CHAPTER I Before we take up the real subject of this book, let us take a glance backward to the time this great state of ours became a part of the United States, by the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. We find the last Spanish Governor to be Juan Manuel Salcedo. The present area of Arkansas was attached as unorganized territory in 1804 to the Territory of Missouri for judicial purposes. The President appointed General James Wilkinson as governor of the Indian Territory in 1805. In 1807 he was followed by General Merriweather Lewis, who served until his death in 1809. Frederick Bates, a brother of our James Woodson Bates, served as acting governor until General Benjamin A. Howard was appointed governor and served from 1810 to 1812, when he was succeeded by William Clark, younger brother of George Rogers Clark. He served until the Arkansas Territory was formed. This brief summary is given to refresh our memory, as few realize who had supervision over what is now Arkansas, before it became a territory. General James Miller of New Hampshfre was appointed by President Monroe, the day after Arkansas became a territory. This was March 3, 1819, thus becoming our first Territorial Governor. Robert Crittenden was appointed Secretary. General James Miller, as we know him, was born April 26, 1776, in Petersburg, New Hampshire, thus he was about 43 years of age when he became governor. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, and the hero of Lundy's Lane. All are acquainted with the story of his answer, when asked by his commander if he could silence the gun of a battery. He replied, "I'll try sir." New Hampshire is a long way from Arkansas. Through a mistake his commission had been sent to Arkansas Post. The mistake was not discovered until in June. His commission then had to be sent to New Hampshire. As the mode of travel was very slow, the commission was late in reaching him. The act forming the territory made July 4 as the date of organization. At that date Miller had not received his commission. Crittenden, living in Kentucky, was able to be in the territory on the date of the organization, so the responsibility devolved upon him. It was September before General Miller left New Hampshire and October 17 before the keel boat was ready for him to leave Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The boat was fitted up by the government in royal style, having a large and commodious cabin with many conveniences. On each side of the boat in large gilt letters, was the word "Arkansas". From the bow of the boat flew a large national emblem, on one of the white stripes was the words, "I'll try, sir". Governor Miller stopped at many of the larger towns. Being the hero of "Lundy's Lane" he received great ovation wherever he stopped. So it was the day after Christmas 1819, when he arrived at the village of Arkansas Post. General Miller at once called the Legislature together and laid before them the cause of his late arrivaL The remainder of his message contained plans for the good of the territory. His aide-de-camps, Samuel Dinsmoor and Rufus P. Spaulding, accompanied him to Dardanelle where held the first conference, after which many were held. He soon won the respect and admiration of the Indians. He soon learned two different classes of people could not live in harmony and prosperity within the boundary. So he advised the general Government it was best to begin the removal of the Indian, which was later done. It is said that General Miller travelled over much of the territory around Little Rock. When Governor Miller arrived there was talk of removing the territorial capitol from Arkansas post to another place. This was done in 1821. Governor Miller was opposed to putting the capitol at Little Rock, and also as a place of residence. He purchased a large tract of land 15 miles up the river from Little Rock, at Crystal Hill, where he established his home and remained there during his sojourn in Arkansas. Just after you cross Palarm Creek, on Highway 65, on your left, going east rises a hill of medium dimensions, which in the early days must have been covered with crystal rocks. A few can be found there now, thus the name, Crystal Hill. The Daughters of 1812 of Arkansas have erected a marker to his memory near Crystal Hill. In the latter part of 1824, President Monroe appointed Miller as Collector of Customs of the Port of Salem, Massachusetts, which he accepted in preference to being Governor or Congressman. While Governor, he spent much of the time out of the territory and the affairs were administered by Robert Crittenden, secretary. Early in 1825, President Andrew Jackson appointed General George Izard of South Carolina, as Governor of the Territory of Arkansas. Two authorities give his birthplace as Richmond, England, in 1777, while his father held a diplomatic position in England. Miles' Register gives his birthplace as Charleston, S. C. His early education was begun under a private tutor in England, and continued in the United States. When his father removed to New York, George entered Columbia University. The United States Capitol being removed to Philadelphia, George entered the University of Pennsylvania from which he was graduated. Having chosen the life of a soldier, Izard's father succeeded in obtaining from the President of the United States in 1792, a sub-altern commission for him in the Regiment of Artillerist and Engineers, with permission to send him to England to perfect himself in his chosen profession. For a while he attended a military school near Lonaon, until he could be sent to Germany, where it was considered the best military instructors could be obtained. Here he remained for two years. Later, through the influence of Mr. Monroe, Minister to France, he obtained permission to enter the French Engineers, the