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The Ouachita County Historical Quarterly
The Quarterly is published four times a year by the Ouachita County Historical Society, a nonprofit corporation chartered in Camden, Arkansas, in accord with the laws of the United States and the State of Arkansas.

The Ouachita County Historical Quarterly

The Quarterly is published four times a year by the Ouachita County Historical Society, a nonprofit corporation chartered in Camden, Arkansas, in accord with the laws of the United States and the State of Arkansas.

Winter 2006 Features

In Memoriam

Dennis Daniel Bob Dempsey

"Our organization suffered two great losses in December, 2006, the deaths of our friend and former editor, Bob Dempsey, and friend and board member, Dennis Daniel. These two gentlemen will be greatly missed and remembered for their dedication and hard work for the historical society." Clara Freeland
President , OCHS

Special memorial tributes by Jim Findley and David Dempsey share the special roles that Dennis and Bob played to those who knew them well.

          "Al's Alfalfa" recounts what most of us do on a regular basis as we accumulate over many years
          what seems most special to us. Al Rose describes it this way, "When the times come to cart it off
          to the trash pile, your back might be willing but your heart isn't. So you just let them gather dust
          and then in another year or two you have a spurt of energy and you make a promise to yourself
          that you'll clean up the attic and get rid of a lot of useless stuff. You know the result. It's the
          same old battle all over again."

          Melissa Witherington shares her family's story as she recounts its spread across South Arkansas
          by her father's pioneer great-grandparents, John and Mary Ellis Witherington. In Part I of "The
          Witherington's & Helen Street Grocery", she presents an interesting lineage of descendants
          on her father's side leading to the meeting, as fate would have it, of her mother and father and
          their quick realization that they complemented each other. A special focus of Part I is the family
          business known as Helen Street Grocery which her family owned and ran for over forty years.
          All four children, including Melissa, worked at the store at some point during their young years.
          Several articles written by Shawn Witherington, grandson of Tracy Witherington, are woven
          into this and the forthcoming articles.

          In "Kraftsmen Chatter, The Birth of Woodlands", is told the story of International Papers'
          Woodlands Department which came into being in the early thirties and had the challenge of
          beginning to undo the harm which had been done to the forests by man over many decades.
          Focus was on locating, surveying, inventorying and protecting the timberlandsand to renew
          the woods' supplies from which the mills drew, among other concerns. Also included in the
          article is the 1957 reorganization of the Western Region Of International Paper Company's
          Woodlands Department headquartered at Camden.


          Norman C. Savers, Jr. shares the noble and brave    sacrifices of his great, great uncle by
          marriage and, ultimately, "The Death of William H. Cleaver"   during an encounter with a
          party of Mexicans in a battle on the Rio Grande, July 1, 1862. Captain Cleaver, son of William
          and Lucy Cleaver of Camden, and husband of Virginia Carolina Bragg, moved to Homer, TX,
          entered politics and became Chief Justice of Angelina County until he entered the Confederacy
          in 1861 when he raised a company of men that were known as "The Angelina Troop." On June
          29, 1862   Captain Cleaver   and thirteen of his men in the Seventh Regiment Texas Mounted
          Volunteers went South to the Rio Grande and beyond in search of supplies. When he and seven
          of his men were ambushed, he kept pushing through the line until all the ammunition in his two
          guns had been fired. His body was never recovered.

          "The Belles" or the Three Belles, as they were first known, continue to share their musical
          talents with those who love the music of the 1940's - 50's. Lee Eta Kelm, Dolores Benton, and
          Gwen Miller first sang together on the steps of Camden High School, just passing the time while
          waiting for the morning bell to ring. By the time they graduated in 1955 the three were local
          celebrities who had entertained numerous audiences, even on radio and television. After 1955
          they didn't sing together again for 35 years until their 35th high school reunion when they
          were asked to entertain their former classmates. From this time they performed together about
          twice monthly and have appeared at everything from nursing homes and retirement centers to
          community festivals and even at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. "We would gather around a
          piano and sing even if no one was listening." This article by Ken Salzmann, staff writer of "The
          Times" is a reprint from August 10, 2003.