Bayou Des Arc, Ark. – July 13-16, 1864

Skirmish, Gum Swamp, Ark. – July 17, 1864

Skirmish, Austin, Ark. – July 17, 1864

Operations against Expedition from Little Rock to the Little Red River, Ark. – Aug. 6-16, 1864

Price’s Missouri Expedition – Aug. 29-Dec. 2, 1864

Skirmish near Quitman, Ark. (detachment) – Sept. 2, 1864

Skirmish, Ironton, Mo. – Sept. 26, 1864

Skirmishes, Arcadia and Ironton, Mo. – Sept. 27, 1864

Battle, Marmiton (Charlot), Mo. – Oct. 25, 1864

Engagement, Mine Creek, Little Osage River, Marias des Cygnes, Kan. – Oct. 25, 1864

Skirmish near Lewisburg, Ark. – Feb. 12, 1865

Unlike most of the units which accompanied Price after the Missouri expedition, Witt’s Cavalry did not retreat all the way to northeastern Texas. The command remained, instead, in Arkansas, probably in order to continue its spying operations. The Third Arkansas (United States) Cavalry met and destroyed Witt’s command at the Lewisburg engagement.

The Tenth Arkansas Infantry Regiment was not the only unit which recruited men of Cleburne County. At least seven companies were raised in White County during 1861 and 1862 and others in Independence County.

A summary of some of the members of the 10th (Merrick’s) Arkansas Infantry Regiment, CSA, believed to have been from southern Van Buren County (later Cleburne), Arkansas

COMPANY "D"

COMPANY "F"

Name Dates Comments

ENLISTED MEN    

Bailey, John C.    

Bean, Samuel H.   Died, 21 Feb., 1862.

From Cleburne County Pension Roles

This is only a partial list of members of the 10th Ark. Inf. Reg. believed to have been from southern Van Buren County. There are probably mistakes in both directions, some names were omitted; others were added that should not have been.

Those soldiers whose names are preceded by an asterisk(*) later in 1863 or in the spring of 1864 were organized into the 10th (Witt) Arkansas Cavalry Regiment. Again, this is only a partial list.

Photographs of historical schools in the County

Heber Springs High School Building

1928-1961, located on west Main St. 

Edgemont School Building

Circa 1915 – 1938

Quitman College Building Built 1891                                   

3rd story removed before 1920, used until  1938

A map of old wagon roads in Cleburne County

Retreived from old postcards, many of these locations are now under the waters of Greers Ferry lake.

CASE FORD EDDY
This was a popular summer swimming hole for the Heber Springs crowd. It provided an ample gravel bar with room to park and picnic as well as a natural boat launch area. The bluffs were great to dive from and of course there was the obligatory rope swing. Below this large eddy was a low water dam that was used to ford the river, hence the name.

Heber Springs Spring Park
The Spring Park is central to the history of Heber Springs, as it is from this park that the name is derived. The park contains 7 mineral springs each reported to cure a variety of ills.

Sugar Loaf Mountain
Located east of Heber Springs this is a predominant natural feature. Combined with Little Red River and Greer’s Ferry Lake as one of the 3 most prominent geographic features in the county. Prior to the construction of Greer’s Ferry Dam, climbing Sugar Loaf was a special summertime fest. Parking and picnic facilities at the bottom were usually full on a sunny day. Now access is difficult and other summer activities at the lake have replaced this once favored treat.

Tumbling Shoals Swinging Bridge
A picturesque old swinging bridge near the site of the present Greer’s Ferry Dam was, in itself, a state-wide attraction in the 20-40’s. Constructed in 1912, it was a suspension bridge erected with a wooden frame hung on two steel cables. With a load limit of 3 tons, and wide enough for only one vehicle at a time, the bridge enjoyed a reputation for giddy excitement. A picnic area was located at one end and tourists often spent the day there, crossing and recrossing the bridge.

Numerous research materials are available for use at at the Cleburne County Historical Society, 210 North Broadway, Heber Springs, Arkansas, or can be purchased for the prices shown below.

Order from:
CCHS
P.O. Box. 794
Heber Springs, AR 72543
Telephone 501-362-5225

This is about the family that the town of Higden is named after.

H.N. Higdon Family

Thomas Geoffrey Higdon, after whom the town of Higden was named, was born about 1815 in North Carolina: his parents were Simeon and Margaret Higdon. It is believed Thomas G. Higdon served in the Civil War and was seriously wounded. He died about 1900 and is buried at Colony Cemetery near Morganton, Van Buren County, Arkansas. The town of Higden sponsored a fund drive to place a marker on his grave and held a memorial service on April 19, 1986, for their part in observing Arkansas’ Sesquicentennial.

Thomas Geoffrey Higdon was married to Dolly Thompson March 14, 1839. She was born 1821 in Tennessee, the daughter of William Thompson and Penelope Holland; Dolly Thompson Higdon died in Tennessee. Thomas and Dolly Higdon had ten children.

1. William T. Higdon, born 1840, died October 22, 1887; married (1) Mary E. Whitehead (2) F. Kilbreath and (3) Sarah Rowe.
2. Mary Caroline Higdon, born May 1842, died 1928; married James Robert Cody on September 22, 1870.
3. Martha E. Higdon, born May 184, married John L. Short April 5, 1877.
4. Thomas Jefferson Higdon, born July 15, 1846, died August 27, 1927; married Sarah Caroline Richardson in 1877.
5. Simeio Higdon, born 1848, died 1870.
6. Rebecca J. Higdon born 1851/52, married Jefferson Rollins 1883.
7. Sidney Etta Higdon, born 1854, married James Wood January 10, 1885.
8. Susan B. Higdon, born 1856, married (1) L.G. Ramer, (2) Thomas Parrish.
9. David Newton Higdon, born September 15, 1862, married Selena Frances Wood June 30, 1887. He died November 28, 1928. (dau. Annie Prisley)
10. Jasper Higdon, born October 1863.

After the death of Dolly Thompson, Thomas Geoffrey Higdon married Ann Jane Mullins (Malone), by whom he had three children.

1. John Higdon, born 1867, died 1884.
2. Sarah Matilda Higdon, born October 15, 1868, married Henry Abraham Turney July 4, 1889. She died August 4, 1929. (daughter Ida (Turney) Nelson )
3. Ida Lee Higdon, married —– Thomason.

All of Thomas Higdon’s children were born in Benton County, Tennessee, near Camden, Tennessee. Most of them died in Arkansas. His daughter, Sarah Matilda, came to Higden at the age of six. The wagon train bringing the Higdon family came to the area about 1874.

Above from the Cleburne County Historical Journal Spring 1987

Added by Mary Turney Miller

I recently discovered the following. Using census records and family history, we had figured out that the above mentioned Anna Jane Mullins (Malone) was the mother of James Buel Mullins – our great-grandfather. We could not find the father of James Buel Mullins. James was born 1863 in Tn – during the Civil War. There are three individuals searching for this information. So far we have the following, any additional information will be appreciate.

From the Carroll Co Tn Historical Society, Gordon Browning Museum and Genealogical Library

1. Thomas Higdon m. Dolly Thompson 14 Mar 1839 Benton Co., TN
2. James Mullins m. Jane Malone 7 July 1861 Carroll Co., TN
3. Thomas Higdon m. Jane Mullins 7 Nov 1866 Carroll Co., TN

I am from the James Buel Mullins line and have the rest of that families history – it connects to Hopson and Barnum. Contact Mary Turney Miller