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By Josiah Hazen 1908 Chapter VI Early Settlers on the River of Eastern Arkansas and on the Arkansas River Benjamin Fooy The Fooy family in Arkansas sprang from Benjamin Fooy, a native of Holland, born in 1759. He tried to better his condition in many parts of the world and in 1794 found himself opposite the present city of Memphis in Spanish territory at the village of Hopefield, or as it was called then Camp Esperanza. The Commandant Augustine Le Grande granted him a concession of land, upon which he settled and upon which he died thirty years afterward, on December 27, 1823. Thirty years in the forests of Arkansas, thirty years on the banks of the mighty Mississippi. Honored was he by the Spainiards while in control; honored again while the territory was known as Louisiana; honored still more in the days of the territory of Missouri, and most of all under the territorial laws of Arkansas. He was a justice of the peace for years and under the last control a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. His character was above reproach, and his philanthropy and hospitality were only bonded by his means. He left an aged wife, a large number of children, and a still larger number of grandchildren, whose descendents still ramify eastern Arkansas. Lands were confirmed to him at Hopefield and Wappenocke as having been settled prior to 1799, and to Isaac Fooy at Hopefield under a settlement of 1801. This region is now Crittenden county and the confirmed concessions recorded in 1811 and 1813 upon which patents were issued as follows; Antoine Pena, Augustine Gonzales, John Francis Almendras, John Dominiques, John Andre Escriveve, Francis Groson, Jasto Martin, John Rodrigues and Elizabeth Jones, whose settlements were made between 1798 and 1802. Elizabeth Jones was also confirmed in her right to a farm on Elk Lake opened in 1801. On Copperas Creek of the St. Francis the earliest settle in that region was John Hogan, in 1800, who was joined in 1803 by John Taylor. They and their families were not disturbed by other additions to their neighborhood until some time in 1810.
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