Known scrip notes issued in other Arkansas counties during the Civil War

White and Hanley, Van Buren

George E. White and Samuel C. Hanley were successful merchants in Van Buren. They issued a number of different scrip notes and apparently one from a location in Marion County. See Marion County page. The earliest information I could find is a newspaper advertisement dated March 13, 1857 that says "merchant, and dealer in staple and fancy goods, groceries, hardware, & etc., wholesale and retail, Van Buren, Ark." George E. White is noted as being an Alderman of the City of Van Buren in 1860 and Samuel C. Hanley is also an alderman in 1861. The latest information I could find on White and Hanley is a December 8, 1868 newspaper article about the business being saved from a fire in Van Buren.

White and Hanley Merchants Van Buren, Arkansas 1st June, 1862 $1.00 note listed as R-7. This note was only good at their store in Van Buren.

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Mayers and Brothers, Fort Smith City

The notes appear to be signed by Wm H Mayers and M Mayers. The Mayers brothers were successful merchants in Fort Smith and issued a large quantity of many different type of notes "payable all over creation" as one dealer put it. The Mayers (or at least one of them) also apparently served as Commissary Officer for the Confederate Army in Fort Smith.

An internet search provides the following information: Abraham Mayers born 1761 in Maryland, married Catherine Gilbert on February 9, 1802 and died on January 16, 1835. Abraham and Catherine had 3 girls and 5 boys as follows:

1. Martin Mayers - born around 1805 no other information provided.
2. Abraham Mayers - an internet search of Abraham documents he was born in Hagerstown, Maryland in 1809 and came to Fort Smith in 1837 and was a merchant and then operated a weekly newspaper called the Thirty Fifth Parallel. Weird name for a newspaper.
3. John Mayers - born about 1810 no other information provided
4. Michael Mayers - born February 25, 1818 in Hagerstown, Maryland, Married Marie Louise Perey in 1848 and died April 28, 1904. Michael and Marie had 6 children 5 of which were born in Fort Smith between 1849 and 1855.
5. William Henri Mayers Born July 7, 1820 in Pennsylvania, married Harriet Abigail Wilcox in Fort Smith on September 31, 1851 and died June 30, 1868. William and Harriet had six children all born in Fort Smith between 1852 and 1867.

Based on this, it appears Wm H Mayers is William Henri Mayers and the M Mayers is Michael Mayers. The 1850 census list Michael Mayers at 32 years old with an occupation as druggist with real estate valued $3,000. The 1860 census list Michael Mayers at 42 years old as merchant, real estate valued at $6,000 and person property at $8,000. The 1860 census also list William Henri Mayers as 40 years old, merchant, real estate valued at $4,125 and personal property at $6,000. A report in the Arkansas Historical Quarterly, summer 1975, volume 2 page 123 documents the Mayers Brothers as Druggist, and also selling groceries, household merchandise and liquors. The Fort Smith Business Directory shows that between 1881 and 1907, Mayer and company sold general merchandise on the south side of Garrison Avenue at 89 Garrison, sold general merchandise at 301 to 303 on the north side of Garrison Avenue and clothing at 39 Garrison Avenue on the north side.

Mayers and Bros $1.00 Note Fort Smith, Arkansas January 9, 1862  Listed as R-5

Mayers and Bros. $2.00 Note Fort Smith, Arkansas January 9, 1862  Listed as R-5

Mayers and Bros. $1.00. Note error printing December 18, 1861. I am curious why December 18, 186 was printed and then the 1 hand written in. What were they going to do? Only issue these notes on December 18th of each year? I Suspicion that may have been a typo like the backwards dollar sign. Listed as R-6

Another Mayers and Brothers note with the year partially printed and partially written in. Listed as R-5

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W.E. Morgan, El Dorado

This note is not listed in "the book". W. E. Morgan issued a variety of notes but this variant is not listed in the book Arkansas Obsolete Notes and Scrip. The book does list a 10 cent note just like this except that note so listed does not have the eagle with a flag and arrows in its claws. It has two small picture frames on the end - weird. The book does list a 50 cent note just like this one. I suspicion this business issued many varieties of notes.

W.E. Morgan El Dorado Arkansas Civil War 10 cents  It's a shame the left end of this note is partially missing. This is a neat little note on yellow paper.

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Helena Arkansas

Helena Insurance Company Helena, Arkansas 1862. A little rough around the edges. This insurance company issued multiple types of notes.
This note is listed as an R-7 but I think it more accurate rating is R-6 as I have seen around 3 or 4 of these myself in the last few years.

City of Helena, Arkansas Five Dollars 1874. This note is listed as an R-7 but I have seen many of these notes. I think a more accurate rating is an R-5

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William B Wait, Little Rock

William B Wait of Little Rock issued a large quantity of notes that are readily available today for reasonable cost. Most of these notes are listed as R-5 but I would say R-4 myself. Even with this rating, these notes should not be overlooked by the collector and make a very nice addition to your collection not to mention these notes are still an important part of Arkansas history. I am glad to have them in my collection. Here are 3 examples:

W.M. B. Wait Little Rock, Arkansas Two Dollars May 15, 1862

W.M. Wait Little Rock, Arkansas 10 cents March 23, 1862

W.M. B. Wait Little Rock, Arkansas One Dollar May 15, 1862

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The Exchange Bank of Helena. This bank operated without a State charter as the 1846 Constitution of the State of Arkansas did not allow banks to be established in this state. This is a poor example of a common note that is also an unissued remainder. This is 3 strikes against this note from the start. However, the price REALLY was right so here is it.