The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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HOW EVENING SHADE ARKANSAS DERIVED ITS NAME
By S. C. Turnbo
Among the old timers of Fulton County, Arkansas was George W. Mullen who once lived near 18 miles south of the town of Salem the County Seat of Fulton. Mr. Mullen married Miss Mary Ann (Polly) Cates daughter of Ben Oates. Among the children born of this marriage is a son whose given name is Bila who was born on the old home place south of Salem April 29, 1854. Bila Mullen is a minister in the Church of Christ and lived when I interviewed on the head of Gauleys Spring Creek in Ozark County, Mo. He said that his father was an uneducated man and was crippled from the effects of a white swelling and that all the education he possessed himself was taught him by his mother when he was a little fellow. He said that children should never forget their mother for their was no friend to them like her. Bila Mullens says that his parents left Fulton County and moved over into Short County and settled a few miles north of Evening Shade where his parents died after the war and were buried in the George Graveyard on a small stream called Lev’s Creek 6 miles north of Evening Shade. He says that Wesley Shaver brother of Col. R. G. (Bob) Shaver was the first merchant who sold goods there or Hookrun as it was called then. The town is situated in the head of a hollow that leads into Piney Fork of Straw Berry River and derived its name from a grove of pine trees which stood on the top the hill just west of town. "I well recollect" said Mr. Mullens "the first religious services I ever attended which was held by a Missionary Baptist Preacher at the Lot school house which was situated on a ridge a mile or two from Lev’s Creek, which flows into Big Straw Berry River and was 4 miles from where we lived and there was no settlements between our house and this school building. I was interested In going to this meeting and gave the Preacher close attention and tried to understand the subject of his discourse but I was too young and his talk was all new to me. Quite a large congregation of people were present there." "I never took any interest in hunting" said Mr. Mullens "But I remember a small incident in the line of wild beast that might be worthy enough to note down. In the fall of 1866 after we had moved back into Short County, Arkansas 6 miles north of Evening Shade I noticed a black wolf one day chasing a deer close up to its heels. Both animals seemed to be tired and passed in 200 yards of our house."
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