DEADRICK HOUSE

 

Levesque, Cross County, Arkansas

 

The Progress

Wynne, Ark.

Wed., August 22, 1973

 

VISITING COUNTY’S OLDEST HOME

By Sandy Jordan, of the Wynne Progress Staff

 

            Once called Magnolia Grove, the oldest house in Cross County owned by John H. Johnston is a reminder of bygone days.  The upstairs door used to open onto a balcony supported by columns. Magnolia trees ….a croquet court to which young people…area gathered for afternoon recreation.

 

Nestled under the magnolias, the large white house at Levesque owned by John H. Johnston is the oldest house still standing in Cross County.  It was built around 1850 by John D. Maget for his daughter, Virginia, who married I. N. Deadrick.

            Using all slave labor, Mr. Maget had everything in the house handmade.  The lumber was sawed by two slaves at a time.  A log was placed across wooden horses and two workers, one on top and one below, used a big saw to cut each board.  An old family Bible is said to be in existence which lists the names of all the slaves who built the house.

            The antebellum home was originally T-shaped with rooms 20 feet square and 12’ x 20’.  There was a fireplace in each of the six main rooms.  Square nails were used in the construction.  The windows and doors were handmade.  The flooring is said to have been exceptionally beautiful with each board extending the full length of the rooms.  The ceilings were more than 12 feet high, probably 14 feet.

            Mrs. Annie Stein Smith was married in the lovely old home after her parents came from Mississippi and bought it.  She remembers when the old house had a narrow upstairs and downstairs porch with columns.  Her parents took this down and built a screened porch all across the front of the house and also added another room in back of the kitchen. 

            Mr. John H. Johnston bought the house in 1926 and later had the Mt. Vernon porch removed.  An area on the hill behind the house, referred to as Deadrick Cemetery, was excepted from the deed.  It is located at the very summit of the hill at the foot of the majestic cedar tree.

            Mrs. T. D. Hare, who was county historian for many years, referred to it in her notes as her only recollections of being in the house.  She recalled falling down the hill as she attended the funeral services for Sam Vann who was buried there.  Access to the cemetery is still difficult and steep but the marble markers remain as reminders of the respected people of early Cross County.  In 1961 Thomas Baker climbed the hill to record the markers for Mr. Hare.  Here is a list:  Dr. Thomas D. Hare, born March 12, 1852, died June 4, 1909; John Alvah Hare, born November 15, 1878, died February, 1916; Garland Newton Hare, born February 28, 1889, died June 20, 1912; Annie E. Hare, wife of Dr. T. D. Hare, born April 3, 1853, died February 18, 1899; David G. Hare, July 2, 1881; John Dacus Deadrick, born July 21, 1886, died November 21, 1888; Lucy Annie Hare, daughter of T. D. Hare, born November 5, 1886, died December 17, 1886; I. N. Deadrick, born September 5, 1828, died April 29, 1884; Mrs. I. N. Deadrick, born October 1832, died May 5, 1887; John D. Maget, born January 5, 1793, died August 31, 1868; Mary M. Deadrick, born March 22, 1855, died August 24, 1857; John M. Deadrick, born March 29, 1857, died June 1, 1860; J. T. Hendrickson, born January 3, 1844, died September13, 1895.

            Of the people who have been buried here we find John D. Maget for whom Maggott Slough is believed to have named although the spelling was changed through the years.

            In several instances Goodspeeds History of Eastern Arkansas refers to the community now known as Levesque as Deadrick.  It was named Levesque in 1886 when the east-west railroad from Memphis to Bald Knob was completed.  The railroad company named the station Levesque in honor of Captain James Levesque.

            According to a story found in both Mrs. Hare’s notes and in Chowning’s HISTORY OF CROSS COUNTY ARKANSAS, “Mrs. Deadrick once held several Yankee soldiers at bay in the home when they came to search for her husband, who unknown to the soldiers was hiding upstairs.  Mrs. Deadrick stood on the stairs with a pistol leveled at the soldiers and told them ‘I’ll blow your brains out if you come up these staris.’  The men finally left empty handed.

            A picture of the house as it used to be was painted by Mrs. Julia Gardner under the direction of Mrs. Hare who described the old manse from her childhood memories. 

 

 

 

Return to Deadrick Cemetery Page

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/AR/Cross/vacant.html

 

 

ARKANSAS - Cross County - Vacant / Not In Use

 

Deadrick, Capt. Isaac N., House (added 1993 - Building - #93000964) Cross County - NW of jct. of US 64 and AR 163, Levesque (20 acres, 1 building) Historic Significance: Event, Person Historic Person: Deadrick, Capt. Isaac N. Significant Year: 1850 Area of Significance: Military, Exploration/Settlement, Politics/Government Period of Significance: 1850-1874, 1875-1899 Owner: Private Historic Function: Domestic Historic Sub-function: Single Dwelling Current Function: Vacant/Not In Use

 

       

 

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