Shirley History – Final Chapter

In 1912, Shirley was beginning to boom as a railroad center for all of Van Buren County. Wagon loads of timber products poured into the town from all directions, cotton gins and saw mills hummed, and long lines of railroad cars were standing by on the track sidings ready to be loaded with all the products of the farm and timber operators. Counting the freight wagons from Clinton and the timber wagons from all over, there must have been 900 wagons in town on any given day. Saturday traffic was especially heavy when all the farmers also came into town to shop. Shirley was not unlike Dodge City, Kansas in the days of the Old West. The timber men probably had more money to spend than a thirty dollar a month cowboy on the old Chisom trail. A wagon load of stone bolts brought up to one hundred dollars per load and more than that when the war in Europe started in 1916 through 1918, creating a need for barrels to ship tons of material to the war. Although the timber men were on the road more than a day, they were ready for fun and excitement when they reached town and got paid. Before prohibition came in 1918, town saloons, spang up all around. These saloons were like the ones in Dodge City. They usually had the dance hall girls and the bar maids who were always willing and ready to relieve the wagon men of thier hard earned cash. All of this created a problem for the law enforcement agency of the town. The agency usually consisted of the mayor or the justice of the peace, a part time county official. My grandfather, E. Hackett, was the first mayor of Shirley starting in 1912, when the town was incoporated. He also served at various times as the justice of the peace for Union township. The main job of the mayor in these days was the convening of court to try the drunks and disturbers of the peace of Shirley, and that in itself was someties an impossible job. During these times, the favorite sport of elder people and teenagers was a trip to town to watch the fights. Since these under eighteen could not enter a saloon, they watched outside until the fights spilled over into the streets. The timber boys differed in many respects from the western cowboys. They were not allowed to carry guns. This was a violation of state law and was rigidly enforced. So all the fights involved nothing more than a black eye, skinned head, or a bloody nose. In most cases, it involved nothing more than a torn shirt or a dusty back from being thrown to the ground. Shirley’s first jailhouse was made up of heavy wood timbers. This house was located north of the present Missionary Baptist Church, but it did not serve long because in the early 1920’s two of the town drunks set their bunks on fire and just barley missed being roasted themselves. The jailhouse was moved near the Cotton Caldwell house. Although Shirley was a small community there were some instances of violence that would shake up the community but these events seldomly occured.

Local 9-28

Join In The Celebration

Judith Wright This Saturday, October 1, will be a BIG day for the city of Shirley as they celebrate their Centennial. Everyone is encouraged to attend their planed activities starting at 10:30 a.m. with a parade going through downtown, honoring three local centenarians, a box lunch available at noon, music at the outdoor stage and fireworks at 9 p.m. The centennial committee changed the original date of the celebration because of other planned community events, including the Fairfield Bay Fall Fest. If it’s been awhile since you attended a small town celebration, now is the perfect time to show neighborly support of this once in a lifetime event. Turn to page 11 and see an itinerary of the days events.

American Legion Makes Generous Donation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Meadows Awarded Certified Residential Specialist of the Year

Stephen Meadows, son of local couple Jim and Mary Meadows, received the honor of being named Tennessee’s Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) of the Year for 2011. Meadows, a 5-year resident of Middle Tennessee, was recognized for his dedication and service to the community, as well as to the Greater Nashville Association of REALTORS®, the Tennessee Association of REALTORS® and the Tennessee CRS Chapter. He was also recognized for his top producing real estate sales performance. Meadows’ involvement in real estate began in 2001 and he currently serves The Greater Nashville Area. Meadows, of the Crye-Leike Midtown office in Nashville, has achieved success in his real estate career by focusing on education and professionalism, as well as working as a part of the Cindy Stanton REO Team. He is also active in the Young Professionals Network for the local Association of REALTORS®. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this honor. I have enjoyed every moment working with CRS and have made connections and friendships across the state that will last a lifetime.” The Council of Residential Specialists is a not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors® comprised of more than 33,000 members. It awards the CRS designation to experienced Realtors® who have completed advanced professional training and demonstrated outstanding professional achievement in residential real estate.

