CLEVELAND COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES

Arkansas Genealogy Trails

W. D. ATTWOOD

GEORGE BROWN

DR. JAMES F. CRUMP

SENATOR STEPHEN WALLACE DORSEY

ARTHUR KENNETH KESTERSON

W. D. ATTWOOD 

Mr. W.D. Attwood, Sr., of New Edinburg, Ark., died at his home Oct. 10th, 1914 at 8:45 p.m., after an  illness of several months duration. The subject of  this sketch was born in Newberry district in the state of S.C. about the year 1855, and was therefore in the 59th year of his age. His parents moved to this county the year after the war in company with a number of families who lost their fortunes during the civil war and started for the west in in quest of a new country where life might be started anew under more favorable circumstances. Some of these families stopped in Tenn. and Mississippi, but Mr. Attwood selected Cleveland County and settled on the farm now owned by Mr. Coot Attwood in Smith Township, where he reared a large family consisting of six sons and one daughter. Three of these sons, viz., G.C., Noble, Coot and the sister, Mrs. Batchelor, of Rison, still survive. W.D. Attwood came to Edinburg to work in a store about the year 1878, and later formed a partnership with the late E.P. Mars and went into a mercantile business. In the year 1883 he married a daughter of his business partner, and to this union was born six children, five sons and one daughter. Four sons viz., E.T., E.M., Grady and Finch, and the daughter, Mrs. M.P. Grantham, are still living. Mrs. Attwood died in Sept., 1911.
 In May of this year Mr. Attwood was married a second time to Miss Margaret Marks, a teacher of marked ability, who was kind and devoted to Mr. Attwood during the few months they were permitted to live together. In the year 1898 Mr. E.P. Marks died and W.D. Attwood bought out the interest of his estate in the mercantile business and continued business until his death. He was successful in business and accumulated considerable wealth during his career as a merchant. But he was liberal and gave of his substance unsparingly to help promote the interest of the public. The people of New Edinburg and vicinity owe him a debt of gratitude for the interest he took in the up building of the school at that place. He donated three acres of land for the building and gave $300 in cash, without which it would have been impossible to have erected such a building. He was never identified with any church, but did his part towards supporting such institutions. He belonged to the W.O.W. at this place, having joined as a charter member about twelve or fifteen years ago, and always took an interest in the functions of the lodge, and no doubt will be greatly missed at the meetings. He was buried by the side of his former wife at the family burying grounds on the evening of Oct. 11th in the presence of the largest congregation ever seen at a funeral at that place. The religious exercises were conducted by Rev. J.P. Snipes, pastor of the Presbyterian church, and consisted of scripture reading, prayer, appropriate remarks and singing the following verses of Psalm 39. "My end and length of days, to me O Lord unveil, that I may know in all my way, How weak I am and frail. Lord thou hast made my years, To measure but a span: As naught to Thee my age appears, How vain at best is man. I am a stranger here, Dependent on Thy grace A Pilgrim, as my fathers were, With no abiding place. Spare Lord and strength bestow, My fainting soul restore, Ere I to dust and darkness go, And be on earth no more." After the religious exercises comrades of Hackberry Camp buried their deceased brother with the honors of their lodge to await the resurrection morning when we are taught by the Word of God; all men, nations, tongues and Kingdoms shall be called forth to be judged according the record of their lives while here on earth. May the bereaved ones be comforted in this sad hour by the thought contained in the following: "Those that are broken in heart, And troubled in their mind, He health, and their painful wounds, He tenderly up binds." J.H. Hunter.
Source:  Cleveland Herald - October 15, 1914, contributed by Dena Whitesell.

