Abraham Harvey Clark, who was the oldest son of James Harvey Clark, was born in Pikesville, Bledsoe County, Tennessee September 25, 1818. Abraham married November 9, 1840 in Meigs County, Tennessee, Sabra Ann (Mary Ann) Edgmon. She was the daughter of Samuel Edgmon and Sara Pierce (Pearce). Samuel Edgmon’s parents were William Edgmon, Jr. and Nancy Pierce (Pearce). William, Jr.'s parents were William Edgemon, Sr.and Elizabeth Kimbril, born in England. This is the generation the Edgmon named was changed from Edgemon to Edgmon. The first Edgemon that came to America name was Cornelius Van Edgemon and he died in Albany, New York in 1668. He was a farmer, brewmaster, and land speculator.

Abraham moved to Clarksville, Arkansas right before coming to the Beechwoods Community. While he lived at Clarksville, Arkansas he engaged in the sawmill business with his brother Aaron located at the mouth of Piney Creek near Clarksville. He came to the Beechwoods local about 1855 or before. Whether this was before or after the death of Sabra Ann is not known. Beechwoods got its name because of a grove of Beechwood trees on the land. He camped at the Big Spring and began to look over the terrain, which is near the Buffalo River. He noticed that the hillsides were abounding with wild turkey and black bear. This wilderness offered a better opportunity than that found in Tennessee around Kingston, Rhone, Overton, and Bledsoe Counties. Most of the land in this Beechwoods area still belonged to the Government but the Homestead Act had not been established yet.

So on March 10, 1859 Abraham Harvey Clark buys a parcel of land of 40 acres for 50 dollars and this land was the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 sec 36T 16 North of Range 25. BLM records show that he purchased a total of 160 acres by May 20, 1862 cash purchase all adjoining or within a 1/4 mile of same.This is the land that includes the spring and this is where he built his first house and the logs of that first house were later used to build the barn. The last we the visited the area 1979 the barn was still standing. Abraham was well established by the start of the War, owning land not only along Clark Creek, but the uplands south of that creek, where lead ore had been exploited by pioneer settlers, casting bullets for their muzzle loading rifles. A year into the war Clark sold his lead mines. We wonder if he considered making bullets for the Union Army. While neighbors up the valley were turning out gunpowder for the South. Abraham Clark also claimed forty acres adjoining the Abner Ellsberry Casey farm.

Then came the Civil War but Abraham was considered too old for military duty but, the problem of remaining at home became too great, with bush whackers and guerrilla bands roaming about the area robbing and killing the families that remained at home. So Abraham went into hiding in the cave across the Buffalo River. This cave had a running spring of water and his family carried food to him daily and placed it by the creek below and he would descend the mountain each day to get it. He was able to view the whole valley from the mouth of this cave. Then conditions grew worse and he had to move his family to Huntsville, Arkansas for awhile.

When Abraham first came to Newton County there was no Postal System and he is responsible for establishing a Postal Service. At first he traveled by horse back to Cassville, Arkansas approximately 15 miles away once a week to gather the mail for himself, his neighbors, and friends along the way. Then the first Post Office was established at Whiteley, now known as Boxley. This was established December 1, 1851 which lasted till 1866 when the Post Office was closed. This made Abraham have to travel back to Cassville, Arkansas for his mail. In 1867 Abraham got a petition to establish a Post Office at Beechwoods and on November 11, 1867 Abraham became its first Postmaster, however he was still the mail carrier from Cassville, Arkansas and extended the route to Carrollton, Arkansas. Abraham built a large walnut desk with pigeon holes above the desk part for his Post Office equipment. The desk still exits somewhere in the locality today, but the exact location is unknown. In 1881 the Beechwoods, Arkansas Post Office was discontinued and on July 19, 1883 the Post Office was re-established at Boxley, Arkansas with Samuel Edgmon as it’s first Postmaster.

Abraham also was a candidate on the Greenback Ticket for State Legislature in 1880. The old homestead remained in the Clark family for over 100 years with Abraham donating land for the Beechwoods Cemetery and School. A foundation of rock is still visible between the present day school house and community building and cemetery gate.

When the Homestead Act passed in 1862 Susan Arkadelphia (Clark) Villines, Abraham’s Granddaughter homesteaded on adjoining NE 1/4 of NE 1/4 Sec 36 T 16 North 23 W and this later was bought and joined into the original homestead.

