[Dr.*].........James M. [Moore*] Cowdrey, who lived near the confluence of the Big North fork of White river, who was an educated physician, a scholar and a gentleman. I was told that he attended the same school where John C. Calhoun received his education. He was very precise in his language, and the backwoodsman could not very well understand him at all times. He would not call a lucky transaction by so tame a name, but say it was a "fortuitous concatenation (sic) of events." I recollect hearing of a circumstance that fits the man, he was called to see a patient, who now lives in Baxter county, then Marion, by the name of HARGRAVE, the wife of John HARGRAVE, an early settler, a man of some means and a good citizen. The doctor went to the patient, but after examining the case, said he had forgotten to bring any Nitre with him, and the case needed the drug, and he could not treat the case as he wished without. HARGRAVE said he would send a boy after it, if he knew where to send, the doctor told him he had the drug at home, but it was about fifteen or eighteen miles from HARGRAVE's to where the doctor was living. The boy was told to hurry, so he  did not spare his horse. When he returned the doctor opened the paper containing the Nitre, as the doctor called it, and the boy saw it said, it looks like Salt petre. The doctor, replied, that is what some people call it, and the old man HARGRAVE said, there is plenty of salt petre here. So there was a ride of thirty miles at least, because the doctor failed to call Nitre, salt petre. Sometimes the people would say, doctor if you please, give us your instructions in the language of the pioneer. 

But I must give the reader a history of how he came to leave civilization, for the home of the hunter and the Indian; for when he arrived here, the Indians owned the south side of the river, and the whites the north side. The doctor gave me a sketch of his early history after I was married, and as the doctors wife, and mine were cousins, we became great cronies, and spent many pleasant hours together. We soon began to use the phrases of the backwoodsman. I do not remember that the doctor ever used any word in our conversation that I did not understand. But to my tale. While attending school, he and the professor's daughter became attached to each other, as young folks often do, even in the backwoods of North Arkansas, and finally agreed, in the future to become husband and wife. The doctor's father, and his brothers as well, were wealthy. The doctor told me that none of them were worth less than ten thousand dollars. He went into partnership with another man, to sell goods on a large scale; the partner was to take charge of the merchandise business and he went to practicing medicine. In a short time the mercantile business was a complete failure, and the doctor could not think of marrying the profess[ors daughter.* ] [ the last line dark. cut off ]

Friday, June 30, 1899 - continued

So he went and informed her of his misfortune, telling her that if they should marry, he would be unable to maintain her in the society in which she had been raised, and if she would agree to it, they would declare their promise to marry off; to which she reluctantly agreed. He then mounted his horse, intending to take up his abode away from civilization with which he had become disgusted, and make his home among the Indians of the wild west without letting anyone know where he was going; not even his father or mother or any of his brothers. They tried to find out where he went or what had become of him. At last there came a man to this vicinity who knew him, and informed his family of his whereabouts. They had come to the conclusion that he was dead, long before they heard of him. He told me that which I doubt if he ever told his family; of the scene that transpired when he bid adieu to the idol of his affections. He said if he died in his senses, that scene would still be as fresh in his mind, as if it had only been an hour since it took place. The doctor married a worthy young lady by the name of [Agnes*] McCUBBIN, with whom he lived a quiet peaceful life until she died. At his death, he left behind him several sons, one of which is now a prosperous merchant in the town of Yellville, doing a large business in dry goods, groceries &t.

Silas Claiborne Turnbo

Excerpted from: Turnbo's Tales of the Ozarks

One of the pioneer settlers of Marion County Ark. was John H. TABOR who died several years ago. Mr. TABOR was a son of Elijah and Sarah (Green) TABOR and was born in Rutherford County North Carolina December the 11th 1809. He came with his parents to the mouth of Big North Fork on White River in 1826. They and others pushed a keel boat all the way up White River. His parents died many years ago and both lie buried on East Sugar Loaf Creek on what was once known as the Akins land."The year I came to mouth of Big North Fork" said. Mr. TABOR , "I made a crop with Jack HURST and ‘Snappin’ Bill WOODS on the river near the mouth of Big North Fork. In 1830 I made a crop where Buffalo City now stands just above the mouth of Buffalo. I remember that soon after our arrival at the mouth of Big North Fork in 1826 a band of Indians came there one day with several elksheads and horns. The length of the horns were astonishing for by standing them on the points a man of ordinary height could pass under the heads without stooping. There were plenty of Buffalo along White River then, and great numbers of buffalo bones and horns were found all over the country. I have lived at various places in Marion County until I took up my final location on Crooked Creek some two miles below Powell. I bought this claim from an Indian of the name of Little Pumpkin in 1836. This Indian had settled this land two years previous. I built a small log cabin on the claim during the same year
I bought it. Some three or four years thereafter I built another log house near a fine spring of water on this same land and removed the cabin that I built in 1836 and attached it to this last house and the logs are In a good state of preservation to the present day. I got acquainted with Dr. COWDREY in 1829 and he was living in Batesville then. I recollect when de ARMOND shot and wounded John P. HOUSTON brother to the governor Sam HOUSTON of Texas fame, a runner was sent to Batesville for Dr. COWDREY and he came and attended on HOUSTON until he recovered from the wound. HOUSTON was at the mouth of Big North Fork when he and de ARMOND got into trouble and was shot. Dr. COWDREY was the only physician then on White River and came to Yellville in 1835. COWDREY was one among the well educated and was a skillful physician and surgeon.