Josiah H. Shinn was a lawyer and a researcher from  Arkansas who went between Arkansas and Washington DC.  He put together a book about the early settlers of Arkansas called "Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas."  John McCaleb Lafferty contributed the information he could on the Lafferty family and other families of the area. The book was printed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1908. Shinn was collecting information to put together a second book that he never finished. This is a letter to my Grandfather John Annis Lafferty born 1838 in Carrolton, Arkansas, grandson of John Lafferty, early Izard County pioneer. It was in my father's possession when he died.

 

The envelope was postdated 4 June 1911 addressed to Capt. A.J. Lafferty, Felix, New Mexico. The name of the town Felix was crossed out and Richardson was written in. The letter was to go to my grandfather who had passed away shortly before. It was forwarded onto my grandmother who was staying with her son, James (Jim) Annis Lafferty. Letter in possession of Mary Lafferty Wilson.

 

"Dear Cousin:

It has been a long time since I heard from you. This beautiful Sabbath morn, reminds me that the Lord has been good to me all the days of my life. We have had a drouth on for 15 days and the hotest weather Ark. ever had so early crop look fine so far, but small Peach crop in the sought Ark. is light. I have not found anything about the Lafferty family of much interest since Shinn book was published, tho I am still trying. I think Shinn wrote that you were the only one of my relatives who sent for the book after all my writing them and urging. I sent the book to Albert Glenville Lafferty, Ferndale, Humbolt Co., Cal. Back in the winter I saw in the papers, he had been allowed a thousand dollars, by the legislature of Cal. for supplies furnished the state in 1855. I have no idea of what the supplies consisted, unles it was buffalo and other wild game furnish state troops. I have not heard from him in a year. He has one son, his only child living. Your sisters at Dicy Texas after one or two letters failed to answer any more of my letters. When you write tell me about them. Tell me about all the Kin. I was at Little Rock, at Con. reunion and saw one Jessie Lafferty, son of Ezra who was son of Austin F. Lafferty --he could not tell me anything.--yes he told me that none of the Laffertys in Clebourne Co. sent for Col. Shinn's book, which contains the only reliable history of the Lafferty family ever printed. If you are writing to any of the kin any where urge them to send for the book. In a year or two from now Shinn will have out another book of the same kind, tho, of course it will not contain the same reading matter. Go back and ransack your memory and give me some more of your recollections of "Early Days in Ark. " and what "they said"--what you heard your father and mother say--tell me what you can remember about your grandfather Miller, where he came from was he a revolutionary soldier--where did he die--where buried & e & e -- has he a son or brother living now in Cleburne Co. Ark-- and is his name John Miller. Where is your fathers old family Bible. Where is your grandfathers old family. Where are all the old family letters they write a long time ago. Where is Judge John Lindsey Lafferty's old family Bible. Alas if we have all these we could learn something. Write to all your brothers and sisters and try to pick up some thing about the old Lafferty's in "Early Times in Ark." Tell me about your boyhood days and your travels-- war times--. How you come to stray off away out there-- how you are getting along--how your children are getting along-- give me their names and P.O. state & e-- tell them to write to me. I have two nieces near Hillsboro, Texas. I have two sons, our only daughter died 3 years ago. One son is a physician at Bogalusa, La. With Great Souther Mill Co. at $250 pr month. The other son is in the express & Baggage department of Iron Mountain R.R. at $85 -- pr mo.- he comes here twice a day-- lives in Little Rock, Ark. I am still in the Railway Mail Service at $85 pr-mo. My health is good. I hope you are in good health and that you will take time soon to write me a long letter. As ever your cousin. John McCaleb Lafferty. J.M. Lafferty Gurdon Ark." (Clark County)

 

John McCaleb Lafferty son of Vaughn Burr Lafferty and Eritha McCalib was born 10 Feb 1845, in Dallas County, Arkansas. John died after 1920, in Chidester, Arkansas. He married Nancy Minerva Hairston 12 Jan 1871, in Dallas County, Arkansas. She was born 15 Aug 1848, in Holly Springs, Arkansas, the daughter of James Hairston and Mary Vaughn. Nancy died before 1920, in Chidester, Arkansas. They had 3 children: Mary Eritha Lenora Lafferty, born 4 Oct 1877, died 1908, Dr. Vaughn Elbert English Lafferty, born 23 Apr 1880, died 1966, and John R. Yandell Lafferty, born 14 Oct 1881, died 1960.