Boone County Arkansas in the Civil War

Boone County was part of Carroll County at the time of the Civil War. Harrison did not exist but was a small community known as Crooked Creek. According to the Civil War Timeline, 2 skirmishes took place at Rolling Prairie (now called Rally Hill) on January 23, 1864 and February 4, 1864, 1 skirmish on Clear Creek on February 11, 1865, and 2 skirmishes on Crooked Creek at Clapper's saw mill on March 31, 1863 and another undisclosed location on February 5, 1864. I have listed these on Crooked Creek under Boone County, however, I am not sure in which county these events actually took place.

Known Scrip notes issued in Boone County, Arkansas during the Civil War

Bellefonte - originally known as Mt Pleasant, was the big town in what would become Boone County and had a host of scrip issuers. Like Yellville, I think about everyone that lived there issued their own scrip notes. The names are often hard to read. Bellefonte still exist today but is a shadow of its former self. Much of the old square is gone - taken out by Hwy 65 -but the west and south side of the old square still exist.

    J M Beller
    S G Flynn
    P Smith & Wisenhunt
    F M Wellsford
    C C Williams
    W W Willmen (or possibly Williams)
    Unknown - can't read or recognize signature
    House and Capps
    L Baker ???
    W W Williams
    J H McLaughlin ???
    Wills & T J Grumlee

Standing at the south west corner of the original Bellefonte square looking north. The north and east side of the original square was taken out when Highway 65 was built. Highway 65 is visible in the background at what would have been the north west corner of the original square. At the time of the Civil War, the original old road came into the north west corner of the square from Crooked Creek (now called Harrison) at about the same sport Highway 65 does now, then it turned right and ran down the west side of the square and proceeded south to Rolling Prairie (now called Rally Hill).

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Rolling Prairie - Today this town is called Rally Hill and is located on the old Washington Road which according to the 1855 map of Arkansas run east from Carrollton then dipped just south of Crooked Creek (Harrison) to Mt Pleasant (Bellefonte) dipping down through what is today Valley Springs, running to Rolling Prairie and then in a north easterly direction on to Yellville. The book, An Outlander's History of Carroll County Arkansas by Jim Lair, says Rolling Prairie was located in Marion County and the 1855 map confirms this. However, after the Civil War, the county lines were moved with the formation of Boone county and adjustments made to the Searcy County lines. After these adjustments, Rolling Prairie is now located in Boone County. The 1855 map shows Rolling Prairie located at GPS coordinates of about 92.58 and 36.1. Google Earth places Rally Hill at 92.57.09.63 and 36.09.34.41. According to the original 1840 survey and an 1865 US Army map, Rolling Prairie was located in the south west corner of Section 30 of T18N, R18W just right on or inside the T18/19N R18W line. A comparison to the 1997 Boone County Map with the townships and ranges shown confirms this as the modern day Rally Hill.  In the book History of Boone County, Arkansas by Roger V Logan, Jr. Rally Hill is discussed on page 30, " we learn that the school (Rally Hill Academy)  was first known as Prairie Home Seminary..." and "..in 1885, the academy was described as located on a hill overlooking Rolling Prairie..."

Today's Rally Hill is Rolling Prairie.

The book, An Outlander's History of Carroll County Arkansas by Jim Lair, documents that the Rolling Prairie post office was established on September 23, 1867 with William Mickum as first post master. The second post master was Henry Moore and the post office was discontinued on November 13, 1871.

I only have a copy of the left half of the note as the right side is covered by another note in the copy. Since only the left half of the note is visible, I am not sure the note is intact but did wish to mention it here. The left half that is visible does say it was issued in Rolling Prairie. The note is from an unknown issuer but appears to start with James in printed block letters and this printing is identical to the lettering used in the James H.Berry notes from Yellville.  This is the only Rolling Prairie note I have ever seen and as of yet remains undocumented. More research is needed.

All that exist today of Rolling Prairie (Rally Hill) is an old church