[this info compiled by Lynn White from old land records. all previously published info [by me] was based on old newspaper accounts of recollections of Arthur Jolley and from an old letter written by same. Lynn's info dispells the myth re Ozment Bluff being settled by James and Alfred] Rebecca ......... About the Ozment land at the Bluff. I remember us talking about it when you were writing your book. I had got a chance to view the abstract in George Pacific's possession and discovered that the Ozment's weren't the first owners. The patent was 'issued' to Thomas W. Chowning on November 26, 1844. Which means he 'entered', with 'cash entry' the land a few years earlier. He may have never lived there, he owned other land west of the river, several miles. He sold the land on 1/10/1854 to Eli, John A., and Joseph Ozment, sons of James H. Ozment. I remember you told me that on the land you own that James' name was not on the patent either, but that of his sons. James H. received a patent on the land at Gee's Landing in 1844. He was living there, with the field cleared in November of 1841 when the government surveyor came along and surveyed the township. His son-in-law, Ben. Franklin was living north of him with his field already cleared also. Its interesting that Glenda Glennon once wrote a brief history of Possum Valley and in it she stated that the name Gee's Landing came from the command to horses to 'turn right, gee. How little people know of the area history. When James' sons purchased the land at Ozment's Bluff, or I should say some time after, it does appear that James moved up there. He sold the land, called Gee's Landing, to a man whose sir name was Gee. (This deed is not recorded however Mr. Gee starts paying tax on the land.) All records, even Robert C. Ozment's profile in "Goodspeeds" state that the James H. Ozment Jr. family came to AR several years before Alfred did. Perhaps at least 20 years before. This may be one reason for the marriages of the first cousins. There is no record of Alfred ever living or owing land even close to the Bluff, only folk lore. In the year 1854 the Ozments purchased several tracts of land, Alfred purchased his, at the Ozment/Valley Cemetery, 200 acres then also. Prior to these land purchases they were all living at the Gee place and McCarty and Barber places. I once received a letter from Lamar White about this 'sudden' purchase of land by our Ozments. I think he wrote they may have come into some money from the death of James H. Ozment Sr. back in TN. I'm not certain on this, I'll try to find the letter and let you know. I once copied, by hand, the Harris Bible records, when I find it I'll pass it along. Its interesting that in the abstract of the Gee Place, George Landsdale Place, now owned by Sonny Jones, that James H. Ozment Jr.'s will is included. It was not in the abstract for Ozment's Bluff. By the way I still have the family tree chart you drew for me, wish I would have had it when Mama White was living. I could have tied together the people she would tell about. Becky did you ever hear of William O. and Susanna K. Ozment being separated? Mama White told me this and records I have found this year seem to bear it out. Lynn ----------