STORY
Jackson County, a good place to start For County Lines
Arkansas Historic Preservation Program
and rock-and-roller Sonny Burgess hail from Newport, while blues legend Frank Frost was born in Auvergne. Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe himself was born in the hamlet of Amagon. And one constant they all would have seen during their time in the county is the striking Jackson County Courthouse. As with most Arkansas counties, the establishment of a permanent county seat for Jackson County was a rocky process. Te village of Litchfield on the Jacksonport and Augusta Road at its crossing of Village Creek was the initial seat of justice, established in 1832, three years after Jackson County was formed and named for President Andrew Jackson. It was moved to Eliza- beth on the White River in 1839, then to Augusta in what is now Woodruff County in 1852, and finally to Jacksonport a year later, where its stately Second Empire-style 1870s courthouse still stands in Jacksonport State Park. Its location on the White River, the most important route in north-central Arkansas transportation, made Jacksonport the largest town in the county. Following the Civil War, as the Cairo and Fulton Railroad laid its tracks through Newport,
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Jacksonport’s population declined while Newport’s grew. As early as 1880 the Newport News suggested that Newport would be a more suitable county seat, seeing as Newport already had a larger population and was the commercial center of Jackson County. In 1882 the issue was taken to the voters for the first time, and the proposition was defeated
by only a few votes. Another election was held in 1886, this time with adamant Jacksonport protests. Newport lost the election again, this time by an overwhelming majority. However, the Arkansas Democrat reported in 1888, “Te question of removing the county seat from Jacksonport to Newport is being agitated in Jackson county now. In case of removal Newport proposes to furnish the necessary buildings free of all cost to the county.” In 1891 the issue was back on the ballot and became one of the most intensely exciting campaigns held in Arkansas. Newport won the election: 88 percent of the votes were in favor of removal of the county seat to Newport. Within a few days of the election the county court appropriated $15,000 to begin work on the new courthouse at Newport. Lazar Hirsch developed the plans for the Newport courthouse using the 1890 Ouachita County Courthouse at Camden as a model. Te contract was given to George H. Johnston for about $44,196 and construction began on the founda- tion in late April 1892 using stone from the old Jacksonport county jail. Te cornerstone was laid May 28. John Hansel, of Joplin, Mo., built a brick plant in the east side of Newport and began to manufacture bricks. Te brick work was subcontracted to Hansel and he provided all the brickwork for the building. By 1893 the county courts and records were being moved into
“Jackson County” Continued to Page 32 >>> A friend of Jackson County “We have to get young people involved in government,” Templeton
stressed. “It is time to pass the gavel so to speak. Everywhere you go all you see is gray heads.” Templeton said she certainly didn’t want to serve past her time and
that’s why she knows this term will be her final one. Outside of public service Staying true to her philosophy, she uses her entire skill set in her com- munity and in her family life as well. Organizers began the efforts for a community medical clinic in May
2009. Templeton proudly said the Christian Volunteer Community Clinic of Jackson County officially opened February 2010. “Tat’s my passion right now,” Templeton said about the clinic. “I keep the computers going, run administrative reports, do some grant writing and generally just support the clinic.” Not only does her energy level far surpass most of her peers, but her acceptance of technology is also a rarity. Templeton is somewhat of a computer guru in her circles. “I can install a hard drive and add memory,” Templeton said about some of the tasks she does for elderly members of her church. “I enjoy doing those things for people.”
COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2013 Continued From Previous Page <<< Templeton received the Heritage Award from the Arkansas Demo-
cratic Party for her community service efforts. She attends First Christian Church in Newport and serves as an elder. “I’ve been guided my whole life. Tere is a lot of responsibility being
an elder. You lead by setting an example in life. You don’t ask any one to do what you wouldn’t do yourself.” Templeton’s hobbies are varied and they have a lot to do with what her children, grand children and great grand children are doing. She is very family oriented and said she misses some of the activities when her children were growing up. “I coached softball for nine years at one point,” Templeton said. “And
one year of basketball.” Her favorite sport is basketball, especially college basketball. She also
enjoys riding bicycles in the neighborhood, reading and working on computers. Templeton has four children (three boys and one girl), 11 grand
children and 10 great grand children. “God has been real good to me,” Templeton said. “He’s always been there.”
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place of beginnings? Yes. Jackson County is a place of many significant Arkansas beginnings. Sam Walton, while running a Ben Franklin Store in Newport between 1945 and 1950, developed the strategies that he would use to create Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retail colossus. Academy Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen
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