Hector High School - Wildcat Yearbook (Hector, AR)

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During the Civil War there was a battle fought at Hector. The Confederates had a training ground just south of Mr. A. H. Athey’s farm. The log barn still has bullet holes in it. More trouble was caused by bush- whackers than by the battle. Hector was divided in loyalty. Northern Hector was on the Union’s side and the southern part of Hector was for the Con- federates. This brought on many skirmishes. Main Street, Hector, Arkansas 3

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Y E S T E R D A Y We said, “We re from Hector and couldn’t be prouder.” Hector came into existence in 1885 when Mr. Mayo from Evansdale, Indiana, started a post office for the town. Mr. Mayo wanted the new post office named after his hometown. Other citizens suggested Snider, Wheeler, Wootenville, Grindersville, and Greenville. The opposition to Mr. Mayo finally settled on Greenville after Mr. Green Caudle who owned the first business in the community, a tan yard. Finally, the post office department grew tired of the controversy and asked President Grover Cleveland for a name. He suggested the name Hector, after his favorite bull pup. Mr. Mayo became angry because he did not get Evansdale as the name for the new post office and refused the postmastership. Mr. H. P. Lawley was appointed the first postmaster. The first route was from Hector to Caglesville. Cotton was the money making crop of early Hector. There were several cotton gins here. The United States Government once operated a whiskey distillery on the corner of the present grade school playground. It was run in order to collect revenue. Dr. Alfred Sherrald practiced medicine around Hector in the 1840's, 50’s, and 60’s. Dr. Peter Snider was among the First doctors at Hector. He was an authority on every- thing from physics to constitutional law. Another well-remembered doctor was Dr. Linton. He began in the horse-and-buggy days. Dr. Linton treated everything from typhoid fever to the itch. He is believed to have delivered over 4,000 babies in his time. Representative Dolan Burris who served in the state legislature in 1937, 1943, 1945, and 1949 was from the Appleton area. He sponsored the Burris Bill in 1937 that was signed into law by Governor Bailey. The bill gave veterans and widows of veterans prefer- ence on state civil service examinations. The first church in Pope County was started near Hector in 1832. It was located at Camp Ground. Rev. Maylon Bewley and his four sons: Robert, John, Nelson, and George established the church. 2

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TORNADO STRIKES On the night of April 16, 1908, Hector was almost destroyed by a tornado. It wiped out several businesses, including Craig's general store, Price and Thomas’ business house, Farmers Union store, Bewley’s gin and grist mill, the drugstore, and the Masonic Lodge Hall. The damage was estimated at $50,000. Many people were injured, some of which were critical, but luckily no one was killed. In those days, everyone helped everyone else. People from all over set to work to collect money, clothing, and food for those who lost their belongings in the storm. In one trip through the business district of Russellville, over $100 was collected. The Ladies Aid Society of near-by churches gathered food and clothing for those who suf- fered. For the first few days after the storm hit, wagon loads of goods were brought to the people of Hector. It got to the point where there wasn’t enough storage space for everything they brought. Doctors from Appleton and Caglesville came immedi- ately to help the injured. One member of the community wrote, ‘We do not | become discouraged over reverses, but with faces turned toward the future, we will go forward on the great battle of life.” 4