CHAPTER VIII EARLY MERCHANTS 1. Early Stores 2. Major John Henry 3. Phillip Pennywitt 4. D.C. Williams 5. James A. Scott 6. Augustus Joseph Ward 7. Charles G. Scott 8. Alfred Wallace 9. Henry F. Meyer 10. Others Early Stores In Van Buren During the early part of 1881, a Mr. D. W. Fillingim of Des Arc wrote for the Van Buren Argus a series of articles bearing on the early history of Van Buren, he having lived here during the latter part of the thirties and early forties. A few of these have been preserved and thinking that some of these articles will be interesting to our older citizens we copy the following in regard to the business houses as they were in 1840. "Taking our stand at the foot of Main Street and turning our faces to the west we occupy what was then known as the "reserve" lying between Water Street and the Arkansas River. About 5 yards west of Main Street near the river bank, was a large frame house, occupied by Mr. C. G. Scott, as a wholesale and retail grocery establishment. It was also used for storing goods that were to be sent to country merchants in the interior. About 100 yards from this was what was known as the "Mansion House" kept by Mr. John Bostick. Across the street on the bank of a ravine was a small log house occupied by Mr. Thomas Hazen, as a small goods house. Turning north and crossing Water Street, was a little brick house occupied by Mr. Joe Hawkins as a saloon and billiard room. Turning east the next house was a small frame building occupied by Mr. Arrnstrong as a saloon and restaurant where the proprietor often invited his friends to partake of a nice dish of tripe or a nicely baked "possum." The next building was on the corner and occupied by J. A. and P. B. Scott as a mercantile establishment. On the opposite corner was the mercantile establishment of Turner and Chapman and next to that was the large business house of Bennett, Morril and Co. The next was the dry goods establishment of J. T. Medley and the next was the residence of Mr. S. G. Hensley, next the dry goods house of Starrand Griffith, then came the saddlery establishment of Snapp and Aash, then the mercantile establishment of Picket and Gregg which was perhaps the oldest establishment in the place. Next was a large frame building occupied by Peter Hanger and Co.. as a mercantile establishment and also by Sam Miles as a saloon and billiard room. This brings us back to the foot of Main Street. Turning to the left, the first house was an unfinished frame, the upper part of which was occupied by Sid Bennett as a tailor shop; next door was a small hewn log cabin occupied by R. P. and N. A. Pryor as a land office, the next was a block of buildings erected by Mr. John P. Smith-the finest room was occupied by John P. Smith as a tin shop. Across the street was the residence of Mr. Lewis Snapp, who I believe had the honor of being the first mayor of the City of Van Buren. The next building was a frame occupied by John Pierson as a gun shop and by A. M. Bush as a barber shop. On the top of the second bank was an old blacksmith shop. The next house was Hon. Jesse Turner's law office which he occupied for near half a century. On the adjoining lot was the residence of J. P. Smith. The next house was on the second block, a log, occupied by Jackson White; near it was the brick yard of Daniel Wilson, and on the brow of the hill stood the residence of Levi Korn. Passing back to the foot of Main Street and going north, the first house was the Columbus hotel, then kept by David Bartley. Next, on adjoining block, was occupied by Mr. S. D. Daugherty as a cabinet shop. Next was Mrs. Cady's cake and beer establishment, standing about where Messrs. Wallace and Ward afterwards built a store house. Passing the public square on the block north of it, was the residence of Mr. Houck and the wagon shop of Joe Hawkins and John Greer. The last house on the street was the residence of Mr. Bright Howell opposite that of Levi Korn, on the west side. Col. Drennen and Thomas P. White had residences on the hill west of town and there were a number of others worthy of notice, but without a map of Van Buren I could not undertake to locate them. A male and female school was taught in the old Union church by C. B. Kellem, a minister of the Baptist church. Phelps and Penn were engaged in putting up frame houses; Geo. A. Davis, house and sign painting. A man named Dugan kept a little market house on the Reserve near the C. G. Scott establishment. "C. G. Scott who occupied the frame house on the Reserve afterwards formed a co-partnership with P. H. White and Phillip Pennywitt, the firm name being Scott, White & Co. They erected a large brick store at the foot of Main Street adjoining the Hanger house, where they opened a wholesale and retail business; also engaged in receiving, storing and selling goods to country merchants. After a few years the house dissolved and established a new firm, Pennywitt & Co., who continued until the business was suspended by the war. Mr. Scott then went to Little Rock, remained there several years, and removed his family back to Van Buren. "John Bostick who was holding forth the Mansion House, removed to the country and engaged in farming for a time. He afterwards rented the houses occupied by Dan Wilson, not far from D. Dickson's grocery store. Not long after he erected a large brick hotel near Bright Howell's residence, which he occupied until his death. "Thomas Hazen was a Canadian by birth and came to Van Buren at an early day. About 1842 he removed his goods to the Creek Nation where he remained for some time, then moved back to Van Buren. He did not remain there long but went to some other point and died soon after. "Joe Hawkins, who kept a saloon and billiard table opposite the Mansion House, engaged in a wagon shop in connection with John Greer. Some years after the gold fever broke out in California, he went there and died soon afterwards. Mr. Armstrong, the keeper of the restaurant, died about 1841. "Jas. A. Scott, the senior member of the firm of J. A. & P. B. Scott, was in 1840 elected to the state senate from Crawford County. Some years afterwards his health became very much impaired and he made a trip to California thinking that the pure air of the Pacific coast might restore him. He returned after a time much improved in health, but soon relapsed into his former condition. He removed to near