"Heavener Ties"

Heavener, Indian Territory
Friday, July 15, 1904
The coming Town of the Choctaw Nations
AN IDEAL PLACE TO LIVE

   This town is about seven years old, but its abounding resources have never been touched. It is situated ten miles west of the Arkansas state line, on the main line of the KCS railroad and is the junction of the Arkansas Western railroad which runs to Waldron, Ark. a distance of thirty -three miles Heavener is only two and one-half miles north of the famous Poteau river. For years far seeing men have had their eyes on the point where some railroad would build from the B.I.T. directly to Hot Springs, Ark. to the famous health resort.
   Heavener is situated in the heart of a fertile region that is being rapidly developed - there are thousands of acres yet to be cultivated. The nature of the soil is rich black loam adapted to the cultivation of cotton, corn, wheat, oats and fruits of every description. For a distance of ten miles up and ten miles down the Poteau river, this territory is so situated as to belong, undisputedly to Heavener.
   To the east of Heavener lies the Poteau Mountain with its serenely beautiful scenery and is the covering of the immense vein of coal. The town itself is underlaid with a vein of coal that - is as fine as is produced, but has never been touched, comparatively speaking.
   The above described agricultural districts surrounds Heavener and is so situated, by reason of the lay of the land and course of the streams, as to render this town the natural trading point. The prairie lands are as fine for grain as any in the Indian Territory. Fifteen to twenty bushels of wheat can be produced to the acre and from twenty to forty bushels of oats to the acre. The water supply of the section is furnished by innumerable springs and streams, which are inexhaustible. The Poteau river is a beautiful flowing stream - living water which rises in Arkansas and gathers its waters from springs and rivulets that gush from granite and limestone cliffs. The Poteau is famous for its clear waters its natural beauty and is the home of the trout and catfish.
   There is an inexhaustible supply of the finest building stone inside the Incorporation. Indian Territory is on the eve of a great growth. Here will soon be one of the richest states in the Union. The time to get a foot hold is now. Now is the time to get on the "ground-floor."
   Heavener has an aboundance of pure soft water for drinking. The Poteau river furnishes a good outlet for a drainage system. The natural resources of the surrounding country and the coal, not mentioning the water, will build a town of 5000 people or more within a few years.
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LOCAL NEWS J.J. Smith of near town says that within another year he will be able to furnish the town with lemons. Work has commenced on the telephone exchange in Heavener and it will be in operation within a short time.
Heavener Clipper 1904

Lettering is being changed on the old Choctaw line to conform to the Rock Island specifications.

THE HEAVENER CLIPPER

Heavener, Indian Territory
December 16, 1904

Rock is being shipped from here for purpose of building the foundation of the new school house at Waldron.

Last week M.L. Hall sold over 500 'possum hides. How's that for "varmints?"

Remember that the Christmas tree will be Saturday night before Christmas.

Heavener needs a bank, a bakery and a livery stable right now.

Isn't it time we were thinking of that Christmas tree? We can not afford to do without one as all the children would be disappointed. Let's get together and consider the matter at once. Christmas, with its joys and toys would seem a blank without a tree. When shall we meet and decide on the matter?

Clipper December 23

Sam Wilson has bought Dr. Gray's property and has rented it to Mrs. Broderick who will move here for the purpose of educating her children.

All hands of the A.W. are laid off this week.

Mr. King, the pumper at Thomasville says Christmas is coming down there, too.

M.L. Hall sold two car loads of iron this week. A great many people are bringing hogs to town and selling now, that looks like progressiveness.

GET COAL THAT DON'T CLINKER !!!! Oliver Crawford, Prop.

