************************************************************* RANSOM MOORE Ransom Moore was a native of Illinois, having been born in that state on the tenth of January 1800. When quite a young man he removed to Chicot County, Arkansas, and from there he came to Crawford County about 1829 and settled near the Arkansas River a short distance above the mouth of Lee's Creek where he purchased about 480 acres of land from the government at $1.25 per acre. He established a ferry across the Arkansas River which he operated for a number of years. In August in 1834 he, with William Duval, David Peevyhouse, Andrew Lester and John Rogers were appointed by the Crawford County court as reviewers to mark and lay off a road to Fort Smith running thence the nearest and best way to Ransom Moore's ferry one-half mile above the mouth of Lee's Creek to cross the Arkansas River as said ferry, thence to the lower ford on Lee Creek, thence the nearest and best way to intersect the Washington County Road at or near the forks of the road leading to Drag's mill at Fayetteville. Mr. Moore was a large slave owner, his descendants having in their possession several bills of sale showing where he had bought slaves some of which were bought at Little Rock from Samson Grey. The following is one of the bills of sale: Know all men by these present, that I, Samson Gray, the county of Pulaski and Territory of Arkansas for and in consideration of Seven Hundred dollars current money of the United States to me in hand paid by Ransom Moore the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged bargained and sold and do by these present bargain and sell and convey unto the said Ransom Moore a certain Negro man named Jerry about 34 years of age, a slave for life, and I, the said Samson Gray for myself, my heirs, executors and administrators and assigns, that the aforesaid negro man named Jerry is a slave for life and that he free and clear from all incumbrances and that I will warrant and defend the title of said negro against the claims and demand of all persons whatsoever and the said negro is sound and healthy and free and from any disease whatsoever. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand seal at Little Rock this thirteenth day of January, SAMSON GRAY, (Seal) Witness, Jas. Henderson. Ransom Moore was married to Martha ?? born January 5, 1809, most probably, in Chicot County. To this union eight children were born as follows: Elizabeth born January 21.1827; John, October 1829; Sarah E., November 23, 1834; Mathew C., April 1837; Mary J., October 15, 1839; Daniel B., December 2; Louis A., November 1, 1845. Only three of these lived to be grown. Elizabeth married and moved to Texas. Sarah Ellen married and a daughter lives at Joplin, Missouri; Matthew C., married Nancy Davis. His descendants, Mrs. Bessie Rutz and Charles Roberts are at Fort Smith. Mathew C., was in the Confederate being a member of Company "I", 9th Missouri regiment. Ransom Moore died in 1847, his wife survived him a number of years, passing away in 1875. Like many a Southern woman she endured trials and hardships during the War Between the States. ***************************** DAVID AKIN THOMPSON The lives of the two gentlemen whose biographies are given, were so closely connected in business that it is necessary for some repetition: David Akin Thompson was the son of Dr. David Thompson and bis second wife, Frances Akin, of New Castle, Delaware. Dr. David Thompson's father, John Thompson, was a native of Antrim, Ireland, and settled at New Castle, Delaware, in 1727; his son, David, was born there in 1775 and died at his residence, which was situated between New Castle and St. George's in the latter part of 1795. Dr. Thompson served for a short time in the hospital corps during the American Revolution. Dr. David Thompson's son, David Akin Thompson, was born near St. George's, Delaware, April 4, 1796, a few months after his father's death. At what time he and his mother came west and settled at Nashville, Tennessee, is not known. A letter speaks of members of the Thompson family moving west and they were very likely of the party. He was married to Lauretta Charlotte Deaderick, daughter of Thomas Deaderick, at the home of her sister, Mrs. James Stuart, afterwards Mrs. John Drennen, at Jonesborough, Tennessee, March 17, 1818. In 1826 he removed from Jonesborough, Tennessee, to Fayetteville, presumably in the same state. It must have been while living there that he and John Drennen entered into partnership. From there he left for Arkansas January 19, 1830, his wife and children following a few months later. In