Neosho, Mo., and engaged in the milling business but did not live but a few years. Of his brother, Perry B. Scott, I can give no information. "Samuel M. Chapman, partner of George Turner, was a native of Maine, and after the death of Mr. Chapman he was associated with his brother, Sanford Turner, until 1847, when he engaged in steamboating. I believe he left Van Buren and located in Camden and after the war went to Texas on a trading expedition and died in that state. "Jos. T. Medley was killed in the Cherokee Nation about the year 1841. David Bennett, the senior member of the firm of Bennett, Morril & Co., resided in or near Boston and seldom visited the house of which he was the head. "Jos. Bennett, brother of David, resided at Fort Smith, had an oversight of the house at that place and frequently visited the one at Van Buren. After the dissolution of the old firm he kept a large wholesale house at Fort Smith. "Luther C. Morrill was a Vermonter. He had been engaged in steamboating previous to entering the mercantile business. When the old. firm dissolved he entered into co-partnership with Jos. P. Marean and did business in Van Buren until after the beginning of the war. "Moses Greenwood, the other member of the firm, went to New Orleans and was engaged in the commission business for many years doing a large business with Arkansas merchants. I have no information of him since close of the war. "Samuel Henseley was among the oldest settlers. He was the business deputy of Faniel R. Looney, sheriff of Crawford County, when the latter died soon after his reelection. When the federal army came into the country he went to Texas. "Henry Starr, the senior member of the firm of Starr, Griffith & Co., died about the year 1847. "Samuel L. Griffith, after winding up the affairs of the old firm, moved into the country and remained some time. He afterwards became a member of the firm of Sutton, Griffith & Co., of Fort Smith and later a partner in the house of Bostick, Pennywitt, Griffith & Co., of Fort Smith. When the war ended he went to Memphis and engaged in business there. He then removed to Little Rock where he died. "Lewis Snapp removed to Little Rock and was for some time engaged in staging and steamboating. He built the Ellen T. expressly for the Arkansas River trade. "George C. Pickett was an old settler, and at one time clerk of the court. He died about 1858. "John Gregg was one of the old settlers. About 1844 he moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, and engaged in farming until the close of the war when he moved to the vicinity of Camden, Texas. Subsequently he went to Marshall, Texas, where he lost his children one by one until all were gone. Mrs. Gregg was lost by the sinking of the steamer Stonewall on the Mississippi River. "Peter Hangar, the proprietor of the Hangar House, moved to Little Rock in 1846 where he engaged in staging. "Samuel Miles went to California about 1850 and from thence returned to his native home, Philadelphia. "Leonard Wilhaff was the color sergeant, who bore the flag of the Crawford County company in Col. Yell's regiment in the Mexican war. He returned after the regiment was mustered out and continued at the old stand. "Morgan Gray returned to his home in New York during the year 1841. He was, it is said, the victim of a sad disappointment in a love affair with one of Van Buren's fair daughters. "John P. Smith sold out his tin ware establishment to R. S. Roberts and engaged for several years in staging. During the war he fell or was thrown out of a window in the second story of George Austin's store and was killed. Whether it was the result of accident or whether it was done by some one who had entered the store for the purpose of robbery is not known. "John Peirson removed to Fort Smith. "Jackson White was, for many years, constable of the city of Van Buren, the duties of which office he faithfully discharged." ******************************************** MAJOR JOHN HENRY Major John Henry was one of the very early merchants of what is now Van Buren. It is not known when he arrived here; different dates have been given. He was born in Massachusetts in 1806, and at an early age removed to Nashville, Tennessee. While there, a close friendship was formed between Mr. Henry and Governor Sam Houston, which ended only with Houston's death. When Samuel Houston gave up everything, and went to the wilds of Texas and the Indian Territory, Mr. Henry accompanied him. While on his way to the Cherokee country, he must have become attached to this spot, and settled. In the notice of his death it speaks of Houston and Henry engaging in business at Van Buren, which was conducted mostly by the latter for two years, often going to New Orleans and chartering a boat to bring his goods back. Being so far from Little Rock and with so little communication he could have carried on the mercantile business at what is now Van Buren, without any notice being in the papers. The first notice to appear in the Little Rock papers, was when he established himself in business in 1835, at Columbus at the stand formerly occupied by the Edward Cunningham company. Later we find him in business at Van Buren with Ed Cunningham. Their store was a brick one being located on Water Street a block from Main Street. When they moved into the brick store on the corner of Main and Third streets, is not known. While located there, Mr. D. C. Williams became associated with him in business. They continued in business at that stand, until the beginning of the War Between the States, when Mr. Henry removed to New Orleans, and entered into business having as his partner, Brown Taylor, a young man who had made his home with Major Henry previous to his removal to New Orleans. Mr. Henry was married to Miss Adaline Parks of Franklin County, on August 21, 1838. Their home was a large one story brick house surrounded by large cedar trees, situated on the side of the mountain north of the town, affording a fine view of Van Buren, and the river. When the books of the Van Buren and Fayetteville Turnpike Company were opened for sale of stock in 1838, Major Henry was the one to have charge of selling. In 1840 he was elected a director of the Real Estate Bank at Van Buren. Whether he took an active part in city affairs is not known, nor how he obtained the title major. He died at New Orleans, February 19, 1891.