I was wondering if anyone knows where the Black Diamond Community is? It is in the Bloomburg area, that is where my family came to settle back in the middle 1800. I am looking for information on the Thomas family Dianna

The Black Diamond Story by Beulah McKelvy Black Diamond is located in Miller county, Arkansas- Sulphur Township, about five miles Northeast of Olive Branch Church and about three miles north of Dodridge, Arkansas. The first settlers came as early as 1850. A railroad was built in 1894 - called the T.S.N. (Texarkana, Shreveport, Natchez) Two freight trains ran daily. Each train had a caboose, in which passengers rode. There was a small depot for passengers and freight. This small town became known as Black Diamond because of coal being discovered there. A Mr. John Kennedy discovered the vein of coal and dug for it. We do not know if it existed in paying qualities or brought in any wealth for it to be really black diamonds., or merely the fact a coal vein was found. But like all the names of places, "how it cam to be" always made an interesting story. The writer of the Black Diamond Story is Mrs. Beulah McKelvry, a long time citizen of Bloomburg. At this writing, she is 91 years young. She is a charter member of the First Methodist Church of Bloomburg, a devoted Christian, faithful and loyal to her church and community. It is with love and respect that we relate the history just as she has written it. She was born and reared at Black Diamond; married to C.A. McKelvy and had four sons, Alton, Ruel, K.P., and John. "Once I was going to Fouke, Arkansas, not very far away. I was a bit late getting my baby dressed. I heard the train blow, I knew I could not get to the depot in time, so I took a winding path the fishermen had made down to the "cut". Just as I got to the track, the caboose passed me. I yelled, MR. HILL, real loud. He was the engineer. He stopped the train, backed up, sent a brakeman to take my baby, and loaded me on his train." "Mr. and Mrs. Hill (engineer and his wife) were such fine people. When he retired, they moved back to Marshal Texas, their hometown. My brother, Jewell Evers, who helps at the office at the Miller County Courthouse, attended Mr. Hills funeral. Jewel had spent so much time at the Hills home when he was young, and loved them so much." She continues her history saying "The T.S.N. built a spur from Black Diamond through the country side to bring logs from the huge Waldrop Farm and others to the big sawmill. "A very sad accident happened at this "Spur". Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bigby lived near the spur. Their little two and one-half year old son was playing on the railroad track and several loaded cars ran over him, befor the train could stop. The only hurt he got was his little left hand was cut off." The little train dumped the logs on a skidway at Black Diamond. A train picked the logs up, carried them to Ft. Lynn Arkansas, to be cut into lumber. It was a huge sawmill at Ft. Lynn and employed many workmen. The company operated a commissary, which paid the men in "chips". They were made of material like our present day plastics. They were different colors and sizes, each denoting it's value. They could only be spent at the commissary. It took a long time to build the T.S.N. They had to build a turntable. J.E. Evers furnished the rocks and was glad to get them off his 160-acre farm. Mrs. McKelvy's mother, Mrs. J.E. Evers boarded the employees of the sawmill. She gave the men a large eighteen-foot room with three beds in it. Later, two more men, Taylor Sikes and Charlie long, came and they had to sleep on mattresses on the floor. They have a bit of fun out of Mr. Long., the men tell him that Taylor Sikes had fits and not to be scared if he had one. So Taylor had a fit the first night. The next night Charley Long picked up a sad iron (old-fashioned iron) from the hearth and placed it on the floor at the head of his bed. He was asked, " Why the iron?" He replied, "If Sikes has a fit tonight, I plan to have one too." Mr. Long had sensed the joke