William DuVal

"Another old settler, also, lies buried not far from town, who was here at a very early day, and whose descendants now occupy prominent positions in this city, and most of whom were born on this soil — we speak of Capt. Wm. Duval, who we found a leading merchant here in 1834 before the town of Ft. Smith was laid off. http://library.uafs.edu/fshsj/13-02_Complete_Issue.pdf

Captain William DuVal was the father of Col. Ben. T. DuVal. In 1825 he came from Virginia and established a trading post near Fort Smith. A few years later Capt. DuVal brought his family out. Col. Ben. DuVal was then only a little child and has seen the town in all its phases since that time; consequently he is recognized authority on all matters historical in town, county and state. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~arsebast/misc/history.html