Jann: I pulled this from one of the sites given by Sam Rial. Thanks Sam. Laconia (inhabited place) Lat: 34 03 N Long: 090 57 W (represented in degrees minutes direction) Lat: 34.050 Long: -90.950 (represented in decimal degress and fractions of degrees) Hierarchical Position: North and Central America.......(continent) United States...................(nation) Arkansas........................(state) Desha...........................(county) Names: Laconia (C,V) Place Types: inhabited place (C) rural community (C) Sources: Laconia................................. USGS, GNIS Digital Gazetteer (1994), GNIS5010778 [VP] - -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- [2444336] Laconia Circle (area) Lat: 34 02 N Long: 090 57 W (represented in degrees minutes direction) Lat: 34.033 Long: -90.950 (represented in decimal degress and fractions of degrees) Hierarchical Position: North and Central America.......(continent) United States...................(nation) Arkansas........................(state) Desha...........................(county) Names: Laconia Circle (C,V) Place Types: area (C) Sources: Laconia Circle.......................... USGS, GNIS Digital Gazetteer (1994), GNIS5010779 [VP] - -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- [2444337] Laconia Crevasse (bay) Lat: 34 02 N Long: 090 56 W (represented in degrees minutes direction) Lat: 34.033 Long: -90.933 (represented in decimal degress and fractions of degrees) Hierarchical Position: North and Central America.......(continent) United States...................(nation) Arkansas........................(state) Desha...........................(county) Names: Laconia Crevasse (C,V) Place Types: bay (C) Sources: Laconia Crevasse........................ USGS, GNIS Digital Gazetteer (1994), GNIS5010781 Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html

The Missouri Pacific had a train waiting at Snow Lake to take all people who had not abandoned their homes Tuesday to safety. Shortly after the government boats sounded their final distress signals, the last of the refugees reached Snow Lake. Some came afoot, many horseback and a few in automobiles. The train then pulled out for safer points, and today the refugees of the Circle area, which number about 2,000 are housed in boxcars at McGehee in Desha county and Lexa in Phillips county. Hundreds of rufugees from the White and Mississippi river unprotected sections already had flocked into Helena. As the refugee train pulled out of Snow Lake the flood waters were lapping along the roadbed. It was the last train in that area, for yesterday morning the railroad abandoned its service through Snow Lake. A mixed train will run from Helena as far south as Elaine today, but service will not be attempted in the flooded area until the Mississippi river has subsided. Ample facilities for housing the refugees are available, as the Missouri Pacific has 340 boxcars ready on spur tracks. One resident of the area, early Tuesday night, was in Snow Lake awaiting the break. After waiting several hous he mounted his mule and rod nonchalantly in the direction of the levee. When asked where he was going he replied, "Im going home to get my tobacco." He had left it at home and 'lowed' that he would get back before the levee broke through. he and the mule made it back safely. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

I have some good search engines for locating places, geographical features etc. They are: http://shiva.pub.getty.edu/tgn_browser/ and http://www-nmd.usgs.gov/www/gnis/gnisform.html The first Getty site lists Laconia as a populated area. The second site, a USGS map generator, if used, will show Laconia on a bend of the river directly Northeast of Watson (approx 4 miles, if I am reading the map correctly). If you "zoom out" from the initial map about twice you will see Laconia on the same latitude as Duncan, Mississippi. Another good map generator is at http://www.mapquest.com/ . A shortcut link http://www.mapquest.com/cgi-bin/ia_find?screen=mqhome&link=ia-map-form&uid=u 404a4ie4e0skbix&no_map=true&banner=select&random=281 will take you several steps to the search engine you need. After zooming in, it shows Laconia near the levee almost two miles east of a north/south hwy 85. -----Original Message----- From: Jann Woodard <stoneface45@hotmail.com> To: ARDESHA-L@rootsweb.com <ARDESHA-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Sunday, January 09, 2000 1:17 PM Subject: Re: Laconia >Bill, > >I have a newpaper article relating to the 1927 Flood, that mentions, >Yancopin, the Laconia Levee, the Laconia Circle, Henrico, Snow Lake, and it >also mentions plantations by the name of Benzal, Lazneb and Satterfield. >The latter three must be in Arkansas County, but the others appear to be in >Desha Co. > >Know anything about them?? > >Jann > >>From: "Billy Covey" <BILLCOVEY@worldnet.att.net> >>To: ARDESHA-L@rootsweb.com >>Subject: Laconia >>Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 13:05:16 -0600 >> > > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > >============================== >Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: >Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. >http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ >

Bill, My gg-grandfather, William N. Lynch, from Drew Co., joined the Confederate Army at Laconia, which at that time (1861) was in Desha County, or so his service record states.....Until I found this article that also has a map included, I had wondered where it was. Apparently a lot of men from Drew and Desha Co. enlisted at Laconia. Jann ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

Since this list is 'a little slow' I'm gonna post the following article: Arkansas Gazette March 31, 1927: LACONIA LEVEE GIVES WAY AND FLOOD RESULTS ENTIRE CIRCLE INUNDATED BY MUDDY WATERS OF MISSISSIPPI HUNDREDS HOMELESS A temporary sea now extends from a few miles south of Elaine, Phillips county, 40 miles south to the mouth of the Arkansas river, then northwest 20 miles to Yancopin, on the Arkansas River in Desha county, a large part of which territory was inundated yesterday following the break about 2 a.m. in the Laconia Circle levee on the Mississippi river. The Laconia levee, weakened by constant sloughing and a 51 foot flood stage gave way after 200 men worked for more than 12 hours to prevent the impending break. At midnight Tuesday night the levee still was holding and the Missouri Pacific office at Helena which had men stationed throughout the endangered area closed up. A few minutes later a large portion of the levee sloughed into the river and the government boats, three of them, began blowing distress signals which echoed throughout the almost deserted Circle region and warned the few stragglers that the levee was going. Some cattle were caught in the flood and drowned, but live stock loss is slight. Those in the imperiled region began firing firearms, and two hours later when the last of the levee's shoulder, which had withstood the river for 12 hours, gave way, the region was deserted. The river left a gaping hole in the levee more than 300 feet long and jagged at each end. The cooped up flood waters of the Mississippi rushed through the break with much volume and in a few hours the entire Circle was inundated. The Circle, a historic portion of Desha county, is made up of about 15,000 fertile acres. The levee, built more than 100 years ago by slaves, brought to that section from Louisiana, extends from a few miles south of Knowlton around a bend in the river to Henrico. At Henrico the main levee stops, but smaller levees extend north to Snow Lake. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

Bill, I have a newpaper article relating to the 1927 Flood, that mentions, Yancopin, the Laconia Levee, the Laconia Circle, Henrico, Snow Lake, and it also mentions plantations by the name of Benzal, Lazneb and Satterfield. The latter three must be in Arkansas County, but the others appear to be in Desha Co. Know anything about them?? Jann >From: "Billy Covey" <BILLCOVEY@worldnet.att.net> >To: ARDESHA-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Laconia >Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 13:05:16 -0600 > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

Jann: The name Laconia seems vaguely familiar to me but I'l lost for the reason why. It isn't on my map. Neither is Napaleon for that matter but it was the first county seat of Desha County. At least it was a county seat of Desha County. I think it was the first before it fell in the river. Maybe Laconia fell in as well. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html

I don't know about Yancopin, but do any of you know where Laconia was located? Desha County?? jann >From: "Billy Covey" <BILLCOVEY@worldnet.att.net> >To: ARDESHA-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Yancopin >Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2000 12:00:22 -0600 > >Hi Folks: > >Does anyone out there know anything about the history of Yancopin, >Desha County, Arkansas? > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

Hi Folks: Does anyone out there know anything about the history of Yancopin, Desha County, Arkansas? I went to school with Mary Alice "Bokey" Austin. The store at Yancopin was also the post office as I recall. Bokey is said to have written something on Yancopin but I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet. Any help will be appreciated. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html

Here is a partial baseball score for those of you that are interested: New York Yankees 1 Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html