GEORGE BROWN

Contributed by Christine Walters

Cleveland county is proud to number among her representative citizens George Brown, a well known attorney and statesman with residence in Rison. His birth occurred on the 3rd of December, 1874, a son of John W. and Josephine (Case) Brown. The paternal grandfather, Abner Brown, enlisted for service in the Civil War from Tennessee and shortly after the close of that conflict removed with his family to Arkansas. Here John W. Brown was reared to young manhood and commenced farming. He has since followed agricultural pursuits, achieving more than gratifying success, and he is now living in the northern part of Cleveland county, on a highly improved farm. He is sixty-eight years of age. In Tennessee in 1872, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Brown to Miss Josephine Case, who is likewise in her sixty-eighth year. She is of Irish descent, members of her family having come from Ireland to America in 1850, location in West Tennessee. There Mrs. Brown was born. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Brown three boys and six girls were born, all but one girl living. George Brown, whose name initiates this review, is one of twins, they being the first born.
      In the acquirement of an education George Brown attended the public schools of Cleveland county and as a boy of fourteen years he started out in life on his own account as a farm hand. He likewise worked as a laborer in various sawmills in Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma and at the age of twenty-five years started to study for the ministry. For three years he held pastorates in the rural districts of Cleveland county but in 1902 returned to his work in the sawmills, also securing work on various farms throughout the state. During his spare time Mr. Brown studied law, Judge Woodson Mosley, being his preceptor. In 1907 he was admitted to practice in the circuit court of Cleveland county and he remained a constant student of his chosen profession, attending many lectures in the law department of the State University at Fayetteville. He never received his LL.B. degree, but in 1917 was admitted to practice in the supreme court. He now practices in all state and county courts and has an extensive and lucrative general clientage. He also does corporation work and is local attorney for the Lane & Bowler Company of Stuttgart, attorney for the Boke Oil & Gas Company of Rison and looks after the legal affairs of I.E. Moore and other large planters of this county.
In 1905 Mr. Brown was elected to the office of justice of the peace, holding that position until 1910. Subsequently he represented Cleveland county in the Arkansas state legislature in the session of 1909-1911 and introduced the first state-wide prohibition bill in the legislature. He has served for short periods as deputy prosecuting attorney and in the absence of the regular prosecuting attorney served through one session of court in that office. He has also served through part of two terms as special judge, in the absence and disqualification of the regular judge and during the sessions of 1917 and 1919 and in the special session of 1920, was a member of the state senate. In 1919 he was joint author, with Senator Greathouse and Senator McFarland, of the bank guarantee bill, which was introduced but failed to pass in that session.
In August, 1917, he volunteered for service in the United States Army and went into training at Leon Springs near San Antonio, Texas. There the Seventh Infantry Officers Training Corps was stationed. After a tryout of twenty-seven days, however, he was honorably discharged and a short time after ward was commissioned by the president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, as a member of the district exemption board for the eastern district of Arkansas. After serving three months in that capacity he resigned to accept a commission as first lieutenant in the Arkansas National Guard and he was active in recruiting work until the government abandoned the volunteer system. He then offered his services to Major Moore, constructing quartermaster in charge of the government acid plant at Picron, this state, was accepted and assigned to position as checker in the government store room. He served in that capacity until twenty days after the signing of the armistice, when he again received his honorable discharge.     
On the 23rd of January, 1910, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Brown to Miss Mattie Harrison, daughter of Jessie Harrison; a well known citizen of Rison. They have one adopted daughter, Hazel Kesterson Brown, seven years of age, who is a student in the local schools. Mrs. Brown is prominent in the social and club circles of Rison and is president of the Robert H. Crockett Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy at Rison. She is likewise worthy matron of the chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star here.     
The religious faith of the family is that of the Baptist church, to the support of which they are generous contributors. Mr. Brown is active in the affairs of the American Legion and is a charter member of Hale Post of Rison. Mr. Brown's career has been notable, inasmuch as he has worked his way upward to a prominent position in legal and financial circles and also by reason of the excellent service which he has rendered in public office. Possessing a most genial and pleasing personality he has made many stanch and true friends and has won the confidence and respect of all with whom he has come into contact.   
Note:   Mattie Melvina Harrison d/o Jesse & Belsora (Kesterson) Harrison was the grandaughter of Vincent & Dolly (Chandler) Kesterson, pioneer settlers in Saline Co AR.