January 1831 he and his brother-in-law; John Drennen, are advertising a stock of goods contained in stores at Little Rock and Washington, Hempstead County, showing that he established himself in business soon after his arrival in Arkansas Territory. We next learn of him at Van Buren, as the Arkansas Gazette of May 23.1832, contains a notice of the dissolution of the partnership of Edward Cunningham and Company, the company being David Thompson and John Drennen. The two latter then settled at Columbus, one mile below Van Buren and entered the mercantile business again; some time while there, they were members of the firm of John Henry and Company. They remained at Columbus until the early part of 1837. In 1836 Thompson and Drennen purchased the land claims of Daniel and Thomas Phillips, being the land on which they founded Van Buren. He with William Hull and William Quesenbury were appointed by the governor in 1836 appraisers of land for Real Estate Bankers. Thompson died at Columbus, January 24, 1837. Mr. Thompson was one of four men having charge in 1838 of selling stock in the Dwight and Van Buren Turnpike Company also in the Arkansas Mining and Manufacturing company. In both Tennessee and Arkansas he dealt largely in buying and selling land, especially bounty land given Revolutionary soldiers for their service in the war. At one time he owned 150,000 acres distributed in 16 counties, many acres surrounding Spadra were included in this tract. He died very suddenly at the residence of Mr. L. N. at Morrison's Bluff, Arkansas, September 12, 1839, and was buried in Mr. Clark's family lot. He was survived by four children, Frances McAlester Scott, (Mrs. James), David, Calvin Morgan, and Julia Estelle. Descendants of Calvin are still living in Van Buren. ************************ JOHN DRENNEN John Drennen, son of Thomas and Isabella Drennen, was born at Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1801. In manhood he went to Missouri. While there he married, March 21, 1826, Mrs. Emily Deaderick Stuart at Potosi. The children of this union were Caroline L. (Mrs. C.G. Scott),· Margaret Hill, who died in 1837, and Johanna Perry. Soon after his marriage he went to Tennessee and into partnership with his brother-in-law, David in the mercantile business. During 1830 he and Mr. Thompson arrived in Arkansas and located at Little Rock. In November 1831 they advertised a large stock of goods at Little Rock and Washington, Hempstead County. They did not remain at Little Rock very long as an advertisement in a Little Rock paper of May 1832 speaks of Edward Cunningham of Van Buren buying out David Thompson and John Drennen, the other partners. Whether they settled first at Van Buren and then removed to Columbus a mile below Van Buren is not known but they and their families lived at Columbus. An advertisement in 1836 speaks of his being a member of the firm of John Henry and Company at Columbus. He was one of the founders of the town of Van Buren. In the fall of 1835 he was one of three elected to represent Crawford County in the first Constitutional Convention which met at Little Rock January 4 to 13, 1836, and assisted in drafting the first state constitution of Arkansas. He was also a member of the first House of Representatives held September 12 to November 8, 1836, and November 6th to March 5, 1838. He was postmaster from the latter part of 1836 to September 30, 1843. In 1838 when the Dwight and Van Buren Turnpike Company was organized Col. Drennen was one to obtain subscriptions. In the same year he also had charge of the books of the Arkansas Mining and Manufacturing Company. When one of the Resident State Banks was established at Van Buren in 1840, he was elected one of the directors. A company known as the Arkansas Frontier Guards was organized in Van Buren June 1846 and he was elected captain. This was first an infantry company but later horses were furnished them and they became a cavalry Company. March 28, 1848, he married for his second wife Kate Humphrey of Chicot County, Arkansas. Three sons were born of this union, Charles Holden, Henry Clay and William Moore, the two latter died in young manhood. Mr. Drennen was appointed by President Taylor June 1849, as an agent of the Choctaws and later superintendent of Indian affairs for the Southwestern superintendency. While on his way to Virginia to join his family and return with them he was stricken with yellow fever at Indianapolis, Indiana, and died there September 27, 1855. His remains were brought home and interned in the family lot in Fairview Cemetery, which land he had donated to Van Buren for a cemetery.