TidBit in time

Clara was born Clara Barton Shinn on September 18, 1898 to John Wesley and Thersea Elizabeth Grigsby Shinn. She was born in Hot Spring County in the Antioch community. She grew up on the farm. Life was very hard and Clara did her part. She learned to ride a mule bareback and to plow new ground.

She married at age 17 to Madison Beason. He was 19. They were married 15 years when Madison died at the age of 34. They had three children; Everett who died at age 19 from a car accident, Jewell who died at age 18 months, and Dovie Beason Hughes, who lives in Malvern. Madison, having been named several names, declared he would never do this to his children; so, each child was named only one name.

Clara’s second marriage was to John Wesley Willingham. They had two children; Joyce died at age of eight after being hit by a utility truck and Leo died at age 27.

Her third marriage was to G. W. “Gus” Ross. He died at age 90. They lived on Hwy 67 south a short distance from downtown Malvern on what is commonly called Dixie Curve. They helped found a church on their property, where they also had a “Mom and Pop” grocery, gas pumps and small cabins for rent.

Clara’s life started in horse and buggy days. During her ninety years she lived to survive the Great Depression, several wars, see a man sent to the moon, the loss of four children and the death of three husbands. She picked cotton, cooked in a restaurant, worked in a fish cannery in California during WWII. At the time of WWII, she had lost her third husband and making a living was up to her. She went to California to live with her one brother, Clinton Shinn. She and her family lived with Clinton and family making ten people in the house. Clara’s daughter, Dovie, did the cooking for all of them.

Throughout all the hardships Clara held on to a strong faith. She had a happy personality and loved people. She had a mischievous twinkle in her clear blue eyes, and her large frame shook all over when she laughed. She loved to talk of what was to her family “the good old days”.

She always found time to cook her delicious chicken and dumplings, chicken and dressing and turnip greens. She was a proud member of the Daughters of the Confederacy (DAR). Clara Barton Shinn passed in 1989 at the age of 90 and is buried in the Upper Antioch Cemetery.

This Tidbit in Time shared by the Hot Spring County Historical Society

The Heritage, Vol. 26, p. 130