Looking Back

Teresa McCrary, Times-Herald Publishing

(Editor’s Note: This column looking back at St. Francis County’s history is featured each Friday on this Lifestyles page along with the week’s History Photo. The items included in this column were printed in previous editions of the TimesHerald.)

June 1963

Blast! - Four men died and three injured in a spectacular fire touched off by a series of explosions in the heart of the world's largest rice cooperative's mill complex at Stuttgart. Three bodies were recovered from the smoldering ruins. The other was found under a railroad boxcar. Several explosions of undetermined origin shattered an old rice hull house, valued at $100,000, and set off fires that raged out of control for several hours. And threatened all of the $5 million Arkansas Rice Growers Cooperative complex one block from the business section. The one body found was identified as that of H.B. Wimpbley, about 48. The injured were Eddie Huff, 23, and Robert Casey, 25, in serious condition with burns and Charles Dillingham, about 25, cut by flying glass.

New Church - Construction of the new Widener Methodist Church was completed at a cost of $13,000, with plans drawn and contracting done by members of the church. The brick veneer building includes a sanctuary, seven classrooms, kitchen and rest room.

Sears Opening - The new Sears Catalog Sales Store was a busy place during its opening event. The store, on the southwest corner of Grant and Hill Streets, was opened after moving from its Washington Street location. A large blue and white sign could be read from all directions and another sign in red neon, on the south side of the building, faced Broadway and could be seen by all.

Wilderness Canoe Trip Explorer Scout Post 111 would hold a car wash behind Southwestern Bell Telephone office to raise funds to send 10 of its members on a nine-day canoe trip through the wilds of Minnesota and southern Canada. The Lions Club, sponsor of the post, contributed enough food to last the 10 boys and two adult leaders the entire time. Headquarters for the trip would be Boy Scouts of America's Wilderness Canoe Base, 23 miles north of Ely, Minn. There they would pick up their guide and all the equipment for the canoe trip. Crew 801K, as the group was known, would be issued canoes, paddles, tents, cook kits, oven, rope, axes, shovels, ground cloths, life jackets and 233 pounds of dehydrated foods. The guide would take the crew by compass and map through a labyrinth of lakes, woods and islands in Quetice Park. After nine days of 10 hours a day paddling and making portages, the crew would return to the base and start the trip home.

New Grocery - Anderson's Drive In Grocery in the Southgate Shopping Center on Highway 1 South held its grand opening. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, owned and would operate the store.

Dead In the L'Anguille Searchers continued to drag the L'Anguille River near Marianna for the body of Ray B. Nicholson of here, believed to have drowned while fishing. Nicholson was shop foreman at Growers Equipment Company here. The family recently moved to a home on Tennessee Street from Caldwell. Nicholson's boat was found overturned about two miles north of Marianna. Nicholson is believed to have been the 20th victim of violent death in Arkansas.

Candidate - Patricia Sulcer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gus Sulcer, again sought the title of Miss St. Francis County in the Jaycee sponsored beauty contest at the high school auditorium. Runner up in 1962 to Janice West of Colt, Miss Sulcer was one of four girls competing for the title.