DR. JAMES F. CRUMP

Contributed by Christine Walters

Dr. James F. Crump of Pine Bluff, who since 1905 has engaged in the practice of medicine in Arkansas, was born in Cleveland County, this state, in 1873, and is a son of James F. and Priscilla (Tisdale) Crump. The Crump family has long been represented in America. Early generations resided in Virginia, whence a removal was made to North Carolina. The grandfather was James Crump, who married a Miss Kendall, and their son, James F. Crump, Sr., was born in Anson County, North Carolina. He wedded Priscilla Tisdale, a daughter of Elbert and Fannie (Smith) Tisdale. Her father was originally from Tuscumbia, Alabama, and the Smith family was also established in Alabama at an early day. The grandfather in the maternal line was Abraham Smith, who came to Arkansas in 1840. The first of the Crump family to arrive in this state was James F. Crump, Sr., and his brother, who came about 1865 and settled in what was then Dorsey County, but is now Cleveland county. The first of the Tisdale family in Arkansas was the grandfather of Dr. Crump of this review, who also settled in what is now Cleveland County, and the Smith family was established in the same neighborhood, so that in several lines Dr. Crump is descended from old families of this state. His father served for four years under General Lee in the Confederate army. To him and his wife were born four children: James F.; Sidney, deceased; George E.; and Robert E., who is now superintendent of schools at Durant, Oklahoma.
Dr. James F. Crump of Pine Bluff was educated in the schools of Cleveland county and in the University of Arkansas, in which he pursued his medical source, being graduated in 1905. He at once located for practice in Cleveland county and in 1913 came to Pine Bluff, where he has remained. He specializes in the treatment of the eye, ear, nose and throat and has developed his skill and ability in this line to a high edge and ability and is thoroughly conversant with the most modern and scientific principles that have to do with his branch of the profession.
Dr. Crump was married to Miss Dora Harrison, a daughter of Jesse Harrison of Cleveland and of Balzora (Kesterson) Harrison. They have become parents of four children: Hazel, Lauriene, Jesse and George. Dr. Crump and his wife are member of the Methodist church and he is identified with the Masonic fraternity, being interested in all those forces which make for the uplift of the individual and the benefit of the community at large. Along professional lines he has membership with the Jefferson County, the Arkansas State and the American Medical Associations and he is a worthy exponent of the highest standards and ethics of the profession.
Source:  Centennial History of Arkansas Volumes II and III
 
 

STEPHEN WALLACE DORSEY

Senate Years of Service: 1873-1879
Republican

DORSEY, Stephen Wallace, a Senator from Arkansas; born in Benson, Rutland County, Vt., February 28, 1842; moved to Ohio and settled in Oberlin; attended the public schools; during the Civil War served in the Union Army; returned to Ohio and settled in Sandusky; was employed by the Sandusky Tool Co. and subsequently became its president; elected president of the Arkansas Railway Co.; moved to Arkansas and settled in Helena; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1879; was not a candidate for reelection; chairman, Committee on District of Columbia (Forty-fifth Congress); member of the Republican National Committee in 1880; engaged in cattle raising and mining in New Mexico and Colorado; subsequently moved to Los Angeles, Calif., and resided there until his death on March 20, 1916; interment in Fairmont Cemetery, Denver, Colo.

ARTHUR KENNETH KESTERSON

Contributed by Christine Walters

Arthur Kenneth Kesterson , radio engineer-inventor; manager and co-owner with Charles Penix, KCLA, Pine Bluff (AR), Born, Oct, 1907, Pine Bluff (AR). Son of Robert and Oral Pearl (Bunn) Kesterson. Maternal grandfather made and patented the first pill-rolling machine. Interest in science and invention began to roll with this. As schoolboy pioneered radio, operating ham station M-5-JXW. Built first two way radio system in Southeast Arkansas, KQGT, Jefferson Co. Court House, November 1, 1939, for police work. Prior to WWII, did preliminary communications work for special corps., Pine Bluff; continued as civilian employee during war. With financial backing of Dr. C. B. Capel, partners and staff built KCLA with own hands,1947. Since Kesterson designed and built emergency generator, 1952, KCLA never got off air more than 35 seconds from power failure. This record held through tornadoes, other emergencies when station facilities aid relief agencies and supply uninterrupted news coverage. Subsequent contributions to radio engineering include many improvements in console design, notably the square peg type nonslip capstan for turntable speed reducer, adopted by manufacturer in present models. Devoted two years engineering for audio improvements of quality of reproduction. Educated Pine Bluff High School, attended discontinued Judkins Business College, Pine Bluff. Graduated Government Radio course conducted in LR in 1936 by Prof. Cordray of ASTC. He was a Mason, a Shriner and member of the Board of Stewards, Lakeside Methodist Church. Married to Negie Lee Capel, June 16, 1934. Two sons, Arthur Gerald, ham radio W-5-BHG and Kenneth Lee.

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