Arkansas Gazette 1917 McGehee, Jan 3 - Miss Lois Wagster and Al Thibodaux were recently married by Rev. J.L. Hoover. McGehee, Jan 5 - John Bezz, a fur dealer of this place, has just returned from the bottoms near here when he bought a big lot of coon, mink and possums from a trapper. He says there will be $10,000 worth of fur shipped from Desha County this year. McGehee, Jan 13 - With more than 60 trappers in the county, hundreds of dollars worth of fur are being caught in Desha county. George Funch caught seven coons in two nights, Ed Huddleston, six coons in two nights, Bob Myers, four coons and a mink. McGehee Jan 13 - County Judge George B. Ewing has named the following delegates to the Good Roads and Drainage Association convention in Little Rock: M.E. Sherland, Scott McGehee and K.G. Morley of McGehee; Dr. C.C. Price and Lloyd R. Byrne of Dumas; Dr. Gibbs Biscoe, Pendleton; J.H. Peoples, Watson; E.B. Warrington, McArthur; Dr. V. McCammon and G.R. Lack of Arkansas City. McGehee Jan 13 - F.A. Babb has sold his lease on the Palace theater to Mrs. E.A. Baradel, who is now operating it. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

(The information below is an excerpt, transcribed from BIOGRAPHICAL & HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. The Goodspeed Publishing Co. Chicago, Nashville & St. Louis. 1890. Other items from this book will be included from time to time in future messages. They should be of interest to those of us who have roots in Desha County.--LR) STATE LEGISLATORS FOR DESHA COUNTY, ARKANSAS, TO 1890 Third State Legislature, Nov. 2 to Dec. 28, 1840 Senate: J. Smith (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: S. H. Davis (Desha Co.) Fourth State Legislature, 1842-43 Senate: J. Yell (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: Charles A. Stewart (Desha Co.) Fifth State Legislature, 1844-45 Senate: J. Yell (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: William H. Sutton (Desha Co.) Sixth State Legislature, 1846 Senate: R. C. Byrd (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: Isaiah Halcomb (Desha Co.) Seventh State Legislature, 1848-49 Senate: R. C. Byrd (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: Thompson B. Flournoy (Desha Co.) Eighth State Legislature, 1850-51 Senate: N. B. Burrow (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: Thompson B. Flournoy (Desha Co.) Ninth State Legislature, 1852-53 Senate: N. B. Burrow (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: Shelby W. Wilson (Desha Co.) Tenth State Legislature, 1854-55 Senate: A. H. Ferguson (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: Solon B. Jones (Desha Co.) Eleventh State Legislature, 1856-57 Senate: A. H. Ferguson (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: John Patterson (Desha Co.) Twelfth State Legislature, 1858-59 Senate: Thomas Fletcher (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: J. P. Johnson (Desha Co.) Thirteenth State Legislature, 1860-61 Senate: Thomas Fletcher (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: James P. Clayton Fourteenth State Legislature, 1862 Senate: Thomas Fletcher (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: Alexander Harding (Desha Co.) Fifteenth State Legislature, 1864-65 Senate: I. C. Mills (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: (not listed) State Confederate Legislature, Washington, Ark., Sept. and Oct. 1864 Senate: T. Fletcher (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: Alexander Harding (Desha Co.) Sixteenth State Legislature, 1866-67 Senate: W. M. Galloway (Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha Cos.) House: W. C. Weatherford (Desha Co.) Seventeenth State Legislature, 1868-69 (Representing Ashley, Chicot, Drew and Desha Cos.) Senate: W. Harbison and J. W. Mason House: N. M. Newell, C. F. Simms, R. S. Curry, D. S. Wells and Z. H. Maness Eighteenth State Legislature, 1871 (Representing Ashley, Chicot, Drew and Desha Cos.) Senate: J. W. Mason and William Harbison House: A. J. Robinson, C. W. Preddy, H. Marr, E. A. Fulton, J. W. Harris and John Webb Nineteenth State Legislature, 1873 (Representing Ashley, Chicot, Drew, Desha and Lincoln Cos.) Senate: S. A. Duke and S. H. Halland House: S. W. McLeod, John C. Kollins, X. J. Pindall, O. F. Parish, J. T. W. Tillar and J. E. Joslyn. Extraordinary Session of State Legislature, May 1874 (Representing Ashley, Chicot, Drew, Desha and Lincoln Cos.) Senate: S. A. Duke and S. H. Halland (Representing Ashley, Chicot, Drew and Desha Cos.) House: J. T. W. Tillar, L. L. Johnson, A. W. Files and X. J. Pindall Twentieth State Legislature, 1874-75 Senate: X. J. Pindall (Chicot and Desha Cos.) House: J. A. Robinson (Desha Co.) Twenty-First State Legislature, 1877 Senate: X. J. Pindall (Chicot and Desha Cos.) House: S. J. Peoples Twenty-Second State Legislature, 1879 Senate: Charles H. Carlton (Chicot and Desha Cos.) House: L. A. Pindall (Desha Co.) Twenty-Third State Legislature, 1881 Senate: C. H. Carlton (Chicot and Desha Cos.) House: L. A. Pindall (Desha Co.) Twenty-Fourth State Legislature, 1883 Senate: Henry Thane (Chicot and Desha Cos.) House: W. B. Peterson (Desha Co.) Twenty-Fifth State Legislature, 1885 Senate: Henry Thane (Chicot and Desha Cos.) House: I. G. Bailey (Desha Co.) Twenty-Sixth State Legislature, 1887 and in the last session Senate: W. H. Logan (Chicot and Desha Cos.) House: G. H. Joslyn (Desha Co.)

