Woodard Research

“Honor thy father and thy mother; that their days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth ‘thee.”

                On February 7, 1877, at what is now known as the Cal Raney place, Margaret Jane Raney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Raney, was married to Edward Clanton.  The ceremony was performed by Rev. Jim Robinson, a Methodist minister.  Since that time, more than fifty-nine years have passed.

                Last Sunday, July 19, 1936, by special invitation I was a guest of that married couple at a great family reunion in their home, one and one-half miles East of Vick, Bradley County, Arkansas.  One hundred and eighty-seven people were present for the auspicious occasion, all of whom except myself, Horace Ferrell and George A. Mann, were related by blood or marriage to our hosts.  As Mr. Mann stated: “Judge, it is only right that some clowns should be present, and we are the clowns.”

                I am going to tell you about that great dinner party.  When I arrived at the Clanton home, Ed Clanton stated:  “Judge, I read last year in the Eagle Democrat that Jonathan Ferrell had raised thirteen bales of cotton with one mule.  Look around here, and, you’ll agree that while Jonathan can beat me raising cotton, I have beat him replenishing the earth.”

                Edward Clanton, oldest child of T. W. Clanton and Joanna Clanton, was born in Choctaw County, Mississippi, August 27, 1852.  When he was eighteen years old, his parents moved to the present Clanton homestead.  They arrived there October 21, 1871.  The pioneer family travelled by wagon, crossed the Mississippi at Napoleon, thence to Monticello, Longview and Johnsville. 

                Margaret Jane Raney was born June 25, 1857, in Chester County, South Carolina.  Her parents moved to Jefferson County, Arkansas, when she was three months old, and, after a year, settled the place, now owned and occupied by her brother, Cal Raney.

                For the family reunion, all of their living children were present, namely:  Mrs. J. T. McKenzie, Clarendon, Arkansas, who has nine children and eleven grandchildren.

                S. W. Clanton, Johnsville, has seven children and eight grandchildren.

                Mrs. D. G. Barfield, Wheeler County, Texas, has ten children and thirteen grandchildren.

                Mrs. Ed Smith, Ingalls, has five children and eleven grandchildren.

                Mrs. J. R. Corley, Vick.

                Mrs. L. L. Chandler, Fordyce, has four children.

                J. F. Clanton has two children and three grandchildren.

                Mrs. P. E. Chandler, Poplar Grove, Arkansas, has eight children and one grandchildren.  Mrs. Chandler is forty-three years old and is the youngest child of her parents.  The youngest great-grandchild present was Mary J. Nell Chandler, who will be a year old on August 16^th next.  This little lady has the distinction of being the youngest great-grandchild of the youngest daughter, Mrs. P. E. Chandler.

                And so, you have the names of the eight living children of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Clanton, and the number of the living grandchildren and great grandchildren, with the exception of the failure to list the number in the family of two daughters.  Mr. and Mrs. Clanton were the parents of four children, now deceased.

                There is another member of this great family I must mention, namely, Miss Jessie Evelyn Clanton, daughter of J. F. Clanton and Elva Jackson, his wife.  Her mother died when she was five days old, and her wonderful grandparents have reared her.  She now lives with them.  Her genial disposition, her regard for the welfare of the folks present, and her love and affection for her beloved grandparents single her out as a most competent, delightful, and deserving young lady.  Throughout the party, she was never ceasing in her efforts to see that every guest present had an enjoyable time.

                Mr. and Mrs. Ed Clanton, the honorees, are both members of the Palestine Methodist Church.  First, they belonged to what was then called Parson’s Chapel.  For too long a time for them to remember they have been faithful and devout members of their church.

                I had a great time visiting with that dear little, kindly, and witty, Margaret Jane Clanton.  I asked her to point out some differences of the present from the past.  “Well,” she said, “There is a great difference in going to church.  In the early days, when we didn’t walk, we went in ox-carts.  We had one pair of shoes a year.  We went barefoot until we got in sight of the church, then, we put our shoes on.  Today, the young folks won’t go to church unless they have a car.  We had a better time in those early days than young folks do today.”

                Then I turned to my eighty-four year old host:  “Well,” he said, “In the early days, deer were as thick as rabbits.  I was a great deer hunter.  I have killed three in one day, and, more than a hundred in my lifetime.  The abundance of deer caused me to remain and build my home in this section.”  I asked him about his health.  He replied, “Judge, I have never spent a whole day in bed in my life.  Except for suffering a few chills, I have always been healthy.”  And, believe me, he is a healthy looking specimen of humanity today despite his years.

                Space forbids me telling more about this gathering of a great clan.  Fortune smiled upon me when I was invited as a friend and as a guest.  I shall never forget my visit.  May the outspreading branches of the old black walnut tree continue to help shelter the old Clanton home and its revered couple for many, many years yet to come.  May their noble and useful lives ever serve to bless the present generation and generations yet to come.

“For age is opportunity no less

Than youth itself, though in

Another dress

And as the evening twilight fades away,

The sky is filled with stars,

Invisible by day.”

                Some of the guests present for the reunion were:  T. O. Clanton and family, Ingalls; J. R. Corley and family, Vick; J. F. Clanton and family, Vick;  Jimmie Ferrell and family, Johnsville; Carl Huitt and family, Vick;  Mrs. Ida Rainey, Vick; Mrs. D. H. Barfield, Sweetwater, Okla.; Mrs. P. E. Chandler, Poplar Grove, Ark.; Mrs. Nannie McKenzie, Clarendon, Ark.; Allen Huitt and family, Warren; Mrs. Ed Smith and family, Ingals; Mrs. Jobie Cooper and children, Johnsville; Mrs. G. W. Ferrell and children, Vick; Pete Wardlaw and family, Johnsville; Mrs. Sue McClain and family, Johnsville; Harvey McKenzie and family, Ingalls; D. L. Sharp and family, Ingalls; Mrs. E. E. York and children, Ingalls; Mrs. Monteria Calloway, Ingalls; Horace Hamilton and family, Vick; W. O. Harrod and family, Vick; S. W. Clanton and family, Vick; Price Mann and family, Vick; Boyd Baker and family, Ingalls; Ed Jackson and family, Ingalls; Cason Clanton and family, Vick; Claude Smith and family, Gravel Ridge; Elmond Clanton and family, Johnsville; Dan Rogers and family, Johnsville; Mrs. Martha Lowery, Johnsville; Eva Sharp, McGehee, Ark.; Mrs. L. L. Chandler, Fordyce; Wallace Rainey and family, Vick; George Ferrell and family, Vick; H. H. Ferrell and family, Vick; W. R. Sharp and children, Vick; V. L. Sharp and family, Vick; J. C. Clanton and family, Ingalls; Mrs. W. J. Clanton, Ingalls; Mrs. George Lowery, Jr. and children, Johnsville; Mrs. Geneva Rainey and children, Vick; C. M. Rainey and Lamar Rainey, Vick; H. L. Sharp and Jonah Sharp, Ingalls; J. M. Ferrell and Sally Ferrell, Johnsville; Mrs. T. B. Craig, Johnsville; E. M. Johnson and family, Ingalls; Hollis Huitt and family, Ingalls; W. W. Johnson and family, Ingalls; S. G. Rainey and family, Vick; and O. H. Rainey and family, Vick, Ark.

Written by Judge DuVall Purkins, editor of the Eagle Democrat 23 Jul 1936 [a photo is also with this article]