For those of you that are interested in the history of Desha County, Leslie Gill has written a book called "The History of the Irish "Woods" Gills. I am a very fortunate man in that he gave me a copy. I don't know if he has any copies left or not but you can contact him during the week at the Mayor's Office in Watson, Arkansas. That will be a good place to find him in that he is still the mayor. His phone number is: (870) 644-3366 His snail mail address is: Leslie Gill Mayor Watson, AR I don't remember the ZIP Code if I ever knew it. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html

Thanks, Bill; I appreciate it. Wish I could be there next week for the Fish Fry but the kids are still in school. Maybe sometime this summer I'll make it out of Indiana inbetween all the different activities; We have marching band practice, work, reunions, a garage to build, summer school, and one off to college in Oregon - Whew! I may run away to Arkansas all by myself... :-) By the way, do you know any of these ladies: Fannie Abston, Dixie (Smart) Newton, or Betna(?) Stevens (husband is Cloyce)? They were friends of my Aunt Ferndell Price and I would very much like to speak with them sometime soon. I also found out how to get to Aunt Ferndell's old place: she lived off of Hwy. 138, east of Pickens about 8 miles, down Price Loop Road. I remember lots of dust and lots of cotton. :-) My mom and older sister lived a few miles Jo-Ann ------------------ Maybe I At 01:59 PM 3/12/00 -0600, you wrote: >JoAnn: > >I don't know anything about this but I will be going to the Annual >Watson Fish Fry on 18 March so I will ask around while I am there. >Maybe I will scare up something. > >Bill Covey >Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer >Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz >http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html > > > >

Hello All, It's been a tad bit quiet around here so thought I'd ask a question. Does anyone have access to the book "Desha Co. Cemetery Records", published in the 1960s, I think. Thanks, Jo-Ann Stephens Bahai@netusa1.net

OK folks, who is going to the Annual Watson Fishfry? This rascal is coming up on 18 March so get out your favorite fork and head toward Desha County. You might ought to bring an extra napkin along too. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html

WHOA! Slow down! I'm answering these flood of queries as fast as I can; please be patient with me. :-) Bill Covey (who I am a tad envious of because he has twins and I've always wanted twins myself) - here is that look-up that you didn't request regarding people you probably don't know but I figure that everyone needs a few more cousins; besides, they're military men and they surely belong to someone: buried in Scott Cemetery, Desha Co., Arkansas Benton, Carrell D. b. 07 March 1935 d. 04 November 1985 (Pvt. US Army) Bratton, William D. (no dates listed) (Sgt. US Army Korea) Brazil, Fay Stell b. 09 April 1914 d. 01 March 1950 (AR USNR W.W.II) Britton, Grover b. 02 September 1889 d. 18 April 1968 (AR Pvt. W.W.II) More later... Jo-Ann Stephens Bahai@netusa1.net

Hi Folks: For all of you folks that come from around Watson they are having the annual firshfry on the third Saturday of March. That's next month folks. Vote for Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer...the thinkin' candidate. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html

Hello All, The Scott Cemetery list is now indexed and ready for your queries so ask away. Send a surname. Any name. Find someone who knew someone who *may* be buried at Scott. I'm waiting. Patiently. :-) Jo-Ann Stephens Bahai@netusa1.net ----------------- Scott Cemetery Person of the Day: Scott C. Grissom b. 6 Sept. 1977 d. 30 Nov. 1978 Does anyone know of this person or his relatives?

In reply to the question about past program books from the Dehsa County Historical Society, there are copies of some issues available. I will get a list of them and the price and post it here. Carolyn Porter Carolyn Porter Social Studies Dumas Senior High Caller #8880 Dumas, Arkansas 71639 cporter@dumassd.sesc.k12.ar.us

Thanks Bill, I think the History Com has all the publications. A few years back, Mrs. Jim Merritt of McGehee was helping me with my family history, and at that time, there were some journals available. Should have purchased then!! I'm always a day late and a dollar short!! I did make copies from one that told all about the 1927 flood. I have been doing newspaper research on that particular flood.........very devastating to southeast Ark. Jann >From: "Billy Covey" <BILLCOVEY@worldnet.att.net> >To: "Jann Woodard" <stoneface45@hotmail.com> >Subject: Re: Quarterly meeting of Desha County Historical Society >Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 14:17:10 -0600 > >Jann: > >Back issues of the Desha County Historical Society publication are >probably not available. Certainly they are not available in their >entirety. I was talking with Leslie Gill, the mayor of Watson, not >too long ago and he didn't seem to think they were available. He has >a complete list and brought them to his office from his home for me to >see. > >This is probably stretching it just a little but it seems that he held >a twice-barrelled shotgun on me as I was going through them. I'd give >a nickel for the entire set. > >Bill Covey >Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer >Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz >http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