Hi Folks: Can anyone remember Noel Ray Leach and his brother Earl Lee Leach? Noel Ray would have been born around 1935 and his brother Earl Lee a couple of years later. Noel Ray was married to Virginia Ann "Sis" Cox many years ago and so far as I know they lived in Star City until their retirement. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html

Shoot! I forgot to add the list. BROWN Bill BURNETT Mary Nell C Bill CLINTON John COVEY Billy Charles DONHAM Ruth FLOWERS Amy Bishop GILBERT Roy HEATHCOCK Avie "Ach" HOLBROOK Char JONES C. L. LEIGH Helen C REITZAMMER Louis RIAL Sam SLAIGHT Brenda STEPHENS Jo-Ann STEPHENS Wanda SUMMERS Laura WOODWARD Jann Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html ----- Original Message ----- From: Billy Covey <BILLCOVEY@worldnet.att.net> To: <ARDESHA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: 07 January, 2000 9:05 AM Subject: Membership List > OK folks. This is my latest list of ARDESHA-L folks. There are 19 of > us. If anyone else is out there please let me know. If anyone has > left please let me know. > > Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer was still tryin' to catch Sugar May the > last I heard. > > Bill Covey > Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer > Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz > http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html >

OK folks. This is my latest list of ARDESHA-L folks. There are 19 of us. If anyone else is out there please let me know. If anyone has left please let me know. Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer was still tryin' to catch Sugar May the last I heard. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html

How many of you folks remember Dante's Deadnin' which was just outside Dumas on Highway 1? How many of you folks remember what a deadnin' is? Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html

Ok, Bill, I'm still here....and all I know 'bout deadnin' is that they always use that stuff on me when I go to the dentist. amy

Ruth, Are related to the Donhams in Drew Co and the one who worked for the Missouri Pacific in Little Rock? Ralph was his name. C.L. Jones

Hi Folks: How many of you folks remember Brown's Field out there near Watson? I can remember riding to school in a covered wagon from Brown's Field during the season that the old pre-war bus couldn't make it in the mud. Not too long ago I learned that Wanda James Rana was sent to school in Dumas, I don't know how they managed to send her because she was in the Watson School District, because the ol' bus was not dependable. Wanda James Rana was my friend that happened to be a girl and not my girlfriend. I am told that she passed away several years ago. I think the world lost a little of its life as a result of that life passing. Wanda James was the daughter of Clark Rana. I can't remember her father's name. I haven't seen any of them since about 1957. Wanda James came from their store across the road to our store to meet my new birde, Angela Jane Hudson, who joined me from Brighton, Sussex, England. Incidentally, Angela and I were married in July of 1957 and are still very much tied one to the other even stronger than that July day so many years ago. Angela is now pretty much known as The Mama Lady and she's a good'un. Bill Covey Creator of Ol' Tubby Joe Stottlemeyer Author of: Watson Is Where It Wuz http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Station/3265/Welcome.html

