John Wesley Uzzell

Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas compiled by Mrs. Leister Presley Searcy page 562...John W. Uzzell Among the many estimable citizens of Mississippi County, Ark., who have passed to their long home, but who, from an early day, were intimately and prominently associated with the county's development, the name of John W. Uzzell can not be omitted. He was born in Columbia, Tenn., and is the son of Elisha and grandson of Thomas Uzzell, who commanded a vessel in Gen. Lafayette's fleet when coming to the succor of Gen. Washington during the Revolutionary War. After that war Thomas Uzzell settled in Isle of Wight County, Va., where he secured a large tract of land, married, and became the father of two children, a son and a daughter. The family all died with the exception of Elisha, the son, who inherited the property. The father had emancipated all his slaves before he died, and after Elisha came into possession of the property he sold it, and moved to Columbia, Tenn., where he remained until 1859. He then went to live with his son, John W. Uzzell, in Mississippi County, Ark., and died therein 1864 at the age of eighty four years. John W. Uzzell was married in1859 to Miss L. T. Evans, daughter of George H. Evans, who was the nephew of Gen. Tipton, for whom Tipton County, Tenn., was named. Jesse Evans, father of George H. Evans, came in the canebrakes from Tipton County,Tenn., to Mississippi County, Ark., about the year 1841, and brought only his servants with him at that time. He opened a small tract of land where the widow of George H. Evans now lives, and there died in 1844. At that time his son, George H. Evans, who was living in Tipton County, Tenn., in order to hold his place, moved his family on it, while [p.562] he went to Helena to prove up, which be did the same winter. Mrs. Uzzell, whose memory is very good, remembers the first meeting she ever attended in the neighborhood, her father and the preacher being the only men in the congregation who wore coats, all the rest, and there was a house full, wearing hunting jackets, and all carried guns. Upon entering the church they would deposit their guns in a corner behind the preacher. The men also carried side-arms, generally knives, and were prepared for all emergencies. On coming to Arkansas in 1844, the family came in a barouche, and on the trip from the river over to her grandfather's Mrs.Uzzell remembers that there was but one opening from the river ferry the farm, a distance of twelve miles. The cane on each side of the road was so high that it would form an arch over the top of the barouche. In 1859 they selected the spot where Mrs. Uzzell's house now stands to erect a building, and in choosing a spot to dig the well, which they wanted acertain distance from the road, they were obliged to stand Mrs. Uzzell in the saddle on the back of a gentle horse to measure an object for her father to go by, on account of the cane. The place is now one of the pleasantest and most desirable to be found in the county, and the velvety lawn and brilliant beds of flowers attract the eyes of all beholders. In the rear of this stands the large double log-house. Back of the house is a large cistern which will hold 500 barrels, and there is also a good well. Mrs. Uzzell owns now, with her family, about 2,000 acres of land, with about 300 acres under cultivation and keeps about ten families on the place. They raise nearly three-fourths of a bale of cotton to the acre, although they sometimes run more than a bale to the acre. To Mr.and Mrs. Uzzell were born ten children nine of whom are living at the present. The father of these children died in 1884. He was a member of Lodge No. 27, A. F. & A. M., of Osceola, Ark.