Clipper December 23,1904
Mr. Vaughn, Foreman of A.W. section at Coaldale was in town yesterday.
Elbert Vaughn

   Elbert Vaughn told his grandchildren of crossing Morris Creek, going through the prairie of high grass, following the wagon tracks up a hill to the artesian well, and then over Walker Mountain with his father, John Vaughn, when he was about 8 years of age. This was before the days of the trading post at Baird where mail was received for the settlers in the area from 1892 to 1898. The first postmaster was Wilson D. Baird.
   John Vaughn's father, Warren Vaughn, had come in 1831 from Tennessee and had settled at Sunken Timbers. (I believe that a member of his family had a grant for these lands along the St. Francis River that were sunken after the New Madrid earthquake. New land grants were issued later and were called the New Madrid Certificates) Later moving northward to Crowley's Ridge in Greene County where John was born.
   John fought in the Battle of Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove and after the war was a cobbler by trade. He married Rebecca Andrews. Twin sons, Elbert and Albert Vaughn were born December 31, 1874. In early 1890 sons of John heard about the new railroad being built and went to Scott's Springs, I.T., now Stilwell, and went to work on the grade or track bed. Stilwell first appeared on the map in 1895. The brick roundhouse was built, a water tank, depot and track yard. Also railroad employees were stationed there.
   Tracks had been laid to Siloam Springs, Arkansas when in 1893 an economic depression hit. Surveyors riding horseback south into the rugged Ozark topography realized this route would be too difficult so the main line was moved west into Indian Territory.
   It was while working on the grade north of Spiro that the road crew at into an ancient burial ground. Work was stopped and the crew waited for instructions. Indian families from Scullyville came to the site and remained until a diversion could take place. The long curve at Mile Post Spiro is the result of bypassing the burial site.
   When the line had reached what is now Leflore County, a camp was set up at Thomasville, I.T. were Katie. a sister of the Vaughn brothers kept house for them. Later she would marry a young farmer of that area, named Tom Nichols.
   By 1896 Stilwell was only forty miles away from his new central division point at Mena, Arkansas he announced to the news media allover the middle and eastern part of the country that he was only forty miles away and intended to lay a mile of track a day. On August 19, 1896 the first official train pulled into Mena with much fanfare.
   Three Vaughn brothers helped to build the Kansas City Southern Railroad as far south as a few miles below Hatfield, Arkansas and then helped to keep it in shape for many years.
   Elbert Vaughn had wanted to be a teacher. He attended school as much as he could with terms being only two or three months long. His last term was at Hatfield in 1900, he was 24 years old.

