Martha Elizabeth Atkins (1829-1901)

Martha Elizabeth Atkins was born in Laurens County, South Carolina on December 15, 1829 to the marriage of Thomas Atkins, Jr. and Sarah Parlow Davenport.  The 1830 U.S. Census shows Thomas, Sarah and three of their children living in Abbeville District, South Carolina.

1830 U.S. Census

By 1840 the family had relocated to Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.  

1840 U.S. Census

Martha's siblings included the following:

Alexander H (b. abt 1825 SC)
Burket (b. abt 1827 SC)
Caroline (1831-1915) m. Thomas M. Barbour (1830-1897)
William David (1833-aft 1907) m. Elizabeth J. (1846-1903)

Martha Elizabeth Atkins married Dr. William H. Harris circa 1845.  William was born in Tennessee on July 14, 1819.  The location of their marriage is unknown at this time.

The 1850 U.S. Census shows Martha and William living in Smith Township, Bradley County, Arkansas as possible boarders in the Belcher household. Their one year old son, Alphonso, is also listed.

1850 U.S. Census

It should be noted that family Bible records show a daughter named Sucins E. was born to this marriage on January 26, 1846.  Her date of death is listed as August 4, 1849.

Willis S. Smith Family Bible Record Transcription

Children born to the marriage of Martha Elizabeth Atkins and Dr. William H. Harris were:

Sucins E (1846-1849)
Alphonso (1848-1914) m. Sallie Arnold (1868-1940)
William Alonzo (1851-1859)
Mary Elizabeth Cora (1854-1879) m. William Janes (1850-1898)

Dr. William H. Harris died circa 1855.  The location of his burial is unknown at this time.

On July 1, 1855 Martha Atkins Harris married a second time to Dr. Willis S. Smith in Clark County, Arkansas.  Dr. Smith was a recent widower whose first wife, Margaret A. Janes, had died on February 19, 1855.

The 1860 U.S. Census record shows the combined families living in Beech Creek, Clark County, Arkansas.  

1860 U.S. Census

The 1870 U.S. Census record shows the family had increased in number with five children born to the marriage of Martha and Willis, beginning with Millington Smith.

1870 U.S. Census

The family residence was listed as Missouri Township, Clark County, Arkansas in the 1880 U.S. Census record.  Two more children had also been born.

1880 U.S. Census

Dr. Willis S. Smith died on May 20, 1891 in Clark County, Arkansas.  He is buried on his home place, Rawls Hill Plantation.

The 1900 U.S. Census record shows Martha as a widow and head of household.  

1900 U.S. Census

Martha Elizabeth Atkins Harris Smith died on January 20, 1901 in Clark County, Arkansas.  She is buried alongside her husband, Dr. Willis S. Smith, on Rawls Hill Plantation.

Children born to the marriage of Martha and Willis were:

Millington (1860-1940) m. Donie (1866-?)
Martha Elizabeth (1862-1954) m. Elias S. Sullivan (1849-1943)
Laura (1864-1943) m. William Newell Edmonds (1850-1930)
Henry Clay (1866-1952) m. 1. F. McBride (1849-1921) 2. Z. Sparkman (1869-1946)
Daniel Webster (1868-aft 1880)
Adonis "Don" (1871-1959) m. Loena N. Janes (1882-1971)
Fannie (1873-1946) m. Dr. John W. Green (1871-1941)

Family Bible records show three other children were born to this marriage.  No other documentation has been found on the following children:

Tuly/Turly - b. 11 Apr 1856
Thomas - b. 3 Jan 1858
Melissa - b. 30 Nov 1859

Willis S Smith Family Bible Record Transcription

Laura Smith Edmonds was my paternal great grandmother through her son, Bruce.

Tombstone Tuesday - James Thomas Edmonds

James Thomas Edmonds

Born on June 7, 1898

Son of

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith

Brother to

Mary, William Adonis "Bill", Willis Powell, Samuel Jackson, Fannie Pearl,

Paul, Silas, Alphonso Hilliard "Punch", Charles Douglas "Charlie", Bruce and Martha Rebecca

Husband of
Minnie Anding
Jessie Mae Ramsey

Father to
James Thomas, Jr., Charles William and Shirley Ann
William Thomas "Bill", Sr.

Died on February 18, 1958
Buried in the Hasley Cemetery
West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana

Your Memory Is Dear To Us



Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, Sharon Ray.

