L.C. Tedford Papers

Born August 7, 1897, Leroy Carson Tedford was a Southern Baptist minister with an interest in Arkansas Baptist history and heritage. Along with being an active preacher, he was a member of both the Arkansas Baptist Historical Commission and the Southern Baptist Historical Society, and he also kept records and biographies for various individual Arkansas Baptist Associations. Dr. Tedford\u27s writings include histories of some of these associations, and biographies of some of their pastors. Though small, this collection contains a cross-section of L.C. Tedford’s ministry. It contains a brief history of his early preaching career and a sampling of his writings. There is biographical information for several Arkansas preachers, as well as historical background of their local associations. Also in the collection is a selection of Dr. Tedford’s correspondence with Baptists throughout the South

Wiley Funeral Home Records

The Wiley Funeral Home was located at 1625 Caddo Street, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and served the African American community in the Clark County area during the twentieth century. The business became a part of Mitchell Funeral Home. This collection contains death certificates, burial transit permits, burial insurance documents, and other items related to Wiley Funeral Home\u27s business in Arkadelphia, Arkansas

Marjorie Samuel Scrapbook

Marjorie Samuel attended high school at Blevins and graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 1949. She was a member of the Ouachita Players. Marjorie Samuel\u27s personal scrapbook contains memorabilia collected during school days in southwest Arkansas through her college years at Ouachita Baptist College (now Ouachita Baptist University) such as newsclippings, meal tickets, pressed flowers, and church programs

Fred W. Litton Papers

Fred W. Litton of Prescott, Arkansas, was born February 26, 1896, to Charles H. and Lela W. Litton. He joined the Navy during World War I (WWI) and his service included about six months as an aerial machine gunner on a seaplane patroling the Atlantic for submarines. Litton died while training in Pensacola, Florida, when a blood vessel exploded in his head during a high-altitude flight. According to the Arkansas Gazette, Litton\u27s entire hometown honored him following his death: All Business Houses Closed at Prescott During Ensign\u27s Funeral. The local papers stated that he was of sterling character and was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him. He was buried in De Ann Cemetery, Nevada County\u27s largest cemetery. Litton\u27s name was included on the War Memorial erected in Prescott, Arkansas, on November 5, 1950, by the American Legion and citizens of Nevada County. This collection includes a Prescott High School football team picture, 1912-1914, as well as a Bluejacket\u27s Manual and several World War I - era airplane mechanics manuals. Photographs and correspondence are also included. There are small Christian Science scripture and literature books as well

Clark County Criminal Court Records

Clark County was established in 1818, and therefore became one of the five counties in existence at the time the area became known as Arkansas Territory in 1819. Court was held in various places in those early days, such as the home of pioneer settler Jacob Barkman, west of the Caddo River, near what is now Caddo Valley. Later, a county seat was established at Greenville, which was located to the southwest along the Military Road (also known as the Southwest Trail). In 1842 Arkadelphia (previously known as Blakelytown) became the permanent location of the county seat. The county has not suffered a court house fire and possesses government records created since 1819. Various court records were moved in several phases to the Riley-Hickingbotham Library as a part of the Clark County Records Preservation Project, which began in 1990. The project, a joint undertaking between OBU and the Clark County Historical Association, includes the arrangement, description, and preservation of records once located in the Clark County Court House. The goal of the project is to preserve and make accessible this part of Clark County history. These numbered files contain loose papers related to criminal cases of the Clark County Circuit Court, 1879-1982. A searchable database of every name within the records for 1879-1951 is available at www.obu.edu/archives/search-archives/. The Clark County Historical Association has published a print index as well. The index includes not only those named in the title of the case, but also witnesses, jurors, attorneys, etc

Wayne Fowler Scrapbook

Wayne Fowler attended Arkadelphia High School and participated in the band, student government, plays, and the football team. He graduated in 1948. This scrapbook contains snapshots, newsclippings, programs, and other memorabilia related to Wayne Fowler\u27s time at Arkadelphia High School, with an emphasis on the band and football team. There are also 1948 graduation programs and announcements

William Dunbar Papers

Most Americans have heard the story of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery sent by Thomas Jefferson to explore the new Louisiana Purchase area from 1804 to 1806. What most people do not realize is that Jefferson also commissioned a second expedition to explore the southern areas of that new frontier. The president asked William Dunbar, a Mississippi planter/scientist/surveyor, and George Hunter, a Philadelphia chemist/apothecary, to lead that expedition on the Red, Black, and Ouachita Rivers up to the hot springs. The two men and their crew mapped, described flora and fauna, tested the waters of the Hot Springs area, and sent Thomas Jefferson the first report on the huge territory that had just been purchased from France. The journal in this collection was carried by Dunbar on the Dunbar-Hunter exploration of the Ouachita River. Also included is family correspondence, and other materials related to the Dunbar family and their Natchez, Mississippi, plantation, “The Forest.

Glenn Hickey Papers

Dr. Glenn Hickey grew up in Oden and Mount Ida, Arkansas, and graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 1950. At Ouachita he was very active in a barbershop quartet and met Dorothy Thomerson, to whom he was happily married for nearly sixty years. Dr. Hickey was called to the ministry in 1952 and served almost sixty years. Glenn and Dorothy Hickey were appointed Southern Baptist Convention missionaries to Recife, Brazil, in 1964. He learned Portuguese, and adapted to mission life, teaching young ministers at North Brazil Baptist Theological Seminary for many years. He became Pastor of Igreja Central da Ibura where his ministry flourished, baptizing hundreds who affectionately called him Meu Pastor . Dr. Hickey also became a ham radio operator, which was a powerful tool to connect Brazilian families with their loved ones abroad. He served as president of the Board of Directors of the American School of Recife. Hickey took his son Daniel and friends on bicycle adventures into the interior of northeast Brazil. He also toured parts of Europe, Ireland and the USA by bicycle. After the Brazil years, Hickey and wife Dorothy served the people of Calvary Baptist Church in Batesville, Arkansas. He was also the Director of Missions for Pulaski Association. Dorothy Hickey passed away in 2010 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. In 2011 Glenn courted and married Virginia Atkinson, “Mrs. A.” He died February 21, 2013. The Glenn Hickey Papers include sermon notes and recordings of services. There is also some correspondence and general Baptist information

United States Bicentennial Celebration Records

In 1976, the United States celebrated 200 years of existence. Numerous activities were held in Clark County to observe the nation\u27s bicentennial. These materials document Clark County activities held to observe the United States\u27 bicentennial. In addition to records of the Clark County Bicentennial Committee, newsclippings illustrate the variety of events that took place