BRIGHT, BUSY BATES
March 11, 1909
And What We Saw There

   Tuesday morning the Ledger man boarded the A.W. and made his first trip to our neighboring town of Bates, Ark. and had the pleasure of meeting most of the business men of the town.
   Bates was laid out in a huge brush patch some six years ago and today is a little bright place of 500 people. The town incorporated, the following parties being the "city dads" Mayor, Dr. Cline; recorder, J.W. Blair; aldermen, J.T. Matthews, Dr. Atkins, E.R. Vaugan, C.M. Maddox and J.M. Blair. The citizens speak well of the administration, and if the reports are true there will be but little change at the coming election, April 6th next. We were informed that Dr. Cline. because of his professional business, would decline to serve a second term, and J.W. Patton is the most talked of man for the mayoralty.
   J.T. Matthews is a pleasant affable gentleman and one of the leading merchants of the town. He located Bates about the time the town was laid out and tho he has not made a fortune, he has enjoyed a liberal patronage from the beginning. His stock invoices about $5,000. J.W. Patton, his genial clerk, is a man who makes friends and business. On busy days both Mrs. Matthews and Mrs. Patton are found behind the counters and these ladies have proved as good "salesmen" as the gentlemen.
   At Dr. Atkins' drug store we found a neat stock of everything connected with his line. The Doctor a practicing physician- graduate of the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons. He had a large practice, and Mrs. Atkins proves a very able assistant in the store. This lady also has charge of the central telephone office, located in the drug store, and the patrons of the line enjoy the best service at her hands.
   J.H. Cheatham has a great big storeroom from which you may select goods to stock your home, feed, clothe and entertain your family. He has been in business there about two years and is well pleased with his patronage.
   The Bates Coal and Coke Co. has a neat commodious office in charge of J.H. Vahle, the bookkeeper. Mr. V. is a new-comer in the town, having been there about four months. He is well liked by all- the operators, the citizens and the miners. The mine operated by this company is a slope 900 feet deep. The mine is idle at present, but Mr. Vahle is expecting instructions at any hour from the president, L.W. Winter (now in St. Louis) to set the men at work. They will soon give employment to from 70 to 80 men. The output of the mine when closed down two weeks ago was 130 tons per day, but in two or three days this can be increased to 150 tons.
   The largest institution of the town is the Ingrham Lumber Co. In addition to the eight large sawmills and the planning mill, the company has a $10,000 stock of goods embracing everything in the general goods line. At present only four of the saw mills are in operation, and their combined output is 60,000 feet per day. H. Shaffer, the general manager is a very sociable gentlemen but does not permit his sociability to interfere with business. R.M. McKnight is assistant manager and renders good service to his chief and the company. The mercantile business is under the management of J.S. Haywood, and J.W. Blair, head clerk is an adept in everything from selling goods to entertaining the ladies. At present the company has about 100 men employed, not including the log haulers, but in the busy season when all the mills are running at full capacity nearly double the number find lucrative employment with these people. Their payroll now runs about $200 per day.
   K.D. Johnson opened a neat stock of staple and fancy groceries some four years ago and has prospered. In his rooms also the ladies find a nice stock of millinery goods and fancy articles.
   H. Blair the Nashby of Bates is also in the grocery business. He is an old resident of the town, honored and respected by all, tho how it is that he is a republican is somewhat of a mystery - he's good enough to be a democrat.
   Of course we got hungry, and as Aunt Jenny's Hotel has a reputation extending a hundred miles in every direction we went there for dinner. This lady was a pioneer of the town. She grabbed an ax and helped in clearing it, put up a hotel consisting of four small rooms and went at it. And she has been at it ever since with the result that she now has a sixteen-room building nicely furnished, a good bank roll, and is one of the directors of the Farmers' and Merchants Bank of Heavener where her counsel and advice give strength and standing to the institution. But the dinner; our victuals were not set out in little individual butters holding half a teaspoonful each, but the tempting viand were placed in big dishes just such as mother used to place on the table when we had visitors. Tho Aunt Jenny keeps plenty of efficient help, she claims that she is the best cook in Arkansas, and attends to the culinary department herself. As to the truth of her statement hundreds of people will verify it. She has the knack of making everybody happy hence her great popularity and just now a word of waming: If Aunt Jenny says its so and you doubt it, don't tell your doubts aloud for every man in the community would be hunting for your scalp.
   We found a busy place at Claybrook & Harrison's blacksmith shop work piled up for days in advance. They also do wagon making and general repair work, and the fact that they hold this business alone in Bates shows that they give good satisfaction.
   We dropped in for a moment and shook hands with Charley Claybrook, the tonsorial artist. He has a fine stand with plate glass mirrors, and everything up to date, and you're always next.
   John Terry, proprietor of the pool hall is a big jolly fellow ready to greet you heartily on the streets or in his place of business. He keeps a clean quiet place and when you feel like "rolling one" go and see John.
   Rev. M.A. Lark is the Methodist minister. He preaches at Bates, Coaldale, Weeks, Cauthron and Center Point and has 197 members at the four places.
Always pleasant and kind, he wins the regards of all.    A. A. Stevens & Bro., grocery men have all kinds of good things to eat in their $800 dollar stock. Dr. R.C. Cline is also in partnership with them and they carry a $600 stock of drugs is the same building. All three gentlemen are very pleasant and accommodating.
   J.E. Stamps the leading butcher keeps a bountiful supply of salt and fresh meats. His shop is always kept in good order. He has been in business there four years and made many friends.
   Mrs. Matthews and daughter Mrs. John Patton have a line of millinery and ladies' furnishing goods. They have had seven years experience in the business and give satisfaction to their many customers.
   The Harper Coal and Coke Co. is working steadily tho not at full capacity. They are now giving employment to 48 men who are loading only three cars a day. The only person we met connected with the mine was the gentlemany bookkeeper, L.M. Pool. The coal at this shaft like the other, is the finest quality and is practically inexhaustible in supply.
   We called at the office of Dr. Cline, a second meat market, the livery stable, and some other places we should liked to have mentioned in the Ledger, but the parties were net in. We were so well pleased with our trip, however, that we shall not make this our last visit to the thriving little burg across the state line.