Tombstone Tuesday - Alphonso Hilliard Edmonds

Alphonso Hilliard "Punch" Edmonds

Born on June 10, 1896

Son of

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith

Brother to

Mary, William Adonis "Bill", Willis Powell, Samuel Jackson, Fannie Pearl, Paul, Silas,

James Thomas, Charles Douglas "Charlie", Bruce and Martha Rebecca

Husband of

Nettie Gladys Taylor

Flossie

Father to

Mary Beth

Died on April 6, 1972

Buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery

Sycamore, Clark County, Arkansas

Tombstone Tuesday - Fannie Pearl Halsell

Fannie Pearl Edmonds

Born on August 11, 1891

Daughter of

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith

Sister to

Mary, William Adonis "Bill", Willis Powell, Samuel Jackson, Paul,

Silas, Alphonso Hilliard "Punch", James Thomas, Charles Douglas,

Bruce and Martha Rebecca

Wife of

Arthur Halsell

Mother to

Laura Mae and Arthur, Jr. "Buck"

Died on December 8, 1965

Buried in Rose Hill Cemetery

Sycamore, Clark County, Arkansas

Fannie Pearl Edmonds Halsell was my paternal great aunt through her brother and my grandfather, Bruce Edmonds.

Tombstone Tuesday - Samuel Jackson Edmonds

Samuel Jackson Edmonds

Born on January 14, 1890

Son of

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith

Brother to

Mary, William Adonis, Willis Powell, Fannie Pearl, Paul, Silas,

Alphonso Hilliard "Punch", James Thomas, Charles Douglas, 

Bruce and Martha Rebecca

Husband of

Maude S. Calhoun

Father to

Frances Elizabeth Pippen

Died on February 19, 1944

Buried in the Cogbill Cemetery

Wynne, Cross County, Arkansas

Samuel Jackson Edmonds was my paternal great uncle.

Tombstone photographs were taken by FindAGrave members, Don and Pam Childers.

Tombstone Tuesday - Willis Powell Edmonds

Willis Powell Edmonds

Born on June 10, 1888

Son of

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith

Brother to

Mary, William Adonis "Bill", Samuel Jackson, Fannie Pearl, Paul, Silas,

Alphonso Hilliard "Punch", James Thomas, Charles Douglas "Charlie",

Bruce and Martha Rebecca

Husband of

Bessie Lee Farley

Father to

Mabel Lea and Elvie Jane

Died on June 26, 1964

Buried in the Oakdale Cemetery

Oakdale, Allen Parish, Louisiana

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, Janet Bertram.

Those Places Thursday - Rose Hill Cemetery

Photograph taken by FindAGrave member, Becky Smith-Schee

Rose Hill Cemetery is located in the community of Sycamore in Clark County, Arkansas.  FindAGrave shows 462 burials in this cemetery.  Of those 462, the following are from my Edmonds/Smith lines.

Laura Smith Edmonds was my paternal great grandmother.

Fannie Pearl Edmonds Halsell was the daughter of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Arthur Halsell was the husband of Fannie Pearl Edmonds.

Paul Edmonds was the son of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Silas Edmonds was the son of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Alphonso Hilliard "Punch" Edmonds was the son of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Charles Douglas "Charlie" Edmonds was the son of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.  Ruth Crouch was the wife of Charlie Edmonds.

Martha Rebecca Edmonds Coulter Sandifer was the daughter of Laura Smith and William Newell Edmonds.

Samuel Lee Edmonds was the son of Ruth Crouch and Charlie Edmonds.

Betty Fay Edmonds was the daughter of Ruth Crouch and Charlie Edmonds.

Francis "Frank" Wesley Edmonds was a brother to my paternal great grandfather, William Newell Edmonds.

Mary Elizabeth "Mattie" Pannell Edmonds was the wife of Frank Edmonds.

The following children of Frank and Mattie Pannell Edmonds are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery:

Genie Edmonds Williams, 1883-1945 (m. John E. Williams)
Minnie Edmonds, 1895-1895
Infant Edmonds, 1904-1904
Frances Vesta Edmonds Broadley, 1906-2004 (m. John Broadley)

The following grandchildren of Frank and Mattie Pannell Edmonds are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery:

Clarence Williams - son of Genie Edmonds Williams
Carl Williams - son of Genie Edmonds Williams
Golden Thomas Williams - son of Genie Edmonds Williams
Emily Odell Edmonds - daughter of James Thomas Edmonds
Mary Jewell Edmonds Childres - daughter of Edward H. Edmonds

Sibling Saturday ~ Bruce and Punch Edmonds

Bruce and Alphonso Hilliard "Punch" Edmonds

sons of

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith

Sunday's Obituary ~ James Thomas Edmonds, Sr.