Greers Ferry Vet Clinic Held First Free Vaccine Clinic

In observance of World Rabies Day on September 17, 2011, Dr. Kelly and the staff at Greers Ferry Veterinary Clinic held their first free vaccine clinic for low-income patients. Dogs where given rabies, parvo, distemper, adenovirus, corona, and parainfluenza vaccines and de-wormer. In addition, large dogs received lepto vaccine. Cats were given rabies vaccine, and Revolution (a heartworm preventative, flea control and de-wormer). The team, Amber Carlton, Ashley Dourlain, Becca Runion, Ruth Carmicheal, and Teresa Brewer, donated their time to help make such a program affordable for the clinic. Dr Kelly was very proud of her team noting that giving back to the community really builds team morale. Dr Kelly stated, “Our goal is to offer the best care possible to area pets. We have an amazing team of caring and smart individuals. I would not take a million dollars for any one of them.” The clinic is already planning the next program to help people and pets, it will be announced in the next few months. World Rabies Day is part of an effort to raise awareness about the impact of human and animal rabies, how easy it is to prevent, and how to eliminate the main global sources. More than 55,000 people die from rabies every year, with 2 to 3 of these cases in the USA. The most important global source of rabies in humans is from dogs. This major source of rabies in humans can be eliminated through ensuring adequate animal vaccination. Arkansas rabies law requires that all dogs and cats, regardless of housing status, must be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age by a licensed veterinarian. One shot is not enough; rabies vaccinations must be kept current so talk with your veterinarian about when your pet needs a rabies booster shot.

Fairfield Bay Parkinson Support Group Speaker

The Parkinson Support Group meets at the Fairfield Bay Baptist Church at 2 p.m. every first Thursday of each month. The speakers for October will be Rheeta Stecker M.D. Topics will be Hot Topics in Nutrition and Are Supplements Necessary. Also speaking will be Lydia Stevens of The Arkansas Parkinson’s Disease Association Hot Springs Ar. Anyone interested in learning more about this disease are always welcome.

 

Fairfield Bay Fall Fest Plans In Full Swing

Soup, Soup, and more Soup! That’s what the Chamber of Commerce Fall Fest Committee was hearing at their last meeting. A variety of local organizations and individuals have committed to bringing steaming pots of soup, made from their favorite recipes, to the Chamber’s 2011 FALL FEST to be held in the Fairfield Bay mall on Saturday October 8 and more entries are still being accepted. These soup makers will be offering their soups for purchase by the cup, for tasting, and to be ultimately judged for prizes. Proceeds from the soup sales will go to the FFB Chamber of Commerce to be used towards continuing their many services to the community. The Soup Cook-Off will take place between 11am and 1pm with awards for “best” being presented at 1 o’clock. Cold drinks will also be available. And there’s more! Home-baked goodies will be sold starting at 8am, and a variety of non-food vendors will be displaying their wares in the mall, for all to admire and purchase, starting at 10:00am. Sept. 28 is the deadline for vendors to request a space. And last, but certainly not least, the entertainment committee has done a fantastic job lining up some crowd-pleasing performances. Just to mention a few, there will be line dancing, cloggers, choral groups, a Zumba performance from the Hart Center, plus several other musical acts, and maybe a few surprises! Entertainment and music will run throughout the day. It is suggested to bring lawn chairs so you can enjoy the entertainment in comfort. For those interested in running, you could start your day with the 5K run starting at 9:00 from the Hart Center (for more information call 884-7777). Then come join in the fun at the Fall Fest – there’s something for everyone! Mark your calendars now! Call the Chamber office 884-3324 if you have any questions.