(The information below is an excerpt, transcribed from BIOGRAPHICAL & HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. The Goodspeed Publishing Co. Chicago, Nashville & St. Louis. 1890. Other items from this book will be included from time to time in future messages. They should be of interest to those of us who have roots in Desha County.--LR) The officers of Desha County, since its organization, have been as follows: County and Probate Judges J. R. Morris, 1838-40 L. V. R. Ryan, 1840-42 J. Wilkinson, 1842-46 S. H. Davis, 1840-48 R. L. Mayson, 1848-52 W. R. Anderson, 1852-56, 1858-60 G. B. Watson, 1856-58, 1860-62 E. Randolph, 1862 to Jan. 1, 1865 Robert C. Mayson, Jan. 1, 1865, to 1866 John Hyde, 1866-72 W. B. Peterson, 1874-76, 1878-82, 1884-89 J. P. Clayton, 1876-78 B. F. Merritt, 1882-84 J. P. Jones, 1889-90 Clerks G. B. Watson, Jr., 1838-40 G. B. Watson, 1840-42 W. F. Berry, 1842-44 D. G. W. Leavitt, 1844-46 D. Ripley, 1846-48 W. A. Doherty, 1848-52 John Davis, 1852-54 J. P. Clayton, 1854-60 J. D. Murphy, 1860-62 I. M. Murphy, 1862-64 James Murphy, 1864-72 R. E. Doran, 1872-74 J. W. Grayson, 1874-76 J. P. Jones, 1876-86 H. Thane, 1886-90 This official is ex officio clerk of the county and probate courts and recorder. Sheriffs A. C. Jamison, 1838-40 H. C. Hinton, 1840-42 G. Cooper, 1842-50 E. Randolph, 1850-54 G. E. Mayson, 1854-58 J. V. Jacobs, 1858-60 S. C. Clayton, 1860-62 S. T. Howill, 1862-66 V. R. Ryan, 1866-68 A. A. Eddington, 1868 to May 3, 1873 W. W. Granger, May 3, 1873 to 1874 J. P. Jones, 1874-76 I. Bankston, 1876 to January 11, 1884 Jacob S. Ross, January 11, 1884 to February 11, 1884 S. W. Lowman, from February 11, 1884 M. W. Quilling, 1884-86 John G. Warfield, 1886-90 Treasurers William Sexton, 1838-50 C. Stroud, 1850-54 J. R. Chiles, 1854-56, 1880-84 J. L. Martin, 1856-60 B. B. Brett, 1860-62 S. C. Clayton, 1862-64 Thomas Scott, 1864-72 D. McGrath, 1872-74 E. Mills, 1874 to July 10, 1875, when J. R. Chiles was elected E. K. Eddington, 1876-80 R. W. Smith, 1884-88 J. S. Johnson, 1888-90 Coroners Rufus Mixture, 1838-40 E. Cheatham, 1840-42 L. J. Boyd, 1842-44 W. Wooley, 1844-46 W. Hodges, 1846-48 A. J. Cook, 1848-50 G. W. Knight, 1850-52 J. D. Turner, 1852-54 William Durr, 1854-56 D. F. Eddington, 1856-58 J. Simplins, 1858-60 T, McKallister, 1860-62, 1866-68 J. Hibbard, 1862 to Jan. 1866 P. M. Gilroy, 1868 to May, 1870 D. Alexander, Jr., May 1870-74 A. Jackson, 1874-76 Judge Hole, 1876-78 J. R. Chiles, 1878-80 J. H. Wellington, 1880-82 R. Dedman, 1882-84 J. C. Crenshaw, 1884-86 J. B. Amburn, 1886-90 Surveyors G. Cooper, 1838-40 L. B. Dickson, 1840-42 L. V. R. Ryan, 1842-46 G. W. Stokes, 1846-52 D. C. Weire, 1852-54 D. D. Weire, 1854-62 William Gardner, 1862-68 A. K. Moore, 1868-72 W. B. Dumas, 1872-74, 1880-82, 1884-86 W. N. Blockwell, 1874-78 H. E. Drake, 1878-80 Ben McGehee, 1882-84 C. C. Clayton, 1886-90 Assessors J. W. McThuston, 1862-64 J. T. Porter, 1864-66 W. A. Watkins, 1866-68 D. J. Murphy, 1868-72 P. Mitchell, 1872-74 L. Hunter, 1874-76 George Wilson, 1876-78 S. Williams, 1878-82 Acklin Patterson, 1882-84 Ed C. Wiliams, 1884-86 G. W. Grammar, 1886-88 Ed Gardner, 1888-90