Hello, I'm new on the list, but I have read some of the earlier emails concerning the town of Maysville. I believe one email said it was the oldest town in Benton County. I tend to believe that may be true, for I happened upon an 1850 article written by Charles Dickens (yes, the Charles Dickens) in which he tells of an interesting happening in Maysville. In 1842, Mr. Dickens came to visit America and then returned to London. It wasn't until 1850 that he presented his American Notes for General Circulation. Then, in more recent times these notes found their way to the Internet via an organization I know only as Project Gutenberg. I can tell you how to get to the notes later, but for now I want to tell you about a particular article Mr. Dickens titled, MURDER IN ARKANSAS. According to his information, a Mr. Loose, a subagent for a band of the Senecas, Quapaw, and Shawnees had a run-in with a Mr. James Gillespie which is probably a relative of mine. There were guns and shootings, but Mr. Loose finished the fight by killing Mr. Gillespie with a bowie knife. As I understand it, this all happened at "the mercantile firm of Thomas G. Allison and Co., of Maysville, Benton County, Ark." (By the way, I'm sure Mr. Allison is also relative of mine.) Now, in searching the census records for Benton County, I cannot find any of these three individuals: Loose, Gillespie, nor Allison. However, the article states that there will be an investigation, and that's where I need the help of someone situated closer to Benton County records than I am. I suspect this happened about 1844 or 1845. I don't know for sure. I do know that Benjamin F. Allison (born 1844 in Warren County, TN) and his young family were in Bentonsville for the 1880 census. His occupation was listed as Retail Grocer--which works in with the idea that he most likely was related to Mr. Thomas G. Allison. I'm thinking he was a son of my gggrandfather, Jacob B. Allison. The 1880 census, as it appears on www.familysearch.com, has his wife listed as Davie, but she was Dory Ann Fine on their 1869 marriage record (Bk A, Pg 184). Furthermore, they were still there in Benton when Benjamin attended the CSA Veteran's Reunion in 1891. So, if this bit of Benton County history has stirred the curiosity of some kind soul, I would appreciate a lookup in the record books for whatever particulars may be found on James Gillespie and Thomas G. Allison. Thanks, Nancy in MO

Welcome to the list, Nancy :) Maysville is believed to have been settled in the 1830's. The Maysville/Gravette area has been home to a great deal of my family history since circa 1920. Here's a site that gives a brief history of settlement in Benton County: http://www.arkansasfamilies.net/afambentonearlyset.htm. Just a suggestion for additional research on your possible Maysville ancestors.. Maysville is only in Arkansas by a hair, sitting right at the Oklahoma state line. I can still remember the Oklahoma road marker signs I used to see as a small girl in late 1950's Maysville. You might want to also check in Delaware County, OK for your names, as a few of the people living in/near Maysville show up in the OK census instead of AR ones, especially from the early 1800's. Good luck in your search :) Dawn ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 11:06 PM Subject: [ARBENTON] Allison-Gillespie > Hello, > I'm new on the list, but I have read some of the earlier emails concerning > the town of Maysville. I believe one email said it was the oldest town in > Benton County. I tend to believe that may be true, for I happened upon an 1850 > article written by Charles Dickens (yes, the Charles Dickens) in which he tells > of an interesting happening in Maysville. > > In 1842, Mr. Dickens came to visit America and then returned to London. It > wasn't until 1850 that he presented his American Notes for General Circulation. > Then, in more recent times these notes found their way to the Internet via > an organization I know only as Project Gutenberg. > > I can tell you how to get to the notes later, but for now I want to tell you > about a particular article Mr. Dickens titled, MURDER IN ARKANSAS. > > According to his information, a Mr. Loose, a subagent for a band of the > Senecas, Quapaw, and Shawnees had a run-in with a Mr. James Gillespie which is > probably a relative of mine. There were guns and shootings, but Mr. Loose > finished the fight by killing Mr. Gillespie with a bowie knife. As I understand it, > this all happened at "the mercantile firm of Thomas G. Allison and Co., of > Maysville, Benton County, Ark." (By the way, I'm sure Mr. Allison is also > relative of mine.) > > Now, in searching the census records for Benton County, I cannot find any of > these three individuals: Loose, Gillespie, nor Allison. However, the article > states that there will be an investigation, and that's where I need the help > of someone situated closer to Benton County records than I am. I suspect this > happened about 1844 or 1845. I don't know for sure. > > I do know that Benjamin F. Allison (born 1844 in Warren County, TN) and his > young family were in Bentonsville for the 1880 census. His occupation was > listed as Retail Grocer--which works in with the idea that he most likely was > related to Mr. Thomas G. Allison. I'm thinking he was a son of my gggrandfather, > Jacob B. Allison. > > The 1880 census, as it appears on www.familysearch.com, has his wife listed > as Davie, but she was Dory Ann Fine on their 1869 marriage record (Bk A, Pg > 184). Furthermore, they were still there in Benton when Benjamin attended the > CSA Veteran's Reunion in 1891. > > So, if this bit of Benton County history has stirred the curiosity of some > kind soul, I would appreciate a lookup in the record books for whatever > particulars may be found on James Gillespie and Thomas G. Allison. > > Thanks, > Nancy in MO > > > > > ==== ARBENTON Mailing List ==== > If you wish to unsubscribe from the Benton Co, AR list, send only the word > UNSUBSCRIBE to [email protected] orif you are on the Digest List > to [email protected] > Arkansas Cemeteries Volunteer Website http://www.rootsweb.com/~arcemete/arcem.htm > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 > >