History of Beebe, (White County) Arkansas United States of America

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Local History Notes:

White County contains within its territory a number of towns of prominent local importance, besides those whose size has given them substantial reputation in the outside world. Of these Beebe is a flourishing place situated on the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, about sixteen miles southwest of Searcy. It began to build in the spring of 1872 (upon the completion of the railroad), but did not improve much until 1880, when it had reached a population of 428, and since then it has more than doubled in population. It has ten general, four grocery, three drug, two hardware, one furniture, two millinery and one notion store; also the White County Bank, two hotels, several boarding houses, two meat markets, two blacksmith and wagon shops, one saw and grist mill combined, two cotton-gins, two livery stables, railroad depot, postoffice, one photograph gallery, a fruit evaporator, five church edifices for the white and two for the colored people, a public school-house, five physicians, a dentist, two weekly newspapers, etc., etc. The Beebe Argus, published by W. B. Barnum, is an eight-column folio, Democratic in politics, and has for its motto: A school-house on every hilltop and not a saloon in the valley. The Arkansas Hub is a seven-column folio, published by Sam J. Crabtree, and is independent in politics. Both of these papers are ably edited and are well sustained, proving important factors in the influence of the community. Beebe is the center of one of the best fruit growing regions on the line of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway, and ships a vast amount of fruit, especially small fruits, berries, tomatoes and the like, to the city markets. It is incorporated and has a full line of corporate officers. It also has lodges of the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities. It is thirty three miles from Little Rock.

From: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas, GoodSpeed Publishing Co., 1890

Biographies:

William F. Bradley is a traveling salesman for a Lynchburg (Va.) tobacco firm, and is a gentleman who enjoys the respect and esteem of the people of White County. He was born in Caldwell County, N. C., June 6, 1847, and is a son of Jackson and Martha (Ferguson) Bradley, who were born, reared and married in that State, the latter event taking place in 1841. Mrs. Bradley was born in 1825, was of Scotch descent, her grandfather having emigrated from Scotland to North Carolina before it became a State, and took part in the Revolutionary War, being in sympathy with the cause of the Americans. Jackson Bradley was born in 1818, and was of Welsh descent, his ancestors having come to America long before the Revolution. After his marriage he was engaged in farming in his native state until 1855, and after residing successively in Mississippi, Georgia, and Missouri, he came to Arkansas in 1861, and to White County in 1875. He resided on a farm two miles east of Beebe till his death in March, 1887, his wife preceding him to the grave by ten years. Both worshiped in the Missionary Baptist Church. William F. Bradley was the third in a family of seventeen children, the following of whom are living: Madelia (Mrs. Thomas), Amelia (Mrs. Mosier), Susan (Mrs. Bailey), Burton and William F. The latter received his education in the various States in which his father lived, and after attaining his twenty-first year, he worked as a farm hand for two years, then attended school at Butlerville, Lonoke County, for ten months. After teaching one term of school he engaged as a clerk at Beebe, at the end of six years engaging in the same business in partnership with J. T. Coradine, under the firm name of Bradley & Coradine. At the end of two years they took a Mr. Burton into the business, the firm then becoming Bradley, Coradine & Co., continuing such one year. Mr. Bradley then sold his interest, and became associated with Richard S. Bradley under the firm name of W. F. & R. S. Bradley, general merchants; but a few months later they made an assignment, losing all their goods. After this misfortune Mr. Bradley began working as a salesman, then secured a position as traveling salesman for Charles G. Peper & Co., of St. Louis, but at the end of a few months was compelled to give up this position on account of poor health. After recovering he worked for some time as a railroad clerk, then resumed clerking, continuing until May 1, 1889, when he accepted his present position with J. W. West & Co., tobacco manufacturers of Lynchburg, Va. He is nicely situated in the town of Beebe, and has a pleasant and comfortable home, and socially is a member of Beebe Lodge No. 145, of the A. F. & A. M. He has belonged to the city board of aldermen, and he and wife, who was a Miss Emma S. Dement, and whom he married November 4, 1874, are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. They have a charming young daughter, Maud E., who was born October 26, 1876, and is attending the schools of Beebe. Mrs. Bradley is a native of De Soto County, Miss., and is a daughter of James T. and Ellen (Binge) Dement, the former of Alabama, and the latter of Tennessee. Mr. Dement was a farmer, and in 1872 came with his family to White County, dying there a year later, at the age of forty-five years. His wife survives him, and lives with Mrs. McIntosh in Beebe. The following are her children: Betty J. (born in 1857, the wife of Dr. McIntosh, the leading physician of Beebe), Emma S. (Mrs. Bradley, born June 24, 1859), Ella (born 1861, wife of A. M. Burton, a prosperous merchant of Beebe), Jennie (wife of Maxwell Welty, a railroad agent at Beebe), and James T. (who was born in February, 1874, and is attending the high school at Beebe).

