My Genealogy Hound

Ephraim Lemley, farmer, Appleton, Ark. Mr. Lemley was born in Fairfield District, S. C., in 1800, and is now ninety years of age. He is one of the oldest men, if not the oldest, residing in Pope County, and is one of its most esteemed and honored pioneers. He was left an orphan at an early day, and on that account his educational advantages were not of the best, but he has ever evinced a deep interest in all educational matters. He entered the War of 1812 as substitute, served during the years 1814 and 1815, and was in the battle of Talladega. He was in an East Tennessee company, commanded by Capt. John Howk. Mr. Lemley came to Morrillton, Ark., in 1838, settled in Griffen Township, and there he has remained ever since. When he first came here there were but few settlers, and he cut the first road from Atkins to Point Remove. He and John Gray cut the first road from Atkins to Scottsville, the only road prior to that time being Indian trails. Lewisburg, consisting of one or two stores and a couple of houses, was the nearest town, and that was twenty-five miles distant. The present site of Russellville was then an unbroken wilderness, and the settlers were obliged to go from thirty to thirty-five miles to mill. Hawkins Gregory, Duck Griffin, Mose McCarty and John Gray were some of the settlers at that time. There was no church, but ground was appropriated on the farm of Mr. Lemley, and sermons were occasionally preached. Game was plentiful, bears, wolves and panthers abounded, and hogs had to be confined in log pens to prevent them from being carried off by wild animals. There were no schools except where the settlers, living close together, would hire some man to give instruction for a short time during the year, but, as may be supposed, most of the children were reared without any education. When a house was to be built the whole community would turn out to be at the log rolling, and remain until all was finished. At that time court was held at Morrillton, and afterward at Dover, but no jail was necessary, for if an undesired neighbor made his appearance among them he was warned to leave, and this he generally did. Of the early settlers who lived in the neighborhood at that time all are dead and gone but our subject, who is now ninety years of age. He was married about 1818, and became the father of six children. After the death of his first wife he married again, and the fruits of this union were fifteen children; eleven of his children are now living. Mr. Lemley took up eighty acres of land in 1840, but afterward took up 460, of which he has given his children 200 acres in Griffin township, it being the same upon which he settled when first coming to the county. He has 120 acres under cultivation. A Baptist Church was established in 1844 or 1845, and a school, previous to this, in 1840. John Lankwood was the first preacher, and each of the neighbors contributed toward the expense of the school. Mr. Lemley’s father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of the Old Dominion. It can be said with truth of Mr. Lemley that
“He shunned not labor when ‘twas due,
He wrought with right good will;
And for the home he won for them,
His children bless him still.”