Civil-War Reconstruction in Izard County - Introduction

During an interview for Ken Burns' 1994  documentary series, Baseball, Former New York Governor, Mario Cuomo,  in relation to integration of black ball-players into the Major Leagues, asked,  "Why? Why did it take all those years? Why should it have been such a big event? Why weren't we capable of better? How could you possibly say that they were less than we were? Didn't we put that behind us in the Civil-War? Why wasn't the question settled?"

Branch Rickey Signs Jackie Robinson 

The fact is, no...we didn't put that all behind us in the Civil-War. While the official end to the "War Between the States" came upon the heels of General Robert E. Lee's surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, not a whole lot was settled at all because of that action. Yes. Emancipation had freed the slaves. Yes. The Confederate army and government were defeated. But no...there was nothing magical that took place upon the south's surrender that changed attitudes. In many ways, the "cessation" of hostilities was only the beginning of hard-fought change.  The American South was decimated. Devastated. Without form. Void. The south was a gaping hole in America created by the power vacuum caused by Confederate defeat.

Today, one often hears talk of revolution. In many ways, our nation is as divided politically much as it was leading up to the secession of the southern states. We have seen the rise of the militia movement and more recently, the Occupy movement...both which yearn for revolution, both espousing the use of violence to overthrow what is viewed for different reasons by each group as a corrupt, evil, and ineffective government. In light of this, one question begs to be asked:  If the government of The United States of America were somehow brought crashing down in this era, what would happen then? One only needs to study the decade immediately following the close of the Civil-War in 1865 to know what would then happen. It was not pretty! And it must be kept in mind, there was a central government in place after the close of that war.

  In last Summer's series, "The Civil War in Izard County", we learned about the extreme difficulties that arose for the people of Izard County during the four-year conflict. Families were split apart – some Union loyalists resorting to moving away from the county to escape the severe harassment by those who were once neighbors…some even by their own family members. We also learned about the violence that occurred in Izard County when bushwhackers and jayhawkers terrorized the people living here. We learned about the Mill Creek Peace Organization Society, a group of citizens who were against secession and resisted joining the confederacy. 

1876 Political Poster

In this Summer's series, we'll learn that…like in the rest of the nation…very little was won during the conflict other than the emancipation of the slaves. We'll learn that the same differences among Izard County's citizens existed after the war as was there before the war. Much of what we will learn will be about the nation as a whole, and about the events that occurred in the south during the years after the war. Very little is written about Izard County from that tumultuous time in our nation's history so it is imperative that we view what is recorded in context with what was happening elsewhere in the re-uniting United States of America!

For this reason, we will be including links to videos and other media where those readers who wish to understand this important period in our history can learn if he or she chooses to do so.

The Civil-War was not only about slavery as many believe. It was about States' rights. In fact, emancipation was not even a priority in the war until  it became useful to the Union for recruitment and support from a war-weary constituency. Most people today, however, understand that as a nation that claims to be free, emancipation was essential for America. And though the liberation of a people in chains was one of the only good things the war accomplished, freedom for that people was in many ways short-lived. Some say the war never really ended. As Mario Cuomo's questions above about race integration of Major League Baseball illustrate, African-Americans , though appearing to be citizens of this nation, were not really free at all once the aftermath of the war played-out suggesting that little was won at all by the Union upon the surrender of the Confederacy.

 

Next week, we will begin our discussion of Izard County during Reconstruction by sharing some stories of Izard County Confederate veterans returning home after being separated from their CSA units. Between then and now, readers are encouraged to visit the following links – two are outstanding lectures from Yale University professor, Dr. David Blight (two lectures in a series we will revisit as the Summer Series continues) and the other, a PBS documentary about the period of Reconstruction:

Wartime Reconstruction:  Imagining the Aftermath and a Second American Republic (Professor David Blight)

The Jacobs Family Farmstead

Video Below!

Mathias Jacobs, listed in North Carolina as a trader during the 1850 census, arrived with his family in Izard County sometime within the following decade. The family built at least one log home, and very probably another nearby which at some point was converted into a barn. The original cabin was added onto later with a two-room framed structure and still survives today, though in a sad state of repair.

The barn, which appears to be a square-log home to which a later log-structure was added in order to use the building for livestock, has been hidden under tin sheets for many years. Recently, the tin was removed so that the building can be removed to another location in the county and reconstructed as a get-a-way home.

Although research into Mathias Jacobs, so far, has resulted in little more than the information already shared above, an interesting item was found about his son, William P. Jacobs in connection to the post-Civil War Reconstruction period and the Brooks-Baxter War. William P. Jacobs served as County Registrar during the period of reconstruction. His name appears as a signatory to a report to the State of Arkansas listing names of all persons who voted illegally during the highly contested and controversial 1872 elections. Bitter rivalries existed during this time, chiefly because all ex-Confederate soldiers had been dis-enfranchised and were unable to vote. In fact, the election results contained so many irregularities in Arkansas that the electoral college in Washington rejected Arkansas' election results. The Gubernatorial contest in Arkansas was also very controversial as the "Carpetbagger" candidate, Joseph Brooks claimed to have won the election against his "scalawag" opponent, Elisha Baxter. The subsequent struggle for power resulted in several months of violence during the Brooks-Baxter War.

Izard County was not spared violence during this period as is evidenced by the following passage from the reflections of Owen "Happy" Kendrick about his father, William Thomas Kendrick contained in Sue Chrisco and Betty McCollum's Down Memory Lane Volume 3:

"My father related to me many incidents of those troublesome times during the days right after the Civil-War. I recall him telling me that most all of the Confederate soldiers were disenfranchised as citizens when they returned home. He said that he carried his regalia of the Ku Klux Klan with him at all times hidden under his saddle and would obligate a candidate for initiation at any place he met up with such candidate. This organization was for the purpose of saving the Southern States from the "Carpetbagger Governors" that the United States Government had appointed to govern the southern people.

My father was disenfranchised by the appointed Carpetbagger Governor of Arkansas. These governors were called Carpetbagger Governors by the southern people because they proved to be dishonest Northern Republicans and appointed Negroes to rule over the White people. At any rate, my Father's citizenship was taken away from him. He was not allowed to vote, hold any kind of office, serve on any juries, or take part in any political meetings. And most of the Confederate soldiers were placed under this rule when they returned home.

I remember him telling me about attending an election at old Lunenburg in Izard County at one time. He said that there were several other Ex-Confederate Veterans there and none of them were allowed to vote on account of their disenfranchisement. So he said that he and another one of his Ex-Confederate friends named John Hare went to a blacksmith shop where they secured themselves with a wagon wheel spoke apiece, went back to the polling place, whaled the judges good, broke up the election, destroyed the records, and went home. They were arrested for this offense but were never fined."

Note - William Kendrick's friend, John Hare, who is buried at Old Philadelphia is mentioned as a witness to two related murders from the period. Story developing...




The log-construction of this barn was unknown to us before the tin was removed a few weeks ago. Having recognized the need some time ago to get images of the old home but never having followed up, the occasion of the barn's dismantling prompted us to action! The Jacobs Place is an absolute hidden jewel and we are so proud to have been able to at least get photos and video before it is gone for good!

Just goes to show...you never know what you'll find while out Exploring Izard County!