Over 500 Attend the KFFB 106.1 FM Regional Health Fair in Fairfield Bay

The KFFB 106.1 FM Regional Health and Wellness Fair was Saturday, September 24, 2011, at the HART Center in Fairfield Bay. Over 500 people attended with over 100 doctors, nurses, and other specialists providing free vital tests during the five hours of the health fair. “This was great Health and Wellness Fair!” stated Bob Connell Owner and General Manager of KFFB 106.1 FM, “We look forward every year on improving our health fair and we would like to thank all those who attended and participated, I would love to hear from those who attended for their feed back on how we can improve the Regional Health Fair” you can contact Bob at bob@kffb.com. KFFB 106.1 FM gave away $106.10 every hour and many other prizes during the Regional Health and Wellness Fair. Cash winners of 106.10 this year were Catina Tewksbury-Batesville, Wayne T. Woolsey – Fairfield Bay, David Stevens-Mountain View, Andrea Lupella – Morrilton, Charlotte Kay – Fairfield Bay. Other prize winners are Megan Shook, James Warner, Mandi Van Dyke, Linda Lewis, Jim Hunt, Jean Altus, Sharon Suafer, David Kah, Marge Fleischer, Barbara Wagner, Marilyn Warner, Tiffany Wright, Anita James, Dot Walters, Norbett Rowlett, Judith Melikian and Jim Solomon. Next year’s event is already in the planning stages and is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, September 29th, 2012.

FFB Yacht Club Fish Fry

Ernie Majhenich Commodore The FFB Yacht Club will hold a fish and chicken fry on Thursday, October 20 at the FFB Marina. This event wll be catered by the Catfish House in Conway. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Happy Hour and costume judging will be from 4 to 5 p.m. We eat from 5 to 6 p.m. The menu consists of catfish, chicken, hush puppies, french fries, coleslaw, baked beans, green tomato salad, and rolls. The yacht club will supply mimosas, white wine spritzer, and iced tea. Anything else, please BYOB. The cost will be $15 for members and $17.50 for guests. We MUST have a count for the caterer by october 13, so please send in your money as soon as possible.

Obituary: Ruth Irene Rice

Rice, Ruth Irene, formerly of Montrose, MI, age 90, went to be with the Lord, Tuesday, Sept 20, 2011 at the Clinton, Arkansas hospital near her daughter’s home. Funeral services will be held at Whipple Funeral Home, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011 at 2 p.m. Pastor Jerry officiating. Burial will be at the Montrose Township Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 2 p.m. – 9 p.m. Ruth Rice was born April 17, 1921 to Frank and Thelma Monroe at the family farm near Montrose, MI. She attended a country school about a mile down the road and occasionally the family went to town by horse and wagon. The farm crop Ruth remembered best was strawberies. Ruth married Leo Taylor and later Milford Rice. She has four children; Claudia Taylor Sands (Richard) of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas, Pauline Rice Walker (James) of Yakima, Washington, Milford (Mel) Rice Jr. (Marsha) of New Lothrop, MI., and Robert Rice (Rhea) of Grand Blanc, MI. There are many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Cont’d on page 14 Ruth’s family has greatly enjoyed her cooking and handcrafts. Every family has one or more crocheted afghans and other pieces of needlework made by Mrs. Rice. Many others in nursing homes and various places have received her crocheted lap robes and prayer shawls. Mrs. Rice was also a very supportive parent for her children in church, school, scouting, and 4-H activities. She was a member of the Montrose Church of the Nazarene serving in many capacities and was their treasurer for 25 years. She and Milford were also active volunteers at the Montrose Senior Center. She was preceded in death by her husband Milford Rice, Sr., her parents, a brother, a sister, and 2 grandchildren

Community Spotlight

Doris Brown
Birthplace: Shirley, AR
Current Hometown: Shirley, AR
Employment: Retired Teacher

Q: What is your favorite thing about where you live now?
A: Living close to family and friends
Q: What is your least favorite thing about where you live now?
A: Inconvenience of going to Dentist, etc.
Q: Where is the farthest you have traveled?
A: Italy
Q:Who is the person you admire most and why?
A: My husband Benny, because he has lots of wisdom and gives me good advise.
Q:What is the best advice you have received?
A: Be patient
Q: What would be or has been your dream job?
A: My teaching job was my dream job.
Q: Where would you go on a dream vacation?
A: A cruise to Alaska
Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?
A: People who are not dependable.
Q: What would you do if you won the lottery?
A: Share with my children, grand-children and my church.
Q: Name one celebrity you would like to have lunch with?
A: Bill Clinton
Q: What is your favorite book or movie?
A: A Summer Place
Q: One thing about you that would surprise people?
A: I played college basketball
Q: One thing you would change about yourself?
A: Be a better listener and not talk so much
Q: Favorite memory from childhood or school?
A: Playing under the old “Mulberry Tree” with my cousins