A Jury awarded $206,130.00 to Roy and Katherine Keeton for 157 acres of land at Ponca, Arkansas near Lost Valley. Government appraisers valued the land at $116,000.00 this was the whole amount of land that was first acquired by Abraham Clark. This land is now government acquired and returned to the wilderness. (excerpt Madison County Record, Kingston, Arkansas)

First Marriage
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Husband:        Abraham Harvey "Abram" Clark
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Birth:	        25 September 1818
Place:          Pikesville, Bledsoe County, Tennessee
Death:	        29 October 1890	
Place: 	        in or near Ponca, Arkansas
Burial:         Beechwoods Cemetery, Ponca, Arkansas
Occupation:     Farmer, Postmaster, Mail Carrier Boxley, Arkansas
Father:	        James Harvey Clark (1797-)
Mother:	        Nancy McCambell? (1801-)
Other Spouses:
                Jane Patty
	        Susan A. Persley
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Marriage:       9 November 1840
Place:          Meigs County, Tennessee
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Wife:	        Mary Ann "Sabra" Edgmon
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Birth:	        18 October 1814
Place:          Tennessee
Death:	        Circa 1858
Place:          Tom Thumb Springs, Newton County, Arkansas
Burial:	        Tom Thumb Springs, Newton County, Arkansas
Father:	        Samuel Deatherage Edgmon Sr (1792-1876)
Mother:	        Sarah "Sally" Pierce {Pearce} (1798-1841)
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Children...
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1. M Child:	James Martin "Jim" Clark
Birth:  	16 April 1841
Place:	        Kingston, Roane County, Tennessee
Death:	        16 November 1904
Place:  	in or near Beechwoods
Burial:		Beechwoods Cemetery
Occupation:	Farmer
Fact 1:	        Postmaster Beechwood 1867-1881
Spouse:	        Martha Jane Lee
Marriage:	24 September 1865 
Place:  	Ft. Smith, Arkansas
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2. F Child:	Sara Jane Clark
Birth:	        6 January 1844
Place:  	McMinn County, Tennessee
Spouse:	        William Self
Marriage:	January 1866	
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3. F Child:	Nancy Caroline Clark
Birth:	        2 January 1846
Place:	        Roane or McMinn County, Tennessee
Spouse:	        Thomas Watkins
Marriage:	14 April 1870
Place:  	Newton County, Arkansas
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4. F Child:	Debora  Ann "Dely" Clark
Birth:	        6 November 1848
Place:  	Roane County, Tennessee
Death:		Boxley, Newton County, Arkansas
Spouse:	        John C. Moore
Marriage:	31 January 1878
Place:  	Carroll County, Arkansas
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5. M Child:	Samuel Harvey "Uncle Nattie" Clark
Birth:  	16 January 1851	
Place:	        Roane County, Tennessee
Death:	        24 March 1909
Place:	        Beechwoods, Newton County, Arkansas
Burial:		Beechwoods Cemetery Newton County, Arkansas
Spouse:	        Orlena Newberry
Marriage:	17 March 1872
Place:  	Newton County, Arkansas
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6. F Child:	Rebecca Elvira "Aunt Vira" Clark
Birth:	        27 April 1854
Place:  	Tennessee
Death:	        5 March 1937
Place:  	Ponca, Arkansas
Burial:		Beechwoods Cemetrery Ponca, Arkansas
Spouse: 	Jessie Columbus "Lum" Patty
Marriage:	4 September 1873	
Place:  	Boxley, Arkansas
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7. F Child:	Martha  Elizabeth Clark
Birth:	        Circa 1856
Place:  	Newton County, Arkansas
Spouse:	        Vincent Ruble

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Second Marriage
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Husband:	Abraham Harvey "Abram" Clark
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Marriage:	Circa 1864
Place:  	Newton County, Arkansas
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Wife:	        Jane Patty
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Birth:	        January 1833
Place:  	Roane County, Tennessee
Death:	        1876 Ponca, Arkansas
Burial:		Beechwoods Cemetery Ponca, Arkansas
Father:	        Jesse E. Patty (1806-1864)
Mother:	        Mary Howard "Polly" Burnett (1807-)
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Children...
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1. M Child:	John W. Clark Sr.
Birth:	        1859
Place:  	Arkansas
Burial:		Beechwoods Cemetery Ponca, Arkansas
Spouse:	        
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2. M Child:	Josiah Hamilton "Hammie" Clark
Birth:	        11 November 1868
Place:  	Boxley, Newton County, Arkansas
Death:	        17 July 1945
Place:  	Newton County, Arkansas
Burial:		Beechwoods Cemetery Ponca, Arkansas
Spouse:  	Mary Lucinda Villines
Marriage:	11 March 1888	
Place:  	Boxley, Newton County, Arkansas

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Third Marriage
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Husband:	Abraham Harvey "Abram" Clark
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Marriage:	Circa 1867
Place:  	Carroll County, Arkansas
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Wife:	        Susan A. Persley
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Birth:	        Circa 1842 	
Other Spouses	Richard Meek
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Children...
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1. F Child:	Susan Clark
Birth:	        1868
Place:  	Arkansas
Fact 1: 	Died young or infant
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2. F Child:	Hanna Clark
Birth:	        1872
Place:  	Arkansas
Fact 1:	        Died young or infant
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