Press Scrib Visits Communities

This article was written in August 8th, 1912 by the agent for the Crittenden Press. They would go out traveling over the county side gathering subscriptions for the paper. This is Mr. John B. McNeely's report of one of his trips. These articles make for interesting reading as they tell of the little communities in our county that were then - a busy place. 

Our first business call was in Crayne.  This railroad town is just a few miles south of Marion and consists of two dry good stores and one drug store.  

W. N. Weldon carries a complete stock of merchandise.  Brown & Carlos have dry goods and groceries.  

Pogue and Fox are dealers in drugs and cold drinks.  Their clerk, young R. F. Pogue makes you feel pleasant and at home while you are in his place of business.

Charlie Deboe and Brown are the blacksmiths and they are doing a good business.  Crayne is one of the coming cities - just watch her grow.

James Brasher of Marion is the general manager of the Hoosier mines.  The mines are running on full time, doing a good business in solid zinc.  This company has just erected a large and commodious hotel for the benefit of their working men as well as the traveling public.

The Ohio Valley Mining Cmpany out of R. R. 2 is running of full time.  Their new machinery will be ready in a few days.  The neew plant was built by Ramage Bros. of Salem and is said to be the finest plant in the mining district.  J. M. Persons is the cheif manager.

As this closes our work for the present time, we want to thank all for favors. 

Hurricane Camp Meeting Over

The historic Hurricane Camp Meeting is over for another year.  This was their 123rd.  Quite an accomplishment to still be having this spiritual revival in the oldest open air tabernacle in Crittenden County.

As you drive up to the Church the sign in the picture at right will greet you and welcome you to the Church and Camp Grounds

The present open air shed or tabernacle was built in 1920.  The supports are made from trees that were cut from the nearby forests.  They are an impressive sight.

The picture at the left gives you a view of part of the inside of this large barn like building.  The seats aren't made for comfort either as you can see.  Some of the visiting folks can be seen bringing chair cushions for comfort while sitting.

Another old sight that caught my eye as I was looking around is a very large tree located behind the shed, on it are many carvings of initials.  Not readable now, for the tree has grown in height and width since they were carved in the bark, and they are distorted in shape.  I wondered who had carved these initials, probably a girl and boy friend that had attended camp meeting many years ago.  In an early time this was a popular past time, carving names and dates on trees.  It was a fun thing to do and was a special thing for a couple to have their names carved on a tree.

Monument Ridge

I love to read the maps of the area that are called Topographic Maps.  They are done in sections called Quadrangles.  Each quadrangle has a different area of the county and on these maps are wonderful names of places in that area.  It names the old creeks,springs, the hills,hollows, knobs, bluffs, even has many of the church and schools and cemeteries names on it.  I want to see them all and walk over the area and identify the names with the places, but this is impossible, I know.  But I have been fortunate to see many of the areas on the different maps. The one this article is written from is the Blackford Quadrangle, athough Blackford is in Webster County there is many Crittenden County places on the map.  

When I first started looking at this map about 15 years ago,I recognized some of the names, such as Crowell Hill and Crowell Cemetery, Pat Duffy Hollow, Cave Spring Hollow and Cave Spring Church, the Blowing Spring ad Pigeon Roost Creek.  What wonderful names and what wonderful stories goes with these places.  But there was one area on the map that I wasn't familiar with and it intrigued me for a long time, it was named Monument Ridge, and near by was Historical Grave.  Located on the Cave Spring Church Road, what could this possibly mean this far out in the county and off the main highway.  Monument Ridge, that sounded very important.  I finally got to talk to a local person that owned the land and found out it's story.  

Monument Ridge was located on a ridge just off the Cave Spring Road on the side of a hill.  It has only one large monument on it and it was for the Wilson family that lived a short ways from the hill.  But it was this monument that created the name Monument Ridge for the Topographic Map.  And the Historical Grave was for the Wilson family that was buried there.  

The cemetery contained four graves and the information for the graves are all on this one large monument.

James W. Wilson, an early pioneer of Crittenden County had a large plantation located here and also owned several slaves.  He owned a impressive large two story brick home, and the bricks were made on the grounds by the slaves.  Just until in the past several years you could see the intentions where the clay was dug from the ground to help in the making of these bricks.  Besides being a large land owner, he was also a prominent business man in the town of Marion, located about 10 miles away.

The names on the stone reads: James W. Wilson, born June 17, 1798, died April 23, 1865.

Rebecca (Bridges) Wilson, born July 9, 1803, died Aug. 6, 1856.

John B. Wilson, born Aug. 24, 1828, died Sept. 1, 1846.

  Son of James W. and Rebecca

James J. Wilson, born Aug. 23, 1832, died Nov. 21, 1837.

