The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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DISTRIBUTION OF MAIL IN THE EARLY DAYS
By S. C. Turnbo
In refering to the ill conveniences that the first settlers of North Arkansas
were subject to, A. S. (Bud) Wood, one of the old timers of Marion County
has this to say:
"My father William Wood came to White River just below the mouth of
Big North Fork in 1825 and after living there about a year he moved to Crooked
Creek and settled near where Yellville is now. I have heard my father say
frequently that on his arrival here Jake Wolf lived at the mouth of Big
North Fork where Sammy South father of Jerry South lived after the, war.
Mr. Wolf owned a blacksmith shop and was Postmaster of the Post Office there.
I think this office was called North Fork. I remember said my father that
4 families lived in Wiley’s Cove in what is now Searcy County their
names were Sam, Leslie, the old man Potter who was a blacksmith, the old
man Griffin and Elijah Milton. On Richland Creek which heads up at the foot
of the Boston Mountains where Jack Wasson use to live there were Dave Robertson,
Vincen Robertson, Joseph Ray and James Jimmison. All these settlers who
I have named and all those who lived within 35 miles of this office received
their mail there and a number of them who lived 20 miles distant patronized
Wolfs and Potters Blacksmith shops. Newspapers were rarely seen then and
there were but few letters distributed. The mail was due at the Post Office
once a month."
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