and turned the tables on the jokesters, and Mr. Sikes had no more fits. Mrs. McKelvey gives us this story, clearing up what the "cut" meant mentioned in the story earlier. When her son, Ruel, was six or seven years old, he walked the rail of the bridge across this deep cut through a high hill. This bridge was sixty feet or more long over this deep cut and she continues, "Boys will be boys." This old T.S.N. Railroad was sold to T.P. R.R. and still operates from Hosston, Louisiana, south. The track has been removed from Hosston to Texarkana. Black Diamond exists only in name today. It is a rural area with many nice farm homes, with cattle grazing, feed crops, and truck patches, taking the place of huge cotton crops and saw mills. We relate an interesting story of an old family, Mr. Simon Waldrop. Mrs. Waldrops sister, Mrs. Brown, lived with them. They were all old people when Mr. I.D.Davis lost his wife by death and started out to find himself a cook. He went to the widow Templeton, trying to court her, but was turned down., then to see Mrs. Orleana Brown who also turned him away. Some time later, Mrs. Orleana came top Mrs. J.E. Evers crying. She said " Alice, I want you to wite a letter to Mr. I.E. Davis. Tell him to turn his horses right down this way and not stop until he gets here, and if he'll marry me, I'll marry him, if he treats me good, I will treat him good." Mr. Davis did that very thing. They set a date on a Monday morning, 9 A.M. The young girls thought it so funny. Sarah Waldrop, Woodie Manley, Ada Sams, Belle Evers, and others, dressed Mrs. Brown, who was tall with big hands and feet, small head and little hair, which they twisted into a little knot, the size of a hickory nut and tied a large blue ribbon on it, accenting her long neck. The girls were out on the grass to see the bride and groom come out of a small room on the end of the front porch. Mrs. Brown was pigeon toed and had a long southern drawl. When they came out, she noticed that they were standing crosswise of the plank, took Mr. Davis by the arm, pulled him straight wit the plank saying, "It's bad luck to marry standing crosswise of the plank". The girls had quit a laugh. Mr. Davis lived a few years. After his death, his heirs shooed Mrs. Davis out. Mr. and Mrs. John Waldrop took the poor old women in and kept her until her death. Our schoolhouses were small; built in the pines. The terms were short, beginning with the laying by of the crops to gathering of the crops. In those days, one could teach school on a third grade certificate. That is when they finished tenth grade, which was high as out highschool taught. Should one want to get what was called "higher learning", they would have to go to some larger town, for the eleventh and twelfth grades. Then they would get a second and first grade certificate. The same way with doctors. They'd take their higher learning in medicine, come home, buy saddlebags, throw them across their saddle and start out as a doctor. At one time we had several doctors from Olive Branch to Red River. Dr. Dodd, Dr. Adcock, Dr. Kellet, Dr. Cabiness, Dr. Bryant, Dr, Westbrook, and two Mr. McCaslands- Dr. Jeff and either his brother or father who went by the name of "Old Doc". They were all good doctors for the time and age.In those days, they used powdered drugs which they measured on the point of their pocket knives, put it on a small square of paper, then folded it. Before I was grown, capsules came on the market and we were glad, for mother put our quinine in coffee and the bitter taste lingered a long time! Money was scarce and the doctors received very little pay for services. Mother and dad owned a grocery store and ran the post Office (Bigby post Office, Black Diamond), Until Mother retired due to age. This post office was moved to Dodridge, Arkansas. Prior to this, around 1900, Mr. Carl Bigby and my father were in the business together and Mr. Bigby had the post office. When Mr. Bigby moved to Doddridge, my father bought him out, and my mother ran the post office. Her salary was the amount of stamps sold.

