CORRECTION...I mis-spoke on the Court house location...It is the BOONE County Court House where William Hanks probate papers and land records are located...He died in BOONE county , Harrison ARk..not Hempstead county...Sorry for the mis-speak..... Later...Joyce ---- [email protected] wrote: > If I may add.....The rest of the story....Roland Hanks was a brother to my great-grandfather, Lewis Elsner Hanks. When their father, William Hanks died in Hempstead county in 1872, their step-mother, Martha Fredricks, felt she could not care for her four young children and the three boys and their sister Olive, age 17. The boys, Millard age 22, Roland age20 and Lewis age 15, (in 1873) decided to go to Izard county where they knew families from Ala. and La. (where they were before coming to Ark). They did meet Preacher Jefferiy and continue on to his residence. The two older boys had been given a cash portion of their fathers estate, so they were not without funds. ( documents in Hempstead County Court house on William Hanks land and court dealings after his death.) They promised sister Olive they would send for her when they got settled...which they did. > > They had an older sister, Margaret, born about 1844 who married Joseph Jasper Buster. I have no record of two others, Andrew J. Hanks and Taylor W. Hanks. born about 1846 and 1848. > > William and Martha's children were Alexander R. 1866, Cora E. 1868, William B. 1870 and James L. Hanks 1872 ( William had died by July 1872). > > Later... > > Joyce > > ---- Philles Van Horn <[email protected]> wrote: > > In the book "The History and Families of Izard County, Arkansas" pg 126, it > > talks about the Hanks/Benbrook families. > > > > "Roland Hanks was orphaned when his father William died shortly after the > > Civil War. William had lost everything when federal troops raided his farm > > in Southern Arkansas. Dislocated without means, Roland and his brothers set > > out on foot in the Arkansas Wilderness. On the trail and hungry, they met > > Phillip Jeffery who befriended the lads and invited them to his home at > > Mount Olive, then the county seat of Izard County. Roland was 15 yrs old. > > Roland married Hulda "Jennie" Jeffery, daughter of Jessie Jeffery, a brother > > to Phillip. They settled at Mount Olive. Primarily a farmer, Roland was > > self educated and held prominent positions in the community: veterinarian, > > US Marshal, and Post Master. He was a strong advocate of better roads in > > the community. He was the last surviving grandparent, dying in 1940 at age > > 85 yrs. Both are buried at Mount Olive Cemetery.