Letter from Aunt Grace Vaughn Gresham about Bates

   I can't, for the life of me, think where that Bates livery stable was, unless it was out at the mines where they kept the mules they used in the mines.
   There was a time when we had to buy books of coupons, with which to buy merchandise at the store where Mr. Haywood built the rock store later.
   As for store buildings, and beginning with the west end, there was Chathams. Back of it, where Blaylocks lived, was at first a store, then across the street on the north side were two stores and the P.O. in one building. Then there was K.D. Johnson's store (King David Johnson), Dr. Atkin's office and store, and the Hotel, that's 7 store buildings.
   Across the street that led up to the Section house was a store building next to the one Grandpa had, then another where Becky Blair and Bob Claybrook's once had a millinery shop (they were all small businesses), at the top of the rise was another with a house built on behind, that's 4 stores in that block.
   Across that street (the way the town was laid out) in the next block was Haywood's store, and didn't Lee Gipson have a store before he and Haywood went in together? Anyway there were two buildings there. Then two more store buildings - Mrs. Black lived in one of them in later years, that's four more, 15 in all. That's all I can recall. I think Ed Stamps store and the one west of it were built much later.
   Bates was a boom town once upon a time - the mines and planer running full time. The A.W. ran every day. The depot was some place to go on Sunday aftenoon wearing your best clothes, to see who got on, or off, the train.    Planer - that was the big mill in Bates. They split the logs into boards. It ran night and day if there was a rush order - whang, whang, whang. When I was little, I'd wake up from a nap in the summertime, and that constant whang - whang seemed to make the day hotter.
   There was a drying kiln at the east side of the planer. Sun and air did the drying. There was a wide, but low, opening not tall enough for a door, on two sides of the building. A large metal smokestack went up from the center of the building. The sun heated the metal pipe and that drew air through the openings and through the lumber. It made a whooshing sound as the air went up through the pipe. I know because I went inside once.
   As I grew older, I wondered why that principle couldn't be used to air condition houses. Of course you wouldn't want those metal pipes when there was lightening.
   Maybe the rest of you already know this - When Mamma and Papa first came to Bates they lived where the Bums lived when we left there. Then it was two large rooms and the kitchen was in a small building or shed in the back yard. The K.L. Johnsons were their closest neighbors. Bertie and I, of course, were babies. Mamma said we sat on the floor and played together while she and Mrs. J. visited. When Papa became foreman, they moved to the section house. Papa worked from 7:00 A.M. till 6:00 P.M. 6 days a week. On pretty Sunday mornings he usually got out and walked over the country-side, and Elmer and I were taken along. He carried me and led Elmer. Later, he carried Blanche, led me, and Elmer tagged along.
   I think I got off the subject there. But I must mention Papa's game rooster again, he was the prettiest bird. His dark tail feathers had an iridescence, sometimes they were blue metallic-looking-sometimes they were green. He was a regular pet. He wanted to stay around us kids, but we were told never pick him up because of his long needle-sharp spurs. I cried when they pulled him out of the rain barrel.

From the 1911 edition of the KCS Current Events News

   Bates, Scott County, Ark.- Population 150; from Kansas City, MO., 351 miles, on Arkansas Western branch of the K.C.S. Ry. A lumber manufacturing and coal mining town. There are in operation here the yellow pine sawmill of the Ingham Lumber Co., capacity 50,000 feet daily; the I.R. Packard Coal Mine and Bates Coal & Coke Company's mine. The town has five mercantile stocks valued at $140,000, a hotel, church, public school and several minor commercial and industrial concerns. Land Values - $5 to $10 per acre. Business Opportunities: There are wanted in Bates a meat market, a bakery, and there are good openings in the coal mining industry. Address for information, Agent K.C.S. Ry. Bates, Ark.