Hi Carolyn, Would it be possible to list all the publications for Desha Co. I've seen some of the journals at the History Com., and have always intended to order them. They are very well compiled. Are there back issues, etc.? Availability?? Price?? Thanks, Jann ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

Thanks, Bill! I'll check into that Osburn information that you sent. Jo-Ann

The Desha County Historical Society will hold it's quarter meeting April 9, 2000 at 2 p.m. at the Red Front Grocery on Front Street in Arkansas City. The program will be the presentation of two papers, one on the John Puryear family of Dumas and one on X. O. Pindall. Anyone with an interest in Desha County history is invited to attend. Memberships are available in the Society for $12.50 in county and $15.00 out of county. Membership includes a copy of the programs presented for the preceding year. This year as a bonus, the Society is re-printing the 1974 book on the Japanese Relocation center. A copy of this book will be included in addition to the regular program book for those subscribing to membership. Extra copies may be purchased for $10.00. If anyone would care to join, you may send a check made out to DESHA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY for $12.50 if in county or $15.00 for out of county to: Carolyn Porter 316 McKennon Dumas, Arkansas 71639 And your book will be either delivered or mailed when they are published. If you have any questions you can e-mail me at the address below. Carolyn Porter

Does anyone know either the Osborn or Spurlock families or have any connections to them? They married into my Lee family but I have little on them. Be happy and well, Jo-Ann

I just received a copy of Scott Cemetery in Desha Co. Shirley Grissom was kind enough to copy and send me a six page list and I'll gladly look up an ancestor if you think they may be buried here. I'm planning to ask Shirley for permission to post this on the Desha Co. list soon but, until then, I'll do look-ups individually. E-mail me off list to keep the traffic at a minimum. :-) Thanks, Jo-Ann Stephens Bahai@netusa1.net PS There are a *lot* of Landfairs buried here.

Hi Folks: I finally got word from the publisher that my book, Watson Is Where It Wuz, is going to be published soon. Soon means the first week of July at the latest. I can't pin them down any further. It is an Arkansas book of humorous fiction written of all places in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. If anyone has interest in this book just let me know. I apologize for being off topic. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html

Hello All, I just spoke with Shirley Grissom who oversees the upkeep on Scott Cemetery. She and a cousin of mine, Gene Price, serve on the cemetery board together. Shirley said that she had a list of who is buried in the cemetery from a few years ago and that she would copy a list and send it to me. :-) As soon as I get it, I'll let the list know. Does anyone else have family buried there? Jo-Ann Stephens Bahai@netusa1.net

OK folks. It is time to wake up and smell the clover. I don't know where that saying came from but it is time to wake up out there. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html

Laura: I don't know anyone who does this sort of thing in Desha County but you shoule be able to talk with someone in the Hisorical Society (Almost Defunct). Why don't you call the Mayor of Watson. He was active and perhaps will know more than I. Leslie Gill Mayor of Watson (870) 644-3366 I have copied the Desha County Mailing List in case someone on the list is aware of Desha County researchers. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html

Hello, For the newer list members or those who haven't visited the site yet, here is the URL of Edward Gerdes' Arkansas Civil War Soldiers and Sailors site. It lists some of the known men who served and, best of all, it is alphabetized for easier look-ups. http://members.tripod.com/~egerdes/acwma.html Have any of you ever wondered about the women who enlisted as men and served? There is a great article at NARA and other resources as well: http://www.nara.gov/genealogy Jo-Ann Stephens Bahai@netusa1.net

Hi Folks: I am working on a new web site so when you get the time please click on the URL in my signature block and see what you think of it. I am looking for suggestions on how to build a site that will be pleasing to the reader. All of the pages are not completed but since I am in the building stage all suggestions can be applied to the entire site. Thanks for your help. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://home.att.net/~billcovey/index.html