Did you also send the request to Cass County Texas? TxCass-L-Request@rootsweb.com to subscribe. TxCass-L@rootsweb.com to send mail. I have a Bloomburg book that covers some 1800 stuff, and YES it had info on Black Diamond. I will type it for you and send next letter. May take me a bit. It does have some info on the name Thomas. Page 13- refers to Uncle Tommy Thomas who was the Justice of the Peace in the Bright Star area- I can not find a date. A story, I will copy it for you if you want. Page 69- refers to Dr. Sherman and Emma (Thomas) sherman were the parents of eight children. (Bio of Dr. Samuel Tilden Sherman) Page 64- Besides Mrs. Harrist, there is one other daughter who reswides in Texarkana, three bothers of Mrs. Harrist and Mrs. Thomas are now deceased. (I did not undertand the writer on that part) I will send you the rest in a bit- Vicki

Send question or replies to-(JERRY MORRISON) lwm@genesisnetwork.net Subj: [AGS-L] U.S. Territorial Papers Date: 4/5/99 4:56:17 PM Pacific Daylight Time From: lwm@genesisnetwork.net (Jerry Morrison) To: AGS-L@rootsweb.com As promised a couple of weeks ago, I've transcribed all of the entries in the "Executive Register for the Arkansas Territory 1819-1836" from the books "Territorial Papers" a U.S. Government publication. The Exec. Register lists those people who served as Magistrates, Sheriffs, Clerks, Coroners, Judges, etc. in Arkansas Territory and various Counties before Arkansas achieved statehood. I don't know how many names are included but there are 4060 entries. There is an entry for each commission issued and some persons have 4 or 5 entries. To make it easier to use, I sorted the information into alphabetical order by Surname. I recognized a lot of misspelled names but didn't take the liberty of changing them so check all of the alternate spellings. Stop by and thank Jacquelyn Bonds, the coordinator of the Pope County Genweb site for posting these. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ar/pope/pope.html -- Thanx, Jerry Morrison,

Yes, I am looking for information on a Thomas (Tom) Thomas of the Miller County area. Any help would be appreciated. Dianna Bryant byrd44@longview.net

JOHN W. HERRING (age 43) and SUSAN A. (age 37 ), as shown in the LAFAYETTE CO., AR. 1870 US Census,. This area is now known as MILLER CO, AR. Their children are shown as Nancy C., A. M. (boy), Franklin W., A. A. (girl), Wm. W., George H, . Susan A., Cullen M (Susan and Cullen were twins), and H. J.(boy). Family stories have always said that this HERRING family lived in the Texarkana, Lafayette Co., AR during the Civil War Time. My grandmother was Dora Evelyn Herring, daughter of WILLIAM WESLEY HERRING and LuCreatia Woodard. William Wesley was born July 20, 1862 in Jefferson Co., ???, married LuCretia, aka Lucreacy, aka Lou Cressia Elizabeth Woodard around Nashville, TN July 30, 1885. William Wesley and LuCretia lived in and around Broken Bow, OK, Grannis, AR, & Wicks, AR. All these towns are in the same general area......North Arkansas . LuCretia was said to have 3 brothers...Jess, George, and Jim and 2 sisters, Mattie, & Mary. William >Wesley is buried in Haynesville, LA . The children of William Wesley and >LuCretia are: Lucy (Lucrecy) Angeline, Jess Jonce (He died in 1995 at the >age of 104) , Dora Evelyn (my grandmother), William Bean, Mary Allie, Henry >Franklin, George Jacob (lived and died in Haynesville) , James Alex, >Charles Arthur, LEWIS MONROE (probably the one you were asking about, >Michelle) , Dona Viola (still living in Grannis, AR) , John Calvin, and >Arieta Leona (called Etta). > >I want desperately to hear from all of you, please.........soon. > >Carla Henry Horne (achorne@ipa.net) >Magnolia, AR Anita Carla Horne Anita Carla Henry Horne

Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 19:13:33 -0700 From: rgphold <rgphold@midrivers.com> Reply-To: rgphold@midrivers.com Organization: Midrivers-Internet X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 To: jj johnson <gnbf@tampabay.rr.com> Subject: LDS online JJ, here is the link for the LDS site that is up and running. I will let you post it. Ann http://32.96.111.13/default.asp

I am researching the below family from Lafayette Co., AR ( now Miller Co.) Sure would like to find some cousins out there. Carla > JOHN W. HERRING (age 43) and SUSAN A. (age 37 ), as shown in the LAFAYETTE > CO., AR. 1870 US Census,. This area is now known as MILLER CO, AR. > Their children are shown as Nancy C., A. M. (boy), Franklin W., A. > A. (girl), Wm. W., > George H, . Susan A., Cullen M (Susan and Cullen were twins), and H. > J.(boy). > > Family stories have always said that this HERRING family lived in the > Texarkana, Lafayette Co., AR during the Civil War Time. > > My grandmother was Dora Evelyn Herring, daughter of WILLIAM WESLEY HERRING > and LuCreatia Woodard. William Wesley was born July 20, 1862 in > Jefferson Co., ???, > married LuCretia, aka Lucreacy, aka Lou Cressia Elizabeth Woodard around > Nashville, TN July 30, 1885. William Wesley and LuCretia lived in and > around Broken Bow, OK, Grannis, AR, & Wicks, AR. All these towns are in > the same general area......North Arkansas . LuCretia was said to have 3 > brothers...Jess, George, and Jim and 2 sisters, Mattie, & Mary. William > >Wesley is buried in Haynesville, LA . The children of William Wesley and > >LuCretia are: Lucy (Lucrecy) Angeline, Jess Jonce (He died in 1995 at > the > >age of 104) , Dora Evelyn (my grandmother), William Bean, Mary Allie, > Henry > >Franklin, George Jacob (lived and died in Haynesville) , James Alex, > >Charles Arthur, LEWIS MONROE (probably the one you were asking about, > >Michelle) , Dona Viola (still living in Grannis, AR) , John Calvin, and > >Arieta Leona (called Etta). > > > >I want desperately to hear from all of you, please.........soon. > > > >Carla Henry Horne (achorne@ipa.net) > >Magnolia, AR > > Anita Carla Horne