Louise Vaughn Rockwell Remembers Bates People Bates, Scott County, Arkansas

   Aunt Jenny - Hotel keeper, Dr. Atkins Drug Store, his wife was Louise.
   Robert Bevill - Miner, Austin Bethel Storekeeper, Lee Bethel - Planer work and A.W. A.A., Vergil Bethel- School teacher, Justin Bethel - Postman.
   Harley Bird, Bill, and Black were coal miners. Mrs. Black, Viola, Rosco: Claud and John Blair were farmers, Will Blair was depot agent, Harvey Blair died young, George Blair was a beauty supplies salesman.
   A Mr. Blaylock died young and left a large family.
   Cora Bottoms married Delbert Blair. There were Minnie and Lou Brixie and a Mrs. Arthur Harrell.
   Frank Brown was a farmer. Gar Brown had a large family and was married to a Rogers from Cauthron, Ark. They had one son Gar Brown, Jr.
   There was a miner by the name of Buff. Grant Bunker worked away from Bates. His wife was Kate and she kept a hotel, they had a large family.
   Tom Bums was a carpenter, Hosea Butler; a Mr. Campbell was a farmer from Iowa. Susie Catt. J.H. Cheatham was a store keeper with four children. Charlie Claybrooks was the barber (had a blacksmith shop) and planer worker. Dr. A.C. Cline. Albert and Louise Coble, he was a coal mine official and she a teacher.
   Alcie Collins was a teacher, her husband was James Haywood, George and Brucie were her sisters. Raymond and Winnie Combs were orphans. Myrtle, Raymond, Iva , Isa Faye, and Otto Cook were orphans.
    Ovie Harrell married a Criss who was a taxi driver. Bill & Bessie Delk.
Talitha, Harry Dunn, whose father was a coal miner. A.P. Ellis was Justice of Peace, with sisters Effie and Bertha. Polk Ellis operated a general store. A.P. was a nephew to Polk and he had several children.
    Dr. Ferguson had two sons, Walter and Harley. He married twice and his second wife was Sid Liles' sister, her daughter was Seeby Jones, they were from Coaldale and Bates.
    Ferril Flowers married Otto Payne's sister. There was a family named Forti who was from Belgium. They had several children and he worked as a coal miner. Angelo Fossin was an Italian coal miner. He was a one-armed man due to a gun shot incident.
    Bill Francis was town constable and he too had several children.
    Lee Gipson was a storekeeper and later was partner with storekeeper James Haywood. Mr. Greathouse was postmaster and owned the first radio in town. There was Audie Green, Joe Gregalonia another Italian coal miner. He was the second husband of Mrs. Jim Marsaglia. Tom Grey was the Bates depot agent, then depot agent and mayor of Waldron; he marred Cora (Belauh) Bethel.
    Henry Grey was a musician and farmer and hauler, together, with his children, Ed, Coy and Bertha.
    Charley Goforth was the Church of Christ minister. His wife's name was Minnie. She sold milk. John Goforth one of several brothers, worked for the A.W. A.R. as a section worker and married Feemie Golden.
    Florence Hargrove (Mrs. A.P. Eillis), Dewey and Emmett Hargrove were farmers, Ezra was a storekeeper, Emmett was district director of schools.
    Ernest Harper was a well-to-do farmer. Harrison had a blacksmith shop, Tom Harrell was a farmer and Arthur Harrell worked away from Bates. Mr. Hart was a retired miner and public speaker.
    James S. Haywood was a storekeeper, he sold text books and was district director of school. His son Alva was a star baseball player.
    Ruby Harvey was a school teacher. Harrison Hendrix married Birtie Johnson.
    Ted Herrin stayed with Sam Kersey for a while and attended school. Ted was kin folks to Sam.
    Ralph Hinson came from out west and stayed with the Hixenbaughs while he attended school. Hixenbaugh was depot agent at Bates and later on at Hodgen, Oklahoma.
    There was a Holland family; he was a coal miner and farmer. A family named Hope, and one by the name of Howell. K.D. Johnson was a storekeeper with a large family. His son Jim was a star baseball player.
    Mr. Jones was superintendent of coal mines. He had 4 daughters, Jessie Mae, was a talented artist.
   Big Jack was an Italian coal miner. Mr. Kendrix was a farmer with a large family, his daughter Rachel married Robert Bevill. Sam Kersey was a farmer and his daughter Ethel was very smart. There was a Dewey Kersey who was some kin to them.
    Edgar Konkul was a farmer, hired hand and with the U.S. Navy.
