A Backus Mentioned In Arkansas Probate

Arkansas Probate Records, Poinsett Wills 1875-1966...[Image 79]:

Sarah E. Backus, of Lena, Illinois, daughter of Robert Ferguson, was mentioned, in this probate file.

United States Census, 1900

West Point Township (excl. Lena town), Stephenson, Illinois

Household Role Gender Age Birthplace

Jay Backus Head M 45 Illinois

E Sarah Backus Wife F 47 Illinois

Bertie Backus Son M 19 Illinois

Elsie Backus Daughter F 14 Illinois

Margaret Backus Daughter F 4 Illinois

Trumann's First Doctor And Other Facts

From a Trumann, Arkansas, history book found at the Trumann library:

Dr. Joe Garrett was the first doctor in Trumann.  Dr. Garrett was my great-grandfather.

Other Trumann facts:

Trumann was established [in Poinsett Co.] April 27, 1896, as Mosher.  The name was changed to Weona on May 3, 1902 and finally to Trumann on March 23, 1904.  It is the largest city in the St. Francis River basin.

The Springfield Cooperage Company opened there in 1894 and the Poinsett Lumber Co. (affiliated with the Singer Co. - the sewing machine people) opened in 1912.  "Singer [which moved to Trumann from Cairo, Illinois around 1911] was 90 percent of Trumann history."

"Trumann was a small-stave mill town with a reputation for lawlessness."

Some old photos here.  

My Garretts In The South

The 1850 Census taken at Greenfield Twp., Poinsett County, Arkansas, is the only record I have documenting the existence of Artilla Garrett. She was the 34 year old wife of Cas Garrett (age 36, b. S. Carolina) and was born in Tennessee.  Who were the Garretts and where were they before the 1850 census?

Based upon the birthplaces listed for this Garrett family in the census(es), a basic time line of the family's residences was developed:

South Carolina [ca 1814 - 1830/33]

Tennessee [ca 1834 - 1836]

Georgia [ca 1836 - 1839]

Alabama [ca 1839 - 1842]

Arkansas [ca 1843 -     ]

Living with Cas & Artilla Garrett in 1850 were their children, as well as Thomas Garrett, age 24, and the Frusun family. Who were the Frusuns? There are few other Frusuns found other than the 1850 census. Was the name Freshour or Fraser, or something else? Was Artilla Garrett a Frusun? Or was Elizabeth Frusun a Garrett? Or neither...or both?

 1850 Arkansas Census Poinsett Co., Greenfield Twp.
Garrett, Cas 36,
  "  Artilla 34,
   "Mary A 15,
   "Martha E. 13,
   "Henry J. 11,
   "George W. 7,
   "Susan S. 2,
"   Thomas 24,
FRUSUN, Andrew J. 28,
"   Elizabeth M 26,
"   Anjaline 8,
"  Mary J. 6,
"  Daniel J.D. 4,
"  Caroline 3 NC/TN

When the 1860 census was taken, the Garrett children were orphans and the Frusun family was not found.

Here is a GenForum query I posted in 2003 regarding the Cas Garrett family and wondered if they were living with the Caswell Garrett family in Lowndes Co., Alabama, when the 1840 census was taken.  And I'm still wondering! From the query:

Is it possible that in the 1840 census a Joseph C. (Cas) Garrett family was living with the Caswell Garrett family of Lowndes Co., AL? After subtracting the Caswell Garrett family members enumerated on the 1850 AL Census from the 1840 AL census, there was still “room” for the members of the Cas Garrett family listed below. Cas Garrett’s family was in Alabama around 1840 since his son, Henry J. Garrett, was born in Alabama ca 1839, so if they were not with the Caswell Garrett family, where were they?