Hello, Donald Martin McKinney (born 1907) was shot in a shootout in a nightclub located at "Three Points" I believe, which was located where Texas, Arkansas and Lousiana meet. This shooting was Aug. 28, 1937. I have one newspaper article, from Shreveport, the day after. This article was pretty general, but it said the body was taken to an Atlanta, TX mortuary. Besides McKinney, who was killed, a couple others were wounded, including his step-daughter, who was attending business college in Texarkana, AR. I would like very much to obtain an article about this shooting, and follow-up articles, to learn what happened about this. Would there be anyone who would be able to check the Texarkana newspapers for this shooting? Sure appreciate your help. If I can do any research for you in MO., I will be happy to. Judy

Hi, I am interested in any Lively or Lovelady that lived in Miller Co., AR. I would very much like to find the time and place of death for my gggrandmother. I believe she is probably buried in Miller Co. Nancy Jane Henry Lovelady b 21 Nov 1811 SC was living in Sulfer, Miller Co., AR in 1880. She was enumerated with her son Robert. My ggrandparents John and Virginia Lovelady were enumerated below Nancy and Robert. Any information regarding these families will be appreciated. Thanks, Gayle

I am posting this to warn others about problems with ; Census Microfilm Expeditors 476 E. South Temple , Suite 4 Salt Lake City , UT 84111 website ; www.censusmicrofilm.com e-mail ; gme@nwinfo.net I was lured to order several microfilm copies from this company with "guarantees" of "speedy delivery" and "low price" . My order was placed in October of 1998 and as of this posting I have not received the order or a refund after numerous contacts with Steven Jensen at this firm . In his occasional replies he repeatedly gave false information to me as to the status of the order and cashed the check when mentioned stopping payment on it .I have copies of all documents and correspondences for those interested . Complaints have been filed with the Better Business Bureau and the United States Postal Inspectors , they have informed me that even they can't order this company to give a refund , but may seek criminal charges . I guess small claims court is next . If you are seeking genealogy resources......consider my experiences with this "Firm". Thank you , Kenneth Sartin

Hi, Is the So We Ar publication you mention below from the South West Arkansas Genealogical Society, of Magnolia, Columbia Co., AR. If so I can probably help you. Let me know. Carla Henry Horne ---------- > From: SMBgen@aol.com > To: ARMILLER-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Journal Article > Date: Tuesday, March 02, 1999 8:11 AM > > Hello, > > Can someone help me with this? I am hoping to obtain a copy of an article > which appeared in So We Ar, vol. 18, Spring 1994 -- it is an article or > transcription of the AINSWORTH-CASSIDY-SMITH Bible. Sadly (sob) my local > library has So We Ar, but its holdings end with....vol. 17!! I don't want > anyone to make a special trip anywhere, but if someone happens to have this > journal handy, might I trouble you to either email the contents or snail mail > a photocopy? I would gladly pay for your time, copy, and postage costs. > > Many thanks! > > Sara M. Bettencourt > Houston, TX

Hello, Can someone help me with this? I am hoping to obtain a copy of an article which appeared in So We Ar, vol. 18, Spring 1994 -- it is an article or transcription of the AINSWORTH-CASSIDY-SMITH Bible. Sadly (sob) my local library has So We Ar, but its holdings end with....vol. 17!! I don't want anyone to make a special trip anywhere, but if someone happens to have this journal handy, might I trouble you to either email the contents or snail mail a photocopy? I would gladly pay for your time, copy, and postage costs. Many thanks! Sara M. Bettencourt Houston, TX