Monroe News Star - 2/18/1958

James Thomas Edmonds, Sr.

Born on June 7, 1898

Son of

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith

Brother to

Mary T., William Adonis, Willis Powell, Samuel Jackson,

Fannie Pearl, Paul, Silas, Alphonso Hilliard, Charles Douglas,

Bruce and Martha Rebecca Edmonds

Husband of

Minnie Anding

Jessie Mae R.

Father to

James Thomas, Jr., Charles William and Shirley Ann Edmonds

Died on February 18, 1958

Buried in the Hasley Cemetery

West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, Sharon Ray.

Children of William and Laura Smith Edmonds

William Newell Edmonds and Laura Smith were married on April 30, 1885 in Whelen Springs, Clark County, Arkansas.

The following children were born to this marriage:

Mary T. Edmonds

Mary T. Edmonds was born on May 22, 1886 in Clark County, Arkansas.

She died the following year on May 12, 1887 and is buried in Bethlehem Cemetery in Gurdon, Clark County, Arkansas.

Tombstone photograph was taken by FindAGrave member, Becky Smith Schee.

William Adonis Edmonds

William Adonis Edmonds was born on May 27, 1887 in Clark County, Arkansas.

He married Iola Mamie Smith between 1920 and 1930. There are no records of children being born to this marriage.

His occupation was Locomotive Engineer with the M.O.P. Railroad.

William died some time after 1942.  His date of death and location of burial is unknown at this time.





Willis Powell Edmonds was born in Clark County, Arkansas on June 10, 1888.

Willis Powell Edmonds

In March of 1910, he married Bessie Lee Farley in Union Parish, Louisiana.  They made their home in Oakdale, Allen Parish, Louisiana where they had two daughters, Mabel Lee and Elvie Jane.

Willis worked in sawmills as a millwright for many years.

He died on June 26, 1964 and is buried alongside his wife in the Oakdale Cemetery in Oakdale, Allen Parish, Louisiana.




Samuel Jackson Edmonds was born on January 14, 1890 in Clark County, Arkansas.

Samuel Jackson Edmonds

On June 15, 1919 he married Maude S. Calhoun in Vanndale, Cross County, Arkansas.  Samuel and Maude made their home in the Wynne community of Cross County, Arkansas where they raised Maude's daughter from a previous marriage, Frances Elizabeth Pippen Edmonds.

Samuel worked for the railroad as a brakeman.

He died on February 19, 1944 and is buried near his wife in the Cogbill Cemetery in Wynne, Cross County, Arkansas.

Fannie Pearl Edmonds

Fannie Pearl Edmonds was born in Gurdon, Clark County, Arkansas on August 11, 1891.

On March 7, 1909, Fannie Pearl Edmonds married Arthur Halsell in Union County, Arkansas.

After their marriage, they moved to Union Parish, Louisiana before moving back to Arkansas a short time later.

Two children were born to the marriage of Fannie Pearl Edmonds and Arthur Halsell, Laura Mae and Arthur Buck.

Paul Edmonds

Paul Edmonds was born on April 25, 1893 in Clark County, Arkansas.

He died the following year on September 24, 1894 and is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Sycamore, Clark County, Arkansas.






Silas Edmonds was born on September 2, 1894 in Clark County, Arkansas.

Silas Edmonds

He served in the United States Army as a Corporal in Co. C., 526th Engineer Corps. Silas never married.

He died on September 18, 1954 and is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Sycamore, Clark County, Arkansas.





Alphonso Hilliard "Punch" Edmonds was born in Clark County, Arkansas on June 10, 1896.

A. H. "Punch" Edmonds

On September 30, 1922 he married Nettie Gladys Taylor in Union County, Arkansas.  No children were born to this marriage.

Following Nettie's death in 1943, Punch married Flossie and they adopted a daughter, Mary Beth.

Punch worked for the Missouri Pacific railroad as pressman for many years.

Alphonso Hillard "Punch" Edmonds died on April 6, 1972 in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.  He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Sycamore, Clark County, Arkansas.


James Thomas "Tom" Edmonds was born on June 7, 1898 in Clark County, Arkansas.

He first married Minnie Anding circa 1924 then later married Jessie Mae Ramsey some time after 1940.

James Thomas  Edmonds

Children born to the marriage of Tom and Minnie were James Thomas, Jr., Charles William, and Shirley Ann Edmonds.