    M.A. Lark was a Methodist mini ter. A Lawson was a handsome Weisl miner who married Mendy Travis. Dosha Commander was Mendy's daughter.
    A miner by the name of Le May had a son Guy who moved to Heavener.
    Mrs. Leslie and daughter Josephine lived near Post Office.
   Sid Liles was a coal miner with three beautiful daughters. Will Liles was a minister.
    Charley McCartney was a Nazarene minister. Henry McCord was planer worker who married Clara Bethel.
   A farmer by the name of McDaniel had a daughter, Pearl, who married Charley Blair.
    Jim Marsaglia was an Italian coal miner who was killed in a gas explosion. He left a widow, son Pete and daughter Ida. Chester Marsaglia was a younger bachelor brother of Jim who was also killed in a coal mine explosion.
    J.T. Matthews was a merchant and retired farmer. He was grandfather of John Patton who moved to Heavener as did his parents. Mr. and Mrs. John Patton had a millinery and ladies goods store.
    Arthur Miner was a minister. G.B Mixon was a druggist formerly of Cove, Arkansas and father of Mrs. E.B. Vaughan. H.A. Mixon was the son of G.B. Mixon and a part time resident.
    Mollie Morgan was one of the popular young women of the area.
    A farmer by the name of Moss had three sons and lived near the new school.
    Mr. Oxford, a coal miner, was the father of Mrs. Mattie Bird who had a son and Beatrice and Inez.
    James Neal was a rural route mail carrier and Church of Christ minister, his sister was Martha.
    Mr. Neill, who was a teacher had a brother Ed who was a farmer.
    Mr. Packard worked away from Bates his wife and children kept a small store, mostly sweets.
   Mr. Payne was a successful farmer with rich bottom-land. He had a daughter and three sons, Larkin the youngest, died young.
    Tom Plummer was a A.W. R.R. section worker with wife Lura, a school teacher. They had one daughter and two sons.
    Mr. Pottridge was a farmer with two sons and a daughter.
    Mr. Pyles was a farmer with a son, Gus, and two daughters, named Ethel and Edith.
    Bud Ramey was a farmer who married Eudie Harrell, he was with the RR extra gang first.
    In the Ransom family were Ike, Otto, Myrtle, and Nellie: this was a well known family.
    Sam Richards was treasurer and perhaps secretary for the coal mines. He had one son and two daughters.
    Butch Robbins was a farmer and butcher with one daughter, Edith.
    The Salinas family was Italian and Mr. Salinas was a coal miner who married the widow Buff.
    Among the Sanders family was Everett, Ben,. Claud, and Elihu. They were farmers. Mr. Shelton was also a farmer.
    Will Sliger was a farmer as were George and Arthur. George worked as a planer also.
    Ed Stamps was a store keeper, R.A. Stevens and Brothers had a grocery store. Bill Stevens, Iva and others attended Bates school.
    Lucy Strickland was a pianist and school teacher.
    Ose and Buell Stokes were coal miners. The Storm family were farmers. John Terry had a pool hall. Foster Thomas was a farmer married to Stella Williams with one daughter, Retha.
    The Tolleson's had one son killed in World War One and they had a daughter named Dexter.
    Mendy Travis sold eggs and butter, was a practical nurse, Vaud was a college professor. Underwood, a farmer with a daughter named Velma who married Bud Williams.
    The large family of Upchurch were involved in various occupations. There were George, Effie, Vida and one of them married Dr. Stewart of Heavener.
    There were two boys and one gir1 in the Valentine family. Mr. Valentine was a coal miner.
    E.B. Vaughan was a railroad section foreman for the A.W., a school district director, and a farmer. He had five daughters and three sons.
    Mr. Ward the storekeeper had a son Clyde killed in a school bus accident.
    The Washburns were kin to Harrells , raised a gir1 named Mae, and kept school teachers in their home.
    Leslie Webb was a real gentleman. His father was a farmer. Sam Weeks moved away from Bates but returned later to renew old acquaintances.
    Lou Williams was a lovely young lady who attended singing school.
    The widow Williams had 3 daughters, Mildred, Eva and Stella and 2 sons Fred and Bud.
    Clarence Womack was a Baptist minister who married Effie Burns.
    Mr. Yearwood was a widower who lived in a vacated mine hotel. His children were Grace, Jane and Frank.

