My Genealogy Hound

Mrs. Isabella F. Burt, is the relict of John M. Burt, who was born in South Carolina in 1807. Her father, John, and her mother, formerly Letta Meltage, were born in Rutherford County, N. C., and moved to Northern Alabama about 1825, in which State the father’s death occurred in 1840, his death being preceded by his wife’s about one year. He was a hatter by trade, but also followed the occupation of farming, and he and his wife were active and worthy workers in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Their children were as follows: William, who was born about 1810, was a farmer by occupation, and about 1856 came to Cross County, Ark. He was a Master Mason, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and became the father of a large family of children, seven of whom live in Cross County at the present time. He died in 1859; Isabella F. (Mrs. Burt), was their second child, and Rachel, their last, she being the widow of Allen Burt, a farmer who died in Louisiana in 1851. His wife and six children survive him, and in the year 1856, came to Poinsett County, Ark., and here the mother is still living at the age of seventy-seven years. Mrs. Isabella F. Burt spent her girlhood days in her native State, and there received a good education in the common schools. In December, 1829, she was married to John M. Burt, a son of William and Mehathalona (Mosely) Burt, whose native State was South Carolina. They were farmers there, and in 1856 moved to Arkansas, where they became the owners of 640 acres of land, and at the time of the father’s death, in 1861, they had about 130 acres under cultivation. To them were born four children: Martha A., wife of J. H. Hall, a sketch of their son, John W. Hall, being given in this work; Mary J., wife of Eli A. Bradner (she died in 1870, and her husband and four children survive her); Lucy I., who first married Green Hall, and afterward Thomas W. Eskridge, and died in October, 1874, and John W., who died in Alabama at the age of four years. Mrs. Isabella Burt can distinctly remember many interesting anecdotes connected with the early history of Poinsett County, and can remember when Memphis, Tenn., was their nearest market of any importance, and when ‘‘Old Farm Hill” was the nearest church, and Old Bolivar the county seat. The houses of the settlers were mostly of logs, hand-sawed by the men, and Mrs. Burt’s old home contains a floor of split logs, and another of whipsawed logs. Their clothing was all home-made, and a suit of jeans was considered a very stylish attire in those days. Mrs. Burt was left a widow with four children, just on the eve of the late war, and during that time, her slaves, numbering about twenty-five, left her. Owing to the respect and liking, which her intelligence and kindly manners always inspired, she was left unmolested by the Union soldiers, and devoted herself to rearing her children, and the manner in which this noble woman fulfilled her trust is evident in looking upon her children who have grown to mature years. She is remarkably well preserved in years, the ‘‘ravages of time’’ having had but little effect upon her vigorous intellect. Since 1874, she has been spending her time under the loving care of her children and grandchildren, and is at present making her home with her grandson, John W. Hall.