CRAIGHEAD COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES

Arkansas Genealogy Trails

ANDERSON, James C.

BLACKFORD, John A.

CARAWAY, Hattie Wyatt

CARAWAY, Thaddeus H.

CATE, William Henderson

RITTER, Rev. Frank

JAMES C. ANDERSON

Source: The Goodspeed Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas, 1889, The Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, p. 317.

James C. Anderson, an influential farmer of Craighead County, is a native of Bedford County, Tennessee. The paternal grandfather, Isaac Anderson, was a native of Virginia and married Elizabeth Hunter from Maryland. They settled in Tennessee and here Richard Anderson, the father of James C. was born. He grew to manhood in that State, and married Martha Campbell, also born and reared there. There are now four survivors of their family of nine children. Richard Anderson served creditably as a captain in the late war, and was esteemed by all as a good soldier and a worthy citizen. He was an active member of the I.O.O.F.
James C. also served in the late war as a lieutenant, and participated in a number of engagements, among them New Madrid and Island No. 10. He has now a large farm of 400 acres, much of which is excellent land, and under cultivation. His farm is well stocked with horses, mules and cattle. He was united in marriage with Susan Nance, a native of Tennessee, and after her death was again married, this time selecting Martha Jackson, who was born and raised in Alabama. She came to Arkansas in 1870 with her father, who is a prominent citizen and postmaster at Bono. Eight children have been born to this union. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Masonic order and of the I.O.O.F., and has occupied official chairs in both of these orders. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church.

HATTIE WYATT CARAWAY
(1878—1950)

Senate Years of Service: 1931-1945
Party: Democrat

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-present.

Hattie Wyatt CARAWAY, (wife of Thaddeus Horatius Caraway), a Senator from Arkansas; born in Bakerville, Humphreys County, Tenn., February 1, 1878; attended the public schools and graduated from Dickson (Tenn.) Normal College in 1896; thereafter located in Jonesboro, Ark.; appointed as a Democrat on November 13, 1931, and subsequently elected on January 12, 1932, to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband, Thaddeus H. Caraway; reelected in 1932 and 1938 and served from November 13, 1931, to January 2, 1945; unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1944; first woman elected to the United States Senate; chairwoman, Committee on Enrolled Bills (Seventy-third through Seventy-eighth Congresses); member of the United States Employees’ Compensation Commission 1945-1946; member of the Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board from July 1946 until her death in Falls Church, Va., December 21, 1950; interment in West Lawn Cemetery, Jonesboro, Ark.

THADDEUS HORATIUS CARAWAY
(1871—1931)

Senate Years of Service: 1921-1931
Party: Democrat

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-present.

Thaddeus Horatius CARAWAY, (husband of Hattie Wyatt Caraway), a Representative and a Senator from Arkansas; born on a farm near Springhill, Stoddard County, Mo., October 17, 1871; attended the common schools; moved to Arkansas in 1883 with his parents, who settled in Clay County; graduated from Dickson (Tenn.) College in 1896; taught in country schools 1896-1899; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1900 and commenced practice in Osceola, Ark.; moved to Lake City, Craighead County, Ark., in 1900 and to Jonesboro, Ark., in 1901, and continued the practice of law; prosecuting attorney for the second judicial circuit of Arkansas 1908-1912; elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-third and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1913-March 3, 1921); did not seek renomination, having become a candidate for Senator; elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1920; reelected in 1926 and served from March 4, 1921, until his death, due to a blood clot in the coronary artery, in Little Rock, Ark., November 6, 1931; lay in state in Arkansas state capital in Little Rock, November 8, 1931; interment in Woodlawn (formerly West Lawn) Cemetery, Jonesboro, Ark.

WILLIAM HENDERSON CATE
1839-1899

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present

William Henderson Cate, a Representative from Arkansas; born near Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tenn., November 11, 1839; attended the common schools, and an academy at Abingdon, Va.; was graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1857; taught school in the south and west; served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and was promoted to captain; moved to Jonesboro, Craighead County, Ark., in 1865; studied law; was admitted to the Arkansas bar in 1866 and commenced practice in Jonesboro; member of the Arkansas house of representatives 1871-1873 and during the extra session of 1874; elected prosecuting attorney in 1878; was appointed and subsequently elected judge of the second judicial circuit of Arkansas in 1884; organized the Bank of Jonesboro in 1887; presented credentials as a Democratic Member-elect to the Fifty-first Congress and served from March 4, 1889, to March 5, 1890, when he was succeeded by Lewis P. Featherstone, who contested the election; elected to the Fifty-second Congress (March 4, 1891-March 3, 1893); declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1892 to the Fifty-third Congress; resumed the practice of law in Jonesboro, Ark.; died while on a visit in Toledo, Ohio, August 23, 1899; interment in the City Cemetery, Jonesboro, Ark.

REV. FRANK RITTER

Source:  Soliphone, May 16, 1902; contributed by Tina Easley

A SKETCH OF HIS LIFE AS PREPARED BY HIMSELF

Note:  Many of our readers were personally acquainted with Rev. Frank Ritter, who died a short time ago at his home in Jonesboro and will be interested in the sketch of his life written by himself.  The sketch was furnished by Rev. M. M. Smith two years before the death of the subject.  In the last issue of the Arkansas Methodist, Bro. Smith publishes an obituary of his deceased brother, using the sketch, which is as follows:

I was born to Lewis and Elizabeth Coltrain Ritter at Sparta in Edgecomb County, North Carolina May 15, 1847.  My mother died when I was about two years old.  My father moved to St. Francis County, Arkansas in 1857 and from there to Sevier (now Little River) County in 1859.  I was led to conversion by reading my mother's Bible in 1866 and joined the M. E. Church, South in Taylor's Creek Circuit, in St. Francis County, Arkansas in 1870 under the ministry of Rev. J. W. Walkup.  I was licensed to preach in 1874 and admitted on trial in the White River Conference.  I passed my annual examinations on time, and was ordained deacon in 1876 and elder in 1877.  I traveled (or served) Richards Mission in 1875; Laconia Circuit '76; Prairie Circuit '77-'78; Forrest City Circuit, '70, '80, '81; Pocahontas Station, '82; Clarendon and Brinkley '83; Newport '84, '85; Helena District '86, '87, '88, '89; Clarendon and Brinkey '90; Clarendon '91; Newport Station '92, '93, and Jonesboro District '94-97.  I asked to be superannuated at the close of 1897.  I maintained that relation in '98 and 99, and 1900.  I never served a charge that I felt competent to serve, and hence, I never had an easy place or one that I sought.

I was married to Miss Willie B. Meeks of Clarendon, Ark. February 27, 1884.  Five children have resulted from that marriage and in the following order:  Frank Meeks, John Richard, William Lewis, Cora Lee and Hal Coltrain.  Frank Meeks was buried at Brinkley when about 3 1/2 years old and the others are alive and vigorous at this time.

I worked for the salvation of man until labor broke me down, but I do not regret it even after two years review of it.  Had I a thousand lives to give they should go the same way, only with greater diligence and particularly in studying the Bible.

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