As we travel down’ life’s pathway we forget our heritage. This is not good, as we’re forgetting history. History of our country and of the forefathers. So many of our great grandfathers who fought for our independence on these grounds on which we are now standing, of the suffering an sacrifice their families endured. The escape from bushwhackers and wild animals, Indians, an may other misfortunes that might befall upon them

If you will only stop and think, that hasn’t been to long ago the blood they shed may possibly be in the spot you’re stand upon now, to preserve the freedom you now enjoy. We take this all for granted.

I have been doing research on my ancestors since 1976, and I’m amazed at all the interesting information that I have discovered,

In my Quest I have found that one of my great grandfathers came from Bledsoe County, Tennessee: and Homesteaded in Newton County, Arkansas near Ponca, and raised his family in that area.

The place he homesteaded stayed in the family for over one hundred years. Now the government has acquired this place and plans to let it go back into wilderness It being there in the Buffalo River Locality in Newton County, Arkansas

In this one hundred years, there has been several generations and they have scattered to the four winds. Some though have remained within one hundred miles of this old Homestead. That includes Harrison, Jasper, Kingston, Clarksville, Berryville, Huntsville, Springdale and Fayetteville,. Arkansas

This Old Pioneer was Abraham Harvey Clark who married "Sabra" Mary Ann Edgmon and it’s possible he is a descendant of the Abraham Clark Signer of the Declaration in Independence. However approximately two generation of records were destroyed in a fired that burned the courthouse in Bledsoe County Tennessee, but do I know the Signer of the Declaration of Independence is of our lineage, or will I ever know? It’s doubtful that I’ll ever be able to find those missing links.

Also I must not forget to mention another great pioneer of whom I’m a descendant and he was old James Montgomery Newberry from Osage in Carroll County, Arkansas where now his old log cabin is a historical site restored and moved to Berryville. His ancesterage is a great as old Abraham’s he too coming from Tennessee. Many of his descendents are yet in the general vicinity of a hundred miles also.

William J. McGhee another of my ancestors, a pioneer who fought in the was between the states. He is buried near Elm Springs, Arkansas His wife, having died years later is buried in Monroe cemetery near Berryville, Her name was Eliza Jane (Carter) McGhee.

Nelson and Becky (Plumlee) ARMER also share in my heritage they also came from Tennessee, first having come to Tennessee from Georgia. Madison Newton, Carroll, Boone, and Washington Counties are full of this line of Armer's. How many of are aware of this heritage?

These brave people blazed the way for you and me that we might now enjoy these privileges.

These are my links into the past. Each of you has Four links. Each of these links makes a chain. Where do you fit in this chain? It’s a network of people who have endured hardships so that we may enjoy freedom today.

Some of your ancestors may have come from Germany, Poland or Russia, but we yet all fit into this line of heritage (a chain). Where did your ancestors come from most of you know by hear - say or at least back to your great grandparents. Why not keep records for future generations? Because you will be a forgotten name to come in the future person down the Chain if you do not.

To me this is a top of great value and I feel that a great number of the readers will find it of value too.

How many of the younger generations know the history of their surroundings? This is so important as the older generations are soon going to be gone and there is such a great history that will die with them.

Oh how I wish I could recall a lot of the folk lore that my ancestors have told and that I’ve forgotten. This is something we all should remember to jot down. It is so valuable, the culture, the background of our ancestors, the stories they have told of their ancestors. This is our heritage and it is so valuable.

I was born and raised around Kingston, Madison County, Arkansas and that is an area that is rich with heritage wealth. So many newcomers in that area now. Do they know of the history of the old timers that maybe occupied the land that they how own some know others do not. Maybe its not a great lot of value to them, but yet it is history. I have been gone from that area since September 1944. But with the Madison County Record I have been able to keep up with some of the younger generations that were descendants of several generations older than myself. How many of you can yet do that? Maybe you say that doesn’t mean anything to me but it should.