Tom and Jessie adopted a son, Bill Edmonds.

Tom spent thirty-seven years working for the Missouri Pacific railroad as a conductor.

James Thomas "Tom" Edmonds died on February 18, 1958 and is buried in the Halsey Cemetery in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.




Charles "Charlie" Douglas Edmonds was born in Clark County, Arkansas on September 13, 1900.

Charles Douglas Edmonds

On June 3, 1929, Charlie married Ruth Crouch in McGehee, Desha County, Arkansas.  Census records
show Charlie's occupation as bakery manager in 1930 and 1940.

The following children were born to the marriage of Charlie and Ruth Edmonds:

Patsy Ruth
Charles Douglas, Jr.
William Franklin
Samuel Lee
Beverly Ann
Ella Mae
Robert Melvin
Rebecca Sue
Paul Hilliard
Betty Fay
Mary Gay

Charles "Charlie" Douglas Edmonds died on January 1, 1982.  He is buried alongside his wife in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Sycamore, Clark County, Arkansas.

Bruce Edmonds was born on January 23, 1904 in Clark County, Arkansas.

Bruce Edmonds

On March 29, 1926, he married Mary Allye Steele in Franklin Parish, Louisiana.  Bruce and Allye made their home in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana where they had one son, Bruce Alfonso Edmonds.

Bruce first began working for the railroad as a section foreman.  His other occupations over the years included auditor for the Defense Department, bank cashier, owner/operator of Bruce's Drive-In, and school board member for twenty-six years.




Bruce Edmonds died on January 21, 1974 and is buried alongside his wife in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery near Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

Martha Rebecca Edmonds

Martha Rebecca Edmonds was born in Clark County, Arkansas on May 10, 1907.

On March 15, 1930, Martha married Grover C. Smith in Ouachita County, Arkansas.  One child, William Newell, was born to this marriage.

On May 27, 1944, Martha married Leslie James Coulter in Texarkana, Bowie County, Texas.  One child, Laura, was born to this marriage.

Following Leslie Coulter's death in 1948, Martha remarried to Vollie L. Sandifer.  No children were born to this marriage.

Martha Rebecca Edmonds died on March 11, 1969. She is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Sycamore, Clark County, Arkansas.

Man of Many Services - Dr. Willis S. Smith

From an article written by Farrar Newberry in the August 22, 1963 edition of the Southern Standard:

Dr. Willis S. Smith home - Rawl's Hill Plantation, Clark County, Arkansas

Transcription (copies of article below):

By Farrar Newberry

Even though he wore a flowing white beard, his hair remained dark down to old age, so that friends accused him of dyeing it.  About six feet tall, dignified and imposing, his friendly manner was well calculated to attract attention and to make friends.  A son wrote of him in 1930 that "he carried a great amount of energy and perseverance."

The great-grandfather George Smith, came over from Ireland some time in the 17th century and settled in North Carolina in time for his own son Willis to enlist in the Revolutionary army and meet his death at Bunker Hill.  Willis' son, Millington, went west after the war and spent some time in Tennessee before going to Todd County, Kentucky, where our subject was born on Aug. 10, 1810.  However, the family shortly settled in Johnson County, Illinois, where the lad grew to manhood.

Though deprived of early schooling, Willis Smith's driving ambition prompted him at the age of 20, "unable," as he later said, "to write my own name and to read and spell but little," to seek an education. Accordingly, with three neighbor boys, he went by ox-cart the 100 or more miles to Rock Springs, and with the aid of Principal John Mason Peck, entered the Theological Seminary there.  The boys built a crude log cabin and "batched" doing any sort of odd job that could be found, to pay their way.  

Willis, in a year or so, taught an elementary school during vacation, and the pay, though small, helped with his tuition at the seminary and later at Shurtliff College at Alton, where he finished the college work and was graduated.

There had developed so close a friendship with Dr. Peck that Smith would in a few years name a son for him, and would write, late in life, that the "tie has never been broken or forgotten."

In the summer school he had taught he learned from a pupil who came from Clark County, Ark., of the opportunities available in that state, and "pulling up stakes," he left immediately.  Stopping en route in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., he lingered long enough to teach two terms of school.  Then, accompanied by an older brother, he journeyed horseback to a place near the present Okolona, where he taught a three months term before leaving for nearby Rome at that time a thriving little village, now a ghost town, to teach for a whole year.

