Drew County, In Its Early Years - To 1880, by Mrs. J. D. McCloy, Sr. Published in the Advance Monticellonian February 12, 1942 Lacey evidently existed when the County was formed or immediately thereafter. A Mr. Dudley Daniel, grandfather of our Circuit Clerk, Mr. George Spencer, and Mrs. Lina Pope of this city, gave the ground for the business section, and Mrs. Pope's mother, Margaret Ann Killian, in 1856, donated ground for the Methodist Church and parsonage. Lacy Female Institute was founded January 6, 1853 and another known as Fountain Hill Academy was incorporated January 26, 1851 at Fountain Hill, just beyond Lacey. During the War, our Court, in 1863, allowed $50.00 for transportation and safe-keeping of our County records, in case the Federals invaded the town during the war, and we know they did. It is noted in the records that on July 11, 1865, Mr. Perry Lambert was allowed $10.00, and on July 16, Mr. M. H. Burks was allowed $6.00 for "hauling up the county record books." Both men lived near Lacey, and as Court met there in October 1864, all this seems to make us believe these books were stored and cared for at Lacey. We are very fortunate indeed to have all of our County Record books intact. Not all counties have been so fortunate. Selma was another village that early began to bud, but blighted when her neighbor, Tillar, in 1879 began to bud also due to the entrance of the Iron Mountain Railroad. Business houses moved from the former place to Tillar; the same ones who had given Selma a support now did likewise for Tillar. Major J. T. W. Tillar, Dr. A. C. Stanley and Mr. Chesley C. Clayton were three of these. Mr. Tillar gave land for a Methodist Church at Selma in 1868, but a snow storm caved it in; and as the Baptists had just builded, the Methodists assumed a share of the indebtedness which Major Tillar paid for them; so both denominations have worshipped together throughout the years. Dr. Stanley gave ground for a railroad station and school house at Tillar, and built the first schoolhouse. He also built the depot and was paid for same in freight allowances. Tillar Mercantile business has operated there 63 years. It occupies almost a block now, and they operate one of the largest farms in the State. Running near the two towns is the old Military Road of historical fame, once the Spanish trail from Memphis to Mexico, the road over which Gen. Jackson transported troops, and over which the emigrating Indians were carried into Indian Territory. On the Bayou somewhere near is the Indian Village so often referred to in the county records. The town of Collins dates back to early fifties. In 1852, Gen. Benjamin Collins builded a large two story tavern there which today houses Drew County's only Antique Shop. It was the only hotel Collins ever had. He operated it, a farm, gin, store and tanyard. He donated ground for the cemetery, the business section, the Baptist Church and builded same. Drew County's first railroad came to Collins in 1873, eight years before it reached Monticello, when its east terminus was changed from Chicot City to Arkansas City. Several men who became wealthy got their first business start at Collins, as J. T. W. Tillar, A. E. Harris, C. M. Boyd, Jas. Courtney and others perhaps. Going to the western and northern parts of our County, there were no towns of any consequence, due perhaps to proximity of earlier towns in Bradley County or Pine Bluff, where farmers from Drew often hauled their cotton, three and four days being required for the trip. There were splendid neighborhoods, however, and churches and schools established. In fact the first Methodist Church south of Little Rock was at Montongo (Camp Ground) in 1845, and the State Conference met there in 1846. Rev. Fountain Brown is said to have been one of its earliest ministers. Throughout the years, now nearly a century, these camp meetings have been held the last week in August. Many years those from a distance camped in tents and frame shacks built for the purpose. In the early fifties, Mr. J. H. Cavaness, a large land owner, bought and located here, erecting a general merchandise store and taking charge of the post office. He donated 20 acres by the Church for a cemetery, one of the best kept in the county, and ten acres not far away to the negroes for some purpose. Methodist Churches were erected at an early period at Barkada and at Rock Springs prior to which a community home was used for Church and Sabbath School. In 1849 when Monticello came into existence (for it is a Forty-niner), a Mr. Brandon taught a school of one hundred pupils at Camp Ground. Mr. A. J. McQuiston was teacher at the beginning of the war when many of his fine young men volunteered for service in the war. For many years Mr. McQuiston was prominent in County school work. A few miles north of the Camp Ground, in 1858, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian builded a Church at Relfs Bluff; Mt. Zion it was called. Dr. J. M. Brown was its minister for more than thirty years. In 1867 it became a Presbyterian U. S. Church. A school of much notoriety was located here also, known as Lyell Female Institute, named for Sir Charles Lyell, noted geologist, and friend of the founder, Dr. W. D. Kersh and wife, Jane Stirling Moore Kersh, highly educated and cultured people who came from South Carolina for the express purpose of establishing such a school in Arkansas. Because of the high location this place was selected by them. This was a boarding school where English branches, Science, higher Mathematics, Music on guitar and piano, as well as etiquette, were taught. So popular was it that not only did those within riding distances attend, but boarders were had from plantations up and down the Arkansas River, from Texas and other states. They were assisted by the Misses Moore, sisters of Mrs. Kersh, also from South Carolina. They continued their school until Dr. Kersh's death, more than thirty years. He was buried in the cemetery by the Mt. Zion Church, four Masonic lodges officiating. We find many early schools, both common and private, of about two and three months duration, usually taught in the Church or Meeting House as then called. In 1842 Gaster Schoolhouse on Gaster Hill where Stephen Gaster had moved his family, was the voting place for Marion Township, of Bradley County, of which Drew was then a part. As early as 1836 there was a school at Independence; very likely it was the log schoolhouse beyond and near Union Ridge (Scrouge Out) known as Rodgers Schoolhouse, which later was used by Drew County's early court for a meeting place, for it was at Independence (Rough and Ready) that our County seat was first established. It seems to have been a thriving little village, beautifully located on a high ridge. There were several stores, residences, a tanyard of note and a distillery, fed by an everflowing spring branch just across the road from one of the County's oldest cemeteries. No court house was ever built there as our county records will testify. The building that by many was thought to have been the old courthouse, a large square two-story frame building located among a lovely grove of huge oaks, facing west, and which was occupied as a residence by Judge E. K. Haynes at one time, I believe, must have been what was called the Mansion House in those early days, and if so it was builded, with the consent of court, by B. C. Hyatt in 1849 and early '50 as a tavern to accommodate those traveling to and fro on the Gaines Landing road. In April 1850 court met there. End of Article __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/