Parents of Aron Cornelius Rainey were W. A. and Mary Rainey.  Aron was born in Lincoln County November 1, 1868 at Palmyra, Arkansas, near Star City.  He lived with his parents at Palmyra until he was 14 years of age.  They then moved to Rose Creek, near Casa.  He lived there with his parents until August 5, 1888 when he met his wife, Mandy Cordelia Whitfield, who was born July 13, 1870.

After the first child, William Thomas, was born- one year later, they moved back to Lincoln County and remained there for 2 years before coming back to Rose Creek.  They lived on Mandy's place for one year.  She then sold her place for a cow and $40.00.  Their place of abode was known as Tom Henry Whitfield place, where Tom Henry and Martha had lived for some time.  They then moved to the head of Rose Creek on Uncle Bob Robinson's place, living there one year.  From there they moved West and homesteaded 40 acres South of the Jim Kelley place in Wild Cat Hollow.  Here they lived for eight years.  They cut and split logs to build a house.  In addition, there was a rock chimney and barn.  Many happy days and hours went by as they tilled the soil and did their daily activities.  The most amusing things that took place was at harvest time--picking cotton, husking corn, stripping sorghum, getting it ready to be shifted through the old sorghum mill.  The juice was transferred to a pan where the molasses was made--then the fun of sopping and trying out the newly made syrup.  How much was made?  A whole 60-gallon barrel.

After harvesting was over, wood and pine was hauled to wood shed to help keep warm through the cold winter day.  Many other happy occasions took place at this time, and there were seven children home at this date.  They were taught the Bible and went to school the better to prepare them to live their own lives.  For the pleasure of the family they did much hunting, fishing and camping of which Aron enjoyed very much.

While they lived here, Uncle Jim Henry Whitfield came to live with the family.  He made spinning wheels and looms with an old turning lay.  Days came and time passed by, but time came for the family to make a new home.  They moved to the Old Spring Place in 1898.  This place consisted of 80 acres.  Here the other five children were born.  It took much planning and preparation to make this place home where it could be enjoyed.  Many wonderful things took place here, and there were eleven children now in the home.  Then came the time for the family to move out.  This took place in 1912.  They moved to the Teel settlement where they purchased 120 acres of land from the Fort Smith Railroad Company.  The family lived on the road leading from Teels to Whitfields, which leads to upper end of Rose Creek.  For three years, we cleared the land and built the house and barn.  We then moved across the Creek South where the old Home Place now stands.  It was now necessary to build a new house and getting the land ready of cultivation, which was done by cutting, hauling, and skidding logs and removing rocks.

Many happy days and years were spent here where the family met together in singing the old hymns and reading the Bible--there were happy occasions and now afford many pleasant memories.

God blessed the family in many ways, such as health and clothing but amidst all the enjoyment of a home there comes a time for separation.  This took place in the later part of the night of August 2, 1930.  This was a sad occasion for the family for Cornelius passed on to his happy reward at the age of 62 years.  Mother Mandy lived four more years.  She died October 25, 1934 at the age of 64 years.

At this date (August 1975) all the children have passed on except four--two boys, Ellis and Andrew, and two girls, Adeline and Emerline.  For many years after Father and Mother passed away, we, the children, of the Rainey Family have been having a "Home Coming" at the old home place.  To you that are left behind, the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, continue to have this Home Coming where you can stand on "Holy Ground"--May God continue to bless you and yours through the years to come.

Record made and composed by Ellis and Andrew Rainey.
(Aron Cornelius Rainey was born in Lincoln County in 1868 at Palmyra, Arkansas, near Star City.)

[Source:  This article "History of Cornelius Rainey and the Rainey Family" was contributed by Joyce Hill.  Thank you Joyce.]

This is what is written in the 1969 Record of Garland County, Arkansas, about Jim Carethers.....these articles were written by a man named Talley that was born and raised in the community.....back then Jessieville was also called Marble.....(this is how the name is spelled in article) article about:

Jim Carether's School.
By this time, the people of Marble had became disgusted with the foreign Professors, and resolved to try a home-spun man. Mr Jim Carethers, was the man centered on: though he was a carpenter by profession, he went and stood an examination, and came out all right, got things shaped up and went at it. This old house in which he taught would not be a disgrace to civilization. It was built of small ruff logs, with the bark on, and covered with clap-boards, four feet long, with split trees called puncheons for a floor. This wonderful Seminary was situated near the Little Rock & Danville Road where Hot Springs road crossed, south of Middle Fork called the old Rease Richardson Place. Carethers used the withe very frequently on some of his scholars. one especially, Jim Newkirk, JR. Jim (Newkirk, Jr.) seemed to have a extreme hatred towards 2 of his school-mates, Alice & Birthy Owen. For 2-3 evenings in succession, he gave these 2 children a licking, while on thier way home, Cartheres and his father, whipped him alternately, but it seemed to do but little good, Finally his Father took him from the school. Carthers was a strict teacher, and preserved good order. His school was pronounced a grand success by the patrons generally. I don't remember the date of this school for certain but I think it was the fall of 1873. In a short time after Carthers school this old house met the same fate of many others in this Township. One Sunday morning, a wondering ghost came along, and concluded that this magnificent building was hardly sufficient to grace a progressive, enlightment and intelligent settlement like Marble-Deliberately took a match from his vest pocket and touched her off-warmed his weary limbs, then went on his way rejoycing.

[Source:  This article was found and contributed by a community member of Jessieville, Arkansas.  Thank you.]