Young Smith must have had a winning way about him for two years after--1835--he offered for and was elected sheriff of the county at the age of 26.  In that capacity he was to serve the people for eight years and until voluntary retirement.  For seven of those years the county seat was at Greenville, near the present Hollywood.  His last year in office was at Arkadelphia, to which the seat was removed in 1842.

It was nearly half a century later that Willis Smith wrote reminiscent articles for the Southern Standard and Gurdon Advocate.  Some of the articles give thrilling accounts of court proceedings during his incumbancy as sheriff.

One of the cases described that of John H. Mosely, indicted as accessory before the fact of stealing horses from Indians who were being sent south along the old military road.  Horse stealing in that day was a capital offense, and Mosely's prominence made the trial a matter of county-wide interest.  Such outstanding lawyers as Albert Pike and Grandison Royston took part and a verdict of guilty was returned and sentence of death pronounced.  The date for the hanging was set for 20 days later, and sheriff Smith had to employ a dozen deputies to guard the insecure jailhouse.  The day for execution came, the prisoner was shrouded, and seated upon his coffin, was started for the gallows.  At the very last minute one of his lawyers galloped up with a reprieve from Governor Conway.  A little later came a full pardon, whereupon Mosely said to a crowd of his friends who had gathered, "Come up to the grocery, boys, and have a drink!"

Another case involved the then legal penalty of laying on the lash.  There were two defendants, both found guilty.  One was sentenced to stand in the pillory two hours, "take 79 lashed on his bare back," and remain in jail for another 24 hours.  The other was to get only 50 lashes.  Smith wrote that he gave one ten strokes of the whip and let him rest while he gave the same number to the other, and so until he had finished the unpleasant job.  "There," he wrote, "I made the only men drunk that I can recollect."  This was, of course, to deaden the pain of the victims.

The idea of temperance had been instilled into Willis Smith when a student of Dr. Peck, and for the rest of his life he fought the liquor traffic at every turn.  He hated the places where the stuff was sold, called them "dead-falls," and often uttered the prayer, "God, keep us sure in our determination to bar it from the whole county."

At some time during his years as sheriff, Smith took up the study of medicine under a younger brother who was a graduate of Louisville Medical College.  It was more than a decade later that he himself was able to complete the course at a medical school in Memphis, and began active practice.  In the meantime he purchased the Rawls Hill Plantation some two miles south of Whelen Springs on the Camden road.  This he eventually built to an estate of over 1200 acres; and though his active career as a doctor practically ended with his retirement in 1876, he continued to farm for the rest of his life. 

Loving the country and disliking towns and cities as places to live he remained on the plantation, with the exception of two years, until his death in 1891.  Those two years were spent at Mt. Ida, where he waited on the sick while serving Montgomery County as Judge by appointment of the governor.

Only persons now in middle life, or near it, can recall the old-time country doctor, who carried his medicines in his "pill-bag," looked after the ill and afflicted without benefit of trained nurses, and often stayed at a bedside all night to save a patient's life.

Dr. Smith's account book covering the years 1851-60 listed many visits over a wide range of country, with fees charged and prices of medicines and treatment.  Pills for "ague," appearing frequently in the book, cost $1.00; "bleeding" was $1.50; four portions of quinine totaled 58 cents; castor oil was 25 cents; a bottle of bitters was listed at 50 cents, and syrup of squills came to $1.00.  (Squills came from the fried roots of lillies and was used as an expectorant.)  The highest fee appearing in the book was $5.00 for obstetrics.  Pretty cheap for a brand new baby!

Willis Smith's family life was happy through two marriages; the first to Miss Margaret Janes and the second to Mrs. Martha Harris.  To the first union came 8, and to the second 7 children.

His character exemplified high morals and sound religious beliefs.  He was a Council Mason, and from the age of 20 an ardent member of the Baptist church.  His memoirs relate that he "taught, or tried to teach," the first Sunday School class in Clark County.  This occurred in 1833 soon after his arrival for teaching the country school, and it is said this inter-denominational group of students ranged in ages from 5 to 65.

Though he cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson, he called himself a constitutional old-line Whig, and when the Republican party offered its first candidate for President in 1858, he "joined up" for keeps.  He opposed on principle of secession, but staunchly supported his adopted state after it joined the Confederacy.

Willis Smith's great interest was in people, and especially those of his own community, who he tirelessly served as physician and neighbor for so many years.  And when he died at 81 and was laid to rest in the family plot near the plantation house, the local correspondent of the Arkansas Gazette paid this tribute:  "Our town mourns the death of Dr. Smith.  He was an industrious and energetic citizen, always ready to do anything for the prosperity of his community."