From: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas, GoodSpeed Publishing Co., 1890

Robert W. Canada, a well-to-do farmer and stockman, residing near Beebe, Ark., has been a resident of White County for a period of time. He was born in Madison County, Tenn., April 3, 1829, and is a son of Hugh and Melissa R. (Duckworth) Canada, who were born in North Carolina, in 1808 and 1810, respectively. They were married in 1828, and in 1832 removed from Madison to Haywood County, Tenn., and here the father's death occurred in 1856. Their children are Robert W., Catherine (born January 1, 1831, and died at the age of four years), William J. (was born on May 16, 1833, and lost his life in the Confederate service, being killed in the battle of Atlanta, in 1864, and is now filling an unknown grave), Joseph V. (was born April 16, 1835, and died February 17, 1879, a farmer of White County), James R. (was born July 27, 1837, and died at El Paso in December, 1879, a merchant by occupation), John F. (who was born February 8, 1840, and died at Okolona, Miss., in 1863, being a soldier in the Confederate army), Alpha C. (was born April 16, 1842, and died August 8, 1881, the wife of A. L. Fisher, a farmer of Union Township), Mary E. (was born February 21, 1844, and is the wife of Richard Hill, a farmer of El Paso, Ark.) and Miles C. (who was born on September 20, 1846, and is now a farmer near Stony Point). Robert W. Canada spent his youth on his father's farm and attended the old subscription schools of his youth. At the age of twenty-one he began life for himself, and spent the first few years of his freedom as an overseer. This he followed in connection with farming until coming to White County, Ark., and a few months later entered 160 acres of land three miles east of El Paso, which he began to develop. Four years later he sold this farm and bought eighty acres near Beebe, but after residing here a term of four years he went to Illinois, and there made his home during 1865. In 1867 he made the purchase of his present farm of 100 acres, and by good management has increased his acreage to 500, and has 200 acres under cultivation, his land being well adapted to raising corn, cotton and fruits. Small grain does well also, and strawberries grow to perfection and are one of his most profitable crops. Since his residence in the State he has cleared over 200 acres of land and has built more good barns than any other man in the section of White County. Although his principal occupation has been farming he has been engaged in other occupations at different times, and in 1873 erected a livery stable in Beebe, the first establishment of the kind ever erected there. He managed this a few months and at the same time acted as constable, and later served as justice of the peace for eight years. In 1882 he kept a grocery in Beebe and during this time, and for three subsequent years, he acted in the capacity of postmaster of the town, having received his appointment in 1881. He has been a Republican since that party has been in existence, but he has never been an office seeker. He is a member of Beebe Lodge No. 145, of the A. F. & A. M., and has held all the offices of his lodge with the exception of Senior Warden. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and is one of the influential men of the county, and although he differs from the most of the citizens in his political views, yet he is highly esteemed and his opinions respected. When Gen. Grant was elected to the presidency Mr. Canada was the only man in Union Township who voted for him. He has always been an advocate of schools and has contributed liberally to the building of churches, school-houses and to the general improvement of the county. October 28, 1851, he was married to Miss Mahala Hendrix, a native of Hardeman County, Tenn., born October 24, 1838, a daughter of William and Nancy (Clements) Hendrix, who removed from their native State of South Carolina to Tennessee in 1856, and were among the pioneer settlers of White County. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Canada are Sonora E. (born October 27, 1852, and died December 7, 1856), Almeda (born November 10, 1855, and died June 3, 1857), William R. (born April 26, 1858; is a merchant in business with C. A. Price, of Beebe), Joseph B. (was born September 17, 1860, and is a farmer of Union Township), Martha A. (was born October 15, 1869, and is a school teacher, residing with her parents) and Mary M. (who was born September 24, 1874, and died August 29, 1876). Mr. Canada has given all his children good educational advantages, and he and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, he having been a steward in that church for the past thirteen years. Mr. Canada's mother still lives and makes her home with him.

From: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas, GoodSpeed Publishing Co., 1890