The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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BITS OF HISTORY
By S. C. Turnbo
Among the numerous accounts relating to the early history of Marion County Ark. is the following which was given me by Capt. A. S. (Bud) Wood son of William and Rachel (Williams) Wood. His grandfather and great grandfather were both named Abe. They originally emigrated from South Carolina to Bedford County Tennessee. From there they went to upper White River and located for a short time on the river a few miles below the mouth of Big North Fork in 1825. Then they came on up White River in 1826 as far as the mouth of Crooked Creek where they left the river and followed the meandering course of Crooked Creek until they stopped in the creek bottom 3 miles below Shawnee town. The land where they pitched their tent is known now as the Jacky Hurst farm. In continuing the history of the family Capt. Woods says that here In this bottom he was born on the 28th of May 1833. "My mother’ said he "died 18 months after I was born or in November 1834 and lies buried in what is now the Tom Woods graveyard one mile south east of Yellville. My father is buried in the Jack Hurst graveyard on the old Shelet Williams place 5 miles below Yellville. The first interment here was the body of Abram Hurst’s infant boy. This child was buried here in 1841. Among the pioneers whole remains lie in this graveyard are my grandfather Abe Wood, Sarah, wife of "Squirrel" Bill Wood, John Williams and Mirriam (William) Wood my grandfathers second wife. My great grandfather Abe Woods was an old man when he came here and when he died they buried him in the Tom Wood graveyard. There was another family of Woods who came to Marion County in an early day. The old man was named William or "dancin" Bill Wood as the settlers called him. He was said to be the best dancer in Marion County. He was the father of John Wood who lived on the road 5 miles west of Yellville. John Wood and Jim Madewell was killed during the war at the mouth of Spring Creek a tributary stream of Big Creek that flows into Buffalo. I am told that his daughter Mrs. Lucinda Hampton and Jim Madewelle wife buried the two bodies. John Wood was the father of John, Tom and Jim Wood who enlisted in Co. A. Shalers regiment. "Dancin" Bill Woods other sons were Burrel, Bill, Jeff, "Limber" Jim, Obediah and George. "Dancin" Bill had a brother named Obediah Wood who lived to be 106 years old. He died on the Mike Mathis farm just below Yellville. Returning to our family again, I will say that among the sons of my grandfather Abe Wood were John, Charles, Derling and Abram. Among his daughters were Nancy who married Jacky Hurst and Clara who married Jackson Blythe from whom Blythe township took its name:
continuing his account Capt. Wood said that a man of the name of Cavenaugh
was the first county clerk of Marion County and a Mr. Barrette was the second
clerk. Brown C. Roberts was the first representative and I think that Tommy
Woods was the first sheriff. Jeffrey Tutt father of Hamp Tutt and grandfather
of little Dave Tutt who was killed at Springfield Mo. was among the first
white man who lived in Shawneetown. Isaac Flora who settled in the Greazy
Bottom made the first white man’s trail from White River to Shawneetown.
Greazy Bottom is some 6 miles below old Talberts ferry. It derived its name
from the great number of fat coons and possoms killed In this bottom. This
land was afterward known as the John E. Hull farm." Capt. Wood continues
"When I was a little fellow George W. Baine a Baptist preacher who
lived on the head of Crooked Creek traveled all over the country and preached.
He finally went to Texas. It is said that the land on which he lived is
known as the Baines Place to the present day. The first pair of shoes I
ever put on my feet was the winter before I was 11 years old. My father
bought the leather they were made of from Jim Bratton who lived up a hollow
that runs into Crooked Creek 3 miles below Yellville. The leather was only
half tanned and the shoes made blisters on my heels as big as ten cent pieces
of silver." In speaking of his marriage Capt. Wood had this to say
"I and Mary Catherine daughter of John Estes were married at Yellville
April the 3rd 1851. John Talbert a Baptist preacher who lived near where
Mountain Home is now performed the ritual ceremony; Talbert Barrens were
known then as Rapps Barrens taking the name from Henry Rapp who lived there
before John Talbert did."
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