| Mysteries and History | |
| History | |
| The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was responsible for more deaths world wide than the Great War (WWI) which was in the final stages when the pandemic erupted. It is estimated that 675,000 Americans died from the ravages of the influenza and most were between the ages of 20 and 40. Marion County, Arkansas lost its share of citizens from the fast spreading disease. Ruth Matlock, my aunt, was 15 years old at the time and her mother Bessie Matlock was pregnant with my mother, Joy Matlock during the winter of 1918-1919 when the flu struck in and around Yelville. This is Aunt Ruth's story of that time. | |
| November 1918 | |
| It was a dark and cold night in November
when one of the neighbors came to our house for help. His wife had
gone into labor and she was sick with the flu, he needed someone to stay
with her and the other children while he went to town for the
doctor. Momma was pregnant but she didn't want to send me or
Ruby into a house with the flu. I don't remember where Daddy was
but he wasn't home, so Momma had me go to the barn and saddle two horses
while she got ready. She left Ruby home with Wilma and Wanda and
she and I rode over the the neighbors house. I stayed outside with
the horses and she went inside. It seemed like I was there a long
time before the man came back, but he didn't bring the doctor with him,
I don't know why. Seems like a long time later Momma and I went
home. The lady died that night and the baby died a few days
later. I was really worried that Momma would get sick but she
didn't.
That winter was very cold and people who died with the flu had to be buried pretty quick. I can remember Daddy and the other men cutting down trees and brush. They hooked the mules and horses to them to drag the wood to the grave yard and then they would build fires to thaw the ground so that they could dig the graves. I helped some and I remember how cold it was and all the smoke. |
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| Mysteries | |
| The missing man story was one that my
Mother, Joy and her sister Fae used to tell us kids. They both
insisted that it was true, so maybe someone from Marion County will
remember this missing man.
John Sellie was a farm hand on the Matlock Farm in Marion County, Arkansas. He was well liked and a good worker. One night after work he got himself ready to go to Yellville, saddled his horse and headed into town. He was seen by several people around town that evening. He left his horse tied up at the stable. The next morning he was not at the farm. Slim Matlock and another of the farm hands went to Yellville to find him. His horse was still saddled where he left it the night before but John was not to be found. Men were gathered to search, thinking that he met with foul play but nothing was found and there was no indication of any disturbance to be seen. The horse and saddle were taken back to the Matlock Farm and kept in the hopes that John would come back and claim his horse, belongings and wages. To the best of their knowledge he was never seen again. |
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| Check written in 1913 | |
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This is just an interesting part of history. A check written by Leonard Matlock for one cow for the amount of $40.00. I have no idea why Uncle Slim saved this check but it was in his papers that he had saved along with a number of the pictures on various pages on this site. You can see by the signature why it would be very easy to think the last name was Mattock. |
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