only instance of the kind ever known. Here he had the opportunity of acquiring a knowledge of the most useful branch of the military service. In 1797; he returned to America, and joined his regiments at the beginning of hostilities between France and the United States. Captain Izard was appointed Engineer for the harbor of Charleston. Later he was given the command of a regiment of artillery. This was in the War of 1812. Soon after, he was made a Major General and given an important command on the Canadian frontier. After the war, he returned to his home near Philadelphia, remaining there until he received his appointment as Governor of Arkansas Territory, from James Monroe on March 4, 1825, being the President's last appointment. Some authorities say he was appointed on March 5, by John Quincy Adams. It took considerable persuasion on the part of Monroe, before Izard accepted. He did not bring his family to Arkansas. General Izard is described as being of princely presence, and of noble physique, a true type of the Southern Gentleman of the Old School. Mr. Shinn says, "Izard was a clean man, well dressed, and was equally at home in the Kings' palace, or in an Indian hut. His speech was clean and his heart spotless. The only present he would ever allow a person to give him was a razor. When he left for Europe he had about 20, but he only brought about seven to Arkansas. Each marked with the day of the week." When he arrived about the last of May, 1825, Governor Miller had returned east. Robert Crittenden was in Washington with many of the state papers with him. The government appeared to be running itself. Being a military man, and a strict disciplinarian, Izard was not satisfied with the way things were being run. A good organizer, he soon had the government running smoothly. His fixed rules for requiring prompt reports and settlements broke up the habit of using public funds for private purposes. Civil officers were held to a strict account and his admisnistration was in every way a great, and wise one. At the death of Governor Izard on November 22, 1828, the state government again devolved upon Robert Crittenden, until a successor should be appointed. The opening of the year of 1829 witnessed a number of changes in the territorial administration. President Adams nominated Honorable Hutchings G. Burton of North Carolina to fill the vacancy created by the death of Governor Izard. The Senate did nqt confirm the nomination, not from any objection to the nominee, but taking the ground as, a new President had been elected, but not yet inaugurated, it. would be a matter of courtesy to await the nomination. When President Andrew Jackson took office, he appointed John Pope of Louisville, Kentucky. Pope, who was commissioned March 9, 1829, was a distinguished lawyer. He reached the Territory the last of May, and entered upon the discharge of his duties. In October, he brought his family here to live. He and his family were given a great reception in which the people, showed they were pleased to have their governor's family come to live among them. One of Governor Pope's first acts was to press upon the Post Office Department of the Government the expediency of establishing a weekly mail by "Steamboat" between Little Rock and Memphis. The mail heretofore had been carried overland, and was very uncertain. Due to his insistence the carrying by steamboat was established. Due to the lack of proper building facilities to store the valuable records, and a place to hold the legislative meetings, a movement was started during his administration to erect a building for that purpose. Congress on March 2, 1831, had granted ten sections of land in the Territory, to be selected out of any unoccupied government lands in its limits, the proceeds when sold to be applied to the building of a State House at Little Rock. In October, 1832, the governor issued his proclamation, directing that the ten sections granted by Congress be sold. The sale of the land netted $31,722.00. The work on the building was begun under the superintendency of Col. Chester Ashley, and prosecuted as diligently as circumstances would permit.Governor Pope had served in the United States Senate. He served as Territorial Governor until 1835, after which he returned to Kentucky, and was re-elected to Congress in 1838, and again in 1840. He died in 1844; Judge William Savin Fulton of Florence, Alabama, had served as Secretary of the Territory, during Governor Pope's administration, and was appointed Governor, February 23, 1835, by President Andrew Jackson. The work on the State House, which started in 1832, had been continued during the years of 1833-34 and 1835, during which time the building was completed on the outside, but the work on the inside of the building was not completed until 1840, four years after Arkansas was admitted as a state. The initial cost of the first State House, plus repairs on the building up to the year 1885, amounted to $158,379.00. On October 5, 1835, the ninth and last Territorial Legislature met at the Capitol and was convened in the Baptist Meeting House. Fulton served as Governor until Arkansas was ad mitted into the Union in 1836, when he was electe United States Senator and served until 1841. He was born in Cecil County, Maryland; June 2, 1795, and died at his family residence, "Rosewood", in Little Rock, August 15, 1844. The State Legislature assembled in its first sessi in the unfinished State House, September 12, 1836. At this time a Governor had to be elected by the Legislature. The result of the election was declared at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. James S. Conway was elected the first Governor of Arkansas, and was administered the oath of office by the noted lawyer, Albert Pike, who had formerly taught school at Van Buren in Crawford county.