I can recall my father, in the cold winter time going to town approximately once a month for groceries, and feed that was needed for the stock, which wasn’t much as most of the hay, corn and fodder were raised for the stock, and also corn to be ground into mean for the family’s use. He would take corn to be ground into mean, eggs to trade for coffees, sugar, flour, salt and other necessary items. He would heat a flat rock, wrap it in gunny sacks, put it in the floor of the wagon to keep warm and be gone all day. That was also a time when he would find out how his neighbors were out on Sweden Creek, or our on the Red Lick Hill or people as far away as Red Star. I can recall these incidents and I cherish them, I was small and very seldom ever went to Kingston Arkansas with my father in the winter. However, in the summer time, Mamma would put my little Chair in front of her in the buckboard and place her feet on the rungs to steady the chair sp I wouldn't bounce out of the Buckboard,and that is where I rode. These trips were very important. This was before a cafe was ever in Kingston, Arkansas. We’d go to Billy Boydston’s store. He always kept a big round wheel of cheese in his showcase. We‘d buy a wedge of cheese and crackers or we’d buy Salmon and eat salmon and crackers for lunch. This was a treat.

Then the cafe came and its first proprietors were Tom and May Dorsey, and what good chili they served. Before that Wilburn and Etta Burks had a small cafe, they changed it into a variety store, but after Tom and Mary Dorsey, they sold the cafe to King and Dollie Mashburn. He was also in the Real Estate business, along with the cafe How many of the later generation can recall these people?

Can you recall where Billy Boydston’s Store was? Willburn Burk’s store, or where the old post office was located? Can you remember the old swinging bridge over Kings River? To me those were they good old days. To those that don’t recall where they were located, the post office was to the right of Burl Weathers’s store. There was also a hotel located just across the road from the Bunch’s store. It was run by Henry and Clammie Burney. How many can remember the Hugh and Wilson Bunch’s dad He was a gentleman. Alvin Bunch was a big man as I recall, but he was a man that everyone admired, A distinguished gentleman and many of the old timers there today will tell you this is true, and is yet greatly missed.

My Brother Joeseph Clark “Joe” owned the Blacksmith shop located on the Kingston, Arkansas Square Many of Kingston Citizens stopped to have a chat.

So many of the present day citizens are descendants of so many well know, well liked old timers that many of the newcomers are not aware of Just the name a few of the older generations. H. T. (Tart) Lane, Elba, Uncle Jimmy Grigg, and Elizabeth, Sara Grigg, who had a sister Flora, who married a George Frisby from around Purdy, I’d like to hear from some of these if at all possible for genealogical purposes. Others are Jeff Roger, Lum and Lolar Stills, Uncle Sam Thomas, and Aunt Mandy, Uncle Booie Parker and Aunt Tennie, Aaron and Artie Gage, Uncle Jim and Aunt Lizzie Hane Seals, Smith Bradshaw, Joe Bradshaw, Loss and Edith Grigg, the Mc Ferrins, the Holts Gartons, Clines, Walls, Dorseys, McCrackens, Eaton’s, Armers just to name a few, also the Fanchers. Many of them still have descendants in the or near Kingston Arkansas today and many of them are my relation, or my ancestorage.

Value your ancesterage and trace back on your family history. it is wealth. Even the skeletons that maybe lurking in your closets are history and should be preserved. I attended at Bluff Springs Arkansas. We lived at the time on the Jason Cane place, later the Slavens place. Those were the happiest days of my schooling.. My first teacher was Dalton Dotson. Which I discovered he was one of my ancestors.

Many of my school mates still live in or near there to name a few Freelen Suggs, and her husband Bill Smelley Fern Suggs, McCullough, Berniece and Rita McArthur, Frank Maxine and Rhea Maxwell, Fred and Jess Carter, Midge, Berniece, Virginia and Blanche Whiteley, Leonard, Eutlena and Park FM Ferrin, Verna and Vela Holt, Murtie, Murle, Earl and Roy Styles, Grover and Wilburn, Hathorn, Leonard, Lewis and one other Thomas boy I’ve forgotten his name I’m sure they are others that I can remember at present. Those school days at Bluff Springs were days to cherish. I can yet recall the spring water. Tourists from everywhere would come and camp at this spring. I recall one tourist who came with a truck of victrolas and sold everybody one in that area. including us. I wish I had one of those old victrolas today

Well those days are gone forever - cherish them and treasure them. Dig into your memory listen to others and keep note. It’s a sure way to keep track.. I am now compiling as much as I can into genealogy work and if anyone knows of any ancesterage please write