From Aunt Grace Grandpa Mixon

    It must have been 1916-17 when Grandpa sold his drug business and came to Bates. He put in a small line of drugs in a store building downtown, arranged living quarters in the back, and took his meals with us.
    Several years later, he built a small one-room cabin on the hillside, across from the KCS section house. That's where he lived until he died in 1928. He called it his mansion in the skies.
    Grandpa Mxon's trial for bootlegging was at Waldron. I read the desposition. The charge was so ridiculous that Grandpa refused to have a lawyer. All in the world they could prove was that he was selling Beefwine and Iron, a tonic, to young people and they were using it to get high. There were no restrictions on BW & I. It was sold over the counter like Castoria. I took a few bottles of it myself, according to directions.
    Grandpa was sentenced to one year at Arkansas State Farm. The sentence was suspended because of his age.
    When Grandpa found that he could get up a petition of 2,000 signatures, and get a pardon. That was an awful lot of names for a place like Bates. Everytime there was a ball game, or anything else to bring people to town, Papa took off from his job and carried the petition around for Grandpa. Between the two of them they got the 2,000 signatures.
    Grandpa learned that the Governor's train would be passing through Heavener or maybe it was Poteau on a certain date. He went out there, saw the Governor, presented his petition and got his pardon. The Governor told him he didn't look like a bootlegger to him.
    George Brown Mixon was born Oct. 26, 1845 at Mobile, Alabama. He died Oct. 8, 1928 at Bates, Arkansas. He is buried in the Gibson Cemetery. His parents were Thomas and Zilpha Grantham Mixon, who had nine children and who lived in the Madison Station and Jackson, Mississippi area.
    He was well educated, an avid reader of Halderman's Little Blue Books, a man of conviction, opinions and not hesitant to correct even the minister when he saw error. (Much to the chagrin of his grandchildren.)
    George Mixon's sister Martha Hearn kept diaries for over 35 years. These were purchased by the Dept. of Archives in Jackson, Mississippi, their value being an account of farm life post Civil War.
    She made numerous references to her "dear brother George" and recorded his marriage to Elizabeth Gardner in 1876.

Other Bates People are Remembered Through the Following Article

   Dear Sir:
   Several weeks ago my mother, Mrs. Elmer Vaughn, presented my wife and me with a quilt top that was given to her by my grandmother, Mrs. E.B. Vaughn, over 30 years ago. This quilt is known as a "friendship quilt" because it contains the name of a special friend on each square. We would like to send a special "thank you" and "Merry Christmas" to all these friends and for their families for the friendships give to my family years ago.
These friends as they appear on the quilt are:
Gus Piles, Myrtle E. Cook, Henry Bethel, Trudi Gibson, Jack Bird, Lillie Bethel, Otto Ransom, Louise Dozier, Arthur Miner, Louise Williams, Tony Sorrels, Bessie Delk, Matt Cheatham, Ruby Harvy, Leslie Webb, Sallie Cheatham, Dennis Williams, Mary Hope.
    Ted Kersey, Maggie Francis, John Valentine, Clara Bethel, Ernest Brown, Eleanor Ward, Bill Francis, Myrtle Ransom, Bill Delk, Ora Travis, Pete Marsaglia, Talitha Dunn, Alva Haywood, Susie Catt, Harrison Hendrix.
    Audie Green, Harley Ferguson, Minnie Brixie, Johnnie Blair, Vida Upchurch, Albert Johnson, Ethel Piles, Raymond Cook, Birtie Johnson.
    Since your newspaper is the only way I know of to communicate our gratitude, your publishing this letter is appreciated.
   Sincerely yours,
James A. Vaughn