  Son of James W. and Rebecca

The names of the two young sons are on the opposite side of the monument.

Pictures were made in April 1997. 

Mule Days In Marion

In the early 1900's when Crittenden County had County Court day on the first Monday of each month, people came from all over the county plus from surrounding counties.  Some came to attend the fiscal court meeting, but most came to attend Jockey Lot and what they called "Mule Days."  

The ad at the right appeared Mon. 14, 1904.  I will be in Marion on Monday, Nov. 12th, County Court Day, to buy mules for Southern Cotton trade, and for European war purposes.  Bring in your mules and get the cash for them.  Signed: F. W. Huddleston, Hickman, Tenn.

The press reports on the day.  Monday was mule day again in Marion.  A party who was interested took advantage of the occasion to count the mules and horses in town and to his astonishment found that there were over one thousand head here.  The mule buyers were here from Illinois and from Union and Christian Counties.  Layne and Leavell Bros. bought 23 head of horses.  R. M. Young bought seven head of young mules.  Dave Woods bought three head of mules and others whose names we did not learn bought several head, making in all over 40 head that changed hands and at prices varying from $75.00 to about $200. per head.  R. W. VanHoosier sold to Lawson Bros. one pair of mules for $400.  J. R. Marvel sold one mule for $140.00, J. J. Hunt two mules for $265.00, one mule colt for $75.  These are just a few of the good sales that were made.

Gypsies in Marion

Here is an interesting little article that appeared in The Crittenden Press on Feb. 5, 1937.  Things we don't think of much anymore.  Just like the hobos that used to travel the train tracks and go through the little towns along the way asking for food.

Sunday, Chief of Police C. B. Hina arrested members of a gypsies party passing through Marion.  These gypsies were wanted in Livingston County on several pickpocket charges, alleged to have been made at Salem.

One group of the rovers took $10 from the picket of C. E. Butler, Salem grocer, as he was waiting on them.  At the same time members of the same party took $5.00 from a cash register in the Butler store.

Across the street others of the gypsie band after gathering around Jap Riley, removed Mr. Riley's purse from his pocket, and before he realized that anything was amiss had extracted $11.50 which it contained and had returned the wallet to his pocket.  Mr. Riley was unaware of his loss until a bystander, on the opposite side of the street, informed him of what had taken place.

By the time the losses had been discovered the wanderers had loaded in their cars and were speeding toward Marion.  Their five automobiles, though old, were of expensive makes.

While in Marion members of the band entered several local stores and several suspected attempts at picking pockets of local citizens were foiled.  All but $3.50 of the money taken at Salem was recovered.

Central Baptist Church

Central Baptist Church located at 721 South Main Street.  This church was organized Nov. 5, 1969 with J. C. Lilly as the Pastor.

 Their new church building was finished in 1972 and the dedication services were held on Friday night, May 12, 1972.

Members of the building committee were: B. F. Lilly, chairman; Minus Cox, Gilbert Cloyd, Eugene Hughes and Edwin Story.

This is still an active church today.

Winlow Park

Many years ago about 5 miles north of Marion on Highway 60 East there was a place that was known as Winlow Park. 

Virgil Stone, and family, who lived there created this park for people to use and enjoy.  Where the name Winlow originated is not known.  This picture was made in 1939.

Here is some history about the local park written in 1931. Not so many years ago it was a rather bare, uninviting tract of land with a few trees, a small house in the center of it, and unuusally high train trestle at the rear and a sluggish creek that meandered through the ground.  Today there are many benches, tables, and even electric lights that make it possible for a picnic to be given there with ease and convenience as a meal at the dining room table.

Mr. Virgil Stone, who is resonsible for the many changes and imporvments which have taken place at Winlow, has spared neither time nor money to make the park an attractive and inviting pace for picnickers and tourists.

A tourist camp containing three bedrooms and there garages has been built, a self-generating electric light plant has been installed, benches and tables have been constructed, swings have been hung from the limbs of the large trees and a 9-hole miniature golf course has recently been completed.

Mr. Stone makes no charges for the use of the park, but leaves the matter of whether they will pay or not entirely up to his guests.  He says that the park was improved for their use and enjoyment and it is his pleasure.

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Although the park is no more, I'm sure many Crittenden Countians remember having picnics at Winlow Park, it was well-known for family reunions, church picnics and just good old-fashioned family outings, when going on a picnic was considered family fun.  The swings and miniature golf course were not there in the 1950's as Mr. Stone wasn't there to see to the care of them.

Within the past several years the old home and grocery store combination of the Stone family has been removed as it finally gave up and callopsed from being empty and unused.  Although the appearance has changed a little, you can still see two of the tourist cabins that Mr. Stone built many years ago.

Winlow Park a part of our past history, now only a memory for some of us.