Rierson Juried Into Arkansas League Of Artists Exhibition

Local Artist, Charlotte Rierson shown in photo with her Award Winning Painting that was juried into the Annual Arkansas League of Artist Exhibition. This was her 2nd Annual Arkansas League of Artist Juried Exhibit to be accepted, which qualified her for their distinguished signature membership. The exhibit is at Cantrell Gallery in Little Rock and goes through Oct. She recently had a painting juried into the Hot Springs Fine Art Center’s Diamond National Art Competition. The Exhibit will hang in the art center through this month. Charlotte won 1st in Watercolor category and 1st in Acrylic in the Arkansas Heritage Art Competition held in Fairfield Bay sponsored by the North Central Arkansas Artist League. Charlotte’s paintings may be seen in various venues around Fairfield Bay and the State. She is one of the four artists in the Fairfield Bay “Art Gallery & Studio” and is one of the featured Artists in the coffee table book “Art and Artisans of the Ozarks, Volume Two to be released this Fall.

Arkansas Humor with Ed Burns

I mean what do you “know” as opposed to what you might “think” you know. If we are totally honest with ourselves we actually “know” very little. We think, we believe, we trust and we hope many things, but that’s not actually “knowing” something. This came to my attention recently when the Memphis Three were released from prison. A lot of people were on TV giving their opinions, Many were happy that they had been released because they stated that they “knew” they were innocent. While others were disappointed because they stated they “knew” that the three were guilty. I believe they were overstating their knowledge of the cruel act. If they were not actually present when it happened they couldn’t possibly “know” what happened. They believe that it did or did not happen but how could they actually “know?” If you pay close attention you will hear that a lot. Many times when a crime is committed and the police are talking to neighbors or family members of a suspect they will often say, I just know this person could not have committed this crime because I have known them for many years. If the suspect is a relative or family member they just can not accept the fact that this person would do this. They say, I have known them all their lives and they just could not do a thing like this. Yet they were not there when it happened. It would be more appropriate to say, I just can’t believe he/she would do something like this. If we think it through and be honest, we really don’t “know” much. When we study history we read about events that happened many years ago so we trust the historians, but we really don’t know that events actually happened, because we were not there. We trust, we believe, we may not question, but we do not “Know!” I have been taught in school and have read many times that; Henry Ford invented the automobile and that Orville and Wilbur Wright were the first to have a successful aircraft flight. I have read that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and motion picture camera. I have been taught that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. And I believe all this to be true, but I do not “know” these things to be a fact because I was not there. I’m getting old but not that old. It’s just a matter of thinking before we speak, and I just “know” you will after reading this.

Dear Editor 9-28

Dear Editor & Friends:

The family of Miss (Minnie) Brown would like to thank everyone for the food, flowers, cards and other kind exoressions of sympathy for the loss of our mother. Yor caring support and kindness will never be forgotten. Words of Thanks, Perhaps you sent a lovely card, or sat quietly in a chair. Perhaps you spoke the kindest words that any friend could say. Perhaps you were not there at all, just thought of us that day. Whatever you did to console our herarts, we thank you so much, whatever the part.

From the family of the late Miss Ermina (Minnie) Brown,
Judy and Fred Rogers, Steve and Karen Brown, Esther and Carl Taylor, Buck and Donna Brown

Dear Editor & Friends:

I am not a crying person but when I drove through the dozens of cars, vans, etc. along with the crowd of people at Woodland Mead Park during the Alzheimers Walk, and knowing why they were there, I did feel a little misty. As many of you know, Bonnie, my wonderful wife of 60 years is in what is probably the sixth year of this awe ful disease. While many organizations are working for a cure, none is in sight at this time. Being wheel-chair bound, the days are long and boring. Indian Rock Village is an excellent facility with a very kind and understanding staff. She will most likely spend the rest of her life there. Our Deepest heartfelt thanks to all of you,

Dick Kellenberg

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