From: RWHitzman@aol.com To: AGS-L@rootsweb.com I have several sources on early Miller County settlers (before 1835), if anyone is researching this area. Permanent white settlement took place in the area as early as 1815. The U.S. government vacillated for several years during early settlement as to whether this area would be ceded to the Indians. The settlers were chased south of the Red River around 1818, later they were required to move north of the Red River. Much of old Miller County was included in the 1825 Choctaw treaty. Many early settlers, as well as those settling in early Lovely County who lost land under the Cherokee treaty, were eligible for "donation land grants" if they voluntarily left their lands by a certain date, which entitled them to claim unused public land elsewhere in Arkansas. Many early Miller County residents applied for and received these grants; others left the area for south Texas. Some hardy souls stuck around the Red River area. There was a quarrel as to whether the land "belonged" to the U.S. or Mexico. This quarrel was ended by the Texas Revolution. Best wishes, Rebecca Hitzman >Has this information been sent to the Bowie County, Texas Rootsweb, or >Cass County Rootsweb lists? If not, is it ok for me to share this information >with them? GVRichards@aol.com. Hi - I am listed on the volunteer lookup GenWeb pages for Miller Co., AR, and Red River Co., TX, I believe. You are welcome to pass the information on. I have listed names from various petitions from Miller Co. (1821, 1825, 1828) and names from the Wavell Colony Register on the Red River page. I have lists of donation grant applicants and recipients. And I do limited lookups in Skipper Steely's "Six Months from Tennessee," about early Miller County settlers. Happy to help out. Best wishes, Rebecca

Hello Kuzinz, Please find attached my new PERMANENT email address: gnbf@tampabay.rr.com Thanks for your patience with the recent changes...jj

To everyone in the Texarkana surrounding Counties. TXBowie TXCass ARMiller I have not seen this posted, and just stumbled on the information myself while looking for the Texarkana Movie Theater. The Texarkana Public Library is on line.. Not just a web page, but all of their Catalog listings..You go to the web page first, and then click through.. <A HREF="http://www.txar-publib.org/home.htm">Library Index Page</A> http://www.txar-publib.org/home.htm Warning- it takes a little time to load, and you have to follow directions and use their forward and back, not your browsers... but the results were wonderful. VR

Need information on Ellis CABANISS, his mother Sarah CABINESS and her brother Andrew STEWART. They were reported to live in Miller County in 1920 but I have been unable to find them on the 1920 census. They were reported to live in or near Fouke. Appreciate any help. Roseanne Kaylor

JOHN W. HERRING (age 43) and SUSAN A. (age 37 ), as shown in the LAFAYETTE CO., AR. 1870 US Census,. This area is now known as MILLER CO, AR. Their children are shown as Nancy C., A. M. (boy), Franklin W., A. A. (girl), Wm. W., George H, . Susan A., Cullen M (Susan and Cullen were twins), and H. J.(boy). Family stories have always said that this HERRING family lived in the Texarkana, Lafayette Co., AR during the Civil War Time. My grandmother was Dora Evelyn Herring, daughter of WILLIAM WESLEY HERRING and LuCreatia Woodard. William Wesley was born July 20, 1862 in Jefferson Co., ???, married LuCretia, aka Lucreacy, aka Lou Cressia Elizabeth Woodard around Nashville, TN July 30, 1885. William Wesley and LuCretia lived in and around Broken Bow, OK, Grannis, AR, & Wicks, AR. All these towns are in the same general area......North Arkansas . LuCretia was said to have 3 brothers...Jess, George, and Jim and 2 sisters, Mattie, & Mary. William >Wesley is buried in Haynesville, LA . The children of William Wesley and >LuCretia are: Lucy (Lucrecy) Angeline, Jess Jonce (He died in 1995 at the >age of 104) , Dora Evelyn (my grandmother), William Bean, Mary Allie, Henry >Franklin, George Jacob (lived and died in Haynesville) , James Alex, >Charles Arthur, LEWIS MONROE (probably the one you were asking about, >Michelle) , Dona Viola (still living in Grannis, AR) , John Calvin, and >Arieta Leona (called Etta). > >I want desperately to hear from all of you, please.........soon. > >Carla Henry Horne (achorne@ipa.net) >Magnolia, AR Anita Carla Horne