Big Spring Cemetery

Big Spring lies between Mount Pleasant and Sidney and is located at the very headwaters of historic Poke Bayou. In the Benge Detachment journal, it is reported that one group of Cherokee camped at a spring in this area during the Trail of Tears journey through Izard County.. It is very possible...even highly likely it was at Big Spring. The group had followed Poke Bayou out of Batesville camping at Flat Rock in Sharp County the night before.

The cemetery bears the remains of several confederate soldiers from the community who died during the conflict. Two young men, David Bone and Joel Battles, both died within days of each other from measles. Joel's father, Frances Nelson Battles, drafted beyond the age of 40, also died during the war but it is said there was no explanation that arrived with the body when it was returned to the family. Joel's Brother, Andrew Jackson Battles was killed in action during the civil war as well. David Bone and Joel Battles are both mentioned in these articles by Sgt. Elihu Beckham. Samuel D. Gunn was also a private in Company K of the Arkansas 21st. Captain Christian Christopher Elkins s (C C Elkins) was also sent home sick around the time the two boys died. Christian is the brother of Thomas O. Elkins and is one of three brothers who moved to this area of Izard County in the 1850s.



There are several ministers buried here as well, including W.A. Givens, Samuel Gunn, and Henry F Bone.