Estevan Hall - Many requests had been received by the Arkansas Publicity and Parks Commission asking for information concerning the beautiful old southern home pictured on the back of "This is Arkansas," the new 36 page colorful booklet being distributed by the Publicity Department. The new highway map also featured this statebelium home on its front fold. Estevan Hall, ancestral home of Mrs. Fred Schatz, of Helena, was constructed in the early 1800s by Fleetwood Hanks, one of the early sheriffs of Phillips County, and maternal greatgrandfather of Mrs. Schatz. Originally fashioned of logs cut from the Mississippi River bank, the hand-hewn beams still visible in the foundation, this beautiful pillared home was one of the deep South's most interesting manors. Fleetwood Hanks built his home on the foothills of Crowley's Ridge, just out of reach of the overflow of the Mississippi in the days before levees, and planted an avenue of Magnolia trees leading to the full width veranda. In his day he had a magnificent and unobstructed view of the river to the east. Now the stately and beautiful magnolias partially blocked the distant view of the new Helena Bridge and the commercial development adjoining the river and a highway skirted the site of the old tannery and brickyard of 1827. The spring branch on the south, a constant source of water, was now dammed and Fleetwood's descendants enjoyed a small private lake south and west of the house. No home stands for over 100 years without changes by its inhabitants. During the Civil War the house was for the first and only time, occupied by outsiders, possibly used as a hospital by the Federal Army and in a bad state of repair when returned to the family in 1866. Since that time many repairs, additions and improvements had been made. Then, guests entered from the porch into the dinning alcove. On the right were two parlors and on the left, the master bedroom. Partitions had since been removed on the parlor side, making a larger drawing room, and an adjoining bedroom became the dining room. Heirloom silver and pressed glass brought from New Orleans by Fleetwood's son, Dr. John F. Hanks, still graced the exquisite walnut furniture. French doors leading from the entrance rooms into an open court had been discarded and the court square made into a den housing many museum objects collected by Mr. and Mrs. Schaltz from around the world. On a table in the drawing room were the 45 small leather bound diaries of James Milinder Hanks, who was born, lived his 76 years, and died in the house built by his father. In 1859, he brought his bride, Helena "Lena" Thompson, here and according to tradition, on Christmas Day, 1864, she presented him with the first of diaries. From Jan. 1, 1865 to May 21, 1909, just three days before his death, James Hanks made daily entries in the small books, leaving to his descendants a priceless heritage.

Car Strikes Boy - A 12-yearold New Castle boy riding a bicycle was struck by a car and injured near the Madison road Highway 70 East junction. Gary Rawlinson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Odell Rawlinson, was given emergency treatment. Extent of his injuries was not known, but he suffered lacerations and a broken leg.

Shotgun Murder - Herman McFadden, who lived near Caldwell, was arrested and charged with murder in the shotgun slaying of a man near Palestine. County Sheriff Carl Campbell said Ernest "Buddy" Roebuck, 36, died after he was shot once in the chest with a 12 gauge shotgun. The shooting occurred on a country road a few miles north of Palestine. Roebuck lived on the John Druey farm, west of Colt. The shooting took place while Roebuck was sitting in a car he owned with his father, George Roebuck. Motive was jealousy over a woman.

On Bond - Leland Hunt, 26, of near Wynne, was bound over for the August term on charges of criminal assault of a Forrest City girl. The attack occurred after the couple had attended a drive-in movie. It allegedly occurred in a peach orchard near here. A complaint was filed and Hunt arrested at his home. Hunt was released from the county jail on $3,000 bond.

Honored - Nan Hamilton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Hamilton, 1013 Cherry Street, was pictured in a Memphis newspaper in connection with the new Memphis municipal airport terminal. A graduate of FCHS she is a stewardess with Southern Airlines, Atlanta Ga., flying out of Memphis.

Color Pictures - Proofs of the color pictures taken of contestants in the Miss St. Francis County beauty contest could be seen at the TimesHerald office. Color pictures were taken of all entrants in all three divisions of the contest. Enlargements in three different sizes could be ordered through

Times-Herald.

Installed - Bevie Machen was offcially installed as president of the Forrest City Rotary Club for the 1963-1964 club year. He succeeded Tom Parker. Other new officers included: Bob McCuiston, vice president; Bill Gatling, secretary; Truett Conn, treasurer; Gazzola Vaccaro Jr., Bonner McCollum, Don Edmondson and Jack Toney, board members.

Stops For 3 Days - The

Times-Herald's delivery service for subscribers missed by their carrier boys would not be in effect Wednesday, Thursday or Friday nights. Normally in effect from 6 to 7 p.m. daily, the service would be resumed Monday night. Circulation manager Arnold Gwathney would be attending a church convention the rest of this week.